UrdhvaPrasaritaPadasana, or Upward Extended Foot Pose

Of all the poses I teach on a regular basis, this one (and its friends, #Navasana or #boatpose, and #ardhanavasana or #halfboatpose) gives people big problems. It’s because of the sedentary nature of work in the digital age, and because of mobile devices.
You might have noticed that the previous poses were almost all standing. That was by design, because you’ve simply got to get the legs underneath you, to support your abdomen and spine, before you can address the shoulder/head slump that too much technology draws you in to.

But then, this pose. It’s straight-up abdominals. You have to do this work. If not daily, then at least several times a week. And the best way to do them — UNLESS, very importantly, you have known/diagnosed/chronic low back problems — is with the legs straight. This is important because your abdomen cannot lengthen, and you therefore cannot access them at their maximum capacity, if the legs are bent. .
If you look closely at my picture, you can even see my struggle to keep the back of my body grounded as I overtuck my chin 😲. The struggle is real! But you’ve got to keep your abdomen strong and healthy to support the rest of the body!