Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana): The way to Do, Variations, & Advantages

Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend is a beginner-level ahead bending pose, that offers a tremendous growth to the torso with a deep stretch in hips and hamstrings.

In Sanskrit, it is called Prasarita Padottanasana, the that means of which may be damaged down as observe:

• Prasarita – unfold or expanded
• Pada – foot or leg
• Ut – intense
• Tan – to stretch
• Asana – pose

Thus it actually interprets to “Toes Unfold Intense Stretch Pose“.

After a prolonged sequence of standing pose or after jogging, strolling or biking, the train might really feel profound and calming. It’s a useful preparatory posture for full inversion postures corresponding to headstand, shoulder stand, and handstand, amongst many others.

Strengthening the leg muscle mass is simply one of many many advantages this pose brings. It additionally stretches the hamstrings, hips, calves, knees and decrease again, which is essential for sustaining flexibility and elasticity.

It’s additionally a pose to strengthen your core, as it is advisable tighten these muscle mass to keep up the bend and stability of your physique.

The most effective factor about this pose is that with its 3 further variations, it’s versatile and may be carried out by all exercisers.

It will likely be fascinating to know that this pose isn’t among the many conventional hatha yoga poses. It was launched within the Iyengar faculty of yoga and was additional integrated in Ashtanga, vinyasa, and energy yoga as a transition pose.

Allow us to take a look at this glorious pose intimately.

Follow Information for Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend

Preparatory Poses

Steps to Carry out Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend

• Stand tall and straight on the ground in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) along with your palms in your waist
• Unfold out your toes about 3-4 toes aside. Maintain your toes parallel to one another and unfold the load evenly on all corners of the toes.
• To align your toes’s edges with the perimeters of your mat, flip your toes barely inward and your heels barely outward.
• Lengthen your physique by extending upward by the pinnacle’s crown.
• Gently bend out of your hips as an alternative of arching your decrease again.
• Place your palms under your shoulders on the ground or blocks whereas sustaining a protracted again and an open chest. The palms ought to be in keeping with the toes, fingertips pointing forwards.
• To boost the hips towards the ceiling, press into the toes and lengthen the legs.
• As you exhale, stretch your torso extra inward, bringing your abdomen in nearer and tightening your stomach muscle mass.
• The crown of the pinnacle and palms ought to be resting on the ground. Preserve the weight of the physique in your legs, not within the crown on the pinnacle.
• Maintain this place for a minimal of 10-15 seconds.
• To launch the asana, first, increase the pinnacle off the ground after which gently carry your torso. Slowly convey your toes collectively, and are available again to Tadasana.

Newbie’s Suggestions

• The gap between your legs will depend on your top and stability. Experiment with completely different variations of the space to seek out the best place. Don’t unfold your legs too far aside as you will not be secure within the place.
• Lengthening your torso is way more essential than inserting the pinnacle on the ground. The second you are feeling your again curving, you need to cease bending additional.
• Bend your knees to the diploma essential to get reduction in case your low again or the backs of your legs are tight.
• In case your hips or decrease again is stiff and tight, you’ll be able to bend your physique midway such that your torso turns into parallel to the bottom.
• In case you are a newbie, you may really feel tough to put your head on the ground, so, you’ll be able to put a yoga block, a stack of folded blankets, or a cushion to relaxation the crown of the pinnacle.
• Yoga blocks and blanket stacks will also be used to put your palms on them.
• Ensure your shoulder blades are pulling collectively and down your again as a result of this pose tends to trigger shoulders to drop.
• Ensure your head, palms, and toes are in line after bending.

Precautions and Contraindications

• Bend the torso from the hips, not from the waist.
• Carry out this pose on an empty abdomen because it considerably places stress on the stomach. When you already had a meal, await a minimum of 3-4 hours earlier than performing this pose.
• Don’t press your head on the ground. Merely relaxation it on the ground.
• When you’ve got a latest harm, or sprain or have undergone surgical procedure in your hips, thighs, again, neck, ankles, wrists, or knees, don’t carry out this pose.
• Keep away from performing this inversion pose you probably have blood stress issues, vertigo, migraines, and/or complications.
• Individuals who have fibromyalgia or arthritis within the decrease physique mustn’t carry out this pose or proceed with excessive warning.
• Due to the deep extension of the backbone, individuals with spinal circumstances together with herniated disks, superior cervical- and lumbar-spondylosis, scoliosis, and kyphosis ought to keep away from this pose.
• You will need to keep away from such extreme inversions you probably have coronary heart illness or have had coronary heart surgical procedure.
• Ladies in the superior phases of being pregnant should keep away from this pose.

Variations of Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend(Prasarita Padottanasana)

There are three variations of wide-legged ahead bend, that are largely the hand positions. The above-mentioned steps are for Prasarita Padottanasana A.

These variations are considerably extra intense than the unique as they enhance the stretch.

Prasarita Padottanasana B

After getting come into Prasarita Padottanasana A, carry your palms off the ground and place them in your waist. Rotate your shoulder outwards whereas inserting the palms such that your elbows ought to be pointed to the entrance or similar route as your toes.

You too can use a strap in case you’ll be able to convey your palms to the waist due to tight shoulders.

This variation offers further stretch to your shoulders and additional opens the chest.

Prasarita Padottanasana C

After coming to the ultimate pose of Prasarita Padottanasana A, carry your palms off the bottom and rotate your shoulder to convey your arms to the again. Interlock your fingers and level them in the identical route as your toes.

Attempt bringing the palms in direction of the bottom in case your shoulder, higher again, and chest permit. it’s also possible to attempt to take them in direction of your hips or else you’ll be able to hold them raised.

This variation intensifies the stretch in your shoulders and higher again whereas increasing the chest. The arm placement – in direction of the bottom or hips – will goal the higher arm muscle mass.

Prasarita Padottanasana D

After stepping into Prasarita Padottanasana A, transfer your palms to seize the large toes. Maintain the large toe with the primary two fingers and thumb. 

Maintain your arms in the identical place as the unique pose, simply enhance the space between them to carry the toes. hold the elbows stacked on the wrists.

This variation will add additional stretch to your shoulders, higher again, higher arms, and chest.

Comply with-Up Poses

Advantages of Extensive-Legged Ahead Bend

Prasarita Padottanasana combines some great benefits of each ahead folds and inversions. Your flexibility can speedily and considerably develop on this pose. The nervous system is calmed and soothed, and it helps the physique and thoughts be prepared for more difficult yoga positions and reflection.

Under are a few of its advantages:

• Opens the hips and stretches the decrease again muscle mass.
• Eliminates stress and stiffness within the hips and tones the muscle mass of the decrease again.
• Acts to elongate the backbone and enhance its flexibility and vary of movement.
• Tones and massages the muscle mass of the trunk and stomach organs, contributing to higher digestion and metabolism.
• Will increase elasticity, energy and mobility of the hips, hamstrings and quads because the legs are stretched large.
• Tones and strengthens the calf and ankle muscle mass and improves their flexibility.
• Improves blood circulation to the pinnacle by the inversion.
• Eliminates stress, stiffness and pressure within the neck and shoulders.
• Improves the circulate of prana, which reduces.
• Promotes focus and focus, as it is advisable make sure that your physique is effectively balanced and stabilized.
• Relaxes the nervous system and provides a deep sense of rest and achievement.
• Relieves melancholy, anger and anxiousness within the physique as a consequence of improved blood circulate to the mind.