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


wide-legged forward bend
Picture Supply: Shutterstock

Huge-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 named Prasarita Padottanasana, the which 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 could really feel profound and calming. It’s a useful preparatory posture for full inversion postures comparable 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 vital for sustaining flexibility and elasticity.

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

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

It is going to be attention-grabbing to know that this pose shouldn’t be among the many conventional hatha yoga poses. It was launched within the Iyengar faculty of yoga and was additional included in Ashtanga, vinyasa, and energy yoga as a transition pose.

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

Follow Information for Huge-Legged Ahead Bend

Preparatory Poses

Steps to Carry out Huge-Legged Ahead Bend

wide-legged forward bend instructions
Picture Supply: Shutterstock
  • Stand tall and straight on the ground in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) along with your fingers in your waist
  • Unfold out your toes about 3-4 toes aside. Preserve 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 sides of your mat, flip your toes barely inward and your heels barely outward.
  • Lengthen your physique by extending upward by means of the top’s crown.
  • Gently bend out of your hips as an alternative of arching your decrease again.
  • Place your fingers under your shoulders on the ground or blocks whereas sustaining a protracted again and an open chest. The palms ought to be in step 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 top and palms ought to be resting on the ground. Keep the weight of the physique in your legs, not within the crown on the top.
  • Maintain this place for a minimal of 10-15 seconds.
  • To launch the asana, first, increase the top off the ground after which gently raise your torso. Slowly carry your toes collectively, and are available again to Tadasana.

Newbie’s Suggestions

  • The space between your legs is dependent upon your peak and stability. Experiment with totally different variations of the space to search out the best place. Don’t unfold your legs too far aside as you will not be steady within the place.
  • Lengthening your torso is far more essential than inserting the top on the ground. The second you’re feeling your again curving, you must 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 may bend your physique midway such that your torso turns into parallel to the bottom.
  • In case you are a newbie, you would possibly really feel tough to put your head on the ground, so, you may put a yoga block, a stack of folded blankets, or a cushion to relaxation the crown of the top.
  • Yoga blocks and blanket stacks can be used to put your fingers on them.
  • Be certain your shoulder blades are pulling collectively and down your again as a result of this pose tends to trigger shoulders to drop.
  • Be certain 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. If you happen to already had a meal, anticipate not less than 3-4 hours earlier than performing this pose.
  • Don’t press your head on the ground. Merely relaxation it on the ground.
  • In case you have a current damage, 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 in case you 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, folks 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 in case you have coronary heart illness or have had coronary heart surgical procedure.
  • Girls in the superior phases of being pregnant should keep away from this pose.

Variations of Huge-Legged Ahead Bend(Prasarita Padottanasana)

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

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

Prasarita Padottanasana B

Variations of Wide-Legged Forward Bend B(Prasarita Padottanasana B)
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After getting come into Prasarita Padottanasana A, raise your fingers off the ground and place them in your waist. Rotate your shoulder outwards whereas inserting the fingers such that your elbows ought to be pointed to the entrance or similar path as your toes.

You may as well use a strap in case you may carry your fingers to the waist due to tight shoulders.

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

Prasarita Padottanasana C

Variations of Wide-Legged Forward Bend C(Prasarita Padottanasana C)
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After coming to the ultimate pose of Prasarita Padottanasana A, raise your fingers off the bottom and rotate your shoulder to carry your arms to the again. Interlock your fingers and level them in the identical path as your toes.

Strive bringing the fingers in direction of the bottom in case your shoulder, higher again, and chest permit. you can even attempt to take them in direction of your hips or else you may 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

Variations of Wide-Legged Forward Bend D(Prasarita Padottanasana D)
Picture Supply: Shutterstock

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

Preserve your arms in the identical place as the unique pose, simply improve 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.

Observe-Up Poses

Advantages of Huge-Legged Ahead Bend

Prasarita Padottanasana combines the 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 tougher yoga positions and reflection.

Beneath 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, power and mobility of the hips, hamstrings and quads because the legs are stretched vast.
  • Tones and strengthens the calf and ankle muscle mass and improves their flexibility.
  • Improves blood circulation to the top by means of the inversion.
  • Eliminates stress, stiffness and rigidity within the neck and shoulders.
  • Improves the movement of prana, which reduces.
  • Promotes focus and focus, as it is advisable be certain 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 because of improved blood movement to the mind.





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