Benefits of Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Fold)

Wide-Legged Forward Fold comes from the Sanskrit words Prasarita meaning separated. Pada meaning legs or feet. Uttana meaning intense stretching. The literal translation is “wide-stance forward bend’. This pose can also be translated as “spread out feet intense stretch”. When practiced with compassion, inversions such as this pose, can be very beneficial to your well-being. They reverse blood flow, which usually has to fight against gravity on its way back to the heart, thus improving circulation. Similarly, they help to move the lymphatic system, which runs parallel to the vascular network but doesn’t have a pump. Flushing that system means increased immunity and decreased illness.
 
How to:

• Inhaling, open chest, lift the sternum and extend the spine.
• Exhaling, bend forward and grab the big toes. (the index and middle finger curl around the toe and the thumb presses into the nail)
• Inhaling, lift the head, and straighten the spine.
• Exhaling, fold forward. Bend the elbows, and use the arms to pull your head towards the ground.
• Hold for 5 breaths. With each exhale try to extend the spine towards the ground.
• Inhaling, release the toes, place the hands on the hips and come half way up, so the spine is parallel to the ground. Exhale here.
• Inhaling come all the way up.

 
Beginner's Tip:
The best beginner's tip for Wide-Legged Forward Bend is to place a soft padded yoga block or a soft folded blanket in front and place the crown of your head on the block of the blanket. Since beginners are usually not able to bend completely and place their crown on the floor, this helps maintain balance while still improving your stretch.
 
 
Caution: 
Do not hold this asana for more than 1 minute, especially if you are a beginner.
If you have low blood pressure or vertigo avoid this pose for longer times and perform for 2 to 3 breaths only. Come out of the pose gradually to avoid dizziness. Pregnant women should not perform this pose at all, especially during the 3rd trimester because of the excess belly weight..