Yoga
fromYoga Journal
1 week agoTaking Your First Yoga Class? Here's What You Do (and Don't) Need
Curiosity and willingness to explore, not gear or flexibility, are the only real prerequisites to begin a beneficial yoga practice.
While this asana (pose) appears to be a simple forward bend, Paschimottanasana (Sanskrit for intensive stretch to the West or back of the body) is the most difficult forward bend for most students to practice correctly. What makes the pose so difficult is that the hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh must lengthen in order for the pelvis to rotate forward. This allows the spinal column to remain relatively straight while bending forward.