How to do Wide-Legged Forward Bend or Prasarita Padottanasana?

Introduction

Wide-Legged Forward Bend asana is also known as Prasarita Padottanasana in the Sanskrit language. This pose is not found in medieval hatha yoga texts. It is described in 20th century by Krishnamacharya in yoga makaranda and yogasanagalu. The word Prasarita Padottanasana is explained as Prasarita means to spread out, Pada means foot, uttan means extended, and asana means posture or pose or seat.

How to do Wide-Legged Forward Bend or Prasarita Padottanasana Asana?

• Lengthen your spine by doing the following things stepwise:
• Place your hands on the wall at your hip height and make your shoulders width apart from your body.
• Back some distance away from the wall and get your arms straightened.
• Step your feet about 3 to 4 feet apart, and your toes must be pointing straight ahead.
• Ground your feet by pressing down with all four corners of your feet.
• Breathe slowly and slowly five to six times, then walk your feet towards each other and remove your hands from the wall and come to standing.
• Now the time to work your legs by stepping your feet three to four feet apart with your toes pointing straight ahead.
• Place two blocks on the floor in front of your shoulders width apart.
• Found all four corners of your feet and try to lift your arches.
• Lift through your chest and fold forward from your hips 
• and lengthen your spine.
• Place your hands on the blocks and strengthen your arms.
• Finally, you have to press down your feet and slowly enter into the Tadasana or the Mountain Pose. Pause for sometimes here and notice your inner feelings. 
• Step your feet again three to four feet apart and place your hands on your hips.
• Lift up tall through your whole torso and fold slowly over your legs.
• Place your hands flat on the floor, shoulders width apart, begin to stretch your torso forward.
• Fold deeper and deeper by bringing your head towards the floor, bend your elbows and keep stacking them over your wrists.
• Finish the asana by taking easy breaths, ground into your feet, straighten your arms and lengthen your spine forward. Inhal and slowly stand up then exhale. Step your feet together and come into again the mountain pose and normally breath.

Benefits of doing Wide-Legged Forward Bend or Prasarita Padottanasana

There are several benefits to the body of doing Wide-Legged Forward Bend or Prasarita Padottanasana:

• It gives us a calmed mind.
• It gives relief from stress, anxiety and mild depression.
• It also gives relief from mild backaches.
• Wide-Legged Forward Bend asana helps in providing hip openings.
• Wide-Legged Forward Bend gives relief from neck and shoulders tension.
• It helps in toning the abdominal organs.
• Wide-Legged Forward Bend improves our digestion.