Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

My ego wants me to fold my body against my legs so it “looks” impressive. My body wants me to protect my spine and keep it long, regardless of how deep I go. It’s up to me to figure out what’s most beneficial.

Cartoon Black Woman in Uttanasana, or standing forward fold, a yoga posture.
Your body does not need to move this far to be a "good" yogi.

(OOT-tan-AHS-ahna)

ut = intense or powerful

tan = to stretch or extend

asana = posture

Taking hands to the wall, to blocks, or bending the knees are all ways to make this more accessible. This pose can be done while seated. See Contraindications

Kinda. In a trauma-informed classroom, be sure students are not placed behind others and that you do not walk around the room while students are unable to see your movements. If this pose makes a student uncomfortable, try it with their back against a wall instead.

CONTENTS

Pro tip: As you fold, start with your knees bent and focus on reaching your belly toward your thighs rather than your forehead. This can help you maintain a long spine.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) Step-by-Step Instructions:​

1. Begin in Tadasana, shift weight towards toes to keep hips in alignment with heels
You can also come into this pose from Urdhva Uttanasana, like you would in a Sun Salutation.
2. With knees slightly bent, exhale and tilt forward at the hips, not the waist, sitz bones (or sitting bones) lifting toward the ceiling
Focus on lengthening the front body as with all forward folds. You want space to breathe, so if you start to feel compressed, come out of the pose slightly.
3. Find your expression of the pose, with hands or fingertips reaching toward blocks, the mat, or the back of your ankles. If it’s more accessible, you can clasp opposite elbows, as in Ragdoll
Remember: The goal is NOT to see how deep you can go. Focus on keeping the spine long with a natural curve. Knees can remain bent a little or a lot, or you can work on straightening them, maintaining a micro bend to protect your knee joints. Learn from me: I started experiencing knee pain as I went through teacher training because I was locking (and hyperextending) my knees in these poses. Focus on good technique now, as bad technique is much harder to unlearn.
4. Turn the upper thighs slightly inward, press heels firmly into the ground while maintaining the lifted sitting bones
You are a sleek black cat on high alert, tail is lifted, back feet are grounded and ready to pounce.
5. Lift shoulders and traps away from ears, move the bottom tips of your shoulder blades into chest
Cue Jack Skellington feels, “But what does it mean?!” Try rounding your upper back forward while reaching your shoulders toward your ears, then lengthening your shoulder blades down your back while reaching your chest toward your thighs. Note the differences you feel in your body.
6. Allow head and neck to hang freely
Play with shaking your head yes and no or rocking it side to side. If you feel tension in these movements, ask yourself where that is coming from and how you can release.
7. With each inhale lift slightly,  reaching the crown of your head forward and lengthening the front body. With each exhale, fold forward, reaching your belly towards your thighs.
We are creating expansion in the front body. Allow your movements to connect with your breath as you slowly release into this pose. To compare, try this pose by pulling yourself down into it and holding your breath (without hurting yourself, of course). Are you able to go as deep, while staying relaxed? How does it benefit you?
8. Breathe
Be curious of any thoughts that come up, notice what they are, and then let them go without judgement. Allow yourself to be in the moment, giving space for your body to relax.
9. To come up, slightly bend the knees and lift on an inhale, maintaining a long spine
Come to stand in Tadasana again and allow yourself to notice any differences you might feel in your body. By the way, you don’t have to notice anything. Maybe you just bask in the afterglow of an awesome stretch, I’m happy for you either way!

Focus on Stretching:

The calf muscle, located on the back of the lower leg, is made up of two muscles:

  • The gastrocnemius is the larger calf muscle, which forms the visible bulge.
  • The soleus is a smaller muscle that lies underneath the gastrocnemius muscle.

Flexor: a muscle serving to bend a body part

The knee flexors include the hamstrings, gracilis, sartorius, gastrocnemius, plantaris, and popliteus. Most of these knee flexors also internally or externally rotate the knee. 

Extensor: a muscle serving to extend a body part 

The primary hip extensors are the gluteus maximus (butt) and the hamstrings.

Extensor: a muscle serving to extend a body part 

The Back Extensors include the erector spinae, which help hold up the spine, and gluteal muscles.

Elevator: any muscle that serves to raise a part of the body.

Shoulder Elevator muscles include:

  • Levator scapulae muscle
  • Rhomboid major muscle and Rhomboid minor muscle
  • Trapezius muscle

Contraindications:

Benefits:

  • Stretches hamstrings, calves & hips
  • Calms the nervous system
  • Reduces anxiety & stress
  • Improves digestion
  • Therapeutic for asthma and high blood pressure
  • Lengthens spine and neck

Common Mistakes:

  • Locked knees
  • Rounded spine
  • Tension, or trying to force your body deeper

Asanas (Postures) for Opening:

  • Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog)
  • Ardha Uttanasana (Halfway Lift)
  • Supta Padangusthasana (Supine, or reclining, Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)
  • Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Modifications, Variations & Props:

  • Feet hip distance apart and parallel for more stability (pregnant, beginner, elder, wide hips, or just because it feels better)
  • Block between thighs to teach the internal rotation, leg support & connection to the pelvic floor and core
  • For stiff legs or tight back, knees bent and/or hands on blocks so the back maintains its natural curve
  • For stiffness or back pain, consider an Ardha Uttanasana variation, with hands on the wall toward parallel with the ground, legs perpendicular to your torso
  • Place a hand on your pack to feel if your spine has maintained its natural curve. You can also use a mirror.

With a Partner: 

Stand back to back about a foot or so apart. Exhale and fold forward halfway in unison with your partner, reaching between your legs and grabbing hold of your partner’s hands. Keep your halfway lift with spine neutral as you gently pull your partner’s arms forward, bringing their chest closer to their legs. Go slowly, communicate, and release when they are ready. Switch turns. via Wellbeing

To Stabilize, Focus on Energizing the:

The intrinsic (originating within the body) foot muscles include the abductor halluces, flexor digitorum brevis, abductor digiti minimi, and the quadratus plantae. These are involved in fine motor skills, such as moving the toes.

Focus on spreading the toes wide and grounding through all four corners of the feet.

Knee extension involves making the joint angle larger, or in this case straightening the knee

Focus on lifting the kneecaps and flexing the quads (front thighs) without locking the knees. Micro-bend, people.

Extensor: a muscle serving to extend a bodily part (such as a limb)

The Back Extensors include the erector spinae, which help hold up the spine, and gluteal muscles.

Focus on keeping the spine long with a natural curve to your back. I’ll say this a million times: our goal is not to touch forehead to legs. Lift the sitz bones, reach the crown of your head forward, and fold to your expression of this pose.

Extensor: a muscle serving to extend a bodily part
Flexor: a muscle serving to bend a body part 

The hip flexors are include the iliacus, psoas major muscles, and the rectus femoris. Each time you take a step, you are using your hip flexors.

The primary hip extensors are the gluteus maximus (butt) and the hamstrings.

Focus on a slight internal rotation of the thighs, while lengthening your tail up, heels down.

The transversus abdominis is a muscle found on the lateral sides of the abdominal wall. 

Fun fact: transversus refers to muscle fibres, which go across. Understanding the direction of muscle fibres can help inform a bomb af massage.

Focus on lifting the lower belly up and in, while still maintaining length in the front body.

Depressor: any muscle that serves to move a part of the body in an inferior direction, or down.

The Shoulder Depressors include the Latissimus dorsi, Pectoralis minor, Trapezius, Serratus anterior, and Subclavius.

Focus on drawing the shoulders and traps (upper back muscles) away from your ears, while staying open across the collarbones.

Go Deeper:

  • Elevate the balls of your feet an inch or more off the floor on a sand bag or book. 
  • Lean slightly forward, lifting the balls of your feet off the ground while reaching your sitz bones toward the ceiling. Maintaining the length of your legs, focus on lengthening your heels back to the floor.
  • Begin to reach your palms behind your ankles, fingers pointing forward and palms grounded
  • Stand on something to increase the space you have to stretch

What’s Next?

Padangusthasana, Pada Hastasana, Paschimottanasana

In Sun Salutations, this pose leads to Ardha Uttanasana, or halfway lift.

Forward Fold in a Chair

Inhale and lengthen the sides of your waist, or explore lifting the arms as in Urdhva Hastasana if accessible. Exhale and fold forward from the hips. Release your arms toward the wall, a chair, a block or the floor. If palms are flat on the floor, move toward stacking shoulders over your wrists. Relax your head and neck, then breathe. You could place a block or pillow on your lap to support your head for a more restorative version.

To release: Inhale and slowly lift yourself up to seated, keep the spine lengthened. Exhale.

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