Yoga has become one of the biggest fitness trends among Bollywood celebrities. Every now and then the tinsel town divas, such as Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kappor Khan, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, and Malaika Arora have been sharing pictures of them performing various yoga asanas on the social media. As film shootings are cancelled due the lockdown, they are spending more time on their fitness routine, trying to nail difficult yoga poses.
Esha Gupta is also one of the actresses who swears by yoga to stay fit and in shape during the lockdown. The ‘Jannat 2’ actress has been sharing pictures of her trying different yoga poses at her home to inspire her fans to stay active during the quarantine. The latest one, where she is seen performing Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend, will leave you stunned. Esha Gupta nailed the difficult stretch pose with such an ease that it looks like she has been practicing it for years now.
The image was posted with a quote by yoga teacher BKS Iyengar which says, “Yoga does not transform the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees (sic).”
Health benefits of Uttanasana
The word ‘Uttanasana’ is a combination of three Sanskrit words “ut” which means intense, “tan” meaning to stretch or extend, and “asana” that means pose. This pose is translated in English as the Standing Forward Bend. This yoga posture is both therapeutic and revitalizing. In Uttanasana, your head will be below your heart. This improves blood flow to your head, which has calming effects on the brain. This pose also gives your cells a rejuvenating boost of oxygen. Here are some of the key benefits of Uttanasana:
- Stretches and strengthens your spine, hamstrings, and legs
- Strengthens the thighs and knees
- Improves blood circulation to your organs
- Aids in relaxation and reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue
- Calms the mind and soothes the nerves
- Relieves tension in the spine, neck, and back
- Eases symptoms of menopause and headaches
- Helps cure diseases like infertility, insomnia, high blood pressure, and asthma
- Improves digestion
How to perform Uttanasana
Yoga experts do not suggest this pose for beginners as one should be flexible to practice Uttanasana. It is an intermediate level yoga pose which if not done carefully can lead to a back injury or ankle injury. So, it is better you consult a yoga teacher before practising this pose. Here’s step-by-step instruction to do Uttanasana:
- Start from Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Rest your hands on your hips.
- Now exhale and bend forward from the hip joints and not the waist.
- Your chest and stomach should be in front of your thighs.
- Keeping your knees straight, bring you head to your knees
- Place your fingertips or palms on the floor beside your feet or try to grip the back of your ankles.
- Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and keep breathing normally.
- To return to the starting position, bring your hands back to your hips and rotate at the hip joints until you stand strong and tall.
- Do not simply roll your spine up.
- Relax yourself and exhale.