Forward Bends, Twists & Standing Poses
Building a stable foundation through standing poses and finding deep, introspective calm with forward bends and twists, taught via the precise Iyengar method.
Students in a workshop practice Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) with a brick between the calf and the wall. This small adjustment helps to broaden the soles of the feet and stabilize the legs, allowing for a safer and deeper release in the lower back.
This is a supported Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) using a backbend bench. The gentle slope of the bench helps to lengthen the spine and release the hamstrings without force, making it a deeply restorative forward extension.
Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose) is demonstrated here using a chair for support. The chair helps to maintain length in the spine and stability in the legs, allowing for a deeper and more refined twist.
This is Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) with the back leg in Padmasana (Lotus Pose). This advanced variation challenges balance and combines a standing pose with a deep hip opener.
This is a variation of Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Side Angle Pose). The pose combines a deep twist with a standing posture, detoxifying the abdominal organs while strengthening the legs.
This video demonstrates the effects of using a belt around the calf in Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose). The belt helps to ground the standing foot, activate the quadriceps, and create length in the side body, improving the overall stability of the pose.
This sequence shows standing poses like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) and Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) practiced with wall ropes. The ropes provide support and traction, allowing the student to explore the full extension of the poses.
This video demonstrates a creative sequence flowing from Trikonasana to Ardha Chandrasana using a tilted chair. The prop acts as a dynamic support, challenging balance and encouraging fluid movement between the poses.
This video shows a transition between several poses: Ardha Padmottanasana, Vatayanasana, and Marichyasana II. This sequence requires flexibility, balance, and focus, demonstrating the flow and connection between different asanas.
Upavistha Konasana (Wide-Angled Seated Forward Bend) is a deep forward bend that stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs. This pose calms the brain and releases tension from the groin and spine.
About Forward Bends, Twists & Standing Poses
In my practice, we do not simply fold forward or twist the spine for the sake of the shape. Instead, we use tools—a brick placed between the calf and the wall, or a chair for support in Parivrtta Trikonasana—to cultivate precise alignment. This external support allows you to stabilize the legs, broaden the soles of the feet, and observe how the nervous system responds as the mind moves inward. You will find that when the external structure is correct, the internal quiet follows naturally.
Understanding the Foundation
Standing poses form the bedrock of our practice. They teach us how to stand with awareness, ensuring the weight is distributed evenly across the tripod of the foot. When we transition into forward bends like Uttanasana or Paschimottanasana, the intention shifts from external exertion to internal observation. By using props such as bolsters or backbend benches, we allow the hamstrings and spine to release without force, which prevents the lower back from contracting.
The Science of the Sequence
Twisting poses like Parivrtta Parsvakonasana serve a specific purpose: they detoxify the abdominal organs and, when done with the support of a chair or block, allow the spine to rotate fully while maintaining stability. This is not about how deep you can go; it is about how clearly you can perceive the connection between your body and your mind.
Why We Use Props
Many students fear that props are crutches. In the Iyengar method, they are essential educational tools. Whether we use ropes for traction in Trikonasana or a belt to ground the standing foot, the prop acts as a guide. It provides tactile feedback that the body cannot yet generate on its own. This allows you to hold poses longer, creating the space necessary for the nervous system to shift from a state of agitation to one of rest.
Integrating the Practice
Forward extensions compress the abdominal organs, which naturally cools the frontal brain and regulates blood pressure. When we practice these sequences in my weekend workshops at the Katwaria Sarai studio or via our interactive Zoom sessions, we focus on this balance. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced student, the objective remains the same: to use the asana to move from confusion to clarity.
Amina Sarkar Bharat Ram
I teach as a student first, maintaining a practice that honors the parampara passed down by my gurus. My workshops are not about fitness in the modern sense; they are a space to examine your own anatomy and mind through the precise, props-based discipline I received from the Iyengar family.
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