Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose I

Instructions

1. 1Lie on your back with both legs extended and your lower back gently pressing into the mat.
2. 2Bend your right knee toward your chest, loop a strap around the arch of the right foot, or take hold of the big toe with your index and middle fingers.
3. 3On an inhale, begin to straighten the right leg upward, pausing where you feel a strong but comfortable stretch in the hamstring.
4. 4Flex the right foot actively and press through the heel to protect the knee joint.
5. 5Keep your left leg fully extended and your left hip grounded throughout the pose.
6. 6Hold for 5 to 8 breaths, then slowly lower the leg on an exhale and repeat on the left side.

Contraindications & precautions

• ⚠Hamstring strain or tear — pulling the leg toward vertical can reinjure the hamstring tendon; keep the knee slightly bent and use a strap.
• ⚠Sciatica — straightening the leg can compress the sciatic nerve along its length; bend the knee generously and avoid if pain radiates down the leg.
• ⚠Osteoporosis or hip fracture history — the sustained hip flexion load can stress vulnerable bone; modify with a significantly bent knee or avoid entirely.