Learn to work the legs and back in Ardha Uttanasana (Standing Half Forward Bend Pose)

Ardha Uttanasana, as I previously said, helps to build strength and flexibility in the legs and back helping us to find length in the front part of the body, increases blood flow to the brain, and soothes the sympathetic nervous system, relieving anxiety and clearing foggy thoughts. This pose helps us to find length in the front part of the body.

REACHING THE FLOOR

HANDS-ON THE BLOCKS

First, we will need... 2 BLOCKS.

NOW LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN DO THIS

1. Put two blocks on the floor in front of you.

2. Start in Tadasana (Mountain pose), inhale, and raise the arms up into Urdhva Hastasana.

3. You can have the feet hip distance apart or feet joining together to a more intense stretch of the hamstrings.

4. On exhale, bend forward finding the blocks with the hands.

5. Concave the back, with the hands placed on the blocks, and look forward.

6. If you have the flexibility on the hamstrings, bring the fingertips to the floor, but only if the back is long and straight.

THE EFFECT OF THIS EXERCISE

1. This variation helps to activate the legs and makes the bones denser.

2. It also allows us to progress in this asana bending more and going further down, creating an elongation of the body.

STRENGTHENING THE LEGS AND STRETCHING THE BACK

OUTER WRISTS ON THE BACKREST

We will need... 1 CHAIR.

NOW LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN DO THIS

1. Stand at an appropriate distance from the chair.

2. Start in Tadasana (Mountain pose), inhale, and raise the arms up into Urdhva Hastasana.

3. You can have the feet hip distance apart or feet joining together to a more intense stretch of the hamstrings.

4. On exhale, bend forward, placing the wrists on the backrest of the chair, palms facing the floor or facing each other. Inhale.

5. On exhale send the belly button towards the spine and concave the back.

6. Move the front thighs back and stretch the trunk forward.

THE EFFECT OF THIS EXERCISE

1. This variation helps to train the legs by lifting the arches and the kneecaps up, sending the back of the knees back by opening the back of the knees and pressing the inner thighs towards each other.

2. Also helps to stretch the back and have it concave.

STRENGTHENING THE LEGS AND ELONGATING THE UPPER BODY

RESTING THE HIPS ON THE BACKREST

We will need... 1 CHAIR, 2 BLOCKS, and a BLANKET.

NOW LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN DO THIS

1. Stand facing the backrest of the chair, cushioned with a blanket, and spread the legs apart until the front groins reach the height of the backrest (If you are tall, maybe you will have more spread legs). Inhale.

2. On exhaling, bend forward using the support of the backrest in order to extend the trunk forward.

3. Lower the head and place the forehead or the chin on the seat.

4. Option to hold the legs of the chair and relax. If you need to bend the elbows, when holding the chair, bend them to the outside.

THE EFFECT OF THIS EXERCISE

1. Helps to build strength and tone the liver, spleen, and kidneys.

2. Soothes the mind – helps the brain recover from mental and physical exhaustion.

3. Increases leg flexibility and lengthen the muscles of the legs and allow elongation of the upper body.

Source: Iyengar Yoga with Heather @IyengarYogawithHeather

Bent knees versus straight legs on Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

(OOT-tan-AHS-anna)

Ut = intense + tan = strech + asana = pose

Source: “Yoga anatomy” written by Leslie Kaminoff

In this pose as in many others in yoga, gravity should do the work of drawing the torso down.

Having this in consideration, if you feel tension, strain, or simply have tight hamstrings, to prevent you to pull yourself down (due to the hamstrings working in this case as tightropes), which will cause tightness and congestion in the psoas, rectus femoris and placing the sacroiliac ligaments under shear stress, it’s better to soften the knees giving breathing space in the pelvis and sacrum and allowing the spine to release.

Only when you feel this release in the spine, is when you should extend the legs,

providing you with more lengthening in all the back parts of the body.

Source: “Yoga anatomy” written by Leslie Kaminoff

from squencewiz.org “To Many Asymmetrical Poses Can Create Sacroiliac Joint Issues”

Source: Yoga Screen @YogaScreen