Secrets of Performing Supta Padangusthasana, Technique of Big Toe Pose in Yoga, Benefits of the Asana

Supta Padangusthasana – yoga pose , allowing you to safely and deeply stretch the entire surface of your legs and hamstring muscles without straining your spine. The asana is performed lying on the floor, which prevents rounding of the back and protects against any accidental unhealthy movements that provoke clamps, distortions and other back problems. In addition, the asymmetrical nature of the stretch will help to balance both sides of the back, because for most of us one side of the body is stronger and more tense, which distorts posture. Traditionally, this asana is practiced lying on your back, the big toe is grasped with a ring of three fingers of the same hand. But often the stretch of beginners does not allow them to reach the foot with their fingers, so you can and should use a strap to practice this asana.

Technique

Step 1:

Lie on your back, legs together, knees drawn in, toes pointed towards yourself. Take your shoulders away from your ears. If it is uncomfortable for your head to lie on the floor – place a folded blanket under it.

Step 2:

On the exhale, pull your left leg towards your body, bending it at the knee. Lift your thigh to your abdomen. Keep your right leg strong – actively press it to the floor, pull your knee in and stretch your toes towards yourself.

Step 3:

Throw a strap around your left foot and hold it with both hands. Inhale and straighten your knee, pushing your heel towards the ceiling. Hold the strap with both hands at such a height that your elbows are straight. Spread your shoulder blades and gently press them into the floor, creating resistance to the strap and the outstretched leg. In a circular motion, turn your shoulders towards the floor and expand your collarbones to the sides of your sternum.

Step 4:

Lengthen the back of your left leg, starting from the heel and ending with the back of your thigh, the arch of your foot looks at the ceiling, the leg should eventually be raised perpendicular to the floor. Insert the femur deeper into the pelvis, this will help pull the leg closer to the head, increasing the stretch of the back of the leg.

Step 5:

Fix the leg in a vertical position for 1-3 minutes.

Exiting the Pose

On the exhale, slowly lower your leg to the starting position. Repeat the asana on the right leg for the same amount of time.

Asana Alignment / Control Points

1. while in the final position, do not try to strain your hips – this will prevent good leg stretching;
2. do not lift your shoulders and shoulder blades in order to reach closer to your foot – keep them fixed to the floor. If necessary, increase the length of the strap.
3. actively press the knee of the leg resting on the floor into the floor;
4. do not tilt your body inward, for this, press firmly to the floor with the entire area of your torso and the leg stretched below.

Benefits

Contraindications

Preparatory Yoga Exercises

• Adho Mukha Shvanasana ;
• Uttanasana .

Advanced Practice

Perform the asana without using a strap to grasp the leg. After completing steps 1 and 2 of the main instructions, grasp the big toe with a ring of three fingers of the same hand (thumb, index and middle). Then stretch your leg upwards, stretching the hamstrings and tendons. The left hand (grabbing the toe) should be at the level of the left shoulder. If your preparation and stretching allows, on the exhale, take your leg further behind your head, lift your head and upper body off the floor and reach your forehead to your leg.

Variations

1. Simplified version If the leg extended on the floor bends at the knee, perform the asana against the wall, resting your foot against the wall. When performing Supta Padangusthasana 2, place a block / rolled-up blanket to the right / left to place the leg being taken to the side. This support will help to soften the stretching of the groin area.
2. Complicated version – Supta Padangusthasana 2 – abduction of the raised leg to the side perform steps 1-4, described in the main instructions; fix the position of the pelvis on the floor. On the exhale, take your left leg to the left (outward), starting the movement from the hip joint. Stop the movement of the leg a few centimeters from the floor, feel the stretching of the hamstrings and the opening of the pelvis. The primary task of this asana is not to put the leg on the floor, but to gently open the hip area. try to pull the left foot up to the level of the shoulders, while not lifting the right (opposite) side of the body and the right buttock from the floor; fix the leg in the lateral position for 1-3 minutes. Breathe calmly. on the inhale, slowly begin to raise the leg to its original position. In this case, the lift is carried out not with the help of hand strength, but due to the muscles of the thigh. Having reached the original position (perpendicular to the floor), fix yourself in this position for another 30 seconds. Then, on the exhale, slowly lower the leg to a horizontal position. repeat the sequence on the right leg. You can stay here on this segment or turn your leg outward from the hip joint, so that the knee and toes are pointing to the left. Unagrande YogaClub