Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (Therapy)

The name comes from the Sanskrit Urdhva meaning “Upward”, Prasārita (प्रसारित) meaning “spread out”, Pada (पाद) meaning “foot”, and Asana (आसन) meaning “posture” or “seat”

• Begin by lying flat on your back on the yoga mat.

• Loop the yoga belt around the balls of your feet. Hold the ends of the belt in your hands.

• Place your arms alongside your body by holding the belt ends firmly which will provide more support.

• Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine. This will help support your lower back.

• Ensure your lower back is gently pressed into the mat and not arching.

• Begin to lift your legs together, keeping them straight. Use the support of the belt to help guide and stabilize your legs.

• Lift your legs until they are perpendicular to the floor. Adjust the belt length if needed to maintain straight legs.

• Ensure your shoulders are relaxed and grounded on the mat.

• Keep your head and neck relaxed, with your gaze towards the ceiling or a fixed point above you.

• Keep your legs straight and together, with the belt helping to maintain this alignment.

• Flex or point your feet as per your comfort and the guidance of your instructor.

• Breathe deeply and steadily, using your breath to maintain focus and alignment.

• Hold the pose for a comfortable duration, starting with a few breaths and gradually increasing over time.

• Slowly lower your legs back to the mat while maintaining control and alignment.

• Remove the yoga belt from your feet and release the pose.

• Gently turning towards the right side come up in to the sitting pose by taking a support of your hand.

• Ensure the shoulders are relaxed and pressed into the mat.

• Maintain a neutral spine by pressing the lower back gently into the mat.

• Use the core engagement to support the lower back.

• Engage the quadriceps and inner thighs.

• Overarching the lower back can lead to strain

• Bending the knees reduces the stretch in the hamstrings

• Straining the head and neck this can cause discomfort and potential injury

• A lack of core engagement reduces the stability and effectiveness of the pose

• Avoid in case of chronic back injury

• Avoid in case of Glaucoma and vertigo

• Not to practice in Osteoporosis

• Avoid in case of high blood pressure