Eight-Limbed Yoga

with Rob Lucas

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Prasarita Padottanasana C

Wide Leg Intense Stretch, C

Drishti: Tip of the nose or back through the legs

How to

Stand with the feet one leg's length distance apart.  This distance varies for everyone, but you should create an equilateral triangle with your legs.  Take the hands behind the back and interlace the fingers.  Inhale as you press the palms together and draw the shoulders open. Exhaling  move forward, taking the up over the head and down toward the floor.  Tilt the SITS bones up as you tilt the pelvis down, moving from the core of the body.  Take the head to the floor if possible as the hands come back so that the wrists are under the elbows.  Remember that it is more important to work with a long spine than to try to get the head down.

Modifications

The feet may come wider apart.

Feel free to try grasping opposite elbows behind your back if taking the arms in the above position is too difficult.

Upavishta Konasana is a very good option, as it works both the hips and the hamstring, and is basically the same pose as prasarita, but because it is done on the floor you will have more control over the movement.

This pose requires hip, hamstring and shoulder flexibility.  The following poses will help you to develop this (in order of ascending difficulty):

For the shoulders:

You might try taking the hands behind the back (as in the full pose) and interlacing the fingers.  Now place your hands on a windowsill, table, chair-back, or something else stable but off the floor.  Begin to lower the buttocks while keeping the back straight.

Gomukasana is a good chance to work the shoulders.

For the hamstrings:

The modifications listed for Supta Padangustasana are a very good option.

Both Padangustasana and Padahastasana are good for developing this stretch without needing the hip flexibility that Prasarita requires.  Just remember to bend your knees in them.

Full Supta Padangustasana is excellent for more advanced students.

For the hips:
Pigeon Pose is a very good hip opener.  Make sure your knees don't experience any pressure or pain in them if you are working here.

Badha Konasana will work the same stretch as Prasarita, but much deeper, and more focused specifically on this particular aspect of the stretch, and as such is a good way to develop it.

Transitional Poses