PADA PRASARA PASCHIMOTTANASANA – HEALTH BENEFITS
No fitness programme is complete without a flexibility module, which has numerous benefits. First, stretching helps increase blood and nutrient supply to tissues. This allows greater elasticity of surrounding tissues and gives you a greater range of motion. One such Yoga Pose which is often used as a warm-up is Pada Prasara Paschimottanasana (pronounced paa-duh pruh-saa-ruh pus-chim-O-thaa-naa-suh-nuh). The name is derived from the Sanskrit words Pada (meaning ‘feet’), Prasara (meaning ‘spread’ or ‘wide apart’), Paschima (meaning ‘west’ or ‘back of the body’), Uttana (meaning ‘extended’) and Asana (meaning ‘posture’).
Steps to perform Pada Prasara Paschimottanasana:
- Sit on the mat with your legs spread as wide apart as possible.
- Inhale and turn your trunk to the right.
- Exhale and bend forward over your right leg and try to touch the knee with your nose.
- Stretch further and try to clasp your right foot.
- Try to hold your toe at least, if you can’t reach your heal easily.
- Hold the pose for about 20 seconds, not forgetting to breathe.
- Exhale while relaxing your trunk and arms, easing back to the starting posture.
- Repeat the same steps on your left.
Health Benefits of Pada Prasara Paschimottanasana:
- Stretches hamstrings, spine, shoulders and hip joints
- Massages the pancreas (good for diabetics)
- Improves digestion
- Can relieve menstrual discomfort
- Reduces headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue
- Can be used to improve fertility
- Balance high blood pressure
- Reduces insomnia, and sinusitis
- Reduces abdominal fats and helps metabolism
- Relieves anxiety and stress, calming the brain
- Stretches the insides of the leg , the shoulder blades and opens the chest
