Enter
- From Uttānāsana, place both hands beside your feet.
- Lengthen your spine and shift your weight onto one foot.
- Inhale and lift your other leg straight behind you.
- Exhale and fold your torso toward your standing leg.
Steps
Support
One foot and both hands; most weight rests on the foot.
Hold
- Keep your pelvis facing the floor.
- Engage both thighs without locking your standing knee.
- Press through your standing foot and keep both hands grounded.
- Breathe evenly.
Exit
- Exhale and lower your raised leg.
- Rest for a few breaths in Uttānāsana.
- Repeat on the other side for the same duration.
- Breathing
- Inhale to lift; exhale to lower.
- Gaze
- Downward.
- Duration
- 30–60 seconds per side.
Adapt
Adaptations
- BlocksPlace both hands on blocks beside your standing foot.
- ChairPlace both hands on the seat of a stable chair.
- WallRest the foot of your raised leg against the wall.
- Lower liftKeep your raised leg parallel to the floor and pelvis oriented.
Variations
- Opposite hand holds ankle; other grounded; head/chin against standing knee.
- Two-hand ankle grip: grasp your standing ankle with both hands.
- Touch your standing toes; this form is called Bakāsana.
Signals of effort
- Your head is below your heart.
- Deep flexion of your standing hip.