Relaxation is critical in Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose. This posture not only helps many of your internal organs and may be beneficial to diseases of the nervous system and depression but also increases flexibility in your spine and throughout the legs.

Due to the head being lowered to the ground, the Standing Separate-Leg Stretching pose will boost circulation to the brain, nasal cavity, and adrenal glands. It also decompresses the nerves in the upper-spine, helping prevent some of the symptoms associated with “sciatica.”

This posture will give your lower back a great stretch, improving the flexibility of the bottom-most vertebrae, and reducing the possibility of sustaining back injury while performing everyday tasks. Also, and as a direct result from the considerable stretch involves, it will improve the flexibility of your ankles and hip joints, but also strengthen your quadriceps and calf muscles.

Properly sustaining the position requires considerable effort, which increases the number of calories burnt and contributes (albeit slightly) towards reduction of body fat tissue. There is also a connection between performing the Standing Separate-Leg Stretching pose and the mitigation of certain diseases related to the nervous system, hyper-acidity, and even constipation.

This posture will stimulate many of your internal organs and enhance their function by stimulating blood flow to their region, most notably the small & large intestines and the reproductive organs. Finally, there is increasing evidence to support the notion that this pose (and all other Bikram Yoga exercises in general) help reduce the side-effects of mild psychological depression.

This pose will improve your flexibility tremendously, and as such most beginners won’t be able to perform the full range of motion. Don’t worry though; it’s precisely the fact that you cannot yet perform it that makes this pose so beneficial; after all, if there was no struggle, your body would not improve.

Benefits of Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

• Increases circulation to the brain and adrenal glands
• Cures and prevents sciatica
• Helps the functioning of most of the internal abdominal organs, especially the small and large intestines
• Improves the muscle tone and flexibility of thighs and calves, the pelvis, ankles, and hip joints
• Increases the flexibility of the last five vertebra of the spine
• Centers the nervous system
• May be good for depression
• Good for constipation
• Helps to reduce abdominal obesity
• Helps with diabetes and hyperacidity
• Releases the lower back
• Exercises the muscular, adrenal, and reproductive systems

Tips for Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

• Take a big step to the right, four feet minimum
• The wider the stance, the easier the stretch
• Move your feet closer and closer; the easier it is for you to touch your forehead to the floor between your legs, the smaller your step should be
• Keep your spine straight as long as possible
• Once you can grab your ankles, use the strength of your arms to help pull yourself farther downward
• After you lower your torso, try to shift as much of your weight onto the toes, while still maintaining your balance.
• As a beginner, do not force the movement – if you feel that you’ve reached the limits of your range of motion, do not push past it; just hold the position at just that point where you feel that it’s challenging, and you’ll improve with time. If you are feeling pain, you are going too far.
• Keep the knees locked; keep the head, neck and spine aligned in a straight line.
• All the movements should be performed slowly and under full control – “jerking” motions will likely lead to a muscle strain or even tear.