The second variation of Supta Padanghusthasana involves lifting your leg and moving it sideways to exclusively and specifically focus on stretching tight hamstrings, groins and adductors. Back pain and sacrum pain, among runners, many a times, may be due to tight groin and inner thighs. This variation of Supta Padanghusthasan can be handy in resolving stiff hamstrings and inner thighs, the first few muscles to become stiff due to age and more so due to running.
Methodology
- Assume the Supta Padanghusthasana I variation.
- Rotate your right leg few rounds clock wise and a few rounds anti clock to increase the range of motion at the ball and socket joint.
- Hold the belt, as close as possible, to the right foot with right hand and start moving your right leg to the right side.
- Simultaneously, move your head to the left
- Place your right elbow on the floor; your right forearm is perpendicular to the floor; you have created a right angle with your right arm; your right biceps will become active at this stage as you are using your biceps to hold the leg firm
- Your left palm can be on the left thigh or out to the left side, in line with your shoulder
- Try to move your right foot as much as possible towards the head; the stretch should be initiated from the divider between the hips and with the exclusive engagement of the right hip
- Left hip has a tendency to come off the floor as you try to pull your right leg towards your head; push the left hip down by diligently focusing on pushing your left side of the lower back (just above your left hip) firmly on the floor; this will automatically start strengthening your core and lower back, while at the same time will help keep your left hip on the floor
- Hold the posture with normal breathing for a minute or two. Gradually you can increase the hold to upto 5 minutes
- Repeat with the other leg
Benefits
- Helps in relieving back pain
- Releases stiffness from the groin and the inner thigh
- Helps stretch sacrum and hamstrings
- Aids in stretching and strengthening the neck
- Stretches adductors
- Work on activating your psoas muscles
- Helps open up your hips
Contraindication
- Stretch gently without pushing your limits
- Keep throat muscles relaxed as it has a tendency to become tight which may lead to stress
- Do not stretch in case of a torn hamstring or a groin tear