Standing Forward Bend Pose | Uttanasana

STANDING FORWARD BEND POSE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stand up tall and bend forward by rotating your hip joints.
2. Keep your knees straight and place your palms on the floor, or hold the back of your ankles.
3. Stay in standing forward bend pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

Exhale slowly as you bend from the hip joints, draw your belly slightly in and lengthen your torso. Press your heels into the floor, keep your knees straight and touch the back of your ankles or the floor with the palms of your hands. Try touching your knees with your head and hold. Breathe in as you release the stretch and then rotate the hip joints as you lift your torso back up

UTTANASANA BENEFITS

The standing forward bend or Uttanasana is a yoga pose that helps to improve circulation, increases the flexibility of the spine and reduces accumulated stress and tension. This pose also helps to stretch the hamstrings, calves, and hips and strengthens the thighs and knees.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Back or hip injury.

PREPARATORY, COMPLEMENTARY AND FOLLOW-UP POSES

Start with downward facing dog and follow-up with inversions, standing poses, or seated forward bends.

RELATED YOGA POSES

Try these other yoga poses to relax and relieve stress and tension:
Child’s pose
Mountain pose
Upward salute pose
Standing half forward bend pose

YOGA ESSENTIAL FLOWS