Breaking Down Forward Fold
Breaking Down Standing Forward Fold
Sanskrit: Uttanasana - ut = powerful; tan = to stretch; asana = posture
Why Uttanasana (standing forward fold)? Well, spring is about shifting our focus within to clear out that clutter and move forward and what usually comes after a forward fold? You guess it, a Sun Salutation. A great way to move forward is to keep moving!
HOW TO FORWARD FOLD
Begin in Mountain Pose, either hands at prayer or alongside the hips.
Start to ground down the feet, they are either hip width apart or big toes touching with a slight space at the heels.
Inhale and begin to raise the hands over head either keeping them in prayer or just reaching up over head.
As you exhale, soften the knees and slowly fold forward, hinging at the hips and moving the tailbone and hips back slightly to counterbalance your body weight as your body continues forward and down.
Continue to keep the knees soft so your tailbone points up to the ceiling and your hip points roll forward.
Firm up the thighs as they roll inward and back, hollow out the belly and allow the chest to move down towards your feet. Check that the toes are facing forward.
Rest your hands on a block, your calves or the ground. The fold should come from the hip joint, not your lower back.
Benefits: Stretches hip muscle, hamstrings and back. Alleviates anxiety, relieves headaches, improves digestion and quiets the mind
Variations: When in the forward fold position the hands can be tucked under the feet, big toe lock, or light wrapped behind the legs (don’t pull yourself into your thighs.) Opposite elbows clasped or hands clasped behind you knuckles to the sky (for a shoulder opener). If you’ve got a wall handy, place your sit bones on the wall and walk your feet forward about a foot and a half away from the wall, place your hands on blocks. The sit bones against the wall help give you a landmark to push against while your hips are tilted forward helping to give you the lift they need as well as engaging your quadriceps.
Contraindications: Lower-back injury, hamstring tear, sciatica, glaucoma, detached retina, high blood pressure.
Tip 1: Instead of forward fold you may have an instructor use the term “head-to-knee” pose. Do not pull your head to your knees!
Tip 2: Always keep a soft bend in the knees, no need to hyperextend them. Send the hips up and the crown down and you will feel your hamstrings
Tip 3: Use blocks or props to reach the floor, this will ease the pressure on the low back.