Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Prasārita Pādottānāsana

Read what the gnome says

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend! Step the feet wide, toes slightly turned in. Hands on the hips, lengthen the spine, then fold from the hips. Hands to the floor under the shoulders, or hold the ankles. Soften the knees. Let the head hang heavy. Weight stays over the middle of the feet.

Works on Hamstrings · Adductors · Calves

How to do it

1. Step the feet wide, toes slightly in, and hinge from the hips.
2. Place the hands on the floor under the shoulders, spine long.
3. Fold deeper, let the head hang heavy and breathe; to rise, lengthen the spine first.

Common mistakes

• Don’t lock the knees.
• Don’t round the back to reach the floor.
• Don’t let the weight roll onto the toes.

Benefits

• Stretches the hamstrings and the back of the body.
• Quietens the mind and slows the breath.
• Releases tension in the back and neck.

Take care: Go easy or skip if you have lower-back pain or a hamstring injury. Bend the knees as much as you like and keep the back long.

Suggest a correction

In ready-made sequences

Ashtanga Standing Sequence 11 min

Not medical advice. Ease off if anything feels sharp or wrong.

Similar poses Forward Fold

• Chair-Seated Forward FoldBeginner
• Half Forward Fold at the WallBeginner
• Half Forward Fold with BlocksBeginner
• Halfway LiftBeginner
• Hands Under Feet PoseBeginner
• Head-to-Knee PoseBeginner