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Translation from Sanskrit

ut = intense

tan = to stretch or extend

asana = seat, posture

As in all yoga postures, the breath is vital. (More on how to breathe yogically.)

Benefits

Calms the mind
Stretches hamstrings, calves and hips
Relieves anxiety

What to Watch Out For

Back injuries: do this with bent knees

Step by Step

1. Begin in Tadasana
2. Inhale, reach for the sky with your fingertips
3. Exhale, fold forward from your hips, not your waist
4. Inhale, lengthen through your front torso as you fold
5. Keep a slight bend in your knees
6. Let your hands hang, neck and shoulders and jaw muscle relaxed
   OR grasp a hold of opposite elbows
   OR Let your fingertips or palms touch the floor
   OR bring your palms to the back of your ankles
7. Relax your neck, shoulders, jaw, eyes, and neck

Let every inhale lengthen your torso; let every exhale relax your body deeper into the pose

Coming Out

If you’re not moving onto another pose, exhale and press into your feet, engage your core, lengthen through your torso and inhale up to standing tall.

Off The Mat

A fantastic pose to take when you come back to your desk after a bathroom break, after a run, a day on the slopes, before bed, or in the middle of the night if you can’t sleep.