Prasarita Padottanasana

Wide Leg Forward Bend Prasarita = spread out. Padda = foot. Uttan = extended A strong forward bend activating the leg muscles with control of the muscles of the back This posture teaches both balance and muscular control and develops an awareness of the body in space.

Anything to watch out for? Make sure that it is the muscles of the legs that control the posture. Ensure that you feel only ease in the back. Just half way for Blood pressure.

Preparations Hamstring and calf stretches with hip openers.

Method From . Take the feet wide apart Rest the hands on the hips. Bring the torso upright with a shadow of a back arch. Maintain this shadow as you move into the next phase. Move the butt backwards into the space behind it by shifting the weight into the heels. This will instigate a forward bend rather than actually ‘doing’ one. As the torso moves forward and down, allow the hands / arms to drop down to rest on the floor beneath the shoulders (keep the arms straight). Keeping the hands on the floor, inhale and look up. (maintain the back arch) On the exhale allow the torso to move down, bending the arms at the elbow and releasing the back arch at the end of the movement. Walk the hands back with the fingers pointing forwards until the torso has reached as far down as it will go. Allow the torso to hang on the hips as would a jacket on a hanger

Once there Keep the legs strong Maintain ease in the torso If the head rests on the floor bring the feet closer in so that the head merely brushes it Keep walking the hands back as the depth of the posture increases

Coming Out Straighten the arms and come back to the halfway position using the arms as support Engage the shadow of a back arch and maintain it.

Bring hands to hips. Shift the butt forward allowing the muscles of the legs to draw the torso upright. Once upright release the back arch and come back to Tadasana. The release from the posture can be done with bent knees, but the rest remains the same.

Too challenging at the moment? Bend the knees and rest the hands or elbows on the thighs. Or Keep the legs straight but rest hands or arms on a chair or other support. And Use blocks to raise the floor up to meet your hands

Variations 1. Take the hands out to hold the big toe or outer edges of the feet. Inhale look up and back-arch. Exhale draw the body down. (Bicep effort required here)

2. From upright legs wide apart. Interlock the fingers behind the back, and keeping the arms straight, fold forward and down.

3. Take right hand to directly under the gaze point. (keep this arm straight) Turn to the left, taking the left arm up towards the ceiling along with the drusty. Repeat to the other side.

4. Take the right hand to the left foot, (keep this arm straight). Turn to the left, taking the left arm up towards the ceiling along with the drusty. Repeat to the other side. (A powerful twist)

Tips Keep the weight into the heels, this will shift the gravity line of the body and make the forward bending phase effortless.

Benefits The develops an awareness of the body’s position in space and lengthens the hamstrings, abductors and calf muscles.

(1)B.K.S. Iyengar suggests That the hamstring and abductor muscles are developed while blood is made to flow to the head and trunk.

On an esoteric level the posture is quietening and internalising

Bibliography Iyengar B K S (1991) Light on ; The Aquarian Press Mehta. Silva. Mira. and Shyam 1992. . Dorling Kindersley . London. Lao Tsu. (translated Gia-Fu Feng & Jane English) 1988 Tao Te Ching. Wildwood house. Aldershot

Bob Insley; 05 / 2011