How to practice Paschimottanasana

The meaning of  "Paschima" in Sanskrit is West Direction while "Uttana" means concentrated stretch.  The Paschimottanasana is very easy Asana to do but it is a difficult one  to practice.   Here are some of the steps to perform Paschimottanasana for getting the full benefits of this asana.   The back part of the body gets fully stretched while doing this asana, so this asana is also called as "Back Stretching Pose".

The Asana looks to be very simple but it is the most difficult of the asanas to perform.

Step by step procedure to perform paschimottanasana

• First sit on the floor with your buttocks supported on a folded blanket and stretch your legs forward in front of you.  Point both feet straight up towards ceiling.
• Make sure that you are sitting straight up and with your spine straight.  
• Now inhale, and stretch your arms up over your head.  By following the direction of your hands, lengthen the entire spine upwards at the same time.
• Now exhale and bend forward from the hips by keeping the spine as elongated as possible and reach towards your feet with your hands as you come down.
• Try to reach your feet with your hands.  The ideal position is to wrap your index fingers around the big toes, with the thumbs resting on tops of big toes.
• If you are not able to reach your feet, then you can let your hands fall comfortably on top of the thighs or alongside the legs on the floor or where ever they are comfortable.
• In this posture, avoid lot of curvature in middle part of your spine.  It is best to keep the back more straight, and bend from hip area.
• Once you are in position, you can gently pull the feet or legs with the arms, stretching the head more towards the feet and giving additional stretch to the spine and backs of legs.
• As you hold this posture, relax yourself as much as possible. With each exhale let your breath do the work - The abdomen should fall closer towards the thighs, the chest toward the knees and the head towards the feet.
• You can hold this asana for 30 seconds in the begining and slowly increase the time upto 5 minutes.

Benefits of Paschimottanasana

There are lot of benefits of Paschimottanasana.   The elasticity of the spine is increased with this asana.  This asana removes sliggishness and tones up the kidneys and obdomen.  Promotes better digestion.  Here are some of the benefits listed.

• Stretches the spine, shoulders.
• Reduces obesity, and increases appetite.
• Very useful asana for increasing height
• Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries and uterus
• Reduces headache and anxiety and reduces fatigue.
• Very good asaasana na for high blood pressure.

Note :   The persons suffering from back problems, Asthma and Diarrhea should avoid practicing the paschimottanasana.  If any surgery is done, then also avaoid this asana.

Here is a video showing how to perform Paschimottanasana.