Yoga

Seated Forward Bend
(Paschimottanasana)

Posted: January 24, 2018

Seated Forward Bend   Paschimottanasana (Posh-ee-moh-tan-AA-SUN-aa) — Seated Forward Bend can be an active or passive posture, depending on the level of practitioner. The pose provides a full-body stretch, especially in the hamstrings. Seated Forward Bend gets its name from the Sanskrit words paschim, meaning west, uttana, meaning head, and stretch, and asana meaning pose.

Level of Difficulty: Beginner

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping your spine erect and toes flexed towards you.
  2. Breathing in, raise both arms above your head and stretch upwards.
  3. Breathing out, bend forward from your hip joints and leading with your chest towards your toes.
  4. Keep your spine erect and focus on moving forwards towards your toes, rather than down towards your knees.
  5. Place your hands on your legs or wherever they can comfortably reach
  6. Breathing in, lift your head slightly and lengthen your spine.       
  7. Breathing out, gently move your navel towards your knees.
  8. Repeat this movement two or three times.
  9. Stretch your arms out in front of you. Breathing in, with the strength of your arms, come back up to a sitting position.
  10. Breathe out and lower your arms.

 

Benefits

  • Stretches the lower back
  • Massages the abdominal organs
  • Tones the shoulders

Precautions

  • Pregnancy
  • Fractured ribs or wrists
  • Abdominal surgery
  • Knee injury

Preparatory and Follow-up Poses

Browse our entire yoga poses library and learn more about each yoga pose in detail.

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