Ardha Uttanasana aka Uttanasana 2
Flat back, flat back, flat back….There is confusion floating around regarding this asana. We stopped calling it flat back for a while and called it the pose formerly known as flat back but, for obvious reasons in the category of cumbersome, we reverted back to FB. It is great that so many people have learned to use props and to place their hands on blocks for this pose, but these days I’m feeling like people are using props too much, often as a crutch or a comfort zone, rather than a needed support. It’s a fine line, for sure. But it is okay to feel in yoga, to feel an opening, lengthening, movement of energy. And FB does not mean spine parallel to the floor. THIS IS A KEY POINT! It means spine lengthened in two diretions — out through the crown of the head and back through the tailbone — so that there is space between the ribs and hips. That is one of the reasons it is a set up for Chadarunga but that’s another lesson.
Other than being a butt shot (sorry about that, this is pretty good example of Ardha Uttanasana. My fingers are on the ground, like a spider. Fingers in line with toe tips. Yes, you can move them forward while you are learning but this is where you are going.
Or like this. If you don't have blocks, you can do it like this. I had them do this if they couldn't straighten their legs because we were working on jumping directly into chadarunga.
Any questions? Let me know.
