Standing Splits/ Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana.
Added 2025-03-06 22:00:03 +0000 UTCOn your inhalation, lift your right leg up behind you, parallel with the floor as in warrior III.
Internally rotate the right leg by rolling the right inner thigh up.
As you exhale fold over your standing leg bringing the hands back to either side of your foot, while lifting the right leg higher.
Keep the standing leg engaged by lifting the knee cap and front of thigh.
Press through the ball of the raised foot.
Beginners’ tips
Start by working on Warrior III pose. From there come into Standing Splits.
Work on keeping the hips level rather than lifting the leg as high as you can. Press the top of your standing leg back without locking the knee.
Pressing out through the ball of the lifted leg will help to keep it lifted.
Watch out for
Avoid this pose if you have ankle or knee injuries or problems with your blood pressure that prevent you doing inversions.
Avoid locking the standing knee.
Focus on stretching the front of the lifted thigh – keeping the hips square and level – rather than opening up the hip to get the leg higher.