Hips and lower back

Parsvottanasana: Classic

Combines hamstring and calf length with balance, leg strength and active length through the spine.

How to do it

1. 1

   Step one foot back into a stable stance

   Front foot points straight ahead, back foot turns out a little, and keep the feet about hip width apart from side to side so you have a base to balance on.

2. 2

   Square your hips toward the front foot

   Draw the front hip back and the back hip forward so both point the same way before you fold.

3. 3

   Lengthen first, then hinge over the front leg

   Lead with your chest and fold from the hip crease, keeping the spine long the whole way down.

4. 4

   Bring your hands down toward the floor

   Blocks either side of the front foot let you keep the length rather than reaching for the ground. Soften the front knee and shorten the stance if the back starts to round.

5. 5

   Hold 20 to 45 seconds, then change sides

   Come up with the same long spine you went down with, then set up the other way.

What to watch for

Rounding the back to bring your head closer to the leg, when the length along your spine is the pose itself. Raise the hands onto blocks, soften the front knee and shorten the stance rather than lose that length, and keep the front knee soft.

Ways to adjust it

• Hands on blocks
• Bend front knee
• Shorter stance

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits.

• Parsvottanasana: Hands on Blocks
• Parsvottanasana: Wall

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.