Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Pose
This pose is an exercise in balance and strength. Start by standing with your feet together with your hands on your waist. Transfer your weight onto your left leg, and keep your back straight and your head facing forward. Inhale as you lift your right knee up to your chest and grab hold of the shin with your right hand to hold it in place. Find a spot on the wall in front of you that you can focus on with your eyes in order to help you to balance.
It can be very difficult to find your balance when you are just beginning with this pose, so you may need to keep going back to the beginning and practicing just lifting and holding your knee to your chest in order to develop your balance before you are able to move on to the next phase of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana. When you have your balance, grab hold of the big toe of your right foot with your right hand, and then extend your leg straight out in front of you while holding on to your big toe.
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Pose Photo Gallery
Bend the knee back to your chest again, then turn it out to the right side, turning your head to the left, and then grab hold of your big toe, and stretch your leg straight out to the side while holding on to your big toe. Let go of your toe and bend the knee again, and then turn it back to the center, then straighten your leg out in front of you and lower it to the floor.
Repeat the same with the left leg. This can be a difficult pose to begin with, but simply stretch as far as you can, and each time you do it you will find you can go a little bit further and that your balance improves the more you practice it as well. Think of it like learning to ride a bicycle – it takes a while before you are able to balance effortlessly; and the more you practice, the better you will get.
