Yoga poses – paschimottanasana (seated forward bend)

Of all the basic poses, paschimottanasana is one of the most important asanas. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a classic Indian yoga manual, mentions the seated, intense stretching posture as very beneficial and invigorating. In paschimottanasana the back is fully extended forward. When performed properly, this asana can be maintained for a long time and is therefore seen as a relaxation pose by many yogis. Paschimottanasana calms the mind, relaxes the back and has a beneficial effect on the heart. Ideally, include this pose in your exercise schedule every day. Anyone who ends a tiring day with paschimottanasana will enter the evening refreshed in body and mind.

Contents

• Origin of Paschimottanasana (Intense West Stretching)
• Technology
• Points of attention
• Elaboration
• Health effects of paschimottanasana (seated, intense stretching pose)

• Therapy

Origin of Paschimottanasana (Intense West Stretching)

Paschimottanasana is also called ugrasana or brahmacharyasana and is a classic yoga posture from hatha yoga. The Sanskrit word paschima means ‘the west’. Asana is another word for ‘(sitting) posture’ and forms the third phase of the eightfold yoga path of Patanjali ( Yoga-Sutras ). Loosely translated, paschimottanasana means ‘intense west stretch’, in which the entire ‘west’, from the head to the heels, is stretched and the upper body rests on the legs, with the head on the knees. Ugra means ‘powerful’ and ‘noble’. Brahmacharya refers to religious self-study and a celibate attitude to life.

Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) / Source: Joseph RENGER, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-3.0)

Technology

In paschimottanasana, the spine is stretched. So don’t just try to get your head on your knees, but bend the entire upper body while keeping your back straight.

1. Sit on the floor, legs extended and back straight, feet together, hands next to the hips. Press the backs of your knees to the floor to keep your legs fully extended. This preparatory yoga pose is called dandasana (stick or staff pose). Then take a few deep breaths.
2. Bend forward as you exhale. Slide the hands forward along the legs and try to grasp the toes, grasping the right big toe with the right thumb and the index and middle fingers. Do the same with the left big toe.
3. Bend the stretched upper body towards the legs. Above all, keep your back straight. A crooked back with this posture is wrong and is due to the fact that you only stretch the back from the shoulders. So bend the back from the hips and try to rest the upper body on the legs. Beginners will have difficulty with this. Bend as far as possible. It doesn’t matter if you only get halfway. Practice makes perfect.
4. Even after long practice, novice yogis may not be able to progress beyond step 3, the half paschimottanasana. However, eventually they will be able to raise their upper body onto their legs, keeping their back straight. Breathe calmly into full yogic breathing and remain in this position for a few seconds to a few minutes.
5. Advanced yogis can bend the back so far that the chin rests behind the knees between the shins. Then try the full paschimottanasa, straightening the arms and placing the hands palms down on the floor.
6. Stay in full paschimottanasana, or half paschimottanasana for a few minutes to fifteen minutes. Return to dandasana (stick or staff pose) in reverse order.
7. Relax thoroughly in Savasana (Corpse Pose).

Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) / Source: MrAliMcCall, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA-4.0)

Points of attention

During preparation step 1, people often forget to press the backs of their knees to the ground. The ‘whole west’, from the heels to the head, needs to be stretched intensely. Furthermore, people are often too focused on the fact that the head must touch the knees when bending forward. Due to the rounded back, because one bends from the shoulders, this asana is not performed properly.

Bending forward
So bend your back from the hips, not from the shoulders: the back will then remain straight. See how far you get. If you practice with discipline, you will progress a little further every week until the entire upper body rests flat on the legs. So do not focus on the head, but on the hips and therefore on keeping the back straight while bending forward.

Elaboration

Regular practice is the motto. This certainly applies to the correct execution of the full paschimottanasana. This yoga posture is a blessing for the abdominal organs and strengthens the kidneys (kidney function) and the spine. Anyone who practices paschimottanasana diligently will also have regular bowel movements.

Back problems
People with a tired back will definitely benefit from this exercise. Do not do paschimottanasana if you have diarrhea. Also consult your doctor first if you suffer from asthma or other lung diseases, or if you have back problems that are not due to fatigue.

OM symbol / Source: Brenkee, Pixabay

Health effects of paschimottanasana (seated, intense stretching pose)

Both the Gheranda-samhita and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika list paschimottanasana as highly beneficial and as one of the 32 best yoga postures. The latter classic textbook on hatha yoga roughly translates: ‘ Paschimottanasana is one of the most excellent asanas, which awakens the kundalini, stimulates the appetite, slims the hips and banishes many diseases ‘.

Therapy

According to classical yoga manuals, Paschimottanasana has a therapeutic and supportive, but not necessarily curative , effect on the following complaints, ailments and conditions:

• Flabby abdominal muscles.
• Decreased functioning of the kidneys, liver (liver function) and pancreas (pancreas), such as in diabetes.
• Weak hamstrings.
• Stiff back.
• Constipation (blockage); the asana massages the gastrointestinal tract and thus induces intestinal peristalsis.
• Sciatica.
• Unrest, stress.
• Poor concentration.

read more

• History of yoga – hatha yoga
• Yoga (asanas) for beginners and advanced
• Breathing exercises (pranayama) for beginners and advanced students
• Yoga poses – trianga mukhaikapada paschimottanasana
• Yoga poses – triang mukhottanasana