Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend): Basics, Steps, Benefits & More

Paschimottanasana is a seated forward bending yoga posture with the upper body folded forward. This asana is part of the Ashtanga primary series and also mentioned in the “Shiva Samhita” as one of the accomplished asanas, along with Padmasana, Vajrasana, and Siddhasana.

Paschimottanasana Basics

Meaning

The name Paschimottanasana is from the words Paschima meaning west or back, uttana meaning intense stretch or straight, and asana meaning posture. which is also referred to as the ‘Seated Forward Bend Pose’ in English. It is a classic pose from Hatha yoga, that covers the stretching of the whole body from head to heels so it is called Paschimottanasana. Along with  It gives a good stretch, from your calves to your hamstrings (back of the thighs) to your spine.

Yoga has come into our lives as a lifelong medicine. Although yoga has been practiced in India for many years, now people across the world have started understanding its importance. Yoga has a huge contribution in the life of a healthy person, like doing Surya Namaskar provides energy to the body from the universe, doing Vakrasana reduces belly fat and doing Anulom-Vilom Pranayam removes breathing related disorders. Similarly, doing Paschimottanasana Yoga provides relief in diabetes and high blood pressure. Apart from this, Paschimottanasana has many benefits.

While practicing this asana, there is a stretch in the back part of the body i.e. the spine, hence this asana is called Paschimottanasana. Here west does not mean the west direction but the back part of the body.

This asana is considered one of the important and essential postures. In this posture, the spinal cord becomes flexible. Due to this, there is a benefit in awakening the Kundalini. It is more important from a spiritual point of view. Cures all the disorders of the spinal cord like back pain, liver disease, intestinal diseases, and kidney diseases. Paschimottanasana Yoga Asana has to take second place only after Sirsasana.

Practice Guide For Paschimottanasana

The practice guide to perform Paschimottanasana serves as a valuable resource for yoga enthusiasts seeking to advance their practice, offering a structured and detailed approach to mastering this asana.

Preparatory Poses

• Staff Pose (Dandasana)
• Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirasana)
• Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
• Child’s Pose (Balasana)

Step To Do Paschimottanasana yoga (Seated Forward Bend)

• To practice this easily, first, place a yoga mat on the ground. Now sit with both legs spread straight on the floor. There should be no distance between the two legs and keep the legs straight as much as possible

• Make sure that the neck, head, and spine also keep straight in this position.
• Now bend your head and trunk slowly forward and try to touch the toes with the fingers of your hands without bending your knees. Leaving a breath and stretch your arms out forward. Hold for a moment. Then, slowly raise your torso up. Do not move your legs.

• Exhale slowly. Try to touch your head and forehead with both knees. Make sure the knee should not bend even while bending forward.

• If you can grab your claw and pull it will help you bend forward.
• Breathing in, slowly raise the head so that a spinal strain is produced.
• Bend the arms and try to touch the ground with the elbow.
• When you are successful in performing this action, then lower the head between the two hands, and try to put your nose slowly in the knees.
• In this way, after completing this action 1 time, rest for 10 seconds and repeat this action again, in this way do this asana only 3 times. While doing this asana, breathe in and out normally.
• Finally, take a deep breath and return to your initial state.

Benefits Of Paschimottanasana yoga (Seated Forward Bend)

• Paschimottanasana Yoga is beneficial for our health in various ways. Let us know in detail the benefits of doing this asana-

• Paschimottanasana makes the spine more flexible and also helps to improve your body. This asana strengthens the back and shoulders and makes them flexible. And along with this, it helps in reducing lower back pain. This asana extends the entire body and strengthens the spine.

• This asana helps in curing high blood pressure, and it helps in the problem of asthma, flat feet, etc. It improves blood circulation in the feet.

• Performing the Paschimottanasana yoga stretches on your neck muscles relaxes the neck muscles. In this way, you can get the benefits of Paschimottanasana yoga to keep the muscles healthy.

• For those who have diabetes, Paschimottanasan acts like a panacea and helps to relieve the symptoms of this disease.

• After delivery, by practicing Paschimottanasana daily, the body of women regains its initial shape and reduces the fat of the abdomen and hip.

• This asana increases vitality and gives benefits in the prevention of impotence.

• Performing this asana in the condition of navel avoidance is of great benefit.

• By performing Paschimottanasana, blood flow in the body goes smoothly. As a result, the weakness of the body goes away and the body becomes energized and healthy.

• If you have sleep problems, then you can get rid of sleep problems by practicing this asana.

Other Benefits

• If you have to reduce your stomach fat, then practice this posture regularly. It also helps to reduce the stomach as well as dilute the waist.

• The seated forward fold provides a deep stretch for the entire back side of the body from the heels to the neck. Forward fold calms the nervous system and emotions and stimulates the reproductive and urinary systems.

• Regular practice of this posture improves the flow of blood throughout the body, which brings sharpness to the face and removes weakness. Keeping you happy keeps the mind happy.

• The person who is angry should do this posture. Along with anger, the mind keeps peace and happiness. This asana controls anger.

• It improves the sexual power of the person. In addition, the stomach and pelvic organs also tone well.

• This asana strengthens the spine and provides new life. Makes the buttocks shapely and beautiful by destroying the unnecessary accumulated fat in the huge buttocks.

• Regular practice of this asana digestive problems and acidity such as constipation also cure.

• Stimulates the liver, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus along with Develops flexibility of the hips and knees.

Time Interval

According to the experts, this asana is considered best when yogis practice early in the morning. Morning is preferred as the food is digested as well as the body has the energy to perform the asana. due to some reason, you cannot practice it in the morning, you can practice this asana in the evening as well. but at least keep a 3 to 5-hour gap between your practice and meal.

Precautions

Doing Paschimottanasana yoga has many benefits, so every person wants to do this asana. This asana is very safe to practice and has no real preventive measures. But before performing this asana, keep in mind the following precautions-

• If you have any type of leg cramps during this asana, then you immediately leave that asana, do not forcefully try to do this asana.
• You should not practice this yoga if you have trouble in the waist or if you have any problem with the bones of the spine.
• In this initial phase, there may be difficulty in touching the thumb with hands and touching the nose with suffocation. So do not rush or force it.
• People who have neck pain should not do Paschimottanasana yoga.
• If you have trouble doing this, you can do this asana by sitting on a cushion or round pillow.
• Before doing any type of asana or pranayama, do take the advice of a yoga expert.

Conclusion

Paschimottanasana is a sitting posture on straight legs with the upper body bent forward. It is one of the 12 basic asanas of hatha yoga and is also part of the Ashtanga series. Also, the best yoga posture for stretching the body.