seated forward fold

Benefits:
  • Increases hip mobility
  • Lengthens the back of the legs
Cues:
  • Start in a comfortable seated position with your spine long and your hips in neutral
  • Extend both your legs towards straight in front of you  
  • Engage the feet so the toes are brought in towards the shins
  • On an inhale lengthen your spine
  • On an exhale leading with your chest with a straight spine fold forward at the hips
  • Once you hit a sticking point in your range of motion you can allow the spine to round and the head to hang
  • If you are going to intensify the the stretch have the movement come from your hips not your back
Common Errors:
  • When initially folding forward the back is rounded
  • The hips are not in a neutral position
Modifications:
  • To lessen the intensity of the pose you can:
    • Place a strap around the balls of your feet and hold on to both ends of the strap to leverage yourself forward
    • You can place a blanket under the knees
  • To help keep the hips in a neutral position you can place your sit bones on a small yoga block
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Anatomy

Lengthening:
Stengthening:

Seated Forward Fold with Strap
Cues:
  • Sit in a comfortable position with a long spine and the hips in neutral
  • Take either side of the strap into your hands and place the strap around the balls of the feet or a touch lower
  • Begin to bring your legs towards straight
  • Inhale feel the spine become long
  • Exhale using the leverage of the strap, leading with the chest and a straight spine begin to fold at the hips