पश्चिमोत्तानासन
Paschimottanasana
(Back Stretching Pose )
Base Positions
Sit in a dandasana (staff pose) with your legs extended to the front, feet together. Keeping your spine straight. Hands by the sides of your hips.
Getting into position
Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting into Paschimottanasana (Back Stretching Pose)
Step 1: Inhaling, raise your arms from the sides of your body to above your head. Elongate your spine in alignment with the neck. Stretch your arms further, bringing palms together.
Step 2: Inhale. Exhaling, bend forward about 45 degrees from the hips and slightly slide the buttocks backward. Inhaling, stretch the arms and spine, and hold the position, breathing normally, for a few moments to allow your body to adjust.
Step 3: Exhaling, gradually bend farther from the hips, lower your hands, and hold your toes. Open the chest, raise the head, and lengthen the spine.
Step 4: Hold the big toes with both hands, rest the elbows on the ground, or hold the feet from the sides. Then, slightly round the spine and bring the head as close to the knees as possible (or in front of the knees). Bend forward to stretch farther, keeping the legs straight and the shoulders relaxed. Hold the posture, breathing normally, for about 30 seconds.
Step 5: For the advanced variation: Inhaling, lengthen the spine; exhaling, bend the torso forward, slightly rounding the spine. Interlock the hands around the feet or hold one wrist with the other hand.
Coming out of position
Slightly relax the body. Exhale. Inhaling, slowly release your hands from the feet and rise up with arms above the head. Exhaling, lower the arms down to return to the starting position. Inhale, exhale, relax.
Poses: Step by Step
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5Tips
- Move smoothly– avoid jerking while bending down and coming up to prevent injuries to the lower back.
- Point the toes forward to create the space to bend farther and minimize excess pain in the back of the knees.
- Keep both buttocks on the floor during the posture to avoid misalignment.
- If you struggle to hold the feet, microbend the knees and hold the feet and then gently straighten your legs.
- Aim to place the chin just ahead of the knees to deepen the spinal stretch.
Beginners Tips:
- If you find it difficult to bend forward due to the tight hamstrings, bend the knees as much as you need to bend from the hips.
- Use the strap around the feet, slightly lift the head up, keeping the spine straight, open the chest, and stretch further.
- If you cannot tilt the pelvis forward, use the folded blanket or cushion to sit on it.
- Practice a few preparatory poses first to prepare the body for the final posture.
Alignment & Key Actions
Video tutorial
Precautions & Benefits
Precautions
Be Careful:
- Use caution If you have high blood pressure, asthma (breathing problems), diarrhea, neck or abdominal issues.
- If you have tight hamstrings, hips, lower back, or neck issues, better use caution, as forceful forward bending can overstretch muscles and compress intervertebral discs. Start with gentle modifications like bending the knees or using props.
Avoid: If you are experiencing a herniated (slipped) disc, chronic sciatica, or have chronic or severe issues in the back or neck.
Benefits
General:
- Stretches glute muscles, hamstrings, calves, spine, and hips; expands the lower ribcage.
- Builds strength and flexibility in arms and shoulders.
- Encourages healthy blood circulation to the head and arms.
- Stimulates abdominal organs (liver, kidneys, ovaries, uterus), due to the core contraction and supports better digestion and metabolism.
- Reproductive organs are stimulated due to the forward fold and compression.
- Relieves fatigue, stress, anxiety, headache and mild tension in the back.
Therapeutic:
- Helps the management of sciatic discomfort and high blood pressure.
- Supports blood sugar regulation by improving insulin secretion.
- Calms the nervous system, manages insomnia and mental restlessness.
Postural Effects on the Body Systems
Nervous System and Brain
- Stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, calms the brain and helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
- Calms the mind and nervous system, promoting introspection and mental clarity.
Musculoskeletal System
- Stretches the posterior chain – including hamstrings, gluteal muscles, spinal extensors, calves.
- Stretches and lengthens the calves and achilles tendon, which improves their functions.
- Enhances flexibility and mobility of thoracic and lumbar while decompressing spinal disk.
Respiratory System
- Improves diaphragmatic breath regulation, which lowers heart rate and blood pressure, aiding respiratory and cardiovascular relaxation.
- Calms the nervous system through the gentle compression and forward bend, shifting the body into the parasympathetic state, which enhances deep and rhythmic breathing.
Core and Abdominal Organs
- While bending forward the torso leans over the straight leg which creates mild compression on abdominal organs and wall which tones the abdominal wall.
- Massages internal abdominal organs (digestive organs, liver, spleen, kidneys) – aiding digestion and improving their metabolic functions.
Circulatory and Lymphatic Systems
- Improves healthy blood flow to the abdomen, and spine.
- Improves blood and vital energy flow (prana) circulation to the pelvic region which helps improve their function.
- Enhances lymphatic drainage through the inversion and compression effect.
- Facilitates venous return and may aid lymphatic drainage from the lower body.
Preparatory Poses
Modifications and Variations
