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Yoga Exercise - Seated Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana)



This forward bend gives a complete stretching to the neck, the back, the hamstrings and calves. At the same time, it directs your attention inward. You stimulate the entire nervous system and learn to find stillness and relaxation during a period of effort or even discomfort when doing this stretching exercise.


STEP 1: Sit down with your legs stretched. The legs lie side by side and the toes point upwards. Stretch your lower back and raise your arms. Look forward, lengthen your back, and keep the chest and your breathing free.


STEP 2: Slowly bend forward, stretch your crown upward and try not to lose the supporting dynamism of the lower back. See to it that your legs do not move or tilt.

STEP 3: The moment you notice that you can only bend further by bending the lower back, move your hands to your lower legs, ankles or feet. Lightly pull your legs, ankles or feet and continue stretching.

Keep your shoulders down. Breathe in and out across the entire length of your spinal column deeply and in a relaxed way. Everytime you exhale, you should bend further towards your legs without losing the length in your back and the dynamism in the lower back. When you lose the dynamism in the lower back, you will notice that you lose a major part of the stretching and you will have a hard time breathing.


STEP 4: Stretch out your arms forward.


STEP 5: Slowly raise your upper body. Keep your legs lying side by side and the toes pointing upwards.


STEP 6: Sit straight up again, just like your original position.



Try to relax as you perform this forward bend and do not pull your feet forcibly. When you pull too hard, the body hardens itself, your thinking and breathing become unquiet and you run a risk of injuring yourself.


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POSES OVERVIEW
These are all the Yoga Poses covered in this section:

1: Cat Pose
2: Triangle Pose
3: Revolved Triangle Pose
4: Crescent Moon Pose
5: Warrior Pose I
6: Warrior Pose II
7: Warrior Pose III
8: Wide-legged Forward Bend
9: Chair Pose I
10: Chair Pose II
11: Standing Forward Bend
12: Downward Facing Dog Pose
13: Revolved Side Angle Pose
14: Hands to Feet Pose
15: Standing Side Stretch Pose
16: Spread Leg Forward Fold
17: Tree Pose
18: Half Moon Pose
19 Sun Salutation Pose
20: Spread Leg Forward Fold
21: Hero Pose
22: Lotus Pose
23: Seated Forward Bend
24: Child Pose
25: Garland Pose
26: Full Boat Pose
27: Half Spinal Twist
28: Sage Twist
29: Leg Reclining Lunge
30: Leg to Side Pose
31: Leg Pulls
32: Single Leg Raises
33: Double Leg Raise
34: Wind Relieving Pose
35: Crane Pose
36: Head Stand
37: Shoulder Stand
38: Plough Pose
39: Hand Stand
40: Bow Pose
41: Wheel Pose
42: Locust Pose
43: Fish Pose
44: Cobra Pose
45: Dog Pose
46: Bridge Pose
47: Corpse Pose
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