Seated Forward Bend
Maya - Pose Assistant
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Benefits
Seated Forward Bend stretches the entire back side of the body, including the spine, shoulders, hamstrings, and calves. It calms the brain, helps relieve stress and mild depression, stimulates abdominal organs, improves digestion, and can soothe headaches and fatigue.
Practice Guide
Sit in Staff Pose (Dandasana), legs extended straight forward, feet flexed.
Inhale, lengthen your spine, reaching crown of head up. Option to lift arms overhead.
Exhale, hinge forward from your hip joints (not your waist), keeping your back long initially.
Reach for your shins, ankles, or feet (outer edges, or grasp big toes with index/middle fingers).
Continue folding deeper on subsequent exhales, allowing spine to round gently if comfortable, bringing torso towards thighs, forehead towards shins.
Keep legs active, feet flexed. Relax shoulders away from ears.
Hold, breathe steadily. Exit: Inhale, lengthen spine, lift torso back to upright Staff Pose.
Modifications
Use a yoga strap looped around the balls of your feet.
Sit on the edge of a folded blanket to help tilt the pelvis forward.
Keep knees significantly bent if hamstrings are tight or lower back is sensitive.
Rest forehead on a block or bolster placed on shins for support.
Focus on hinging from hips first, maintaining length before rounding.
Safety Notes
⚠Asthma (can restrict breathing if too deep)
⚠Diarrhea
⚠Acute back injury (herniated disc – avoid deep flexion, keep spine long, use support, or avoid)
⚠Pregnancy (modify with very wide legs or avoid in later stages)
Anatomy
Muscles Targeted
Muscles Stretched
What's Next?
Maya suggests trying these poses:
Focus Areas
Yoga Styles
Sequencing
Warm-up Poses
✨ Maya's Tips
These insights help Maya understand how this pose flows with others when creating sequences and classes.