Commentaries around
Uttānāsana
Common Variations:
1. Ardha Uttānāsana
2. Eka Pāda Uttānāsana
3. Parśva Uttānāsana
4. Prasārita Pāda Uttānāsana
Common Modifications
“We can really see the weaknesses of a body when a person is becoming tired. Sometimes we have to bring the body to its limits for physical or psychological weaknesses to appear. This need not take a long time; we just have to put the person in an unusual position.
Someone who can easily sit in Daṇḍāsana, for example, could be asked to lean backward. Someone who can do Utkāṭāsana could be asked to squat with one foot slightly in front of the other, comparing the two sides.
Breathing can also be used. It is possible to save time by asking someone to add special breathing requirements to their Āsana. They will be concerned about these and problems in the body may appear faster. For example repeating Uttānāsana twelve times with a 15″ inhale.”
– TKV Desikachar
“A great number of postures, notably most standing postures,
have doubtless come to us directly from the Professor,
who would have introduced them as appropriate
to the needs of modern times.
Amongst the standing postures, Uttānāsana, Parśva Uttānāsana,
Utthita Trikoṇāsana and Utthita Parśva Koṇāsana,
are examples which the Professor himself codified.”
– Claude Maréchal was a student of TKV Desikachar from 1969-2002.
This is an extract from Claude talking about what
Desikachar told him about his father, Krishnamacharya.
“When bending towards the lower limbs during forward bend Āsana,
move firstly by as if rounding from the lower back,
before ultimately rounding from the upper back.
In terms of a Bhāvana during the movement,
the focus is on exhaling from Apāna Sthāna towards Prāṇa Sthāna.
Thus breathing as if from the lower abdomen towards the upper chest.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers
“When moving away from the lower limbs during forward bend Āsana,
move firstly by as if arching from the arms and upper back,
before ultimately arching from the lower back.
In terms of a Bhāvana during the movement,
the focus is on inhaling from Prāṇa Sthāna towards Apāna Sthāna.
Thus breathing as if from the upper chest towards the lower abdomen.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers
– Forward Bending and the Role of the Arms
“When moving into Paścimatāna Āsana such as Uttānāsana.
Better to pull back from the abdomen.
Rather than pushing forward from the lower back.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers
– Forward Bending and the Role of the Arms
“When moving out of Paścimatāna Āsana such as Uttānāsana.
Focus on the arms bringing the back up.
Rather than the back bringing the arms up.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers
“My Āsana study with Desikachar was shaped around forming
a deep appreciation of specific core principles that underpin
the planning and practice of Āsana and their application to
the individual student’s constitution, psychology and need.
Amongst these dozen or so core principles,
the first group when looking at any Āsana in depth,
were the concepts of Nāma, Rūpa and Lakṣaṇa, or the
name, form and characteristics of that particular Āsana.
Obviously, the Nāma is a useful tag point for identification
and the Rūpa is vital as a reference point for the Sat Viniyoga,
or right application of the Āsana within overall considerations of
initial direction and outcomes through such as the Śikṣaṇa Krama,
Rakṣaṇa Krama or Cikitsā Krama application of the forms used.
However, I do feel these days that our understanding in Āsana
practice is more dominated by the Nāma and the Rūpa with
little emphasis on the Lakṣaṇa or inherent characteristics of the
Āsana and how understanding this aspect can have a profound
effect on the approach, application and outcome of the overall or
accumulative impact of the Āsana within the student’s practice.
The teachings of Krishnamacharya around Āsana included
an in-depth appreciation of the Lakṣaṇa, especially around
the thirty or so primary and secondary support Āsana such as
Uttānāsana, Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, Bhujaṅgāsana or Januśīrṣāsana.”
– 108 Teaching Path Pointers
– Āsana only Planning Questions
“Design an Āsana practice to include
– Ardha Uttānāsana – Stay 8 Breaths
– Śīrṣāsana – Stay 20 Breaths
– Navāsana – Stay 8 Breaths”
To Download or view this Question as a PDF Study Sheet
– Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated
– Āsana and Prāṇāyāma Planning Questions
“Design an Āsana practice that focuses on linking
– Uttānāsana and Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana
with a ratio of 1.2.1.0. in Nāḍī Śodanam.”
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet
– Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated
Links to Related Posts:
- Āsana and Mudrā Practice Techniques Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting - Collected Practice Theory Posts on Viniyoga
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Vinyāsa Krama
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Pratikriyāsana
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on the Breath
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Śikṣaṇa
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Rakṣaṇa
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Cikitsā
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Laṅghana
- Collected Practice Theory Posts on Bṛṃhaṇa
- Can we find some similar characteristics between various individuals around Āsana practice…
- The breath can be a key to unlocking the mystery of the relationship……
- We can really see the weaknesses of a body when a person is becoming tired…
- Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 1 Samasthiti
- Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 2 Tāḍāsana
- Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 3 Uttānāsana
- Yoga Postures in Practice – A series on Āsana by Paul Part 4 Utkaṭāsana
– Last Updated 11th April 2022
