STANDING HAND TO TOE POSE (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)
Standing Hand to Toe Pose is an intermediate-advanced balancing posture.
I like to teach the Reclined version first with a strap, then gradually work on standing postures like Tree and Dancer before arriving here.
Standing Hand to Toe Pose requires open hamstrings, hips and steady balance.
ALIGNMENT
Starting in Tadasana, bring the right knee to your chest.
Visualize the breath being drawn up through the standing leg as your firm the thigh (of the standing leg).
Bring your right arm on the inside of the right thigh and grab the big toe, or outside edge of the foot.
Feel free to use a strap here!
Slowly extend the right leg forward, and away from you.
If you feel your back rounding or the shoulders tensing, bend the right knee slightly.
If it’s available, with the right knee straight, slowly swing the leg outward away from the midline.
WORK IN THE POSE
Reach through the crown of the head to extend the spine.
Lift the standing legs kneecap and quadricep.
Rotate the standing legs outer thigh inward
Press down through the standing foot (all 4 corners)
Work on leveling the hips (I need to lower my right hip in this picture)
GETTING OUT OF THE POSE
Bring the lifted leg back to center, bend the knee, and release it to the mat.
BENEFITS
- Lengthens hamstrings and inner thighs
- Strengthens quadriceps, hamstrings and ankles
- Improves focus, concentration and balance
CONTRAINDICATIONS
- Ankle or low back injuries
Catherine Tingey
Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
About the Author
Catherine Tingey+ Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
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Standing Splits →
CRESCENT POSE (Ashta Chandrasana) →
Half Chair Pose →
![I'm feeling so much gratitude today. I deliberately took time off around Thanksgiving--did not even send out a Thanksgiving newsletter. I wanted to give myself time to feel into my new location...it's an ongoing exploration!I am so grateful for yoga to have given me a strong and flexible body. This picture is recent, 50 year old body. [Yoga has also given me injuries, so be forewarned.] This is one of the primary reasons I am a conservative and watchful teacher; I hope to spare my clients overuse injuries and improper alignment injuries. When you know better, you can teach and do better.I just published this #asana on my website.📸@guibittencourtphoto#standingsplits #privateyogateacher #privateyoga #thecoachcat #practiceandalliscoming #yogaeveryday](https://cdn.catherinetingey.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
