Pada: Foot
Angustha: Big Toe
Asana: Pose
Supta Padangusthasana A at a Glance
Supta Padangusthasana Pose A, B, and C are the series of three postures and Supta Padangusthasana A is the base pose for other Supta Padangusthasana Pose variations. This pose is the supine variation of Padangusthasana Pose. It is performed on the floor in a reclining position. This is also a part of the Ashtanga Vinyasa primary series (Yoga Chikitsa).
Benefits:
- It helps to improve your balance.
- It improves the flexibility of your hip joint.
- It helps to boost the energy in your body.
- It helps to improve your focus and concentration.
Who can do it?
Advanced yoga practitioners and intermediate yoga practitioners can do this pose. Individual looking out to enhance their flexibility and strength can do this pose. Beginners with a normal level of flexibility can do this under the guidance of the yoga teacher. People who want to improve their balance can do this pose.
Who should not do it?
Pregnant women should not do this pose. People with any injuries to their arms, shoulders, hips, knees, and lower back should avoid this pose. Individuals with high BP should avoid it. People with glaucoma should avoid doing this pose. Any serious health concerns just consult your doctor and avoid doing it.
How to Do Supta Padangusthasana A?
Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure
This is an intermediate pose but beginners with normal flexibility levels can do this pose under the guidance of a yoga trainer and with the help of props if needed.
- Do some warm-ups for your legs, knees, hips, and arms and some simple preparatory poses to ensure that your body is ready to get into this pose, and this can avoid any sprain or injury.
- Lie down on the yoga mat, with your legs extended and arms beside your body, and face your palms down take some deep breaths and relax your body.
- Now slowly inhale and lift your right leg, bend your right knee bring it to your chest, and hug it while your left leg is grounded and active on the floor.
- Now bring your right hand and hold your right big toe between the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
- Now further raise your right leg to the ceiling and keep it perpendicular to the ground.
- You can straighten your arms if not straight, bring your legs closer but should be straight and your knees should be straight and extended.
- Press your heel upward to maintain the stretch, the foot flexed sole facing up the left thigh is still grounded, and your core muscles are engaged.
- Keep the leg muscles engaged in both legs and keep breathing, (here the right leg is straight up the left foot is on the floor and straightened and the left hand is in line with the shoulder or side of the body.
- Now here depending upon your flexibility, first, you can keep the leg at 90 degrees and hold your toe, or else exhale and deepen the stretch by bringing your leg closer to the chest.
- Here if you are a beginner, before stretching your legs you can loop a yoga strap around the ball of your right foot (lifted leg) and hold the other ends with each of your hands You can also do this with the belt in place of the yoga strap.
- Hold this pose for about 5 to 6 breaths per your comfort and keep breathing continuously and you can close your eyes or gaze at a comfortable steady point.
- Now while you release the pose, bend your right leg from the knee, hug gently to your chest place it down on the floor, and relax by breathing.
- To balance, you should always do it on the other side, in this case should be with your left leg, bend the left knee, hug to the chest, and do the same procedure and keep the right leg straight.
What are the Benefits of Supta Padangusthasana A?
- This pose stretches and strengthens your leg muscles, helps to give a good stretch, and makes it more flexible.
- It also helps to stretch and strengthen your hip joints and improves the flexibility of the groin area.
- This is very helpful to strengthen your core muscles and shed the extra fat in the waist area.
- This can also help to reduce your stress and anxiety calm your mind and keep you grounded.
- It helps to make yourself aware of your body and its sensations.
- This helps to inner thigh muscles and improves their flexibility.
- This also helps to balance your body coordinate the body alignment and keep yourself stable.
- It helps to reduce your mild lower back pain and tension.
Health Conditions that Might Benefit from Supta Padangusthasana A
In our busy schedules and continuous work, we suffer from back pains and this asana could be of good help if practiced regularly.
- This can help to reduce the risk of diabetes as it stimulates the pancreatic muscles.
- If you have flexibility issues with your hamstring, hips, thighs, and knees, this asana can help to stretch the muscles and improve flexibility.
- People with digestion issues can do this asana to improve their digestion process and get rid of bloating and gas.
- People with poor posture can do this asana to improve their posture.
Safety and Precautions
- If you have any injury to your hamstrings, quadriceps, ankles, knees, or shoulders should avoid or consult with your doctor.
- If you are suffering from diarrhea, high blood pressure, and headache should avoid this yoga practice.
- Pregnant women should avoid or consult their health care professional.
- Be careful if you have tight hamstrings.
- Beginners should only practice it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
- For people, if balancing is an issue practice near a wall or keep the char for support.
Common Mistakes
- Avoiding warmups could lead to pain or discomfort.
- Avoid lifting your back from the floor.
- Keep a check on the leg on the floor, keep it grounded and leg straight.
- Don’t try to pull your leg beyond your physical limits.
Tips for Supta Padangusthasana A
- Use props like yoga straps or yoga blocks and a folded blanket.
- Keep the check on the alignment of your body.
- Don’t force your body too much and reach within your limits.
- Hold your right foot or the belt with your right hand and keep the left heel pressing against the floor.
- Don’t practice Supta Padangusthasana A on an empty stomach.
- Don’t lift the hip of the leg which is grounded on the floor.
- Breathing continuously is a must to balance the pose.
- Do preparatory yoga postures like – Uttanasana, Baddha Konasana, and downward facing dog.
Physical Alignment Principles for Supta Padangusthasana A
Let your bottom leg, (left hip) on the ground be straight and extended and keep it active.
- Grounded leg foot flexed but toes pointing up and can keep a micro bend in the knee in needed.
- Keep your sacrum on the floor.
- Your entire spine is flat on the ground.
- Don’t overstretch your Hamstrings, just stretch within your comfort limit.
- Bring your knee toward your chest but avoid locking it.
- The right leg is lifted above the ground and straight 90 degrees or more and
- Hold your lifted foot with the same side arm and grasp the big toe or the raised leg.
- Broaden your chest keep your navel active and tuck it toward the spine.
- The arm which is at the bottom is either resting alongside the body or perpendicular to your body.
- The head is in line with the spine.
- Both shoulders are resting on the floor.
- Slightly keep your chin lifted and keep your eyes closed or gaze at the comfortable level.
Supta Padangusthasana A and Breath
Most important while doing yoga asana is the breath and the same is true for this pose. Breathe when you start the asana and exhale when you extend your legs up or outward. Keep your breath as the guide to deepen the stretch. At every exhale deepen the stretch as much as you can. Be mindful about the breath and moving it with the pose which will balance and keep the pose stable and calm your mind and body.
Supta Padangusthasana A and Variations
- To modify you can use a yoga strap, holding the ball of the feet and the other end in your hand.
- You can keep the knee slightly bent.
- Practice it against the wall.
- Place a block outside the raised hip.
- As you exhale, engage your core muscles and lift the upper body bringing the chin towards the shin.
- Supta Padangusthasana B
- Supta Padangusthasana C
The Bottom Line
Supta Padangusthasana A is the base pose for Supta Padangusthasana variations. This asana is a supine stretch pose, holding your toe to the leg raised, with your hands up straight, and reaching your one leg outward. This pose has various physical and mental benefits if practiced regularly. Beginners can choose according to their physical constraints and use props and better initially do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.
Breathing will help to deepen the stretch and improve your mindfulness. This asana helps your balance and coordination of breath and body reduces stress and anxiety and calms your body and mind.
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