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The Paschimottanasana helps you lose weight on your hips, thighs, calf muscles and stomach. It can also limber up a stiff back. The Paschimottanasana or the sitting forward bend is helpful for people who're trying to lose weight, especially from the waist down. It also stretches the back muscles.
Keep your hands on the thighs, your back straight & chest out. Slowly raise your hands up, stretch your back, make it nice & tall. Keep breathing in this position - inhale, exhale. Take a deep breath - inhale, exhale - then pull your stomach muscles in & stretch your back forward. Slowly come down, holding your toes or your feet.
Try to touch your forehead down on the knees or come down as far as you feel comfortable with. Hold this position for sometime. Slowly take a deep breath. Then stretch yourself forward - again making your back long and tall. Stretch up and place your hands on your back.
People who have a very stiff back might not be able to do this. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't try. Try to come down as much as you feel comfortable with in such cases. People who suffer from spondylitis might not be able to touch their head to their knees. But they should try going down as far as they feel comfortable with, keeping the neck straight, without pushing it down. But everybody can and should try the asana. The Paschimottanasana has a counter position called the Setu Asana or the bridge pose. This compensates for the forward stretching of the back. In the Setu Asana, the back is arched upwards and the body's weight is supported by the shoulders, wrists and ankles. |
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