Upavishta Konasana

Upavishta Konasana, wide seated forward bend pose, is next after the vinyasa from Baddha Konasana. In this posture you will go from a seated forward fold to a balance as you extend your spine. Open your legs wide, about 45 degrees, flex your feet, and grab the outsides of your feet or your big toes. Exhale fold forward, chest toward the mat. Inhale look up and lengthen, retract your shoulder blades, engage your quads and abs and exhale fold. Bend your elbows to increase the forward fold and keep externally rotating your thigh bones (knees point to the ceiling and not roll in) as you reach your chest and chin to the mat with a flat back. Only go as far as your body allows. You can always keep a bend in your knees or just hold your shins or lengthen your arms forward if that works better for your body. Take five breaths and then inhale look up, let go of your feet and lean back like you did in navasana posture, and pop your legs up to grab onto your feet or toes again. Lift your chest and lengthen your spine as you balance just behind your sitting bones with your legs wide. You can bend your knees again here and hold behind your thighs if that works better. Hold for another five breaths and then exhale cross your shins and vinyasa. This pose strengthens your abs and back muscles and opens your inner thighs, hamstrings and chest.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *