Here is my travelling buddy. A fair mixture of a health-conscious trend, the era of digital society and an accessible traveling lifestyle, over the years I have kept a memory of the places I have visited by performing this asana in almost every picture. Its name is rather long, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, but it is loaded with many health benefits.

What is Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana?

This extended hand to big toe pose is found many times in yoga practise, especially Ashtanga. One leg is standing and the other raised. The first two fingers hook with the big toe of the raised leg. While moving the raised leg away from the midline to the side, turn your head over the opposite shoulder and keep your yogic gaze (Drishti).

The benefits of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana.

The posture of externally rotating the hip joint and extending the leg to the side works on opening the hip muscles as well as deeply stretching the back of the thigh muscles (hamstring) down to ankle. The fingers that hook the big toe also improve posture and the range of motion in the chest, shoulders and arms. Lastly, and clearly, the balancing yoga pose helps to promote neuroplasticity.

Modification matters.

One size doesn’t fit all, the well-known yogic mantra. If you experience any discomfort in any part of the body, or challenge to your balance, remember there are many ways to modify this posture in order to perform this pose safely and remain in proper alignment.

• Use a strap or towel: Bend your knee slightly, place the strap/towel around the ball of your foot. Slowly straighten the leg and move the hip joint and leg to the side. Pay attention to the hip and leg that is lifted. You should feel a nice stretch, not strain. Flex the foot of the lifted leg to stretch your hamstring, calf and ankle. Hold the strap/towel where the entire body is elongated and centred.

• Bend your lifted leg: The height and length of the lifted leg is secondary to the height and length of your body and the standing leg! So, keep standing tall and let your leg raise to its natural height. Keep your hips and shoulders square and parallel to the floor. One day, eventually, it will come. When the tight hips and hamstrings are unlocked, the leg will slowly stretch out further.

• Lie down on your back: Supine position is a great way to help keep your back straight, your shoulders and hips equal, as well as, tension free and compression free on your vertebrae. That’s right, you have got your own back! While we are not focusing on balancing in this position, standing on one leg, it is an ideal for working safely on stretching the hip and leg muscles as we have support from the floor.

• Use the wall or a chair: If you feel a little wobbly, a wall or a chair will be your best friend to help create a journey to steadiness.

Reflect and re-centre!

Although you may have performed this pose numerous times you can still make common mistakes. Look at the beautiful beach picture and you will see that I was out of alignment despite the fact that I could raise my leg high and somewhat stable. My hips are not equal and my torso is not straight. In order to centre myself, I need to press my outer hip (in the rear) downward. This encourages my adductor to stretch and my leg to widen to the side without having to compensate and cause an abnormal curve of the spine.

I like this pose. The standing leg gets to grow in strength. The raised leg gets to slowly stretch. So this is my straight on yoga pose that has been travelling with me in many places. Standing pose reveals a full length landscape, while holding body in space embraces the sensations and memories of the place. Playing with my balance also makes me feel alive and free from fear of falling.

Tips

• Consult your doctor before practice, especially if you have these pre-existing conditions: hip and/or hamstring injuries, sciatica.
• Work within your range of motion and connect to your proprioception.
• Go slow with control. Always work with your breath!