30 Days of Relaxation - Day 10

Supta Padangusthasana, or Hand to Big Toe Pose, is good for folks who need a little more feedback from their body than a regular restorative pose provides. It is not exactly active, but the inner thigh stretch is noticeable. Just like in Legs-up-the-Wall Pose, all you need is yourself and a wall. 

Here's how this pose is most often practiced: at our mats using a belt or if we are especially flexible, our first 2 fingers wrapped around the big toe - the leg often comes out to the side. This Yoga Journal image shows the standard pose using a belt:



Here's how to set up to practice for relaxation:  use the wall for support instead of the belt. Lay on your back on the floor at about a 45 degree angle from the wall (as seen here):

The leg closest to the wall is bent at the knee and the leg farther from the wall is extended with the foot resting on the wall. Check your alignment here. Your extended leg should be in the same line as your body, it should not be at any sort of angle. Get comfortable here: perhaps a lumbar support or a small pillow under the neck.

Coming into the pose:
Raise the bent leg and extend it up the wall. Then let it fall open towards the floor until you are getting a good stretch in the inner thigh and maybe a little bit in the hamstrings (as seen here).

You may have to adjust your distance and angle from the wall to get the optimal stretch for your body. Try making your angle to the wall smaller (move your body closer to the wall) if you are more flexible or make the angle greater if you are less flexible. Keep your legs active but not rigid. Try to keep your pelvis from shifting or rocking to accommodate the stretch. Only go as far as you can go in your true range of motion (no compensation). Stay here as long as you are comfortable.

Switching sides:
Bring your leg which is up the wall back in towards the body, bend the leg which is on the floor and put both feet on the wall. From here you can walk your feet along the wall, turning your body around to the other side. Set yourself up here being mindful of support and alignment. Stay on this side for an equal amount of time as you spent on the other side.

Getting out of the pose:
Bring both legs in towards the body, bending the knees and hugging the legs into the chest. Roll to one side, rest for a few breaths, then gently push yourself back up to an easy seated position.

Enjoy!

Supported Hand to Big Toe Pose ~ Salamba Supta Padangusthasana

Enjoy Supported Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose at the Wall

Usually we practice this pose at our mats using a belt or if we are especially flexible, our first 2 fingers wrapped around the big toe. This Yoga Journal image shows the standard pose using a belt:



For my Restorative class I like to include this pose but I like to offer it at the wall, using the wall for support instead of the belt.

Setting up for the pose:
Lay down on the floor at about a 45 degree angle from the wall (as seen here):

The leg closest to the wall is bent at the knee and the leg farther from the wall is extended with the foot resting on the wall. Check your alignment here. Your extended leg should be in the same line as your body, it should not be at any sort of angle. Get comfortable here: perhaps a lumbar support or a small pillow under the neck or head.

Coming into the pose:
Raise the bent leg and extend it up the wall. Then let it fall open towards the floor until you are getting a good stretch in the inner thigh and maybe a little bit in the hamstrings (as seen here).

You may have to adjust your distance and angle from the wall to get the optimal stretch for your body. Try making your angle to the wall smaller (move your body closer to the wall) if you are more flexible or make the angle greater if you are less flexible. Keep your legs active but not rigid. Try to keep your pelvis from shifting or rocking to accommodate the stretch. Only go as far as you can go in your true range of motion (no compensation). Stay here as long as you are comfortable.

Switching sides:
Bring your leg which is up the wall back in towards the body, bend the leg which is on the floor and put both feet on the wall. From here you can walk your feet along the wall, turning your body around to the other side. Set yourself up here being mindful of support and alignment. Stay on this side for an equal amount of time as you spent on the other side.

Getting out of the pose:
Bring both legs in towards the body, bending the knees and hugging the legs into the chest. Roll to one side, rest for a few breaths, then gently push yourself back up to an easy seated position.

Namaste.

Comments on Open Class

Regarding class on March 20th, 2009...

Hello to the folks who participated in the open Restorative Yoga class at Yoga North last night (March 20th). I appreciate your participation and comments. Please feel free to offer comments, suggestions, ah-ha's, and/or questions by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of this post.

Thanks for trying out the Wall Hang Forward Fold. An idea I came up with at the end of class to make the Wall Hang Forward Fold more restorative is to (before you fold) place a block between the inner thighs and squeeze gently. For more support, wrap a belt around the outer thighs and press gently into the belt. If you can do both at once you will activate the adductors and the abductors (inner and outer thigh muscles) which will support you in your forward fold. Keep the block and belt in place during the forward fold.

A few people commented that once a month is not often enough for Restorative Yoga. I have been thinking about offering a weekly class or maybe a workshop or series of workshops. These would probably be registration classes instead of open classes but I would keep offering the once a month open class too. I haven't fully developed this idea and I am open to your comments and suggestions.

A question came up last night about more difficult poses than we usually do in the open class. There is interest in inversions and back bends. I would be happy to teach this but not in the open class. The set up for more difficult postures can be complicated and time consuming. This is something that I think would be a good fit for a workshop or smaller registration class.

One last comment I want to address: "I wasn't sure what to do in the forward fold. I thought once I was in a pose I should stay there but I kept having to move." I should have made it more clear at the beginning of class that in both the Wall Hang Forward Fold and in Hand to Big Toe at the wall you will find that your body opens slowly and you will have to adjust accordingly. I did see folks making adjustments as necessary and I think that is great. I'm glad you were listening to your body.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please make any comments below. Namaste.