Standing · Beginner
Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Prasarita Padottanasana·प्रसारित पादोत्तानासन·prasārita pādottānāsana
Also called: Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend
The wide-legged variation is more accessible than Uttanasana for tight hamstrings — the wider base reduces the demand on each leg. Useful in stress-relief sequences as a calming pose with strength still in the legs.
Benefits
- Releases the inner thighs and adductors — different stretch from feet-together folds
- Mild inversion calms the nervous system
- Decompresses the spine through gravity
- Stable wide base — less balance demand than other folds, accessible to most
How to practise Wide-Legged Forward Fold
- Stand at the center of your mat.
- Step your feet wide apart, about a leg-length, both feet parallel and pointing forward.
- Press the weight evenly into both feet. Engage the thighs gently.
- Place your hands on your hips. Inhale and lengthen the spine tall.
- Exhale and hinge forward from your hips, keeping the back long.
- Bring your hands to the floor between the feet, fingers in line with the toes.
- Let the crown of the head reach toward the floor. Bend the knees if hamstrings feel tight.
Suggested hold: 60s · Breath: Natural
How Wide-Legged Forward Fold affects your doshas
In Ayurveda the same pose lands differently depending on your constitution. This is the lens the app uses to sequence your practice.
| Dosha | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vata | Balancing | a good fit — helps settle this dosha |
| Pitta | Balancing | a good fit — helps settle this dosha |
| Kapha | Neutral | broadly neutral |
Who should avoid or modify this pose
- Pregnant women shouldn't fold deeply — practice with the hands on a chair seat instead
- Don't practice with herniated disc or severe lower-back injury
- Skip with severe high blood pressure or recent eye surgery
- Avoid if you experience dizziness when the head is below the heart
If you're pregnant, injured, or managing a condition, check with a qualified teacher or clinician before practising.
Modifications
- Hands on yoga blocks if the floor is far
- Bend the knees as needed to keep the spine long
- Use a chair seat under the chest as a fully supported version
- Walk the hands forward (not down) for an easier variation that emphasizes spinal length
Traditional source: Modern hatha — Modern hatha. "Prasarita" = spread out, "pāda" = foot. Not in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika Ch. 1.