4. WIDE-LEGGED FORWARD FOLD
PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA
Take a couple of breaths in Mountain pose to centre yourself, then step your feet wide, inner edges parallel, toes spread and arches lifted. Anchor the outer edges of your feet into the mat.
Rest your hands on your hips and, on an inhale, root through your feet to lengthen your spine. As you exhale, fold forward from the hips with a flat back, to take your spine horizontal to the floor.
Place your hands on the floor beneath your shoulders, then continue lengthening your spine as you inhale, folding deeper as you exhale, allowing the crown of your head to slowly edge closer to the mat.
Draw up your kneecaps and engage your thighs, turning your inner thighs in slightly to open your sitting bones.
Move your hands between your feet, fingers spread wide and forearms vertical, and let your neck and head release to the floor. Root your hands into the mat to lift your shoulders and create space around your neck.
Breathe deeply and evenly for five to 10 breaths, then, taking your hands back to your hips, inhale to come back up to standing.
Benefits
Rests the heart Calms and cools the mind Removes fatigue Increases blood flow to the head
Variations VARIATION 1
When you’ve been sitting all day, enjoy a deeper chest opener and shoulder release by interlacing your fingers behind your back and, as you inhale, drawing shoulder blades together. On an exhale, raise your hands and allow your arms to cascade over your head.
VARIATION 2
If you would like a more restorative version of this pose, rest your head on a bolster for up to a minute, to refresh mind and body. Breathe softly and deeply, right down into your lower back, feeling the tension melt away. When youʼre ready to come out, gently press your hands into the mat to take the weight off your head, then inhale to come back up to standing.
VARIATION 3
For a gently dynamic version of Wide-legged forward fold, walk your hands over to your left foot, feeling an intense stretch in your right side body. Take five deep breaths, then walk your hands over to your other foot.