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Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose 2

 

 

Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose II is a challenging balance pose that offers numerous physical and mental benefits when practiced with mindfulness and proper alignment. As with any yoga pose, it's essential to listen to your body and modify as needed to ensure safety and comfort.

 

Etymology: "Utthita" means extended, "hasta" means hand, "padangustha" means big toe, and "asana" means pose in Sanskrit. Hence, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana II translates to Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose II.

Benefits:

  1. Improves balance and concentration.
  2. Strengthens the legs, ankles, and feet.
  3. Stretches the hamstrings, calves, hips, and groin.
  4. Improves hip flexibility.
  5. Stimulates the abdominal organs.

Contraindications:

  1. Recent or chronic injuries to the ankles, knees, or hips.
  2. High blood pressure.
  3. Vertigo or dizziness.
  4. Glaucoma.
  5. Sciatica.

Alignment Tips:

  1. Ground down through the standing foot.
  2. Engage the core to stabilize the torso.
  3. Lengthen the spine upward.
  4. Keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears.
  5. Flex the lifted foot and draw the toes towards the shin.
  6. Maintain a steady gaze (drishti) to aid balance.

Therapeutics:

  1. Helps relieve sciatic pain by stretching the hamstrings.
  2. Improves balance, which can be beneficial for those with vestibular disorders.
  3. Strengthens the muscles around the knees and ankles, aiding in injury prevention and rehabilitation.

How to do it:

  1. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
  2. Shift your weight onto your left foot.
  3. Bend your right knee and hug it into your chest.
  4. Interlace your fingers around the right big toe.
  5. Extend your right leg forward, straightening it as much as possible.
  6. Keep your spine long and your shoulders relaxed.
  7. Hold the pose for several breaths.
  8. Release the right leg and return to Tadasana.
  9. Repeat on the other side.

Modifications:

  1. Use a yoga strap looped around the foot if you can't reach the toe.
  2. Rest your lifted foot on a block if you have difficulty balancing.
  3. Perform the pose with a bent knee if your hamstrings are tight.

Props:

  1. Yoga strap.
  2. Yoga block.

Misalignments:

  1. Collapsing into the standing hip.
  2. Rounding the spine.
  3. Gripping with the toes of the standing foot.
  4. Leaning the torso too far forward or backward.
  5. Holding the breath.

Assisting:

  1. Provide support to the lifted leg by holding onto the calf or thigh.
  2. Offer verbal cues to encourage proper alignment and engagement.
  3. Use a yoga block under the hand for stability.

Prep Poses:

  1. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana).
  2. Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana).

Follow Up Poses:

  1. Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana).
  2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana).
  3. Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III).

 

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