Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana is a SANSKRIT word that means Ardha means half, Baddha means ''tied'', the Padma means ''Lotus'', uttan means to ''spread'', and Asana means ''Pose''. This is also known as the ''Half Bound Lotus pose'' in English. This pose is a combination of two classic poses such as Ardha padmottanasana and uttanasana.
Start with the tadasana pose. breathe in and lift your right leg balancing the body weight on the left leg. Hold the folded right leg with your left side hand and externally rotate the right side thigh. Tuck your right side heel in the downside abdomen beside the navel. Circle the right side hand around your backside and reach the right big toe. Breathe out and bend forward at the hip level. your left side hand on the floor beside the standing floor. Distribute the total body weight equally between the left side foot and left side hand.
Breathe out and bring your head towards the knee touching the chain to the shin. hold this pose for 5 to 6 breaths. Breathe in and relax for a minute. Relax the right hand holding the right leg with the left side hand. do not fold the right side knee and bring it to the floor. relax in tadasana. repeat the same with the left side foot.
Benefits of Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana yoga:
There are the most important health benefits of Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana are,
1. Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana helps to improve the capacity to concentrate and Increase focus power.
2. This pose helps to remove stiffness in your knees and hips.
3. This asana is the best for improving balance and posture.
4. Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana helps to open the muscles of your chest and shoulders and improves the functioning of your respiratory system.
5. Continued practices of Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana reduce stress, and anxiety and help to quiet the mind.
6. Regular practices of this asana help to reduce belly fat and burn excess fat from your body.
7. This pose helps to improve flexibility and body strength.
8. Perform this asana automatically massages your abdominal muscles and helps to improve your digestion system.
Step by step Baddha Padmottanasana yoga:
1. Stand in Tadasana. (Step 1)
2. Breath in, raise the right leg from the floor, bend the right knee and rest the sole of the right foot on the left thigh.
3. Hold the right foot with the left hand, bring the right arm round the back and catch hold of the big toe of the right foot with the thumb and the fore and middle fingers of the right hand. (Step 2)
4. Let go the left hand. Breath out, bend the trunk forward, place the left hand on the floor by the left foot (Step 3), and keep the head up. Make the back as curving inward as possible. Take a few breaths.
5. Breath out, rest the head or the chin on the left knee. (Step 4)
6. If the whole left palm cannot be placed on the floor, start with the tips of the fingers, then gradually place the fingers and lastly the whole palm on the floor. same with the position of the head, first place the forehead on the left knee, then stretch the neck to place the tip of the nose, then the lips and lastly the chin on the left knee. The progress from the head to the chin shows that the body is becoming more and more elastic.
7. After taking a few deep breaths in this pose, breath in and raise the trunk to pose 4. (Step 4.) Take two breaths.
8. Breath in, lift the left palm from the floor and come to position 3 (Step 6)
9. Let go of the left foot from the grip of the right hand and return to Tadasana. (Step 1)
1O. Repeat on the other side, keeping the right leg on the floor, bending the left leg, placing the left foot on the right thigh, gripping the left toe with the left hand from back, bending forward and placing the right palm on the floor. (Step 8)
11. If you cannot grip the toe with the hand from behind, place both the palms on the floor and follow the above these steps->. (step 9 and 10)
