{"id":858,"date":"2019-06-05T06:14:18","date_gmt":"2019-06-05T06:14:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/musclemagfitness.com\/?p=858"},"modified":"2019-06-05T06:14:18","modified_gmt":"2019-06-05T06:14:18","slug":"the-prasarita-padottanasana-yoga-pose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fghdesign.com\/mmf\/the-prasarita-padottanasana-yoga-pose\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Guide To Prasarita Padottanasana – Wide Leg Forward Bend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you want to gain great alignment in your back, open hips, and great hamstring flexibility?  You can get these benefits and many more from performing the Prasarita Padottanasana yoga posture.  Here are many methods to improve your pose for beginners to advanced yogis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning How to Say Prasarita Padottanasana<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You can say prasarita easily by breaking it do into three parts pra-sa-rita. To say Padottanasana break it down as Pad-o-ttana-sana. To better understand the meaning prasarita<\/em> is to stretch out, expand, or spread with outstretched limbs.  Pada<\/em> means foot, and ut means intense and tan<\/em> means to stretch or extend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people mistakenly think that tan is similar to the Latin verb tendere,<\/em> but tendere in Latin is translated as spot in english (Google Translate<\/a>).  Where as porrigo in is the Latin verb for stretch, extend, reach, offer, hold out, and spread out (Google Translate<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Prasarita Padottanasana Technique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Start in Tadasana<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You should begin with your feet at one end of your yoga mat in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). While facing one of the long sides of the mat step across the mat, so you have your feet on both sides.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Your feet should be about double your shoulder width or slightly more.  You are not trying to do the splits so don’t go too far, and the posture is called wide leg forward bend, so you don’t want to be too narrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perform a Step of Hop<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Another option to go from mountain pose is to perform a slight hop with both feet at the same time.\u00a0 If you want to do this start in the middle of your mat and hop up while expanding your legs apart.\u00a0 <\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Whichever way you decide to separate your feet be sure to adjust if your feet did not land where you wanted them.  Before you start to bend you want to have a stable base.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensure that your feet are parallel to one another or slightly pointed in and both feet are a mirror of each other. You can rest your hands on your hips at this point, or you can let them hand in front of you, ready to catch yourself as you lean. Engage your leg muscles by keeping your feet firmly planted while flexing your muscles as if to pull your legs together.  Engaging your muscle will give you the benefits of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching.  Using PNF techniques will allow you to increase your flexibility much more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exhale and Lean Forward<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Remember to control your breathing, inhale, and expand your chest while arching your back slightly.  To ensure your spine is in the right position, pull your shoulder blades together slightly and look up in front of you.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Then Exhale and lean forward, maintaining you back elongated and not bend forward.\u00a0 You want to bend at your hips and not your back.\u00a0 As you are bending down to the floor, place your hand on the ground directly in front of your shoulders to brace yourself.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

  Here your arms, and legs should all be straight, and you will be bent at your hips and shoulders.  Your back will be slightly concaved or arched back from the base of your skull to your tailbone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk You Torso Back<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Continue to control your breathing while pulling your thighs back and away from each other.  Pull your pelvis apart to create some separation in your hips.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now walk your fingertips back between your feet, while maintaining your back firmly erect.\u00a0 Continue to breathe while walking your fingers back and bent at your elbows and not your back.\u00a0 You want to keep your upper body as long as possible, never bending your back forward.\u00a0 <\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

If you are flexible to get your head on the floor, you can rest your head on the floor.  Do not put your weight on your head and neck.  Ensure you maintain the weight of your body firmly on the mat through your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once your torso is in the fully forward lean, you can walk your hands out to your feet, or you can stay with your hands on the ground.  Now, with your hands in the final position, focus on spreading your hips and continue breathing.  Maintain this posture for a few breathing cycles usually 3-7 deep breaths or between 30 seconds and a minute.  Focus on separating your hips and widening your body with every breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you are through with the posture, bring your hands back to the floor, or you can place them on your hips.  Next, while bending at your hips and maintaining your back straight, pull yourself back up while exhaling.  If you need some balance and support, walk your hands forward as you raise your upper body to parallel with the floor.  Then pull your body up from the forward lean.  Finally, you can bring your feet back together by stepping or hopping and finish in Tadasana.<\/p>\n\n\n

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