UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTHA ASANA

Utthita Hasta Padangustha Asana or the Raised Hand to Big Toe Pose is a standing type of Asana. It is a difficult pose for those who find it difficult to balance themselves. It is an intermediate yoga pose.

TECHNIQUE

Start with Tada Asana. Stand on your right foot with all corners pressed firmly into the ground.

Utthita Hasta Padangustha Asana

Now bend your left knee and lift your left leg towards your chest with two fingers of your left hand holding the toe of the raised leg.

Inhale and remain in the Asana for a while.

Exhale and attempt to straighten your leg out, making it come parallel to the floor. Be in that posture for a while.

Extend your torso to the full. Try to have as much space as possible between your pubic bone and your sternum.

Stay erect or else you would fall on your raised leg. Lower down the hips of the left leg to avoid any further collapse.

Remain in that pose for about a minute.

To come out, release your hand as you exhale followed by lowering your leg.

Now repeat the Asana by reversing the legs.

This Asana is not to be performed if you are suffering from shoulder injury, arm injury, leg injury or hamstring injury

Pregnant women should also avoid this Asana.

Balancing is usually difficult to attain for beginners. Standing on one leg while raising the other leg, is something which is not easy for them. In order to improve balance they may make use of a wall. A window ledge would also be an excellent support. Press the extended hand into the wall or window ledge for improved balance.

A leg strap would be the best prop for beginners to perform this Asana. They may loop it around raised foot and hold it with their free hand. It would help in not only keeping the legs raised off the floor for longer than usual but would also allow them to extend the reach of their arms.

Beginners may also make use of any other raised surface to support the raised leg. The props which may be use include a "pune pony", dancer's bar, a window ledge or a stair banister

BENEFITS

This Asana stretches and strengthens the muscles of the spine, the inner thigh, and those at the back of the legs.

This Asana also helps ease down the pain in menstruation cycles.

This Asana is also considered good for pregnant women who are in their second or third trimester.

This Asana also helps improve your sense of balance.