Padahastasana hand under foot pose

Padahastasana hand under foot pose.

Padahastasana hand under foot pose is one of the basic positions of hatha yoga and therefore one of the main postions in the first yoga lessons.

Padahastasana hand under foot pose is one of the few positions that allow you to stretch all the muscles of the back of your body from the head to the feet and it is for this reason that it is considered really a basic position.
Padahastasana derives from sancrito pada “foot”, hasta “hand” and asana “position”, hence it literally means “the position of the hand under the foot”, but is often described as “the standing forward fold position” too.

HOW TO CARRY OUT PADAHASTASANA

• Stand straight, feet parallel to each other, spaced slightly apart.
• Inhale and raise your arms up, stretching them to be parralell to your ears and relax your shoulders.
• Exhale and lean forward with the lower back, very slowly. It is important that the movement starts from the hips and maintains the back straight and the neck and the head aligned.
• Back straight going in Padahastasana
• Place the palms of your hands on the ground, if possible under the soles of your feet, or grab your big toes.
• If you are unable to arrive so low, stops where you feel more comfortable.
• Relax your arms, leaving them in air and point the tips of your fingers towards the ground. If your hands are close to the ground you can help yourself by placing a cushion or a yoga block in front of you as a support.
• Always keep your shoulders, neck and arms relaxed.
•  Stay in the position for a few minutes, breathing slowly from your diaphragm.
• To return to the starting position, inhale and start lifting your back up slowly vertebra after vertebra, raising your head only at the end.

BENEFITS OF PADAHASTASANA
It is a position that brings significant benefits:

– Lengthens and makes more flexible most of the muscles of your body, especially those of the back of the legs and the whole spine, therefore it is particularly indicated to reactivate the muscles in case of tiredness or accumulation of lactic acid.
– It Carries out a massage at the level of the abdomen, and therefore stimulates the internal organs;
– May help to decrease anxiety and to regulate blood pressure.
– Relaxes the muscles of the neck and shoulders

– Relieves the symptoms of headach.

If you want to deepen and start with the basics of yoga take a look at our ebook yoga for everyone