What is Utthita Kurmasana?
"Utthita" meaning "Raised", so we use arm balance to raise our asana.
"Kurmasana" meaning " tortoise or turtle" - on below photo step 4, this asana is a forward bending pose, both arms under your legs, shaped like a tortoise, it requires hip movement and intense stretch on back of legs, also when we are holding this posture need to stay calm and listen your body, our mind will become centering.
How to warm up for Utthita Kurmasana?
1. We will stay on seated forward fold for 5 breaths to lengthen hamstring and calves.
2. Following with compass pose on both sides to increase your hip movements.
3. Then we can go into seated wide-legged forward fold to bring check closer toward the ground.
4. After we open up back of your legs, to get into tortoise pose, first we bend knees walk palms on the ground under your thighs, bring chest forward toward the ground, start to straighten your both legs press on your triceps, until the chin touch the ground. You may have stuck feeling, but try turning your mind within to let go with deep breaths.
How to Utthita Kurmasana?
1. Get into Utthita Kurmasana, come with your standing forward fold.
2. Bring your feet slightly more than hip width apart.
3. Start to bend your knees and walk your hands between your legs.
4. Place your palms behind your heels.
5. Bending your elbows 90 degrees, rest your thighs on the triceps.
6. Lift one foot off the ground, then following another foot.
7. Apply your cat back to keep centering and balance your body.
8. Engage your legs and point toes forward.
For beginner
I recommend sitting on two blocks to get feeling to lift toes up.
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