Yoga

One-Legged Forward Bend
(Janu Shirasasana)

Posted: January 24, 2018

Head-to-Knee Forward Bend  — Janu Sirsasana (JAA-new-sheer-AA-SUN-aa) — Head-to-knee Forward Bend is an excellent pose for practitioners of all levels. The pose provides a full-body stretch and provides a mild spinal twist.  The pose gets its name from the Sanskrit words janu, meaning knee, sirsa, meaning head, and asana, meaning pose.

Level of Difficulty: Beginner

Step-by-Step Instructions

Yoga Asana – Forward Bend 1

  1. Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out straight in front of you, keeping your spine erect.
  2. Bend your left knee and place your left foot against your right thigh, keeping your left knee on the floor.
  3. Breathing in, raise both arms above your head and stretch up. Twist slightly to the right from your waist.
  4. Breathing out, bend forward from your hip joints, keeping the spine straight and directing your chin to your toes.
  5. If you can, hold onto your big toes and, pointing your elbows to the ground, move forward as you pull on your toes.
  6. Hold. Keep breathing.
  7. Breathing in, come up and breathing out, bring your arms down to your sides.
  8. Repeat on the other side.

 

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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