Pashchimottanasana (पश्चिमोत्तानासन), Seated Forward Bend, or Intense Dorsal Stretch is a seated forward-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. This asana can sometimes become difficult to execute; however, by following the correct Pashchimottanasana steps, you can master the asana in no time! However, people who have difficulty bending their backs should exercise caution when performing this asana. Women may be advised to practice this asana to reap the advantages of Pashchimottanasana to reduce menstrual discomfort by increasing blood flow and reducing fatigue. However, this unique article brings out numerous benefits and lets you know “how to safely practice this asana step by step”.

What is Pashchimottanasana?

The Pashchimottanasana, commonly called the seated forward bend posture, is a yoga posture that comes with many benefits for the human body. It targets your hamstrings, belly, and spine mostly and is a relaxing yoga asana to try. 

Pashchimottanasana etymology and Origins

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Paschim (पश्चिम) meaning “west” or “the back of the body”; uttana (उत्तान) meaning “intense stretch” or “straight” or “extended”, and asana (आसन) meaning “posture” or “seat”.

The pose is described in the 15th-century Hatha Yoga Pradipika, chapter 1, verses 28-29.

Pashchimottanasana Modifications and Variations

There are two schools of thought when it comes to rounding your back, not just in Pashchimottanasana but in seated forward bends in general.

Everyone agrees that you should do the first part of your forward bending with your back as straight as possible so that your fold comes from deepening your hip creases, not collapsing your back. This method takes you from sitting upright to the point where you can’t go any further without letting your spine round forward.

Some teachers believe that this is exactly where you should stop your trajectory. You keep your spine long, your breath going, and just abide.

The other approach is to let your spine round at this point. This usually gets you to a superficially deeper forward bend or at least a place where you can relax a bit.

You don’t have to pledge your allegiance to one or the other. Try both and see which one makes more sense to you, or alternate between the two.

Eventually, or if you are very open in the hamstrings now, you may get to a place where your torso is lying fully on your legs with your spine straight anyway.

Need a Modification?

Put padding (a blanket or bolster) under your seat if it’s hard for you to sit up straight when your butt is flat on the floor.

If you have difficulty reaching all the way to your toes, position a yoga strap around your feet and grasp it with both hands. You may also bend your knees enough so you can reach your feet with your hands.

Up for a Challenge?

If you can easily grab the soles of your feet, try taking a block behind your feet and holding that instead.

Pashchimottanasana Safety and Precautions

Avoid this pose if you have an injury to your arms, hips, ankles, or shoulders. Don’t force yourself in this pose. If you are too tight to get many bends, just do what you can without pain. Because this pose compresses the abdomen, it may not be comfortable on a full stomach.

Pashchimottanasana Benefits

Nicely stretches the hamstrings

The hamstrings are muscles present at the back of your legs. It is important to keep these muscles strong and flexible to avoid any serious injuries while also ensuring the natural range of motion of the legs. So, performing the Pashchimottanasana procedure really helps in this aspect because it stretches these hamstrings that cause them to open up.

Targets belly fat

Maintaining the posture in Pashchimottanasana requires you to suck in your belly and then bend forward. This posture, therefore, helps in targeting your belly fat. If practiced with a holistic yoga routine, this posture will contribute greatly towards losing some serious inches from your belly.

Alleviates menstrual discomfort

Women may be advised to practice this asana to reap the advantages of Pashchimottanasana to reduce menstrual discomfort by increasing blood flow and reducing fatigue. However, this asana should be performed by keeping a soft pillow on the lap to reduce abdominal pain that can be caused due to exerting pressure on the region.

Reduces anxiety

By performing the Pashchimottanasana for a few minutes regularly, you can see visible improvements in your levels of anxiety and frequency of getting overwhelmed because the asana gets your energy centers to work better, which helps in regaining balance. To particularly relieve stress immediately, you may do this asana by placing a pillow under your hip bones, trunk, etc.

Helps in correcting a bad posture

A bad posture not only ruins your personality but also has a serious impact on your health. It can lead to health issues like abdominal dysfunction, gastrointestinal issues, etc. Practicing the asana will correct your posture by engaging your whole upper body that will straighten your neck and spine.

Sets up the body for meditation

After sitting in the Pashchimottanasana, you will observe your mind and body relaxing. This posture will have a soothing effect on your nervous system because it gives the body a signal to deep release and relaxes thoroughly. As a result, you end up feeling thoroughly rejuvenated.

Gets you a good night’s sleep

Pashchimottanasana yoga benefits also extend to keeping insomnia at bay and ensuring that you get a long and peaceful sleep. You should practice this pose regularly for two hours before you head to bed. This posture will increase the blood flow and will get your lower energy centers in the body to induce a good night’s sleep.

Ardha Padma Pashchimottanasana Benefits

The Ardha Padma Paschimottanasana is kind of a halfway posture of the Pashchimottanasana. Herein, rather than extending both legs forward and then bending, you fold one leg (on the thigh of the other) and only extend the other one forward. One hand touches the extended leg’s feet, while the other hand goes behind the back and touches the foot of the folded leg.

This asana helps in:

• Increasing your hip joints’ flexibility.
• Getting rid of constipation.
• Stretching the shoulder and knee joints to keep them functioning well.
• Working on the hamstrings and calf muscles by toning them better.

How to do the Pashchimottanasana safely?

To do the Pashchimottanasana safely, you have to follow these steps:

• Sit down on your yoga mat.
• Now, extend your legs in front of you and flex your feet.
• Make sure that you are sitting straight and your spine is elongated.
• Now, you have to lift your arms while inhaling a nice and long breath.
• Exhale the breath and slowly bend forward by hinging from your hips and sucking in your belly gently as you bend.
• Align your belly with your thighs, and don’t bother much about touching your nose to the legs.
• Your hands can be placed on your shins, or if you can, then place them on your feet by grabbing a toe.
• Lastly, you have to ensure that your neck is in a neutral state and does not put a strain on your spine.

Purvottanasana and Paschimottanasana  

Paschimottanasana, the seated forward bend, is the first seated  postures in Ashtanga yoga. There are many great benefits from this posture. The most obvious benefit is to provide a complete stretch of the whole back side of the body from head to heels. This posture stimulates the internal organs such as kidneys, liver, pancreas, etc. It also increases the vermicular movements of the bowels. Furthermore it relieves you from different back problems.  Immediately after Paschimottanasana there is the counter stretch – Purvottanasana. 

Purvottanasana is a posture that stretches out the body from the shoulders down to the toes and it stimulates energy throughout the body. This posture is the counter pose to Paschimottanasana.

Additional benefits of Paschimottanasana 

• It calms the brain and helps relieve stress.
• Stretches the spine, shoulders, hamstrings.
• The posture stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus.
• Improves digestion.
• Relieves headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue.
• Traditional texts say that Paschimottanasana increases appetite, reduces obesity, and cures diseases.
• The intestines and gall bladder are smoothly pressed and stimulates.
• It prevents diabetes and improves the symptoms of diabetes. 
• This asana helps to increase the concentration capacity.

Purvottanasana Benefits

• It strengthens your triceps, wrists, back, and legs.
• It stretches your shoulders, chest, and front ankles.
• Frees your mind.
• The spine becomes suppler.
• The stretching of the spine improves the functioning of the parasympathetic nervous system.
• It improves the sense of balance.
• The abdominal muscles are stretched and the organs in the region are massaged.
• The endocrine gland benefits greatly from this posture.
• It helps to impart a sense of calm.

Pashchimottanasana Contraindications

Following are the precautions to be kept in mind before introducing the practice of Pashchimottanasana:

Injury and Surgery

Students with an injury at the knees, hips, pelvis, shoulders, rib cage, spine, or who have undergone any recent hips or abdominal surgery should avoid this pose. Physical strength and weak body.

Lack of Body-Breath connection

Breath awareness is needed in this pose since the bend gets deeper with every exhalation. Secondly, keeping the spine aligned without hunching is important, since this pose is not about bending forward but keeping the back straight.

Even students suffering from asthma or any respiratory disorders should take the practice slow and follow it under the guidance of a competent teacher.

Others

Pregnant women should avoid this pose, as abdominal pressure is not advisable for them. Yoga teachers should take the practice slow with senior citizens. Although a pose can be followed by women during menstruation, they should do this with the support of a pillow/bolster under their belly.

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