BACKBEND: FOREARMS ON THE FLOOR, ONE-LEGGED

Tip Toe Bound Foot One-Legged Inverted

Staff Pose

Prapada Baddha Pada Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana

(PRUH-puh-duh BUH-duh PUH-duh EY-kuh PUH-duh vi-puh-REE-tuh duhn-DAHS-uh-nuh)
Pose Type: backbend, inversion
Drishti Point: Bhrumadhye or Ajna Chakra (third eye, between the eyebrows)

How to Perform the Pose:

1. Begin by lying flat on your back. Engage your mula bandha, uddhiyana bandha, and ujjayi
   breathing. Inhale and bring your hands under your shoulders with elbows bent and close to your
   head, with the fingertips pointing away from your head.


2. Exhale and bend your knees, keep your feet flat on the floor and slide your heels toward your

sitting bones. Keep your feet in line with your sitting bones and parallel to each other with your

toes pointing straight ahead.

3. Exhale as you lift your sitting bones and your back off the floor. Place the crown of your head onto
   the floor, balancing on your hands, head, and feet.


4. Exhale as you slide your right palm in the direction of your feet until your forearm is flat on the
   floor. On the next exhale, slide your left palm to meet your right. Interlock your fingers at the back
   of your head.


5. Exhale and lift your head off the floor.


6. On the next exhale, walk your feet toward your hands. Grab onto your left ankle with both hands.


7. Exhale as you lift your right foot off the floor, keeping your right leg strong and straight with toes

pointing up to the sky.

8. Inhale and lift your left heel, coming onto the toes of the left foot, while holding onto the left toes

with both hands. Hold the pose for at least 30, and up to 90, seconds in order to receive the full

benefits of the stretch on the right side.

9. Inhale and lower the left heel to the floor, followed by the right foot. Exhale and grab onto the right
   ankle with both hands. On the following exhale, lift your left foot off the floor, keeping your left
   leg strong and straight with toes pointing up to the sky.


10. Inhale and lift your right heel, coming onto the toes of the right foot while holding onto the right

toes with both hands. Hold the pose for at least 30, and up to 90, seconds in order to receive the

full benefits of the stretch on the left side.

11. Inhale and lower your right heel to the floor, followed by your left foot. Exhale and lower your
    head to the floor. Exhale and tuck your chin to your chest and lower your spine to the floor, coming