If yours easy a desk job and should sit for longer hours your legs need stretching. If not your hamstring, spine and quadriceps will suffer.

To stretch leg and to strengthen both spine and legs try pyramid pose in between your work.

It is known as Parsvottanasana in Sanskrit which means side intense stretch. It also helps to improve balance and supports joints.

Be careful with your knee while performing this pose.

Do not lock knee, have slight bend in your knees while doing this pose – Healthylife.

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LEVEL :Intermediate

Anatomy : Ankles, Hamstrings, Hips, Knees, Spine

Pose Type : Forward Bend, Standing

Sanskrit :Parsvottanasana (parsh-voh-tahn-AHS-anah) parsa = side / ut = intense / tan = to stretch

BENEFITS

Lengthens the hamstring of the front leg

Strengthens the quadriceps

Improves balance and stability

Strengthens the entire spine; ankle, knee, and hip joints; and supportive structures of the joints

CONTRAINDICATIONS

High or low blood pressure

Migraine

Low back pathologies

Ankle, knee, or hip injury

Shoulder injury (if taking hands behind the back)

HOW TO

Start in Tadasana (Mountain pose) with feet hip-width distance apart. Step the left foot directly behind you and allow the toes to turn out at a 45-degree angle. Inhale, lift your torso out of your hips, and take a slight backbend. Exhale and fold forward from the hips, extending your torso over your right leg. Maintain a straight spine as you find your edge. Allow your gaze to settle to the floor. Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale, draw the abdominals in, and begin to round the upper spine, drawing your crown toward your toes. Release the hands to the thigh, shin, or floor. Feel free to keep a microbend at the knee. Hold this pose for up to 5-10 slow breaths. To exit, inhale and draw your hands to your hips while extending the spine. Press through your feet to rise and return to Tadasana. Exhale and release your arms to your sides.

MODIFY OR REPLACE

Rise to standing on an inhale, and sink back into the posture on an exhale.

Take a wider stance in the legs, slightly beyond hip-distance apart, to create a larger base of support.

Feel free to keep a slight bend in the knee to avoid hyperextension.

Place hands at the thigh, hips, or heart center.

SEQUENCING TIPS

Before:

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

After:

Revolved Triangle pose (Pavritta Trikonasana)

Standing Forward Bend

TEACHING CUES

Keep the upper and lower spine extended and, if choosing to round, only round the upper spine.

Keep your hips stacked equally, side by side, engaging the front of the thighs.

Hinge first at the hips, and keep the abdominals drawn up and in toward the spine.

On each inhale, feel your chest expand and spine lengthen. On each exhale, relax the back of the front thigh and dissolve forward.

VARIATIONS

Place arms in Reverse Namaskar—prayer hands behind the back.

Clasp alternate elbows or fingers behind the back.

WATCH OUT FOR

Hips not stacked equally

Back heel lifting off the floor

Straining the knees, low back, or hamstrings

This article and image reproduced here with prior permission from www. Beyogi.com