An Easy Guide to Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Big Toe Pose
Ardha Chandrasana, or Half Moon Pose, is an important yoga pose because the moon symbol has a lot of significance in yoga mythology. For example, in hatha yoga, the moon and the sun symbolise the two opposing energies of the human body. Practicing Ardha Chandrasana is useful for developing a sense of balance and coordination in the body –helping body and mind feel united. Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Big Toe Pose, is a great beginners’ pose for stretching the hips, thighs and calves. This pose also stimulates the lower abdomen, so helps to aid digestion – and alleviates menstrual pain.
Supta Padangusthasana is a supreme leg and hip stretch - it gets the circulation flowing and helps reduce cellulite and varicose veins, as well as improving flat fleet.
Watch a clip for this yoga pose
How to do Supta Padangusthasana, or Reclined Big Toe Pose, in easy steps
Step 1:
Begin by lying down on your back with your legs together, hands by your sides.
Step 2:
On an exhalation, bend both knees and place the feet on the ground.
Step 3:
On your next exhalation, draw the right thigh towards your chest. The left foot remains on the floor.
Step 4:
Place a strap around the ball of your right foot, hold the strap with both hands.
Step 5:
On an inhalation, slowly straighten the right leg upwards. Press the heel to the ceiling.
Step 6:
Soften your shoulders and spread your shoulder blades.
Step 7:
Create space in the chest by widening the collarbones away from the centre of the chest.
Step 8:
If possible, extend the left leg away from the pelvis. Keep the foot flexed, the toes are pointing up to the ceiling.
Step 9:
Push the left thigh firmly down into the mat.
Step 10:
Stay in the pose for about 10 breaths.
Step 11:
To release, slowly bend the right leg and remove the strap from the foot. Bring both knees into the chest and repeat on the other side.
Yoga pose category: Lying face up
Level: 1
Although this is a beginners’ yoga pose, it can be demanding, as it requires flexibility in the legs. If you’re struggling to hold the foot or even touch it, don’t worry – we all started somewhere. To make this pose easier, try using a yoga strap. Loop the strap around the foot, and hold onto the end of it, then slowly move your hands down the strap towards the foot, as far as you can comfortably do so. With practice, you’ll become more flexible and will soon be able to hold your foot and master this pose without the strap.
Sanskrit words meaning:
Supta - lying down
Pada - foot
Angusta - big toe
Asana - pose
Yoga pose health benefits:
Like all yoga poses, Supta Padangusthasana, has many health benefits. Use it to help with the following health conditions:
Digestive issues
Back pain
High blood pressure
Sciatica
Menstruation
Infertility
Cellulite
Varicose veins
Flat feet
Yoga pose contraindications:
Don’t practice Supta Padangusthasana if you have any of the following health conditions:
Stomach or bowel upset
Headache
High blood pressure
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Lucy Edge
is a yoga advocate and writer with three yoga books to her name, including the beloved travel memoir Yoga School Dropout. She writes regularly for the national press, has authored over 150 guides to types of yoga and yoga poses, discovered nearly 250 proven health benefits of yoga through her painstaking classification of 300 clinical studies, and collected more than 500 personal testimonials to the real life benefits of yoga. She is also the creator of our yoga shop – YogaClicks.Store – handpicking yoga brands that are beautifully made by yogis committed to environmental and social sustainability.
