This week’s pose of the week is the perfect follow up to last week’s butterfly pose! Wide-angle seated forward bend, Upavistha Konasana, (often called wide legged seated forward fold) may be an intimidating pose but there are lots of options to get the benefits in a way that fits your individual body!
Benefits:
Opens the hips, groin, and back of thighs.
How to:
- Start in a seated position with legs extended in front of you, dandasana.
- Open your legs into a V-position, 90 degrees apart or slightly wider, ensure that your knees and flexed feet stay pointing upwards towards the ceiling.
- You can stay in an upright seated position, or bow forward into a forward fold if you wish.
- Continue extending through your legs, relaxing through your hips, and slowly bring your hands in front of your legs.
- You can stay in an upright seated position, or bow forward into a forward fold with hands extended in front of you or holding the feet.
- Press down into both sitting bones as you lengthen your sternum away from the navel.
- Hold and breathe evenly for 5 breaths or more.
- To release, lift the shoulder above the hips and draw the legs together back into, dandasana.
Modify it:
If the low back is rounding while seated upright then sit on a block. If folding forward then place a block in front of you to rest your hands, forearms or forehead on top of. If there is compression in the outside of the hip joint (feels like bone on bone pinching) then bring the legs closer together. Meet yourself where you are at. Each body is unique and there is no need to force yourself to look like someone else’s variation.