Standing Split

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Standing Splits challenges you to find a balance of strength, flexibility, and grace while opening your hamstrings, quads, and back.

Benefits

• Stretches hamstring, calf, hip flexor, quad, and back muscles

• Strengthens ankles, legs, glutes and abdomen

• Warms and energizes the body, while improving focus

• Standing Splits Pose stimulates the Root Chakra (Muladhara) and Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), allowing the practitioner to feel rooted, connected, and balanced

Contraindications

• Lower back injury

• Hamstring injury

• Knee injury

Modifications

• Place a block under one or both hands to allow you to straighten your standing leg and find a deeper stretch

• For more depth and leverage, you can practice this posture against a wall. Come to a Downward Facing Dog with your heals a few inches from a wall. Lift your right leg up and place your foot with toes flexed on the wall. Walk your hands closer to the wall as you walk your right foot up the wall. Enjoy a deep stretch in both legs. Repeat on the other side

Chakras

Standing Splits Pose stimulates the Root Chakra (Muladhara) and Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), allowing the practitioner to feel rooted, connected, and balanced.