Hasta uthaana asana

Understanding Asana and its importance

Hasta = Hand

Utaana = Raised; stretched; elevated

Hasta Uttanasana is a standing yoga posture in which the arms are raised overhead, the spine extends, and the chest opens. It is commonly practiced as part of the Sun Salutation sequence (Surya Namaskar) and serves as a preparatory pose for deeper backbends.

Benefits

  • Relaxing the stiffness and tension in the upper body
  • Opens up the chest for deeper breaths

 

 

Caution 

  • Improper posture: attempting the asana with excess lordosis will stain the spine.

Anatomy

Primary Anterior muscles working in Asana

  • Pectoralis major
  • Pectoralis minor
  • Serratus anterior (to stabilize the scapula when arm elevation against gravity)
  • Sternocleidomastoids

Active posterior muscles

Movers for raised hands:

Deltoids (especially anterior and middle fibers)

Trapezius (upper fibers for scapular elevation)

Rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis)

Levator scapulae (assists in lifting the scapula)

Movers for back bend :

Erector Spinae (iliocostalis, longissimus, spinalis): Run along the spine; extend and stabilize the vertebral column.

Multifidus: Deep spinal stabilizer, helps control segmental extension.

Quadratus Lumborum: Supports lumbar extension

Physiology

Back and Shoulder Synergy

Promotes postural integrity and upper-body strength.

Helps desk jobbers, restore upper spine health.

 

Thoracic Cavity 

Muscles of the thoracic cavity—especially the intercostal muscles, diaphragm, and accessory muscles of respiration—are gently stretched and engaged.

Pulmonary capacity

Opening the chest improves pulmonary ventilation, enhances oxygen intake, and promotes better posture and lung capacity over time. This action facilitates greater lung expansion, creating space for high-volume inhalations.

Rib cage

The rib cage expands upward and outward, increasing the anterior-posterior and lateral dimensions of the thoracic cavity.

Diagnosis

What could stop me???

Notice

Which movements are increasing the discomfort? Visit a specialist and explain your body’s response to the actions. Information shared in this website is only for educational purpose.

Muscles

  • Without strong posterior muscles, a backbend could endanger the ligaments, joints of the back. 
  • If the anterior muscles are not toned properly, the stretch in the front of the trunk is restricted.

Joints and Body Structure

  • Arthritis in the joints or slipped discs in the back can aggravate the back pain, so train slowly and consistently.
  • Too much lordosis will strain the lumbar vertebrae.
  • In case of cervical spondylitis, neck bend should be done with care.
  • When raising the hands, beware of the shoulder joint impingement

Fascia

  • Unlike muscle and joint injuries, fascia adhesions tend to feel better with movement and also respond well to heat therapy, which helps bring back the tissue’s elasticity.
  • For some people, adhesions can worsen over time, causing the fascia to compress and contort the muscles it surrounds. This can result in hard, tender knots in the muscles, called trigger points

Posture

  • While in standing posture, leaning the legs too forward will take the spine into extreme lordosis.

Yogic Managment

A human being is not just the combination of body and mind but something beyond these restricted limitations. We address the health of a being in all these planes of existence. Instead of addressing the symptoms of a condition, an ancient holistic approach of Ayurveda & Yoga works on the root cause and builds a strong foundation.

Annamaya Kosha

Sharira

Physical Plane

 

Gently raise your hands in a seated/standing posture, upto to a comfortable limit.

Neck-shoulders

  • Shoulder depressions and elevations
  • Shoulder rotations

Rotator cuff

  • Horizontal hand stretch to the opposite side
  • Weights Pull down, pull ups

Open up the upper chest area

  • Roll the shoulders back and lift the chest, making a dip in the upper back.
  • Arms opening up horizontally

Strong Spine for foundation for the back bend

  • Marjari asana movements
  • Pawanamusktasana
  • Lumbar stretch
  • Setubandasana

Stable Lower body

  • The hip and the legs should be strong and stable like a pillar to support trunk flexion.

Contra indications

Before attempting to work on the area or movement, understand its health. Some of us have specific health scenarios or conditions, that are strong reasons not to attempt the practice.

Take support and train yourself slowly and consistently

Take the support of chair or wall before attempting to perform a new movement. Donot be overwhelemd by people displaying strong and flexible movements. Donot compare yourself with others. Each one of has different body capacity and flexibility, each one trains different, takes nutrition different, then how can you expect the output to be the same.

Rest

Body has the innate ability to heal itself if given rest. Observe your body posture through out the day and correct if required. Relax your body and mind.

Hydro therapy

Cold water best works for inflammations. Hot water helps for pain relief.

Feet : Parallel and grounded

Toes : Big toe together

Knee : Straight and pulled up

Buttocks : Pushing the muscles fwd on to the quads to create firmness in the upper legs.

Hips : Neutral

Lower Body : Firm and stable

Lower back : Lifted up to accommodate upper back flexion

Abdomen : Stretched upward

Chest : Lifted up

Shoulder : Rolled and pushed back 

ArmPit : Opened and stretched from the side chest to the upper arm area   

Upper Back :  Shoulder blade area pushing forward on to the rib cage to create a dip.

Side Upper Back: Contracted 

Arms: Raised Up and behind

Hands: Stretched palms facing forward

Neck – Head : In line with shoulders, Tilting bak as the shoulders are dropping back.

Gaze: Don’t close

An anjali/namaskar mudra of the hands in Hasta Uttana Asana 

Other Koshas

Prana flow towards the upper parts of the body.

 Upper chest breathing, with hands in Adhi mudra.Adhi mudra : Closed fist i.e thumb inside the palm, rest four fingers covering th thumb.

DHARANA

  • Japa Ajapa
  • Nama Rupa Dharana
  • Trataka
  • Soft focus on building the strength and health of the upper body

CHAKRA

Visualize the energy flow from the center of the heart chakra i.e Anahata chakra to the rest of the body. As the Sun’s rays spread our from the core outward, The energy is traveling across the opened arms, hands and healing the entire body, mind atmosphere around.

Also visualize the throat chakra i.e the Vishuddi chakra transporting the prana with no blocks to the neck head region. 

CHITA PRASADANAM

  • Goal: 
    The ultimate goal is to achieve mental stability and purity, which is necessary for progress in yoga and can lead to liberation (samadhi). 
     
  • Practice: 
    It involves cultivating a specific mental attitude towards four types of people:
    • Friendliness (Maitri): Towards those who are happy. 
       
    • Compassion (Karuna): Towards those who are suffering. 
       
    • Joyfulness (Mudita): When observing others who are virtuous. 
       
    • Indifference (Upeksha): Towards those who are causing harm. 

Recollect the wisdom from the seers 

Pure Intellect to work – Hamsa – separate water from milk

No mind /ego just the doing.

Dvaita to Advaita

No two, there is no seer or the seen, there is only the seeing.

Bhakthi Tanmayatvam

Nishkama karma

Krida

 

 

 

Bibliography

 

  2. https://www.tummee.com/yoga-poses/hasta-uttanasana
  3. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-indian-man-practicing-yoga-next-to-a-river-in-south-india-137333307.html
  4. Kumawat, Jitendra & Sharma, Rakesh & Sharma, Dr. (2021). ANATOMICAL EXPLORATION ON VARIOUS POSTURES OF “SURYANAMASKARA”. 10. 1435. 10.20959/wjpr202114-22422.
  5. <a href=”https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/cage” title=”cage icons”>Cage icons created by e.c – Flaticon</a>