This is a lively asana with immense benefits. When one is exhausted, a longer stay will alleviate fatigue. It is also an excellent asana for runners, as it relieves pain and stiffness in the heels and ankles. It will strengthen the ankles and make the legs shapely.As you follow the sequence you will begin to notice a relief in the shoulder blades, which benefits the shoulder joint (i.e. arthritis). Focus on drawing your abdominal muscles in towards the back of your spine. This action will increase your core body strength.As the diaphragm is drawn up towards the chest, the heart slows down. It is somewhat of an inversion, as the head is lower than the heart, and so the benefits of inversion (blood to the head, organs relieved, etc.) are incurred. It will be relatively easy to release the tension in your hamstrings, once you get the components of forward hip flexion and the activation of the thighs (quadriceps).
