FORWARD FOLDS · BEGINNER
Standing Forward Fold
Uttānāsana
A standing fold where you hinge forwards from the hips with your knees bent as much as you need, letting the head and upper body hang.
Also known as: Standing Forward Bend, Forward Fold, Uttanasana
At a glance
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Forward folds, Standing poses
- Body focus
- Hamstrings, Spine, Legs
- You will need
- Mat, Block
- How long
- 3–6 slow breaths. Stay longer only if it feels comfortable.
How to practise
Start here: Stand in Mountain Pose with your feet hip-width apart. Keep two blocks nearby if your hands do not reach the floor easily.
- Rest your hands on your hips and bend your knees generously.
- As you breathe out, fold forwards from your hips, keeping your back long as you begin to lower.
- Let your hands come to your shins, to blocks, or to the floor, whichever you reach without straining.
- Keep your knees bent as much as you need, so your belly can rest closer to your thighs.
- Let your head hang heavy and your neck relax.
- If you like, hold opposite elbows and sway gently from side to side.
- Stay for a few slow breaths, keeping your weight spread evenly through your feet.
Breath: Breathe in to lengthen your spine a little. Breathe out to let your upper body soften and hang.
Coming out: Bend your knees, bring your hands to your hips and rise slowly, or roll up one part of the spine at a time with your head coming up last. Pause in Mountain Pose for a few breaths.
Benefits
- Stretches the backs of the legs
- Invites length through the spine
- Many people find hanging forwards quietening and calm
Common mistakes
-
Keeping the legs straight while the back rounds hard
Try instead: Bend your knees generously. Folding from the hips matters more than straight legs.
-
Reaching for the floor at all costs
Try instead: Rest your hands on your shins or on blocks instead.
-
Holding the head up and tensing the neck
Try instead: Let your head hang heavy and your neck soften.
-
Coming up quickly
Try instead: Bend your knees and rise slowly, so you do not feel light-headed.
Make it easier
- Rest your hands on blocks at any height.
- Keep your knees deeply bent, with your belly resting on your thighs.
- Fold only halfway, with your hands on your thighs or on the seat of a sturdy chair.
- Stand with your feet wider apart for more space and steadiness.
Cautions
- Come up slowly, with your knees bent, and pause before moving on.
- Come up straight away if you feel dizzy, light-headed, or any pressure in your head, eyes or ears.
- Poses with the head below the heart may not suit people with high or low blood pressure, glaucoma, or a tendency to feel dizzy. Check with a health professional first.
- Keep your lower back comfortable. Ease off straight away if you feel pinching or pain there.
Stop if anything hurts. For more, read our health disclaimer.
About this pose
Standing Forward Fold is less about how far you can reach and more about letting go. Bent knees often make the pose feel far more comfortable.
It can feel different every day. Let your body hang where it is today, without pulling yourself further.