Start by sitting down in the staff posture, with the legs straight in front of you. Keep the back straight and shoulders away from the ears.
Bend the right knee and lower the leg down to the right as much as you can. Place the sole of the right foot on the inner side of the opposite leg.
Inhale and on the next out breath bend forward from the hips. Place your hands on the shin, ankle or around the feet. Breathe normally.
Hold the position for about 30 seconds. Lift the torso up again, swap legs and repeat it on the other side.
This posture helps to open the hips, stretch the legs and back.
As a variation you can place the bent leg towards your back to stretch the outer thigh, in a similar way to an athlete’s hurdle stretch.
Hatha Yoga Postures: Sanskrit – English
Marcia has been practising yoga for over 20 years and has specialised in the Hatha and Ashtanga schools of yoga, although has also enjoyed learning other branches such as Iyengar. As well as yoga she practices meditation, and plays a wide range of sports, including badminton, cricket, cycling, and walking.