Arms Behind Back Forward Fold

Benefits:
  • Increases hip and shoulder mobility
  • Allows the back and neck to relax
  • Lengthens the hamstrings
  • Opens up through the chest and shoulders
Cues:
  • ​Start in mountain pose
  • On an exhale bring your arms behind your back interlacing your fingers
  • Keep your core strong, spine long and roll your shoulders back and down
  • On an inhale - working with your own range - start to open up through the shoulders and chest by bringing the arms towards straight and possibly bringing the hands away from the back
  • Put a slight bend in the knees 
  • On an exhale keeping the shoulder joint stable fold forward at your hips allowing the hands and arms to come to whatever position they will not forcing the range of motion​
Common Errors:
  • The forward fold movement comes through the back rather than being initiated at the hips
  • The arms are forced into a position that is past a healthy range of motion
  • The shoulder is allowed to be lax
  • There is tension held in the neck
Modifications:
  • To lessen the intensity of the pose you can:
    • ​Hold onto a strap rather than interlacing the fingers
Cautions:
  • Knee pain
  • Hip pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Shoulder stability
Alternative Poses:

Anatomy

Lengthening:
Strengthening: