Asana · Practise on your own
Padangusthasana
Big toe pose
Big toe pose. A standing forward fold holding the big toes, the first pose of the Ashtanga standing sequence.
Awaiting subject reviewWritten from our source material and not yet checked by a teacher of this practice. Read it as reference, and learn the practice from someone who teaches it.
- Meaning
- pada = foot, angustha = big toe, asana = seat or posture
- Family
- Standing forward bend
- Level
- Beginner
- Gaze
- Nose
Take care
Avoid with high blood pressure, glaucoma or a recent back injury. Come up slowly if you feel dizzy.
How it is done
- 1
Breathe in
Stand in Samasthiti. Step or hop the feet hip-width apart, feet parallel.
- 2
Breathe out
Fold forward and hook each big toe with the index and middle fingers.
- 3
Breathe in
Lift the head and lengthen the spine. The arms straighten and the back stays flat.
- 4
Breathe out
Fold deeper, crown of the head toward the floor, elbows opening out to the sides.
- 5
Breathe freely
Stay for five breaths. On an inhale, lift the head halfway and look forward.
Holding it
Five breaths.
Making it easier
Bend the knees as much as you need to keep the spine long.
What the tradition says it does
- Stretches the hamstrings and calves
- Lengthens the back
Variations
Sources and tradition
- YOG Union App Content Map, 2 November 2026, pp. 4–6, written sample entry