HEALTH BENEFITS OF UTTANASANA (STANDING FORWARD BEND)
There are moments of stress in your lives when you just want to switch off from the world for a while and rejuvenate yourself and start anew. Yoga is one such outlet where you can achieve the same. A plethora of postures with innumerable advantages exist in Yoga for everyone. In this article we discuss about a simple yet effective asana which comes with a set of benefits and reviving properties – Uttanasana.
The name Uttanasana (Uth-thA-nA-suh-nuh), known as the Standing Forward bend Pose, is derived from the Sanskrit words Ut (meaning intense), Tan (meaning stretch), and Asana (meaning posture). The end pose leaves in such a position that your head is in a lower stratum than your heart. This enables a gush of blood to the head, revamping the blood cells, leaving you with a sense of novelty. This pose is also highly recommended for people who are fighting asthma or mild depression.
Steps to perform Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend :
- Begin with Tadasana, the upright pose. Stand straight with your arms actively resting on the sides of your thighs.
- Keeping your breathing in check, without bending your knees, bend forward using your hip joints and not your waist.
- If you are unable to touch the ground with your hands, cross your forearms and hold your elbows until you attain flexibility.
- If you are moderately flexible, try to grip the back of your ankles and bring your head to touch your knees.
- If your flexibility is above average, you may rest your palms on the mat and try to reach your head below the knee.
- Beginners may hold the position for about 10 seconds. Intermediate and advanced practitioners may stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute in Uttanasana.
- Breathe only through the nostrils, gently and normally, throughout the pose.
- Inhale while coming back up to the starting position and exhale to relax.
Benefits of Uttanasana – Standing Forward Bend
- It rejuvenates your mind and relaxes the nerves
- It actively stretches your hips, hamstrings, and calves
- It provides strength to your thighs and knees
- Regular practice relieves stiffness of your spine, neck, and back
- By allowing direct blood flow into the head, it creates a fresh influx of blood cells and rejuvenates the mind
- It activates your abdominal muscles
- It results in an elongated, flexible, and sturdy spine
- It improves posture and improves bodily balance and co-ordination
- It stimulates the kidneys, liver, and spleen, thus giving you a sense of physical relief
- It is known to enable improved digestion
- It has the qualities to reduce high blood pressure
- It can play a major role in treating symptoms of several ailments including menopause, asthma, headaches, and insomnia
- It alleviates symptoms of stress, anxiety, mild depression, and fatigue of the body and mind
- It is widely considered therapeutic for infertility, osteoporosis, and sinusitis
Contraindications
You need to refrain from practicing this pose if you face chronic problems or have a history of any injury in your knee joints, ankle joints, or back.
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