South Okanagan Yoga Academy Yoga Teacher Training Programs

Featured Asana

Uttanasana is a standing forward fold, and also an inversion.

• Stand in Tadasana. Feet are parallel to the long edges of the mat, hip distance apart, weight evenly distributed from the heel to ball of the foot. Wiggle your toes. Engage quadriceps. Crown of the head is extended to the sky, shoulder blades sliding down the spine.

• Place thumbs in the groin crease. Inhale, exhale and bend where your thumbs are. Keep your feet grounded and legs active, extend forward, not down, yet. Place your hands either above or below your knees and stay here. Make sure your back is straight and think of pointing your sits bones to the sky, try not to curve the lower back to make this happen, tilt the pelvis.
• Inhale and exhale folding all the way down now. Think of keeping the back still as straight as possible, not rounding in the lower or thoracic spine.

• If you need to, bend the knees slightly to take pressure of the lower back. Think of stacking the hips over knees and knees over hips. Move body weight slightly forward to accomplish this.
• Feel the stretch in the belly of the hamstring muscle.
• Inhale and curl slowly vertebrae by vertebrae back to standing and bend knees slightly to protect the back.

CAUTION: Lower Back, Hyperextension of knees, blood pressure.

MODIFICATIONS: Bend knees for low back and knees. Keep upper body level at 90 degrees to ensure that the heart does not go below the head for blood pressure issues.

BENEFITS: Lengthens and creates room in spine. Massages abdomen. Stretches hamstrings. Allows for introspection.