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Yoga Pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
Are you looking for a way to strengthen and tone your legs and hips? The yoga pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (also called raised hand to big toe pose and sometimes misspelled uttitha) is exactly what you are looking for.
A little warning before we get started: if you suffer from sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) or hip and/or knee pain, contact your doctor before attempting this asana.
Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
There are more than one variation of the yoga pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana. I will give you two variations of the yoga position on this page. For more information on poses other than yoga pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, click here.
Yoga Pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana: Variation 1
- 1. Make sure that your yoga area is free of obstructions. This asana is relatively difficult for those of us who are balanced-challenged...
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- 6. Exhale as your straighten your leg in front of you. Raise your left arm to balance yourself. You may not be able to fully extend your leg at first (i.e., your knee may not want to unbend fully). Don't worry, that's normal. Keep practicing and your flexibility will improve.
- 7. Breathe in and breathe out as you try to raise your extended leg a little higher.
- 8. Breathe in and breathe out for up to a minute in the final position. Don't worry if you only last a few seconds. You can also repeat 3 to 5 times to improve your form and flexibility if you were unable to keep the pose for a minute.
- 9. Repeat with the other leg.
Benefits
The benefits of the yoga pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana are as follows:
- It strengthens and tones your legs
- It strengthens and tones your hips
- It improves concentration
- It improves balance
Yoga Pose Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana: Variation 2
In this variation of the asana, instead of extending your leg forward, you will be extending it sideways.
- 1. Make sure that your yoga area is free of obstructions. This asana is relatively difficult for those of us who are balanced-challenged...
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- 7. Exhale as your straighten your leg to the side. Raise your left arm to the side to balance yourself. You may not be able to fully extend your leg at first (i.e., your knee may not want to unbend fully). Don't worry, that's normal. Keep practicing and your flexibility will improve.
- 8. Breathe in and breathe out as you try to raise your extended leg a little higher.
- 9. Breathe in and breathe out for up to a minute in the final position. Don't worry if you only last a few seconds. You can also repeat 3 to 5 times to improve your form and flexibility if you were unable to keep the pose for a minute.
- 10. Repeat with the other leg.