STEPS : While in Uttanasana, take a few deep breaths. When you're ready, come up onto your fingertips. As you inhale, raise your torso, keeping your spine flat. Exhale smoothly as you draw your shoulder blades together. Pay attention to your knees here and try to microbend to avoid locking them. Inhale as you lift your head and look forward. Keep your spine aligned through your back and neck (it can help to imagine being pulled forward slightly from your chest). Take this opportunity to get in touch with your breathing. Focus on inhaling and exhaling deeply, coordinating each breath with the flow of the movement. When you're ready to release from the pose, exhale and return to Uttanasana.