I love teaching upavishta parivrtta hasta padangusthasana (seated revolved hand-to-big-toe pose) to my students.
It’s a great alternative to the standing version (which is pretty challenging), but you gain lots of the same benefits.
It has enough challenge for more advanced yogis and can be easily modified for those that are more beginner and intermediate level.
This is a great lead-in pose to the standing version, as you can work out all the lines of energy and actions in this version, then take it to one-leg balancing.
Rupali’s tips in last week’s post on how to evaluate the success of a pose can help you in this asana, too.
Energy and breath are the indicators as to the “success” of your efforts. A seasoned teacher will be able to tell if you’re driving yourself into the asana or if your energy and breath are both dynamic and fluid, indicating that “right work” is being done.
A great yoga teacher, A.G. Mohan, says that it is not the practice of asana that builds health or creates longevity; it is control of the breath. He also asserts that you can go right ahead and push the body, even all the way until it breaks! But you can’t push the breath; the breath will always give you away, and you and your teacher will be able to see through your breathing whether or not you are really doing the posture properly.
Enjoy playing with this asana. As you come out of it feel where your body would most like to go as a complimentary movement or asana and allow that to happen.
Fun stuff, yoga is!
Be sure to download the pdf of this tip sheet at the bottom of this post.
asana name = Upavishta parivrtta hasta padangusthasana
- upavishta = seated
- parivrtta = revolved
- hasta = hand
- padangustha = big toe
- asana = seat
benefits
- Strengthens core and low back.
- Strengthens upper back.
- Stretches hamstrings, IT band and glutes.
- Wrings tension out of the torso.
- Creates a feeling of energetic expansion upon release.
- Good for the digestion, constipation and purification of the inner organs.
- Tones abdomen.
contraindications
- low back sensitivity
- tight or injured hamstrings
preparations and modifications
- For tight hamstrings: bend upper leg, sit on a cushion, use a strap on foot, hold knee.
- For neck sensitivity: reduce cervical twist.
- Take ardha matsyendrasana as alternative.
attitude
- open-hearted expansiveness
What you can do next
- Leave us a comment…do you love twists as much as we do? We want to hear about it!
- Grab your free asana tip sheet by clicking the button below.
I just did this pose and really enjoyed it, it is much easier than the standing version. I really felt it in my upper back as I’ve been sore there. It felt good to stretch it that way. Thank you once again for the amazing post!
Thank you for the comment, Tarah. Glad you found some yummy sensations in this pose. It’s a complex and fun asana to play with in your practice. And you are very welcome. Glad our posts are enhancing your yoga practice!
ooooh twisting feels so good. I really like this one. Its amazing how many things are happening as a result of just one pose. And the organs are getting wringing out too, on top of the stretching and strengthening. yum yum yum
Glad you’re enjoying this pose, Marina. It’s one of my favorites, too. And thanks for your feedback!