Hasta Uttanasana meaning
This is one of the important yoga poses of the Surya Namaskar module. If you are eager to lose weight, especially burning belly fat, this yoga pose will help you achieve your target. Besides weight loss, asana benefits respiratory congestion and asthma and enhances cardiac function. I have experience practising this yoga pose wherein it helps remove respiratory congestion, facilitates easy breathing and opens the blocked nose. Here, we will discuss how Hasta Uttanasana is performed step by step, its benefits, precautions and contraindications.
How to do Hasta Uttanasana step by step?
- Stand in Tadasana
- Now, raise both arms overhead.
- Inhale; gently tilt your head, neck, and upper body backwards.
- Your arms will also be tilted backward, keeping straight and stretched.
- Maintain the position for 15 seconds with slow breathing.
- Exhale; and come to the original position.
- This is the one round. Do it in 2-3 rounds.
Hasta Uttanasana benefits
- Initially, it will not help in weight loss, but with the passing of practicing time, it ensures the burning of belly fat. If you desire fast weight loss, you must maintain the yoga pose as long as you can.
- This is one of the best yoga poses to open up chest congestion, facilitating the free flow of oxygen in the lungs.
- It helps to strengthen the spine.
- It helps to keep you physically fit, mentally alert and emotionally balanced.
- It stimulates various body systems, viz. digestive, circulatory and respiratory.
- It Makes the spine and waist more flexible, thus suitable to strengthen the back thereby effective in case of back pain.
- It helps to make your arms and legs stronger.
- It improves digestion by secreting digestive juice.
- The regular practice of it also solves shoulder problems.
Top facts about Hasta Uttanasana
- It is a Sanskrit terminology, hasta refers to the hands, and uttan means ‘turning upwards’.
- This is one of the important yoga poses of Surya Namaskar. This is the 2nd and 11th pose of the Sun Salutation.
- It is also known as raised arm pose.
- Besides an integral part of Surya Namaskar, the asana is also used in Chandra Namaskar and Agni Namaskar.
Hasta Uttanasana precautions
- It should be practised empty stomach only.
- Don’t bend yourself unnecessarily backwards.
- In case of back injury, skip practising the yoga pose.
Hasta Uttanasana contraindications
It shouldn’t be performed in the following cases.
- Hernia
- Spinal injury
- Peptic ulcer
- Onset of menstruation
- Back pain
Scientific Explanation of Hasta Uttanasana
This is an important yoga pose which works well for the various organs and parts of the body. Regularly practising it improves the lungs’ health for oxygenated blood. It stimulates the heart too. It also works on the chest, neck, shoulder, upper back, lower back, arms, and legs.
Different names of Hasta Uttanasana
- Hastoanasana
- Raised arms pose
- Raised hands pose
- Sky reaching pose
Preparatory pose
Follow up pose
- Padhastasana
- Wide-legged forward bend pose
- Half Standing Forward bend pose
- Upward Forward fold pose
- Standing forward bend pose
