UTTHITA HASTA PADANGUSTHASANA
Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe PoseBENEFITS Strengthens and stretches your legs; teaches the entry to
HandstandINSTRUCTION From Tadasana, draw your right knee to your chest and
yogi toe-lock your right big toe. Point your left foot forward, lift your left
kneecap, and press your left femur back. Keep your chest lifted. Exhale
and straighten your right leg as much as possible. Roll your outer right
hip down, away from your armpit. Either keep your left hand on your left
hip or extend your arm alongside your left ear. Keep your pelvis neutral,
and use your breath to spread your chest. Hold for 8 breaths. To come
out, bend your right knee, release your toe, and hug your knee in before
returning your right foot to the fl oor. Repeat on the other side. The stand-
ing leg becomes the fi rst leg up into Handstand, so it’s crucial that it
remains straight; the lifted leg, however, can bend if necessary.URDHVA PRASARITA
EKAPADASANA Standing Splits
BENEFITS Stretches the hamstrings of your standing leg;
strengthens the hamstrings and glutes of your lifted leg; culti-
vates balance and shifts perspective
INSTRUCTION Stand in Tadasana. Inhale to Urdhva Has-
tasana and then exhale to Uttanasana (Standing Forward
Bend). Firmly ground down through your standing, right foot
and lift your right quadricep muscles. Inhale and lead with
your inner thigh as you lift your left leg. Make sure you inter-
nally rotate your left leg and hug the midline with the inner
seam of your leg. Don’t let the left hip open or the left leg
bend. Extend the spine so that the back doesn’t round. Hold
for 8 breaths and then release the left leg down. Take an
easy Uttanasana, then switch sides.
DECEMBER 2017 / 61 / YOGAJOURNAL.COM