Fingers to feet upward forward bend

Start by lying on your back with your soles of the feet on the mat. 
1. Inhale and bring your legs all the way up and extended.
2. Exhale and keep your back onto the mat
3. Inhale and lift your head from the mat and your torso, and extend your arms towards your legs, bringing your hands to your feet, with your first two fingers and thumb around the toes. (you can use a strap if you can't reach your feet). 
4. Exhale and engage the core, balancing yourself on your lower back. 
5. Breath in deeply and extend the spine, and breathe out sinking in deeper into this pose. 

To release from this pose, release your fingers from around the toes and brings your hands and torso all the way down to the mat, followed by the back of your head resting on the mat. Then gently release the legs down extended on the mat. 

Physical benefits:
Provides flexibility to the spine
Stretches the legs and arms
Tones the abdomen
Releases tension from the lower back
​Stretches the arms

Mental benefits:
Improves concentration
Relieves nervous tension, stress and anxiety. 

Contraindications:
Lower back injury
High or low blood pressure
 Pregnancy