Uttanasana Yoga Pose (Standing Forward Bend Pose)



Information on Yoga Asana Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Yoga Pose) Meaning & Uses


Uttanasana is popularly known as Standing Head to Knees Pose, Standing Forward Fold Pose, Standing Forward Bend, Intense Stretch Pose or Intense Forward-Bending Pose. This particular name directly comes from the Sanskrit language words, Ud means prefix for nouns or verbs indicating superiority in intensity, location, power and rank, Tana means "stretched", Uttana means "stretched" or "intense stretch" or "straight" and Asana means "posture". This posture consists of perfectly standing with feet together, rightly hinging just forward from the hips, then letting the head fully hang, with palms properly placed flat on the ground near the feet.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Steps / Instructions / Procedure

Follow the following steps in order to complete the asana -

  1. Initially stand on your yoga mat with your feet with shoulder distance apart plus just parallel to each other.

  2. Do press your feet firmly down in to the floor plus ground yourself very strongly.

  3. Then do exhale and bend down gently from the hips and not from the waist.

  4. Place your stomach and chest on your thighs.

  5. In case, if your knees are slightly bent then ensure that they are perfectly straight over your toes plus not opening out outwards or inwards in any given situations and circumstances.

  6. Slow and steadily to straighten out your legs in order to make sure that your stomach and chest never leave your thighs.

  7. While pressing your heels into the floor then lift your hips as you straighten through your hamstring muscles.

  8. Do grab your elbows, cross your forearms and hang your head down, once you feel stable.

  9. In case, if you are more flexible then you could just try to bring your palms to the ground or try to hold your heels from behind.

  10. In this particular pose begin by holding for 30 - 40 seconds plus work your way to one minute at a time gradually.

  11. In the posture inhale and exhale gently.

  12. During this pose, don't close your eyes because you will lose your balance of the body.

  13. In order to perfectly release from the pose, do place your hands back on to your hips plus with a deep inhale breath, then extend your back plus come up to the initial standing pose.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Anatomical Focus

This posture largely provides a full stretch to the entire back of the body, the hamstrings particularly with a lot of perfection.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Therapeutic Applications

Therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, infertility, sinusitis and osteoporosis.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Medical Health Benefits

There are many benefits of this asana or posture. Some of them are as follows -

  1. It calms the brain

  2. It helps to relieve mild depression and stress

  3. It assist to stimulates the kidneys and liver

  4. It stretches the calves, hamstrings and hips

  5. It strengthens the knees and thighs.

  6. It improves digestion with a lot of perfection

  7. It helps relieve largely the symptoms of menopause

  8. It largely reduces anxiety and fatigue

  9. It helps relieves insomnia and headache.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Contraindications and Cautions

This posture has been seriously criticized by some practitioners of physical therapy, kinesiology, and others, who largely recommend a seated rather than just standing forward bend to a great extent. Those suffering from any type of Back injury can do this particular pose with bent knees or just perform Ardha Uttanasana with your both hands on the wall, arms parallel to the ground and legs perpendicular to your torso.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Beginner's Tip

In order to increase the perfect stretch in the back side of your legs, do bend slightly your knees. Do imagine that the sacrum is just sinking much deeper into the back side of your pelvis plus bring the tailbone too closer to the pubis. It is to be highly noted that then against this particular resistance, just push the heels down and top thighs back plus straighten the knees once again. Do be much careful not to straighten the knees in any situations and circumstances by locking them back. As an alternative do let them straighten just as the two ends of each leg slow and steadily move farther apart.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Variations

This posture has a very large number of associated techniques and variations. It is preformed by Tiryang-Mukha Uttanasana, Ardha Uttanasana, Purna Uttanasana, Parsva Bhaga Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana, Padangusthasana and Niralamba Uttanasana.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Modifications and Props

In order to increase the perfect stretch on the back side of the legs, do stand in the forward bend with the balls of your feet just elevated an inch or more off the ground on a thick book or sand bag.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Partnering

An active partner can assist you to encourage the backs of your legs in order to open with a lot of perfection. Do perform properly Uttanasana, just resting your buttocks fully against a wall with your heels approximately 6 to 12 inches far from the wall. Then bend your knees slow and steadily. Do have your active partner firmly press against your sacrum. It is to be highly remembered that you just imagine that the sacrum is lengthening through the tailbone and deeply sinking into your pelvis, which in turn is slow and steadily growing up the wall. Do straighten your knees just against this resistance in any given situation and circumstances. Don't lock simply the knees just back in order to straighten them; as an alternative to, resist the back knees forward slightly as the heads of the heels and thigh bones move apart.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Preparatory Poses

The preparatory poses of Uttanasana are Adho Mukha Svanasana, Supta Padangusthasana, Paschimottanasana and Janu Sirsasana.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Follow up Poses

The follow up poses of Uttanasana are Standing poses, seated forward bends or invefromrsions.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend Pose) Deepen the Pose

In order to increase the perfect stretch in the backs of your legs, lean forward slightly and lift up onto the balls of your feet properly, pulling so away from the ground or your heels a half-inch. Do draw your inner groins just deep into the pelvis, plus then, from the height of the groins, then lengthen your heels back onto the ground.