|
Raised Hand to Big Toe Pose
Also Known as Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
About the Raised Hand to Big Toe pose/asana
This is a standing type of asana. It is a difficult pose for those who find it difficult to balance themselves. It is intermediate yoga pose.
Benefits of Raised Hand to Big Toe pose or Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
* The pose helps you workout the muscles of the spine, the inner thigh, and those at the back of the legs.
* According to some, it helps ease down the pain in menstruation cycles.
* It is also considered good for pregnant women, especially those who are in their second or third trimester.
* The pose helps you improve your sense of balance.
How to do Raised Hand to Big Toe pose/Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana?
Step 1: Begin from the Tadasana pose. Stand on your right foot with all corners pressed firmly into the ground.
Step 2: Bend your left knee and lift your left leg towards your chest. With two fingers of your left hands hold the toe of the raised leg. Inhale and hold the pose for a while. Exhale and attempt to straighten your leg out, making it come parallel to the floor. Hold the posture for a while.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Remain in the pose for about a minute. To come out, release your hand as you exhale followed by lowering your leg.
More about the pose/asana
A word of caution!
The Raised Hand to Big Toe pose is not to be performed if you are suffering from any of the following ailments/injuries:
* Shoulder injury
* Arm injury
* Leg injury
* Hamstring injury
* Pregnant women should consult their doctors or yoga teachers before practicing this pose.
Tips for beginners
Balancing is usually difficult to attain for beginners. Standing on one leg while raising the other leg, is something which is not easy for beginners. In order to improve your balance, you can make use of a wall. A window ledge would also be an excellent support. Press the extended hand into the wall/window ledge for improved balance.
Use of Props
A leg strap would be the best prop in this pose. You can loop it around your raised foot and hold it with your free hand. It would help in not just keeping the legs raised off the floor for longer than usual but would also allow you to extend the reach of your arms. You can also make use of any other raised surface to support the raised leg. The props which you can make use of are a "pune pony", dancer's bar, a window ledge or a stair banister.
|