Press your palms on the ground to push your torso upward exhale and now spread your legs as far as possible. From the upright position described in step 1, turn your torso to the right with an exhalation. If you find it hard to bend forward, you could bend your knees gently. This yoga pose helps to relieve stress and tension and stimulates the abdominal organs. Bend your knees slightly, but keep your toes and knees pointed up towards the ceiling at all times. From Dandasana, or Staff Pose, raise both legs at the same time as you balance on your sit bones. Hook your first two fingers around each of your big toes. Reach your hands forward as your point your toes. Upavistha Konasana prepares you for many other yoga poses. This asana is a good preparatory pose for most other seated bends and twists. Now that you know how to do Upavistha Konasana pose, what are you waiting for? In Ashtanga Yoga, it’s practiced in the primary series poses. The Goddess Pose (Supta Badhha Konasana), which is a variation of the Cobbler Pose and also serves to stretch the back and spine. The stretch is focused on all the adductors because of this external rotation and abduction of the hips. This asana is also beneficial for the wide-legged standing poses. Perform steps 1 and 2 in the main description above. Method of doing Upavistha Konasana. Copyright © 2011 - 2021 Incnut Digital. Feel, as you turn, how the strap drags the inner left groin away from (and so anchoring) the twist. Upavistha Konasana is an introduction pose in the beginner sequence. She should press her right foot against your sacrum, her left foot against your outer left thigh. If you don’t, use a prop. Follow-Up Yoga Poses Bakasana, Gomukhasana, Baddha Konasana, Malasana, Siddhasana, Padmasana, Supta Padangusthasana Steps of Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend) First, sit straight with your legs open in a way that they make 90- degree angle with your pelvis. You must make sure to keep your stomach and bowels empty before you practice this asana. Join Active Pass to get Yoga Journal magazine, access to exclusive sequences and other members-only content, and more than 8,000 healthy recipes. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Upavistha konasana (oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-ah-nah) is a soothing – or intense – pose depending on the style and intention of the practice. New Year, Healthier You. The Upavistha Konasana is a simple posture that has immense benefits when practiced often. This pose stretches leg muscles, strengthens back and improves posture. Start by bringing your hands onto the floor behind your back. Bend your knees slightly, but keep your toes and knees pointed up towards the ceiling at all times. 3. Rest in Baddha Konasana, Sukhasana, or Balasana then follow-up Balancing Bear with Boat Pose to take advantage of the fire you awakened in your core and back. Stop when you begin to feel uncomfortable. Upavistha Konasana puts a lot of pressure on your inner thighs and the back of your knees. But as you do this, you must also push through the base of the toes to keep the outer and inner part of your ankles even. Stay in the pose 1 minute or longer. She loves food, and though she might want to call herself a great cook, she just falls short of seasoning. That yogi is ready for release who know mahamudra, nabhomudra, uddiyana, jalandhara and mulabandha. Upavista Konasana differs from other adductor opening postures in many ways. This simple looking pose called Upavistha Konasana also has its root in the Sanskrit language. UPAVISTHA KONASANA BENEFITS. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. My dad was a competitive gymnast in his teens and 20s. Perform steps 1 and 2 in the main description above. The pose is not found in medieval hatha yoga, but is described in the 1966 Light on Yoga. UPAVISTHA KONASANA BENEFITS. On the other hand certain difficult sitting asana that has forward and backward bending asanas can be performed after indulging in Upavistha Konasana. In which Upavistha means sitting, seated, and Kona stands for Angle and Asana means yoga posture. Lie on your back, with your right knee drawn into your chest and your left leg stretched out along the floor in front of you with your left knee pointing toward the ceiling. Back injury. Spend a minute twisting away from the deepening left groin, then release with an exhalation, and repeat on the other side. Move your hands behind your buttocks, and place both palms on the floor. The wide-angle sitting forward can also be done standing up. Wide Angle Seated Forward Fold aka Upavistha Konasana is a deep stretch for the lower body and inner thighs. Press your left hand to the outside of your right thigh and right hand on the floor to the outside of your right hip. In the pose the hips are externally rotated, abducted and flexed. Its purpose here is to work on the opening of the backs of the legs and to start to create length in the spine to enable the lift from the sacrum to the crown of the head. Reach your hands forward as your point your toes. Moving from the practice of Upavistha Konasana Variation (Seated Straddle Pose Variation) to the next level with deeper hamstrings and hip opening stretches, the following yoga poses can be considered: Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose) - for deeper forward bend. Its purpose here is to work on the opening of the backs of the legs and to start to create length in the spine to enable the lift from the sacrum to the crown of the head. Etymology and origins. Move gently and attentively as you allow your mind and muscles to open up in the process. If you find this pressure to be unbearable, then it is recommended that you give this asana a miss. Do You Have A Lump On Your Neck, Back Or Behind Your Ear? This asana relaxes your body and calms your brain. As with all forward bends, the emphasis is on moving from the hip joints and maintaining the length of the front torso. In the ’80s, my practice was about building on my natural Take a look at what this incredible seated forward bend can do to you. 2. Keep your legs active and the kneecaps pulled up. Exhale and tilt back, balancing on your sit bones. As your torso lengthens forward between your legs, pretend that each inner groin is being pulled away from that movement by an imaginary strap. If you have pain in your lower back, sit on a blanket or a block while you do this asana. Though the posture looks simple, it requires a lot of mental and physical energy. Upavistha Konasana Steps Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose), then lean your torso back slightly on your hands and lift and open your legs to an angle of about 90 degrees (the legs should form an approximate right angle, with the pubis at the apex). Back To TOC. The Lotus Pose (Padmasana), which is good for the knee joints and ankles. Use your breath as a guide to how much you can stretch, and stretch your spine as much as you can. Most of the simple sitting asana can be preformed before indulging in Upavistha Konasana. These are some amazing Upavistha Konasana benefits: When you move into this intense stretch, your thoughts and emotions are stimulated too. You might even support your knees on thinly rolled blankets; but remember, as you move into the forward bend, it’s still important keep the knee caps pointing toward the ceiling. Well, doing a pose that is as hard as this, that urges you to go deeper and makes you aware of who you really are by how much you can push yourself, breaks the ego. Follow … Follow-Up Poses Of Upavistha Konasana: Bakasana (बकासन) or Crow/Crane Pose; Gomukhasana (गोमुखासन) or Cow Face Pose; Malasana (मलासन) or Garland Pose; Padmasana (पद्मासन) or Lotus Pose; Siddhasana (सिद्धासन) or Accomplished Pose; Sukhasana (सुखासन) or … https://yogaholism.com/upavistha-konasana-benefits-steps-precautions Increase the forward bend on each exhalation until you feel a comfortable stretch in the backs of your legs. My sisters and I inherited his athleticism in various ways, but I ended up with the lion’s share of his flexibility. Follow up Poses: Crane pose (Bakasana) Cow Face pose (Gomukhasana) Garland pose (Malasana) Lotus pose (Padmasana) Easy pose (Sukhasana) Upavistha konasana is a foundational seated forward bend pose. See also Simple Poses to Relieve Back Pain. Upavistha Konasana, or Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend, is a useful beginners’ pose to stretch, unwind and relax. Upavishta Konasana, is a good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists and wide-leg standing poses. Get 15% Off Membership →, 3 Ways to Prep for Akarna Dhanurasana I (Archer Pose I), Challenge Pose: Akarna Dhanurasana I (Archer Pose I), Holistic Hamstrings: Poses to Stretch and Strengthen These Key Muscles, Stretches the insides and backs of the legs. The name of the pose is from the Sanskrit उपविष्ट (upaviṣṭa) meaning "open", कोण (koṇa) meaning "angle", and आस (āsana), meaning "seat" or "pose".. Upavistha Konasana – How to do, Health Benefits, Precautions Preparation for Upavistha Konasana. Tweet; The Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend or the Upavishtha Konasana is a difficult pose but one that can be attempted by beginners too. Always muddled up between traditions and modernism, she thinks she would have been a better fit in the vintage era. Inhale, long and deep, such that the sides of the body lift, thereby creating a space or hollow in the spine. Wide Legged Forward Bend – Upavistha Konasana Main benefit – Opens the channels on the inside of the legs and helps to re-orientate the hips. Place your palms on the floor, such that they are behind your hips. The pose also may be taken from easy pose … Then come up on an inhalation with a long front torso. New Year, Healthier You. My sisters and I inherited his athleticism in various ways, but I ended up with the lion’s share of his flexibility. Urdhva Upavistha Konasana (Upward Seated Straddle Pose) - for balance, stretch and hip opening. Shed your ego, flex your muscles, calm your mind, and break all barriers with this challenging forward bend. Sit on a firm cushion. The wide angle seated forward bend pose stretches the legs and spine and opens the groin area. She loves life and believes in living it up to the fullest. Have your meals at least four to six hours before you do the asana so that your food gets digested, and there is enough energy for you to expend during the practice. First, sit straight with your legs open in a way that they make 90- degree angle with your pelvis. But the best part is, this pain can be avoided. In this pose you bend forwards such that your torso is between your legs kept wide apart at a wide angle. Hold for a few seconds if you feel a good stretch in your legs at this point. Upavistha Konasana is an introduction pose in the beginner sequence. Place a strap across the ball of your right foot and extend your right heel to the ceiling. The groin is released. The Upavistha Konasana is a simple posture that has immense benefits when practiced often. Stop at a comfortable place along the way or, if your flexibility allows it, reach your left hand to the outside of your right foot. Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose), then lean your torso back slightly on your hands and lift and open your legs to an angle of about 90 degrees (the legs should form an approximate right angle, with the pubis at the apex). Level: IntermediateStyle: Hatha YogaDuration: 30 to 60 secondsRepetition: NoneStretches: LegsStrengthens: Vertebral columns. Preparatory Poses. Let this emotional and physically challenging experience make you a better person! Conclusion. CONTRAINDICATIONS. Keep your legs active and the kneecaps pulled up. That these new techniques have the power to bring release is supported by the text in other verses. Exhale into the forward bend and lay your torso down on this support. Perform this pose preferably early in the morning on empty stomach. Avoid doing this asana if you have a pull or tear in your groin or hamstring, or if you are pregnant, have an injury in the lower back, or a herniated disk. Bring your legs out wide – to about 90% of your capacity. You must feel a curve in your lower back. The wide angle seated forward bend pose stretches the legs and spine and opens the groin area. Follow … 2. Although this pose looks simple, the mental thoughts it triggers can be quite enlightening. Though the posture looks simple, it requires a lot of mental and physical energy. Shed your ego, flex your muscles, calm your mind, and break all barriers with this challenging forward bend. You become humble and grounded as the physical and mental challenge of this asana drives you to break out of your prejudices. Start by bringing your hands onto the floor behind your back. (oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna)upavistha = seated, sittingkona = angle. 3. Then return to upright with an inhalation and repeat to the left. Moving from the practice of Upavistha Konasana Variation (Seated Straddle Pose Variation) to the next level with deeper hamstrings and hip opening stretches, the following yoga poses can be considered: Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose) - for deeper forward bend. 3. © 2021 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baddha KonasanaDandasanaPrasarita PadottanasanaSupta Baddha KonasanaSupta Padangusthasana, Baddha KonasanaBakasanaGomukhasanaMalasanaPadmasanaSiddhasana or Sukhasana Supta Padangusthasana. Wide Legged Seated Forward Bend – Upavistha Konasana Main benefit – Opens the inside of the legs. Bring your legs out wide to about 90% of your capacity. Finally, perform the full pose as described above. By following through with the pose, you break off the ego conflict within your mind along with the false identity. Lower-back injury: Sit up high on a folded blanket and keep your torso relatively upright. This asana is quite challenging for beginners. Get 15% Off Membership → The Upavistha Konasana is one of the extremely beneficial sitting yoga poses. Baddha Konasana Bakasana Gomukhasana Malasana Padmasana Siddhasana or Sukhasana Supta Padangusthasana. As it’s name shows, it is performed sitting by opening the legs wide followed by leaning forward. Start by sitting in Baddha Konasana / Bound Angle pose. Science and Upavistha Konasana. Keep your chest lifted … My dad was a competitive gymnast in his teens and 20s. It might also be used to get ready for: Upavistha Konasana is a difficult forward bend for many beginners. Stay for a minute. Keep your spine long and core engaged. 2. As soon as you find yourself bending from the waist, stop, re-establish the length from the pubis to the navel, and continue forward if possible. Press your left hand on the floor between your legs, your right hand on the floor outside your right hip. When you assume this pose, your legs are rooted in the earth and stretched, the spinal column is relaxed, and your brain is calmed. Press the top of the left thigh into the floor to serve as the anchor for this movement. Reach out through your heels and stretch your soles, pressing though the balls of the feet. When you bend forward in this posture the stretch moves into the Adductor Magnus. Sit on your buttock bones place your palms beside your hips pointing towards forward. Watch a demonstration of Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend. You could even use blankets to support your knees. It also massages the spine, pelvis, and abdominal area. Follow up poses for the Seated Wide Angle pose include: The stretch is focused on all the adductors because of this external rotation and abduction of the hips. Merudandasana Follow-Up Poses Navasana. Upavista Konasana differs from other adductor opening postures in many ways. So in English language this pose is also known as Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose. Start by sitting on the floor or upon some folded blankets (recommend the folded blankets for this one). Take a bolster or a thickly rolled blanket and lay it on the floor in front of you, its long axis perpendicular to your pelvis. Then reach out and wrap your index and middle fingers around the big toes, each pair of fingers secured in place with the thumb. Inhale and straighten your legs. Keep your arms long. Get 15% Off Membership →, New Year, Healthier You. Follow-up Poses Relax all the muscles that undergone pressure and contraction while supta konasana by getting into the following counter poses: … If you want to intensify the stretch, you must take the position, and reach for your big toes (right to right and left to left) as you bend forward. Advanced students can help themselves move into the forward bend. Lock your fingers around the toes and pull on the big toe as you lean in. Urdhva Upavistha Konasana (Upward Seated Straddle Pose) - for balance, stretch and hip opening. This conflict often causes great suffering. They say that the conflict between who you really are and who you think you are is called egoism. Meditation - A Perfect Solution For Stress Relief, 10 Immunity Boosting Yoga Asanas To Get Rid Of Cold and Flu, 5 Best Yoga Poses To Encourage And Energize Cancer Patients, 5 Effective Yoga Mudras For Your Healthy Heart. This will give your pelvis stability and allow it to tilt forward, apart from retaining that lower back curve. You must move forward in the bend, and ensure your knee caps point upwards throughout the asana. Sanskrit: उपविष्ठ कोणासन; Upavistha – Seated/Sitting, Kona – Angled, Asana – Posture; Pronounced As – oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna. What She Spreads On Her Skin, Everyone Has At Home – But Nobody Uses It! The Cobbler Pose (Baddha Konasana), which is another pose that uses the forward bend. https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/wide-angle-seated-forward-bend Inhale and straighten your legs. From Dandasana, or Staff Pose, raise both legs at the same time as you balance on your sit bones. Bend your knees and pull your legs back together. Upavistha = Seated Kona = Angle Asana = Pose. By following through with the pose, you break off the ego conflict within your mind along with the false identity. That yogi is ready for release who know mahamudra, nabhomudra, uddiyana, jalandhara and mulabandha. 1. Start by sitting in Baddha Konasana / Bound Angle pose. Lastly, if you are pregnant, then practicing this pose is a big no as it can end up … Keep your chest lifted … The adductor muscles of the groin also get stretched. Exhale and gently come back up. Hold for … Follow up Poses. A partner can help you get a feel for the action of the inner thighs in this pose. Place a folded up blanket or bolster below the buttocks. So, the follow-up poses for Upavistha Konasana are: Gomukhasana (Cow face pose) Malasana (Squat Pose) Merudandasana (Spinal column pose) Bakasana (Crane Pose) Sukhasana (The Easy pose) Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) So this was all about Upvistha Konasana (Wide … The name of this yoga pose comes from Sanskrit language in which Upavistha means seated, kona means angle and asana means posture. This activity gives the right kind of warm up to the mind and body. This asana gives the insides and the back of the legs a good stretch. When he stopped competing, he still enjoyed practicing in our yard on his pommel horse. This pose is said to help improve your posture and promote ease and comfort in your body. This yoga pose helps to relieve stress and tension and stimulates the abdominal organs. Preparatory Poses for Upavistha Konasana are Supta Baddha Konasana, Dandasana, Supta Padangusthasana, Prasarita Padottanasana and Baddha Konasana; and the follow-up Poses are Padmasana(Lotus position), Malasana, Baddha Konasana, Supta Padangusthasana, Bakasana, Gomukhasana and Siddhasana or Sukhasana. As with Dandasana, if you can’not sit comfortably on the floor, raise your buttocks on a folded blanket. Aerial Yoga – What Is It And What Are Its Benefits? Herein, Upavistha is for the ‘sitting’, Kona refers to ‘angle’, and the ‘asana’ means ‘posture or pose.’ However, if practiced regularly, this asana can open up the hips and make … Now that you know how to do Upavistha Konasana pose, what are you waiting for? This seated pose stretches the hamstrings and groins, while strengthening the supporting muscles of your spine. If you have trouble bending even a little bit forward, it’s acceptable to bend your knees slightly. But in the event you cannot work out in the morning, it is alright to practice it in the evening. Pull back on the toes as you lean forward, but push actively through the bases of the big toes to keep the inner and outer ankles even. Breathe long and deep as you hold the pose for about a minute. In the ’80s, my practice was about building on my natural