Asana · Practise on your own
Prasarita Padottanasana A
Wide-legged forward fold A
Wide-legged forward fold, first variation. Hands on the floor between the feet, crown toward the ground.
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
- prasarita = spread wide, pada = foot, uttana = intense stretch, asana = seat or posture
- Family
- Standing forward bend
- Level
- Beginner
- Gaze
- Nose
Take care
Do not hang heavily on the head. Avoid with high blood pressure, glaucoma or a recent back injury, and come up slowly.
How it is done
- 1
Breathe in
Step the feet wide, parallel, hands on the hips. Lift the chest.
- 2
Breathe out
Fold forward and place the hands on the floor, shoulder-width, in line with the feet.
- 3
Breathe in
Lift the head and lengthen the spine.
- 4
Breathe out
Bend the elbows back and bring the crown toward the floor. Stay for five breaths, then come up.
Holding it
Five breaths.
Making it easier
Keep the hands on blocks and the knees soft.
What the tradition says it does
- Stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs
- Lengthens the spine
Variations
Prasarita Padottanasana B
Wide-legged forward fold B
Wide-legged forward fold, second variation. Hands stay on the hips as you fold.
Prasarita Padottanasana C
Wide-legged forward fold C
Wide-legged forward fold, third variation. Fingers interlaced behind the back, the arms drawn over the head.
Prasarita Padottanasana D
Wide-legged forward fold D
Wide-legged forward fold, fourth variation. The fingers hook the big toes, as in Padangusthasana.
Sources and tradition
- YOG Union App Content Map, 2 November 2026, p. 4
- Ashtanga Primary Series as commonly taught in the Mysore style; sequence order and counts await subject review