Makarasan (Crocodile pose)
In makarasan, the performer lay down silently on his belly like a crocodile and keenly observed their surroundings. Makarasan is lying on the belly pose and the name is derived from Sanskrit. The word makar means crocodile, asana means pose.
hence, makarasan is known as crocodile pose. Its name was given on its posture. Makarasan is also called a silent killer.
Makarasan is a great way to address your shoulder and back. It will help you to keep your body in a resting position after yoga. The posture looks like a crocodile resting. This posture is practiced to ease down strain after yoga. It can be practiced after yoga to cool down your body. it can also be practiced earlier to tone up your core and enhance strength in your core. This will enhance flexibility in your shoulder and arms. It will strengthen your shoulders. You can practice this pose in the morning and evening with an empty stomach. Makarasan is a great pose to calm down an individual.
This pose reduces back pain, stress, and depression. It will also improve your digestion. Practicing makarasan will help you to attain balance. It is derived from the final form of the posture that imitates a lazy crocodile.
This pose can be practiced in two ways: one is for beginners and the second one is for someone who wants a challenging yoga posture. As a preparatory pose, you can practice Bhujangasan, Gomukhasana, and setu bandhasana to avoid any injury during this pose. The preparatory poses and the follow-up poses will enhance the benefits of the pose. you can practice corpse pose or savasana and bow pose.
Benefits:

• Back pain: Practicing this yoga posture enhance the health of your back and reduce back pain.
• Deep relaxation: This posture provides deep relaxation for the shoulder and spine. This pose can be practiced between two asanas to calm down your body and relax.
• Keeps you rejuvenated: This pose rejuvenated your body and makes you look younger and healthier.
• you will feel a gentle stretch on your torso, shoulders, back, and spine. Practicing this pose will help you in stretching your whole body. This is a good stretching exercise. This asana is very helpful in relaxing your whole body.
• It enhances flexibility in an individual. This pose will lengthen your body and increase flexibility in your body. It increases flexibility in your spine.
• Blood circulation: This pose enhances blood flow in your body. It allows the heart to pump in a controlled manner thus reducing the chances of heart attack and various heart-related diseases.
• : Makarasan will be beneficial in lungs infection. Studies show that practicing makarasan helped people to reduce chest/lungs infection and open up their chest. It can be very beneficial in treating asthma or other lungs related diseases.
• : Makarasan could be beneficial in body toning. If practiced regularly, you will notice a visible difference in your body.
• Weight loss: The pose can be practiced by an individual if they want to reduce weight. It will shed excessive fat on your shoulder, waist, belly, arms, abdomen, and thighs.
• : Practicing the pose will show positive results in our digestion. makarasan put pressure on the abdomen and lower back and simultaneously concentrate on our breathing. This is a proven fact that people doing makarasan have strengthened their digestion.
• : This yoga posture stimulates your pancreas which produces insulin and hence balance diabetes.
• : Makarasan calms down your mind and prevents anxiety. This posture increases the oxygen-carrying blood circulation in your body and mind and helps balance anxiety.
• Spondylitis, sciatica, slip disc: Makarasan will help you in treating spondylitis, sciatica, and slip disc. Makarasan strengthens your spine, lower back, and hips that help in reducing pain and curing the problem.
• Blood pressure: Makarasan will help you in balancing your blood pressure. It will regulate the blood flow in your body which will balance the blood pressure.
• Improve balance: Makarasan helps you in improving the balance of your body. For improving balance, it is very important to have a strong spine. This pose will strengthen your spine and increase flexibility. Hence, results in improving balance.
• : This pose can be beneficial in balancing the functioning of your abdominal muscles. Makarasan will strengthen your abdomen and cure many problems.  

Technique:
Step 1: lie down on the floor on your stomach with your hand folded one above the other at the front.
Step 2: Place your chin on the folded hands and straighten your legs.
Step 3: Close your eyes and relax in the position.
Step 4: Raise your hands and chin along with your legs as we do in the superman pose.
Step 5: Hold on to this pose for as long as you can.
Step 6: Relax and get back to the initial position.
Step 7: Repeat the pose at least 5 times. Do not force your breathing during the whole process.
Precautions:

• Do not practice this pose in pregnancy. This pose pressurizes your abdomen and can lead to abortion or other serious consequences.
• Avoid practicing the pose in case of high blood pressure. This will increase the blood flow and thus worsen your condition.
• Consult your doctor before practicing the posture in case of slip disc.
• This pose is prohibited to an individual who just recovered from surgery. You can practice the pose 4 months after the surgery but it is very important to consult your doctor to avoid any issues.
• In the case of neck, back, shoulder injury, do not practice the pose.
• Avoid practicing the pose in case of an abdomen infection. This pose focuses on your abdomen. Your body pressurizes the abdomen during this pose which may worsen your abdomen infection. So it is advisable to avoid the pose.
• Practice the pose under observation to avoid any injury.
• Do not practice this pose if you are suffering from Spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis is a problem of slipped vertebrae at the base of the spine.
• Consult your doctor first if you are suffering from cauda equina syndrome. Cauda equina syndrome is a nerve compression due to injury in the lower back.
• Ask your yoga instructor before practicing the pose if you are suffering from a hernia.

Props and modification:

• If you feel uncomfortable lying on the floor use a blanket to ensure your comfort.
• You can use yoga bricks to support your head or shoulders.
• If you can’t practice this pose, you can try the modified version of this pose. if you feel uncomfortable in practicing the whole legs and hands posture, you can modify it by placing feet on the floor and raising for head and hands. You have to stay in the pose for as long as you can.
• Another modification that can be practiced in the pose is to place yoga bricks or a blanket under your hands and stay in the pose for as long as you can.
• To give yourself a challenge, interlock your fingers and place them at the back of your head. Now lift your body to the maximum and hold on to the pose.
• You can just simply lay on the floor on your folded hands and keep your body relaxed.