Utthita Hasta Padasana/ Parsva Hasta Padasana

Utthita Hasta Padasana
Expanded Hand Foot Pose

Standing Asana

Key Benefits

• Strengthens legs and arms

How to get into Legs up the Wall

1. From Tadasana jump your feet 4 to 4 1/2 feet apart and at the same time extend your arms over your feet. 

Key Points

1. Press into the big toe mound and the outer side of the feet, lifting the arches and inner legs. 
2. Lift the knee caps and press the top center thighs back as you lengthen the sacrum towards the hamstrings. 
3. Extend the torso towards the ceilings and bring the bottom shoulder blades together expanding the chest. 
4. Expand the arms from the center of the chest outward and look forward. 

Parsva Hasta Padasana
Side Hand Foot Pose

Standing Asana

How to get into Parsva Hasta Padasana

1. From Utthita Hasta Padasana turn your back foot in slightly and turn your whole front leg  90 degrees. 

Key Points

1. Press into the big toe mound and the outer side of the feet, lifting the arches and inner legs. 
2. Lift the knee caps and press the top center thighs of the back leg back as you lengthen the sacrum towards the hamstrings, and roll the front thigh towards the buttocks.
3. Keep the torso parallel to the wall in front of you. Extend the torso towards the ceilings and bring the bottom shoulder blades together expanding the chest. 
4. Expand the arms from the center of the chest outward and look forward. 

Legs up the Wall

Prasarita Padasana 90 supported
Legs up the Wall 

Restorative Pose

Key Benefits

• Helps low back pain
• Helps insomnia
• Prepares legs for inversions

How to get into Legs up the Wall

1. Lay on your side with your hips almost touching a wall and your knees bent towards your chest and your arm straight in line with your ear. 
2. Roll onto your back unbend your legs and straighten them along the wall. Your hips should be near the wall. 

Key Points

1. Press the toe mounds towards the ceiling the bring the pinky sides of the feet towards the ground.
2. Extend from the inner groin to the inner heel and roll the thighs together. 
3. Press the top center thighs back towards the wall and lift the knee caps towards the thighs. 
4. Relax the abdomen and roll the shoulders under opening the chest. 

Modifications:

• If the knees bend move away from the wall till the legs are straight
• Use a chair and bend the knees on the seat of a chair

When to and when not to do yoga

Yoga is so therapeutic that there is hardly a time to not do yoga. But there is clearly a line, if you have a fever stay off your mat, hydrate and rest. I am reflecting on this as my little ones have been sick these past few weeks.

For just about every other condition do yoga. Some conditions require the assistance and guidance of a more qualified teacher that you will need to seek out, such as cancer patients, pregnancy, rehabilitating an injury, or coming back from a surgery. Take time to look up the most qualified Iyengar Yoga Teacher in your area for these concerns.

But, if you have a cold, sore neck, old injury, or a mental disorder such as depression, get on your yoga mat. Some times that is easier said than done. I can attest to that, it is much more comfy to sit on my couch and read about yoga than to practice when I hurt or when my depression is really acting up, but I have to remind myself that even starting with a 15 minute practice will make me feel better, and hopefully will turn into a full practice.

Each yoga pose has therapeutic benefits. A well trained teacher can guide you to the poses that you need for your specific needs, and a well practiced practitioner has experienced and learned them enough to establish a sequence at home to create the needed benefits for their own body.

So unless you have a fever, stay on your mat and practice your body will thank you.