Yoga Poses-INTENSE FORWARD BEND

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Intense Forward Bend is one of the most common Standing Yoga Poses. Beginners who want to learn Yoga Poses can easily practice this Yoga Pose as it is one of the most easy to learn Yoga poses.


Intention


There are some Yoga Poses which has common intentions. Intense Forward Bend and Head to Toe Pose are the Yoga Poses which have some common intentions including and increasing stretching and releasing tension in the hamstrings and increasing flexibility.
 

  • To mentally release, surrender and let go
  • To lengthen and open the spine
  • To pivot only from the hips
  • To stretch and release tension in the hamstrings

Benefits


There are some Yoga Poses which have some common benefits. Intense Forward Bend and Head to Toe Pose are some Yoga Poses which have some common benefits.
 

  • Releases tension in the lower lumbar spine
  • Releases tension in the hamstrings and glutes
  • Calms the mind and the central nervous centre
  • Lowers the blood pressure
  • Strengthens the legs and promotes the ability to balance
  • Strengthens the feet and ankles

Contraindications


Most of the Yoga Poses have some contradictions. One needs to be careful about these contradictions while practicing Yoga Poses. 


  • Advanced pregnancy
  • Posterior herniated vertebral disk
  • High blood pressure

Teaching technique


  1. Stand in Tadasana with inner feet parallel hip width apart
  2. Inhale lift the arms vertically overhead and extend the hands towards the ceiling
  3. Exhale pivot at the hips and extend the torso forward, laying the torso along the thighs
  4. If the hamstrings are too tight and this movement places strain into the lower back, bend the knees
  5. Inhale and stretch the floating ribs along the thighs towards the knees
  6. Draw the shoulders away from the ears, lengthen the neck and extend the crown of the head towards the floor
  7. Use deep abdominal vertical breathing to create hydraulic pressure in the lower torso
  8. Hold the pose, contract the pelvis floor, transverse abdominals and obliques to direct the
  9. hydraulic pressure towards the lumbar spine to stretch and open the spine
  10. Inhale engage the abdominals, bend the knees and roll up one vertebrae at a time to a standing position
  11. Exhale soften the shoulders and lower the arms down to the sides of the torso as you return to Tadasana

Modifications


Most of the Yoga Poses have some modifications and one should know these modifications.

  • If the hamstrings or tension in the lumbar spine restrict this pose bend the knees so that the palms reach the floor
  • Use props, chairs or blocks to bring the floor to the hands
  • Stand out one metre from the wall then lean back buttocks to the wall and pivot forward from the hips, bring the stomach and chest to the front of the thighs sliding the floating ribs towards the knees
  • If overstretching extremely flexible hamstrings, may need to externally rotate the legs and draw the buttocks together to compensate

Common Misalignments


  • Inner feet not parallel
  • Ankles and inner arches of the feet are collapsed
  • Knees are pushed back and hyper-extended
  • Scapulas elevated and protracted
  • Collapsing the spine at T11 and T12 exaggerating the thoracic curve
  • Leaning forward or backward losing the vertical line from ankle to hip

Counterpose


Utkatasana to contract, tense, tone and strengthen the lumbar spine.


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