Australian Yoga Journal - April 2016

75

april 2016

yogajournal.com.au

YOGAPEDIA

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supta = reclining · pada = foot · angustha = big toe · asana = pose

Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Supta Padangusthasana

How to move from Supta Padangusthasana

to Adho Mukha Svanasana

Poses of the month

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PHOTOS: RICK CUMMINGS; MODEL: NICKI DOANE; STYLIST: EMIL Y CHOI;HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH WALKER; TOP: BEYOND YOGA; BOTTOMS: ANJALI

DON’Tpull on the upper leg

so much that you lift the lower

leg off the floor. If your bottom

leg doesn’t stay grounded, you

won’t experience the full benefits

of the hamstring stretch.

DON’Tbend either knee. This

pushes the stretch out of your

hamstrings and into the tendons

near your sitting bones, where

most hamstring strains or tears

occur.

Benefit

Stretches and tones your hamstrings; strengthens

your abdominal muscles; increases circulation to your

digestive system.

Instruction

1 Lie on your back and bring your left knee into your

chest. Place your left index and middle fingers between

the big and second toes of your left foot. Wrap your

thumb around to grip the big toe (a.k.a. a yogi grip).

2 Inhale and simultaneously straighten both legs.

If you have trouble activating your bottom leg, start

with your knees slightly bent and the bottoms of

your feet against a wall. By pressing into the wall,

you’ll be able to more easily activate your right leg

muscles.

Our Pros Teacher Eddie Modestini is co-founder and co-director of Maya Yoga Studio on Maui, Hawaii. Since 1983, he has studied with preeminent teachers

including B.K.S. Iyengar and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He has a degree in exercise physiology and has taught advanced bodywork techniques. Teacher and model

Nicki Doane is the other co-founder and co-director of Maya Yoga Studio. She teaches workshops and trainings worldwide. Learn more at mayayogastudio.com.

By Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane

3 Place your right hand on your right thigh to ground

the right leg.

4 Contract the quadriceps of your left leg to stretch the

left hamstrings. You should feel a stretch in the belly,

or middle, of your hamstrings. If you feel stretch or

strain by your sitting bone, then move the outer left

hip down, toward your right foot, to lengthen your left

waist and shift the stretch.

5 Exhale to engage Mula Bandha and raise your head

and shoulders. Bend your left arm down to avoid

tension in your neck, and pull your left leg toward your

forehead without bending the knee.

6 Breathe freely through your nose for 10 rounds.

7 Inhale to release your left toe; exhale to lower your

leg to the floor.

8 Repeat on the other side.