Yoga Pose:
Upavistha Konasana
Important Note
Take special precautions while doing any asana. If you are learning yoga, then take the advice of a knowledgeable person. Do not put any kind of force in the event of pain or unable to do so. Keep in mind that you will be able to succeed only with constant practice.
Brief Introduction Of The Upavistha Konasana
- In the Sanskrit language, Upavistha stands for Seated or Sitting, Kona for Angled and Asana for Pose. Upavistha Konasana is rather pronounced as As-oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna. It is an amazing preparatory pose to perform twists and other seated bends. It benefits those who would like to practice wide-legged standing asanas. As you get into this posture, your legs get stretched and are rooted to the Earth. At the same time, you experienced calmness in your brain and relaxation in your spinal column.
- It is an intermediate level yoga asana belonging to the Hatha Yoga style. It should be performed for about 30-60 seconds daily. No repetitions will be essential. It helps stretch your legs and strengthens your vertebral columns.
How To Do The Upavistha Konasana?
- First, sit erect on the yoga mat. Then stretch your legs in a manner that from your pelvis they become 90-degree angle.
- Point your toes upwards while aligning your knees and flexing your feet. A curve will be felt in the lower back region. In case you do not feel the curve, then you can use a prop. A firm cushion will be a good support to perform this asana. It offers your pelvis the much-needed stability. You can also tilt forward comfortably, besides retaining your lower back curve.
- Keep your palms on the ground in a manner that they should be behind the hips.
- Now take deep, long breaths, such that your body sides should lift, thus creating a hollow or space in your spine. Hold this position for a couple of seconds before releasing the hold. Your legs should get stretched in the process and you should be able to feel it.
- Support the lower back region, suck stomach within, exhale and then fold. Move your hands gently before you.
- Your breathing movement should provide you with proper guidance on how much to stretch. Accordingly, stretch your spine region as far as possible. If you start to feel uncomfortable, stop at this particular position. Take deep, long breaths while holding the pose for about a minute.
- Now exhale and come back up slowly and gently. Bend your knees. Pull both legs back together.
Tips for beginners to do Upavistha Konasana correctly
- Beginners are likely to find this asana to be quite challenging especially when trying to bend forwards.
- If you are faced with this particular situation, then bend gently your knees. You can provide support to your knees with blankets.
- While in bend position, move forward and make sure to point upwards your knee caps throughout the asana.
Advanced pose alterations
- You may desire to intensify your stretch. If so, then you are to reach your big toes and bend forwards. It should be from left to left and right to right. Now lock fingers enclosing the toes. Lean in and pull on your big toe.
- While performing this act, push through your toe base to keep even your ankles external and internal parts. Bend elbows to your sides. While touching the floor with your torso, lift your elbows off the ground.
Preparatory poses for Upavistha Konasana
- Dandasana
- Baddha Konasana
- Supta Padangusthasana
- Supta Baddha Konasana
- Prasarita Padottanasana
Follow-up poses for Upavistha Konasana
- Supta Padangusthasana
- Sukhasana or Siddhasana
- Padmasana
- Malasana
- Gomukhasana
- Bakasana
- Baddha Konasana
Benefits Of The Upavistha Konasana
- It stimulates and tones the abdominal organs.
- It stretches the back and insides of your legs.
- It calms your brain and relaxes your body.
- It releases your groin while stretching abductor muscles present in the groin region.
- It strengthens your spine.
- It activates your core muscles.
- It stretches your hamstrings.
- It helps detoxify the kidneys.
- It relieves and cures health problems like arthritis and sciatica.
Precautions To Be Taken While Doing The Upavistha Konasana
- If you suffer pain arising in the lower back region, then simply sit on the yoga block or a blanket while performing this asana.
Avoid doing this asana If you experience the following:
- Tear or pull in your hamstring
- Tear or pull in the groin region
- Pregnant
- Suffering from a herniated disk
- Injury in your lower back
The best time to practice is early in the morning. However, if you find time to be a constraint, then you can practice the same during the evenings. Make sure to exercise on an empty bowel and stomach. Before doing it, you should have the last meal about 4-6 hours earlier. This allows the food in your body to get properly digested. You will also have sufficient energy to practice this asana vigorously.
Conclusion
- You can experience stimulation in your emotions and thoughts as you start doing this intense stretch.
- Upavistha Konasana may appear simple to perform. However, it triggers some thoughts which can be enlightening.
- If you are faced with egoism, then this asana can help you to break this ego. It makes you think deeper, be aware of your existence, get connected with the reality of life. As you do this intense asana, you become grounded and humble. This is because, the asana challenges you both physically and mentally, thus allowing you to break out from your prejudices.
- You should allow your muscles and mind to slowly open up. Also, be attentive and gentle in your approach to derive the benefits.
- With this asana, you can easily flex your muscles, break all barriers and calm your mind. But the most important task of all is that you can successfully shed your ego.
- It is this ego that does not allow humans to get connected with the surroundings. It also acts as a barrier to achieving success. This forward bend challenges you to overcome all your physical and mental obstacles to lead a humble, fulfilling and satisfying life.
- Rather, doing Upavistha Konasana helps you to become a much better person.
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