Find out your inner leg flexibility with : Prasarita Padottansana

Usually we all ride our bikes from a particular side all the time and for most persons it is from the left side of the bike. I was watching one person who was trying to ride his bike from other side due to lack of standing space on the left side where his bike was parked. He was clearly feeling awkward while doing this since his left leg was not as flexible as the right leg was. While raising the leg while riding a bike flexibility is required on the inner side of the leg instead of hamstring. Riding a bike does not require much flexibility but this example made me realize that even simple tasks may become difficult due to lack of flexibility. In this post I would like present a pose which can help you to increase the inner leg flexibility.

This pose is known as Prasarita Padottansana (Spread and Extended leg pose )and it is an excellent pose for increasing flexibility of inner thigh muscles (adductor muscles) and hamstring muscles.

Steps to Practice

1. Stand on the mat with legs around 4.5 to 5 feet away as per your height.


2. Tighten the leg muscles by pulling the knee caps.


3. Exhale and bend forward and place the hands on the ground parallel to each other and in line with the shoulders.


4. Take few breaths and the exhalation extend the head and trying to touch the ground.


5. You may also keep some block where you can rest the head in case head is not touching the ground.


6. Stay in this pose for as long as possible and with inhalation come back to original position slowly.

This pose provides benefits of forward bends and inverted poses apart from the benefits to the legs.