If you are often irritated and also experience aching pain in the lower back, then it is uttanasana that you need to include in your daily set of exercises when doing yoga practice.
You will say – how exactly can irritation and a sore back be interconnected and alleviated by only one of the simplest asanas? Everything is very simple! Any pain subconsciously irritates us, and back pain also causes heaviness during movement and fatigue. And it is in uttanasana that you can relax your spine so much that the irritation accumulated during the day evaporates along with the pain.
This asana is a real treasure for those who have back problems. It tones the muscles of the back and hips, stretches the spine, and in itself is so pleasant to perform that the mood inevitably rises, as soon as we put our stomach on our hips.
The name uttanasana comes from the Sanskrit words for dynamic stretching and asana (posture). This posture is modern, and it was only in the 20th century that it began to be used during practice. However, this does not mean that its usefulness can be treated with prejudice. This asana is so useful that it is included in the official program and Pilates, and stretching, and other options for modern fitness programs that are compiled by professional trainers.
How does uttanasana actually work? If we are talking specifically about the physiological reactions of the body, then during the performance of this asana, the practitioner’s breathing evens out and the heartbeat calms down. At the same time, the nerves located in the spine are stimulated. Daily performance of this asana has a positive effect on brain function and brings you closer to the very harmony that all yoga practices strive for (but for such an effect, you need to perform uttanasana daily and for at least a minute).
The benefits of exercise
Osteochondrosis, painful menstruation, swelling, irritability, chronic fatigue – all of this can, if not get rid of, then greatly alleviate the symptoms of the disease, simply by performing this asana correctly and daily. This is one of the simplest and most beneficial asanas in hatha yoga.
“Regular performance of uttanasana has a beneficial effect on the abdominal organs, stimulates the intestines, helps with abdominal pain, flatulence, digestive disorders, tones the liver, spleen, and helps with menstrual pain. Uttanasana replaces shirshasana for beginners – a headstand, and therefore is shown to quick-tempered people, it stabilizes the emotional background, puts thoughts in order, and helps with depression. — Anastasia Kasnikovskaya, yoga instructor.
Exercise harm
“Of course, we can only talk about harm if it is performed incorrectly without observing safety precautions or performed with contraindications – for example, it is not recommended to do this pose during pregnancy, as well as for people with high blood pressure or intracranial pressure.
The consequence of incorrect performance of the posture, for example, may be a sprain of the popliteal ligaments and injury to the knee joint. And therefore, while the hamstring muscles are not sufficiently stretched, it is recommended to start the asana with bent knees, tightly folding the stomach to the hips and gradually lifting the sitting bones up.
It is also not recommended to perform the asana for people with lumbar injuries. Here, special attention should be paid to stretching the back and folding the abdomen to the legs, ”says Anastasia Kasnikovskaya, yoga instructor.
Uttanasana Pose Technique
We asked about the correct execution technique expert, yoga instructor Anastasia Kasnikovskaya:
We put the feet together, resting on the outer edges of the feet, the quadriceps are tense, the knees are pulled up.
We raise our hands up while inhaling, the neck is long, the shoulder blades and shoulders are lowered.
On the exhale, we begin to tilt with a straight back, touch the floor with our hands.
Then we fold to the legs, moving the palms to the feet.
If the backs of the thighs are not stretched enough and the back begins to round, bend your knees, place your stomach on your hips, stretch your back and then, gradually straightening your knees, fold more towards your legs.
This version of the asana is more suitable for beginners.
What is important to know when doing uttanasana:
- do not turn your head and do not raise your head in a bent position, you can damage the cervical vertebrae
- you can not make jerking and swinging movements during the asana, springing the upper body and pulling yourself to the legs in jerks. This can harm your spine, especially the lumbar region.
- if you feel dizzy or have a headache, stop doing this asana. This may affect the balance of the body during execution.
- If you have a neck or back injury, be sure to do uttanasana with your knees bent so as not to harm your spine.
Do uttanasana correctly and for your own pleasure and share with us in the comments your experience of doing this asana and other types of practice, we will definitely write about it. Namaste!