The classic standing forward bend, Uttanasana is used as a transitional pose in most classes, but can be rewarding all on its own. Like all seemingly simple poses in yoga, there are actually a few things to consider.

Begin in Tadasana. The hands can stay on the hips or you can reach them overhead on an inhale. As you exhale, lengthen the torso as you begin to bend from the hips. Keep as much space as possible between the hips and the sternum until you reach you limit of flexibility. Only then can you bend at the waist a bit (and only a bit) and bring the hands down. Eventually, take the hands to the outside of the feet. It this is not possible, the hands can come to a block or you can simply hold on to opposite elbows as you hang. The knees can also bend if needed.

As you ground through the feet, try and press equal weight into all corners of both feet. At the same time, lift the sit bones toward the ceiling to lengthen the back of the legs. Try and spread the sit bones by rolling the upper thighs lightly inwards.

Keep the neck relaxed so that the head releases to gravity and the spine stays nice and long. Tune in to the breath as you hold in the pose. On the inhale, try and lengthen the spine while on the exhale you can relax more fully into the pose.

Hold as long as you like and feels comfortable. To come out, take an inhale and lengthen the spine. As you exhale, take the hands to the waist, then inhale again to come all the way up.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you or see you at one of my classes!

Oddly, given how often this pose shows up in most yoga classes, the high lunge has no agreed upon Sanskrit name. No matter, it is still a highly beneficial pose that you will come back to time and time again.

Begin in downward dog. On an inhale, reach your right leg behind you, pressing the floor away with your hands and lengthening your spine. As you exhale, take your right foot in-between your hands. Take a moment to connect to the floor through the feet. Then, as you inhale again, reach the arms overhead with the palms either facing each-other or lightly touching. Keep a slight bend in the left leg as you tuck the tailbone and lengthen through the spine. It should feel like you are drawing length up the front side of the body, from the left quad into the hips, up through the belly and chest, all the way through the shoulders and out through the finger tips. This is a back bend that should come not by leaning back, but from lifting up and over.

Make sure you have as much weight in the right heel as the right big toe mount. You should be able to feel the hamstring engage as well as the quad. Keep the hips square and check that the right thigh and the right foot both point straight forward. As you hold, let the breath flow through the pose to take you deeper. (i.e. notice the way the body shifts with the breath and then use that to gently open a little further).

Hold for as long as feels comfortable, then bring the hands down, step back to downward dog, and repeat on the second side.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you or see you at one of my classes!