Uttanasana   
  • Beginner's Tip:
    • To increase the stretch in the backs of your legs, bend your knees slightly. Imagine that the sacrum is sinking deeper into the back of your pelvis and bring the tailbone closer to the pubis. Then against this resistance, push the top thighs back and the heels down and straighten the knees again. Be careful not to straighten the knees by locking them back (you can press your hands against the back of each knee to provide some resistance); instead let them straighten as the two ends of each leg move farther apart.
  • Modifications and props:
    • To increase the stretch on the backs of the legs, stand in the forward bend with the balls of your feet elevated an inch or more off the floor on a sand bag or thick book.
  • Deepen the pose:
    • You can increase the challenge in this pose by slightly varying the position of the arms and hands. First, exhale and swing your right arm around behind your back as you twist to the right. If you can, grip the left arm just at the elbow with the right hand; if you can't, hold a strap looped around the left elbow. Then turn your left arm outward (so the palm faces away from the knees) and slip the hand under the right knee, palm on the floor.
  • Partnering:
    • A partner can help you encourage the backs of your legs to open. Perform Uttanasana, resting your buttocks against a wall with your heels 6 to 12 inches away from the wall. Bend your knees. Have your partner press firmly against your sacrum. Imagine that the sacrum is sinking into your pelvis and lengthening through the tailbone, which in turn is growing up the wall. Slowly straighten your knees against this resistance. Don't simply lock the knees back to straighten them; instead, resist the back knees slightly forward as the heads of the thigh bones and heels move apart.
  • Info
    • ut = intense tan = to stretch or extend
  • Benefits:
    • Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and mild depression .
    • Stimulates the liver and kidneys .
    • Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and hips .
    • Strengthens the thighs and knees
    • Improves digestion .
    • Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause .
    • Reduces fatigue and anxiety.
    • Relieves headache and insomnia.
    • Therapeutic for asthma, high blood pressure, infertility, osteoporosis, and sinusitis.
  • Therapeutic Applications:
    • Stress .
  • Contraindications and Cautions:
    • Back injury: Do this pose with bent knees, or perform Ardha Uttanasana (pronounced ARE-dah, ardha= half), with your hands on the wall, legs perpendicular to your torso, and arms parallel to the floor.
                   
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