Seated Forward BendSave PDF
Paschimottanasana
pah-shee-moat-TAH-NAH-sah-nah
Stretches spine and hamstrings
Tones abdominal organs and uro-genital system
Calms the mind and relieves anxiety
How to perform Seated Forward Bend
- Sit with your legs stretched in front of you. Bring your feet to touch.
- Reach your arms toward the sky with an inhale.
- Bend forward from your hips with an exhale and hold your shins, ankles, or toes. Relax your neck. Breathe deeply into your belly.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Rise with an inhale.
Alignment cues
- Keep neck in line with spine
- Keep feet together and relaxed
- Bend elbows
- Breathe deeply into belly and back
Avoid this pose if you have asthma or a back injury.
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Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the forward bends and seated categories. This asana targets hamstrings and spine, and also involves calves, glutes & hip flexors and lower back muscles. Seated forward bend tones abdominal organs and uro-genital system; stretches spine and hamstrings and also calms the mind and relieves anxiety. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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Discover our best-selling Yoga Cards – professional study, class sequencing and practice guide for beginners and beyond.
Studying to be a yoga teacher? Learn the essential yoga poses the easy way with Yoga Stacks app!
New to yoga? Our Yoga for Beginners pack covers everything you need to know to get started with your practice.
Personal trainer? Try Train - our beautifully simple training platform you and your clients will love.
