Prasarita Padottanasana - yoga pose is a deep forward bend from a wide-legged stance. There are several variations of Prasarita Padottanasana (A, B, C, D), each differing in hand position.
Execution Technique
Step 1:
Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) across the length of the mat. Place your hands on your hips so that your fingertips point forward. Inhale and step back with your right foot or spread your legs in a jump so that the distance between your feet is 130-150 cm (depending on height, the distance may be greater). Feet strictly parallel to each other. Pull up the inner thighs and press strongly on the outer edges of the feet and the metatarsals. Tighten your legs along their entire length, pull your knees in.
Step 2:
Inhale and lift your chest slightly, turning your shoulders back and widening your shoulder blades. Exhale and, continuing to stretch the entire front of your body, bend forward towards your legs, starting from the hip joints; do not round your back to bend your head lower.
Step 3:
When your body approaches the floor, place your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward. Legs and arms should be perpendicular to the floor and parallel to each other.
Step 4:
Inhale, keep your palms on the floor, carefully lift your head, arch your spine, look up. Actively tighten the upper part of your thighs, turn your hips in the groin area from the inside out, thus expanding the base of the pelvis. Take a few breaths.
Step 5:
Take a few more breaths and then, as you exhale, bend your elbows and lower your body completely forward. As you move down, stretch the front of your body as long as possible. If your preparation and stretching allow, place the crown of your head on the floor. Actively press the bases of the index fingers and thumbs to the floor. Keep your hands parallel to each other and widen your shoulder blades along your back. Take your shoulders away from your ears.
Step 6:
Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Exiting the Pose
Inhale and slowly raise your head and torso, lengthening the front of your torso. Place your hands on your hips, tuck your tailbone toward the floor and straighten your upper body. Return your legs to their original position.
Asana Adjustment / Control Points
- a 90-degree angle should form between the legs - this is the optimal distance between the legs;
- while holding the pose, actively grip the mat with the outer sides of your feet. Do not fall onto the inner parts of your ankles;
- shift your body weight from your heels to the middles of your feet - this can prevent the pelvis from falling back; your legs should be perpendicular to the floor.
Benefits
- calms the mind, relieves stress;
- strengthens and stretches the inner and back surfaces of the legs, ankles;
- stretches the spine;
- tones the abdominal organs, improves the digestive process;
- relieves discomfort and back pain;
- improves blood circulation in the brain.
Contraindications
- injuries to the lower spine: do not bend forward completely;
- high blood pressure.
Preparatory Yoga Exercises
- Adho Mukha Shvanasana ;
- Supta Baddha Konasana;
- Uttanasana .
Advanced Practice
If you easily touch the floor with your palms and can place your head on the crown, entering Prasarita Padottanasana, then you can deepen the asana as follows. Bend your arms at the elbows and place your palms and forearms on the floor. This advanced practice of Prasarita Padottanasana will prepare you for Pincha Mayurasana (peacock pose) and headstands.
Variations
- Simplified version If you are not yet able to put your hands palms on the floor, you need to use support to protect your lower back. Place a block/brick in the middle between your legs as a support for your hands. If your back is still rounding when bending: put a chair in front of you and place your hands with your forearms on the chair. Always remember that in deep forward bends it is important to lengthen the front of the body and it is absolutely impossible to round the back!
- Complicated version Prasarita Padottanasana in variations A, B, C, D is performed sequentially as part of the first series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga .
Variation B
Perform all the steps indicated above, but in step No. 3 do not remove your hands from your hips (as indicated in step No. 1). Thus, perform the tilt with your hands on your hips.
Variation C
Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) across the length of the mat. Slightly bend forward and slightly arch in the chest. Put your hands behind your back and bring them together in Anjali Mudra (Namaste gesture) or cross your fingers and turn your hands palms up. Then follow the steps indicated above.
Variation D
$1. erform steps 1 and 2.
When the body approaches the floor, grab the big toes with a ring of 3 fingers (thumb, index and middle fingers) of each hand. Inhale, gently lift your head, arch your spine, look up, arch in the chest area. Hands actively pull the toes towards themselves, and the legs press hard on the floor. As you exhale, spreading your elbows to the sides, bend over and enter the asana.
