Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangustasana)

Type: Standing Balance
Level: Intermediate

Steps:
Take mountain pose. Lift and bend one leg and grab the toe with the two first fingers of the the opposite hand. Start to straighten up the leg as much as the hamstring allows. Put your other hand on your hip. Open your chest and stand tall.

Props & Assistance:
•You can keep a bend in the knee instead of fully straightening
•Use strap looped around the sole of the foot
•Use a wall or chair for balance.

Preparatory poses:
•Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose
•Reclining Hero
•Standing forward bend

Follow up poses:
•Standing forward bend
•Downward dog
•Cobra

Benefits:
•Strengthens legs and ankles
•Stretches back of the legs (Hamstrings)
•Improves balance.

Caution/Avoid:
•Ankle or lower back injuries
•Pregnant
•If you are thinking of starting yoga and have a medical condition, it is advisable to check with your doctor.

Sarah Williams is a Qualified Yoga Teacher based in London with an online presence @sarahlucyyoga on Instagram and Facebook. She also blogs about yoga and health & wellbeing topics on her website. Sarah’s focus is Vinyasa Flow, Hatha and Ashtanga styles of yoga and she completed part of her yoga teacher training in India.
As well as being a certified yoga teacher Sarah is also a Chartered Accountant. She fell in love with yoga as it was a release from the office, it taught her to value her health and improved the attitude she had towards life and herself. As a teacher she is able to pass on the benefits of yoga to her students and finds the job incredibly rewarding.

She has completed her 300 hr advanced teacher training from Sampoorna Yoga Goa in January-February 2019. If interested in Yoga Teacher Training please browse our Teacher Training page