Yoga Standing Forward Fold

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Part of the video series: Improving Your Yoga Stretching

Summary: Yoga incorporates the importance of stretching properly instead of stretching quickly. Learn some tips for performing the standing forward fold from our professional yoga instructor in this free video.

Views: 323 | Tags: techniques, yoga, exercises, poses, flexibility, stretch, stretching, stretches, modes

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About the Expert

Elizabeth Rose Elizabeth Rose is a registered Hatha yoga teacher with a background in modern dance, gymnastics, martial arts, and circus arts. She offers an eclectic blend y... read more

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Video Transcript

Yoga Standing Forward Fold

Forward bends are powerful openers for the hamstrings, which is especially important for us ladies. If you have a corporate job and you walk around in heels all the time, then you're shortening your hamstrings all the time. This is going to cause you a lot of back pain, this is why your lower back and your knees hurt. In order to counteract that movement habit, forward folds are important, but you have to do them correctly. Inhale. As you stand in tada-asana, and as you exhale, hinging at the hips, begin to fold forward, dropping the head down. Now, it's important to not rock back on the hips, I mean on the heels. Hips, heels, I'm a professional. Not rocking back on the heels, you want to keep your weight even over the balls of your feet and your heels, and keep this line perfectly vertical. You can put weight on your hands if you like. Drop your head, crown of the head just falls, and let your knees bend if you feel tight. Here's the thing: it's more important to keep the integrity of the pose. You can bend your knees if you feel tight, but don't rock back on those heels. So inhale and exhale through the nose, keeping the breath long and strong. See if you can challenge yourself to release completely. Yield your weight to the floor. Make sure your alignment is proper. Support with your hands and your feet, and engage in the belly, lifting up ever-so gently, drawing the navel toward the spine. Exhale and inhale, and if you like, you can take a little arch as you inhale, just looking up without crunching the neck, lifting the heart, exhale. Try this a couple of times and then as you're ready, just come on down to rest in hero's pose.