The Health Benefits of Prasarita Padottanasana Wide Legged Forward Bend Pose

In the perpetual quest for the elegant and head-turning body, several of them get caught in working the problem areas, burning calories, toning the abdominal muscles, etc. In addition to this, lower body strength plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall fitness and health.

Targeting the lower body muscles rev up the metabolism so that the exercises can benefit the body of a person. Working on the glorious glutes, thighs, hamstrings, and calves provide long-term benefits and protect the individuals from the ordeals of poor mobility, low bone density, and increased insulin resistance.

The power of strengthening the lower body in the most effective and safest manner rests with the yoga asana Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-legged forward bend pose). Prasarita Padottanasana teaches the practitioners the skill of a forward bend with awareness through an appropriate range of motion. The alluring quality of the wide-legged forward bend is that it encourages the yogis to fold forward from the hips which assist in stretching the hamstrings without straining the spine. Learning to fold this way significantly saves the back from pain and strain.

Take a stance in Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose):

Step 1: Begin in Mountain Pose. Spread the legs 3-4 feet apart.

Step 2: Keep the inner feet parallel to each other and engage the thigh muscles.

Step 3: Maintaining the length of the torso, fold forward at the hips.

Step 4: As the torso approaches the floor parallelly, unbent your elbows and press the fingers into the ground. Practitioners can rest the hands on the blocks.

Step 5: Lift the head up and gaze up directly towards the ceiling.

Step 6: Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Release the pose by bringing the hands on the hips and lengthening the torso.

The top health benefits of Wide-Legged Forward Bend Pose are as follows:

1. Stretches the Legs and Groin Area: The muscles of the Groin area known as the adductors are useful in keeping the legs stabilized and managing their movements. The wide stance of the Prasarita Padottanasana is powerful in stretching the groin and the back of the legs. A regular practice of this yoga pose helps in attaining a stronger and stabilized legs and groins.

2. A Substitute for Headstand: All those who find headstand intimidating or cannot perform due to certain contradictions can practice the wide legged forward bend pose. Due to the placement of the head lower than the heart, it acts as an ideal substitute for the headstand (sirsasana) and is highly effective for people suffering from the neck issues. The many benefits of inversions like bathing the brain in freshly oxygenated blood are accrued to the Prasarita Padottanasana without straining the neck.

3. Tones Abdominal Muscles: When it comes to toning the abdominal muscles, many people look for a workout that is effective and fun to perform on a regular basis. The wide-legged forward bend pose is one such exercise that promises toned abdominal muscles without any negative health implications and is completely refreshing to practice.

4. Fatigue Reliever: Wide-legged forward bend is a natural fatigue reliever that releases the pain, stress, and tensions from the body-mind and grants vitality to the practitioner. A continual practice of this pose can help the individuals feel fresh and active all through the day.

5. Better Blood Circulation: An improved blood circulation is among the many health benefits of Prasarita Padottanasana that contributes to keeping the overall body from head to toe in the peachiest form. Enhanced blood circulation is important for the proper functioning of the vital internal organs and to feel energetic.

6. Therapeutic For Mild Depression: Treat the symptoms of depression with yoga. Perform wide-legged forward bend pose to calm the fluctuations of the mind, negative thoughts, sadness, and so much more. The combination of inverted shape and forward bend extends therapeutic action towards mild depression and headaches providing satisfactory results to the patients.

7. Develops Focus: When the practitioners practice this pose with awareness and alignment, they find themselves in a focused state where all concerns seem to dissolve. This is known as ‘ekagrata’ one-point attention. One-point attention helps an individual to come out of the overactive mind state and teaches the power of concentrating on one object.

Build Prasarita Padottanasana on a good foundation and savor the virtue of strong legs, improved perception, and one-point concentration.