Supta Padangusthasana – Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose

Supta Padangusthasana Pose One and Two at a Glance

How to Do Supta Padangusthasana One?

Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure

• Supta Padangusthasana can be done by beginners, by Placing a yoga strap around the ball of your foot and gradually progressing to hold your toe with your fingers.
• Lie down on the yoga mat, with your legs straight and arms beside your body, and face your palms down.
• Just inhale and lift your right leg bend your right knee bring it to your chest and hug it and your left leg is grounded to the floor.
• Now raise your right leg to the ceiling, and keep it perpendicular to the ground.
• Now bring your right hand and hold your left big toe between the thumb, index, and middle fingers.
• You can straighten your arms if it’s flexible or bring your legs closer but should be straight and your knees should not be bent.
• Press your heels upward to maintain the stretch, the sole facing up and the left thigh is still grounded.
• Keep the leg muscles engaged in both legs and keep breathing, (here the right leg is straight up and the left foot is on the floor and straightened.
• Now here depending upon your flexibility, first, you can keep the leg at 90 degrees and hold your toe, second you can bring 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 and can also do this with the belt in place of the yoga strap.
• Hold this pose for about 5 to 6 breaths as per your comfort and keep breathing continuously.
• Now while you release the pose, bend your right leg 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, and hug to the chest and do the same procedure.

How to Do Supta Padangusthasana Two?

Follow the Step-by-Step Procedure

• This is also the variation of Supta Padangusthasana and could be performed continuously after Supta Padangusthasana 1.
• Follow the steps from Supta Padangusthasana one, till the 7th step (Keep the leg muscles engaged in both legs and keep breathing, (here the right leg is straight up and the left is on the floor and straightened.)
• From here as you are holding the right big toe, gradually bring you’re your right leg (right thigh) outward on the right side and see that your left leg is straight on the floor and grounded.
• Inhale and exhale to deepen the stretch and try to bring your right leg onto the floor.
• In this position, your left leg hips should not come off the floor, and if it is difficult to reach the right leg to the floor keep a yoga block, below the hip of the right leg for support.
• Here you can also use a yoga strap, loop it around the right football and the other end with your right leg and bring your legs down to the floor, with its support.
• Remember your right leg should be rested comfortably and you shouldn’t experience any pain. So listen to your body.
• Now hold this pose for about 5 to 6 breaths or as per your comfort.
• Then while you release the pose, inhale and bring your right back in the centre bend it hug and inhale, and bring it down to the floor while you exhale and relax and do it on the left side.

What are the Benefits of Supta Padangusthasana?

• It helps to stretch and strengthen 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

• 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 a headache or diarrhea, you should avoid it.
• Pregnant women should avoid or consult their health care professional.
• Do not go too far in the pose 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.

Supta Padangusthasana and Breath

• Our core and shoulders are stressed, tensed, and collapse when we work for a longer period sitting on our desks. Coordinating Eka Pada Indudalasana with your breath can clear your mental and physical blocks.
• Take deep breaths while you are in the Tadasana pose and relax your body. Inhale deeply and lift your arms up, keep your hands in a namaste pose, or can hold the wrist, with the opposite hand. Keep breathing elongate your spine and lengthen your arms. Inhale and lift your right leg towards your right side and while you exhale bend your upper body and your arms on the right side keep your breath flowing gently and feel the stretch.
• When you release the pose, Inhale deeply bring your legs in line with your hip keep breathing, and bring your arms down and feel the stretch. Your breath will release the stress and tension in your body and give you a feeling of calmness with your breath.

Common Mistakes

• Avoiding warmups could lead to pain or discomfort.
• Don’t lift your back from the floor.
• Don’t try to pull your leg beyond your physical limits.
• Keep a check on the leg on the floor, keep it grounded and straight.

Tips for Supta Padangusthasana

• Use props like yoga straps or yoga blocks.
• 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 left hand.
• Do it 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.

Physical Alignment Principles for Supta Padangusthasana

• While lying on the floor see that your body is grounded to the floor.
• The leg kept on the floor should be straight and the toes should point up.
• Before lifting the leg, hug the leg and lift it by holding the toes or hold the toes after you straighten it up.
• Press the inner edge of your left leg into the floor and keep extending from the inner thigh toward your left inner heel.
• Right and left Shoulder and your back should be grounded throughout the pose.
• Both hips should be on the mat in both asanas.
• Core should be engaged and this helps to support your lower back while you lift or legs or bring it outward.
• Coordinate the pose with your breadth and keep breathing continuously.
• Use props for proper physical alignment if the flexibility is less, like yoga blocks under the hips.

Supta Padangusthasana 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. Continuous breathing will balance and keep the 3 pose stable and calm your mind and body.

Supta Padangusthasana and Variations

• One of the variations is Supta Padangusthasana, and next is Supta Padangusthasana 3.
• The Padangusthasana pose is the standing, bent variation.
• You can modify the pose by using props like a yoga strap or yoga block for physical support.

The Bottom Line

Supta Padangusthasana is the base pose for Supta Padangusthasana 1 and 2. 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 action gives an intense stretch to your hips, and hamstring muscles. This also tones your abdomen muscles and makes your lower body more flexible. Beginners can choose according to their physical constraints and use props and better initially do it under the guidance of the yoga teacher.

This asana helps your balance and coordination of breath and body reduces stress and anxiety and calms your body and mind.