A great source for Yoga Postures by Mark Giubarelli.
Uttanasana
Translation: Standing Forward Bend
From Tadasana – The Mountain pose lean forward towards the feet.
Lean forward and down with the upper body entering a mild boundary then try to straighten the spine a little. Lengthen the torso so that it is not too compressed. Place the chest on the legs if you are flexible and move energy through the top of the head towards the mat. Stretch up through the tailbone and straighten the back of the legs moving energy down through the heels.
Tips
Bend the knees if your lower back is injured. Only stretch into mild discomfort especially if you have a disc injury. It may be more beneficial to curl the upper body. The back is stretched more especially around the shoulders and neck. It is however harder to take deep breaths as the lung volume decreases.
To prevent stress it is always good to wait until the muscles give you a changing sensation allowing the body to move deeper. Have a little patience and enter a gentle boundary it is a less stressful way to engage in the relationship of asana practice.
Benefits
There is no pressure on the spine when it hangs. The spine is lengthened naturally and feels relaxed as a result.
This yoga posture increases the flexibility of the hamstrings and lower back. The mind is also soaked in blood preventing dryness from occurring. Blood soaks into the mind allowing fresh nutrients to soak into brain.
The hamstrings are stretched (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus and the semimembranosus).
Vinyasa Yoga Sequencing and Flowing
Some easy yoga postures to transition from and into:
Tadasana (Standing) and almost all the standing yoga postures Vrksasana Trikonasana Parivrtta Trikonasana Parsvakonasana Revolved Lunge Virabhadrasana 1 Virabhadrasana 2 Urdhva Virabhadrasana Virabhadrasana 3 Ardha Chandrasana Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana Anjaneyasana Anjaneyasana2 Adho Mukha Svanasana Bhuja Vrischikasana Bakasana and many other standing postures not mentioned.
Yoga Teacher Tips
Instruct the flow of breath first, “on the next inhalation”. (This will allow the students to keep their own rhythm in breathing.)
Give students the option of bending the knees either in the pose or from time to time for comfort. This will allow them to endure the pose for longer.
After a comfortable boundary has been obtained encourage a slight motion that moves the body forward and back. This will bring knowledge of alignment
and its effects on the weight distribution over the feet.
“Give options to students so that comfort can be obtained during practice. This will reduce suffering and karma.”
