Our featured yoga pose of the week is a seated forward fold. This pose is great for all bodies, since it can be modified to best suit your needs. This pose will stretch your posterior chain, particularly your hamstrings and low back. It can be done anywhere so it is an easy pose to add into your at home or on the go mobility routine.
Directions:
- First, start seated on a comfortable surface
- Extend your legs out straight in front of you
- Sit up tall and breathe deeply
- As you exhale, start to fold your chest forward towards your thighs
- Reach your arms along your legs, maybe reaching for the ankles or toes.
- Hold this pose for as long as feels comfortable, then slowly come back up the way you went in
Tips:
- If you cannot quite get legs straight yet due to extreme tightness in the hamstrings, try bending your knees slightly as you fold or raising your seat up on a block or pillow. This will help you sit up tall with ease.
- Do not force a forward fold, especially when seated. Pushing yourself to a place of extreme discomfort or pain can cause injury. Aim for gentle sensation and build on it with your breath.
- If you’d like to feel a bit more pull but can’t quite reach your toes, place a strap or band around your feet to help pull your torso down and give you a bit more space to fold.
- Lastly, if you want to increase the stretch in your hamstrings and into your calves, try flexing the feet (toes pointing towards the ceiling).
Give this pose a try and let us know any requests you have for future weeks in the comments below!
