Becca is the author of Teaching Yoga: Creative Cueing for Safer Mixed Level Classes. A long-time studio owner and teacher trainer, she now teaches online, blogs, and creates resources for other yoga teachers.

Alignment, Cueing, Modifications, Benefits, Variations

Sanskrit:

Prasarita Padottanasana

(pra-sa-REE-tah pah-doh-tahn-AHS-anna)

Prasarita = spread

pada = foot 

uttana = intense stretch

Other commonly used names and abbreviated names yoga teachers use when referring to prasarita padottanasana and its variations:

• Standing Wide Legged Forward Fold

• Wide Legged Forward Fold

• Prasarita Padottanasana a (also b, c, and d)

• Padottanasana

• Wide Angle (although really refers to seated version)

Wide Legged Forward Bend is a staple pose that I frequently include in my classes. I always offer modifications because my classes tend to have students of all levels, including those over 50. As teachers we have to quickly evaluate students attending class and make a decision as to what variations of the pose to offer and who might need options. In today’s post, I’m first covering often-asked cueing questions from newer teachers, and then I’ll return to basics and review modifications, benefits, sequencing, and variations.

What is the best alignment for the feet in Wide Legged Forward Bend?

This question pops up in yoga groups on social media frequently. Young teachers are hearing a variety of instructions, so what is the “right” way? If you were taught to turn your toes in slightly pigeon-toed when practicing Wide-Legged Forward Bend, then you are not alone as it is a very common instruction.

I practiced and taught the pose this way when I first started yoga, but then as I gained experience I realized it wasn’t working for all my students. The take away here is that we are all built a little differently and so there is no one right way to do a pose. The right way is the alignment that works for you or your students and doesn’t cause discomfort in the knees and hips.

Why isn’t the cue “turn the feet slightly pigeon-toed” not always the best?

This instructions goes way back in yoga and is based on the idea that turning our feet inward helps take the inner thighs back (slight internal rotation of the hips). This in turn helps us to lift and separate the sitz bones thus deepening the stretch on the pelvic floor, hips, and hamstrings.

There are a few issues that come up though when we give this cue to a mixed level group. Some students have much less flexible hips and can’t really internally rotate their hips much. When they are told to turn their feet inward their hips can’t follow that movement and the torque goes into their knees.

On the other end of the spectrum we have super flexible students who do not need to move any deeper into the pose and risk creating hamstring attachment tears when they focus too much on taking the sitz bones up and away. It is better for these students to focus on engaging the glutes and stabilizing the pelvis.

Cueing options for Wide Legged Forward Bend

The best way to keep students safe is to teach from the hips first. Instead of focusing on the angle of the feet in the poses, instead cue the hips, and then let the knees and toes follow. When we cue the feet at specific angles first, and try to force all students into that same position, student’s hips may not be able to accommodate that position. When the feet and the hips are not moving naturally together, then the torque goes to the knees.

Students who are much less flexible may need to turn their hips outward slightly and let the knees and toes follow. Although this is not a traditional alignment for this pose, it is safer and feels better to these students. If they also bend their knees and use blocks under their hands, then they are more likely to actually be stretching the body of the hamstrings rather than hurting their knees or hamstring attachments.

One way to start cueing this pose is to say something like, “take a comfortable wide stance, bend your knees a little, and then fold forward keeping your spine long. Place your hands on the blocks and lengthen your spine.” From there evaluate how the students are doing in the pose. If there are students who have turned their hips out quite a bit, then bring the students back up to standing and ask them to try and bring their hips into a more neutral position. Some may still be a little turned out and that is just fine. As they move back into the forward bend watch to see if their knees are tracking with their toes and if they are lengthening their spines.

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Common Misalignments and Potential Issues

• Rounding the back: Without support, a rounded back in a forward bend puts a lot of pressure on the discs, especially the discs of the low back. Hanging over with a rounded spine may lead to disc issues or aggravate issues already present.

• Unengaged muscles: It's common for students not to engage the thighs and glutes in standing forward bends. Engaging these muscles (firming, squeezing, hugging the bones) keeps the stretch more in the muscles and protects the joints.

• Neck not in line with the spine: Some students let their necks go soft and flop their heads over, while others extend their necks and look forward. Both actions can strain the cervical spine, especially if repeated frequently. Use the muscles of the neck, including those on the throat, to stabilize the neck holding it in line with the spine. This will help with posture issues also.

• Shifting the hips too far forward or too far back: Although neither of these actions are necessarily wrong, they target different areas of the legs. When students shift their hips forward of the feet the stretch moves down towards the calves and the heels, this may be too much pressure on the achilles tendon attachments depending on the student. They may be doing this in order to try and get their hands to the floor, but their pose starts to look more like a Downward Dog. Shifting the hips behind the feet is an action that feels good to some flexible students, but this takes the stretch more into the upper hamstrings and may put too much pressure on the attachments at the sitz bones.

Common Modifications for Wide Legged Forward Bend

• Bend the knees: For those who are a little less flexible to extremely less flexible it is important to bend the knees to avoid injuries of the low back and the hamstring attachments. Even flexible people can benefit from bending the knees at times to change the experience of the pose.

• Hands on blocks: For less flexible students this is important to avoid low back issues and injuries.

• Hands on chair seat: For much less flexible students or those with prior hip or back injuries use a chair to avoid further issues and injuries.

• Hands on Wall: For extremely less flexible and less mobile students with prior hip and or back injuries use the wall to avoid further issues and injuries.

Wide Legged Forward Bend Benefits

• Stretches the hamstrings, the calves, inner thighs, and the pelvic floor

• Warms up and stretches the muscles around the hip joints

• Calms the body and mind (forward bends are calming)

• Grounding feeling with both feet and hands on the floor

• For those who can fold over deeply, creates a release and lengthening of the spine

• Forward bends may aid in digestion issues such as constipation

Sequencing Wide-Legged Forward Bend in Class

The effective placement of this pose in a standing sequence depends on how much of a warm-up the class participants require. I love doing a few forward bends when I get up in the morning but this is not appropriate for many students.

Those with less flexible hips need to work through a few standing sequences including poses like, Warrior 1 and 2, Triangle, Tree, Goddess, and Side Angle in order to warm-up the hips. If their hips are not warmed up enough, then they are more likely to round over putting their low backs at risk. Once students are warmed up I often practice this pose after doing poses like Warrior 2 and Triangle that face the long side of the mat. The transition from these poses, by pivoting on the heels is simple.

For more active and athletic students, who are working towards arm balances and other poses requiring deep hip rotations, wide legged forward bend is an important warm-up. Place the pose throughout preparatory standing sequences.

Variations of Wide Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)

I am including the Sanskrit here as it is often used when referring to these basic variations with the letter a, b, c, or d used after the name. This nomenclature is common in some traditional yoga circles. Please note that yoga teachers have different ideas as to which letter refers to which variation. I’ll start with the most common uses first, and then the old school sequenced version that I learned back in 2002.

The first set of photos below show how the most popular sites on the internet currently refer to the variations of Wide Legged Forward Bend. Please note that just because it is all over the interest doesn’t mean that is is the only “right” way. A few people uploaded the names in this manner and then others followed.

Prasarita Padottanasana a: This photo shows the basic pose with fingers in line with the toes. Most students need a modification of this pose as listed in this blog post above.

Prasarita Padotanasana b: In this version the hands are on the hips and the yogi lengthens out the back. For my students I bring hands on the hips for transitioning from standing into forward bends, but I do not have them hold the pose in this position. I have them quickly bring their hands to blocks or the floor to support the back.

Prasarita Padotanasana c: This more challenging variation includes the hands clasped behind the back. This can be modified by placing the hands palms up on the back of the pelvis. Again, this version is usually not a good choice for many of my students - but I love the variation personally.

Prasarita Padotanasana d: Holding the big toes with the fingers, or holding onto the outside of the feet with the hands is a more accessible version for some students. Those with more flexible hamstrings, but who still struggle with core strength, can support their upper body some by grounding the thumbs or/and backs of the fingers into the floor.

The Old School Version

The original sequence that I learned works more like a warm-up. The simplest Variation that is easiest on the hips and hamstrings is first. Then each time that we revisit the pose the variations are more challenging. For my own practice I like to work through these variations one after the other like a little flow. For my students I offer the first and second versions with blocks under the hands. You can find a detailed description of this older version in Dona Holleman’s book from the late 90s titled Dancing the Body of Light (it’s affordable if you go for a used paperback).

More Variations of Wide Legged Forward Bend

If you are reading this long post, then you are most likely a yoga nerd like me, OR you just like to learn. I am so glad you are here! So I have one last thing I want to add about all these variations. If you are teaching younger people who want to practice arm balances, then infuse all of these variations into your standing flows as a preparation. Why? If the hips are not warmed and ready, then they cannot rotate enough to safely practice some of the arm balances. In some cases when the hips do not move, then the knees become torqued. If the arm balances do not come easily for you, then move on and work on something else, your hips will thank you in 20 years.

I enjoyed putting this post together! If you enjoyed reading this, then let me know and I’ll breakdown more poses soon. ♢

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