Yoga posture - Paschimottasana
Translation: Westward
From a seated position extend the legs out. Push the inner ankles together
and align the toes sideways (the pinky toes and outer leg have a tendency
to stretch out more due to the external rotation of the legs).
Stretch the spine upwards lengthening it as much as possible then lean
forward and down with and exhalation. Allow the body to curve slightly at
the shoulders in the beginning. Relax there for a moment until the muscles
release then try to straighten the spine forward.
The elbows can open to create space around the neck for the elements to
flow. Holding the wrist around the feet creates a good shoulders stretch.
Always try to lengthen the torso and raise the navel forward.
Tips
It may be more beneficial to curl the upper body. The back is stretched
more especially around the shoulders and neck. It is however harder to take
deep breaths as the lung volume decreases. When you are really flexible this
will not be an issue. You may need a deeper stretch such as
Yoganidrasana.
Notice opposite and below. The big toes in the inner corners are not
touching. This is actually a mistake and the guy was beaten with a stick
after the shoot. It is important to stretch the big toes inward in many
postures such as
Akarna Dhanurasana and the bound version of
Parivrtta Upavistha Konasana. The big toes can also be stretched in
many other postures including this one. Stretch them when you first enter
this pose by holding the big toes and pulling them back towards the body
while extending the pinky toes and outer legs out. This will also stretch
the outer muscles, ligaments and tendons in the ankles. After a while the
inner legs can be lengthened and the toes can be aligned horizontally with
the inside of the big toes touching perfectly.
Benifits
The hamstring muscles are stretched (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus
and the semimembranosus). If the toes are pulled back a little the gastrocnemius
and the soleus and the achilles tendon are stretched.
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