Sivananda Yoga Uttasana (Forward Fold) Pose Variation

Video Transcript

"Sue's now going to show us a variation of Uttasana, Forward Fold. She's going to come into Pottegushdasana, it's where you grab a hold of the big toes, pulling the chest towards the thighs. So Sue come to the mat, facing this direction. Starting in Tadasana. Going through the steps, toes a little closer together than the heels. Wonderful strong thighs. Tuck the tail bone, hollow the belly, almost pulling that belly button towards the spine. Relax the shoulders away from the eras, coming into it. Inhale arms up, exhale swan dive forward fold. She's bending from the hips. This stretches out the back, stretches out the hamstrings. Now first, go ahead and grab a hold of either side of the arms. Really letting the weight of the head, the human head's about seven pounds, also adding the weight of the arms, to assist in the stretch to begin with. Now releasing the arms, coming into Pottegushdasana. Grabbing a hold of the big toes, you take them with your peace fingers, to the big toes. Allow the head to just hang, no tension in the neck, and start to slowly bend the elbows. Pull your chest towards the thighs. It really helps get a little bit deeper into the fold when you grab a hold of the toes in Pottegushdasana. One more breath. Slowly and gently releasing the toes, inhale reverse swan dive all the way up. Exhale to the back bend. Inhaling up, nice straight spine. Exhale heart center."