Build Balance and Length With These 4 Variations of Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, or Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose, is a challenging but incredibly beneficial balance posture. 

This standing one-legged stretch requires you to balance on one leg while strengthening your standing leg and lower back. It also deeply stretches the hamstrings of your outstretched leg and activates your hip flexors as you lift your leg against the downward pull of gravity.

While Extended Hand-to-Big Toe Pose itself is pretty straightforward, it offers a strong foundation for other advanced postures of this nature.

Try These 4 Variations of Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) 

For these variations of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, you’ll need a chair with a soft covering on top of it (like a blanket, pillow, or cushion) and a yoga strap.

Variation #1 (For Minimal Stretch)

1. Place a chair at the top of your mat with the seat of the chair facing toward you. Add a soft cushion, pillow, or blanket on top of the seat for padding.
2. Stand facing the chair, holding onto a yoga strap.
3. Focus your eyes on one non-moving point in front of you. Lock your gaze on this point and keep it focused there for the duration of your balance.
4. Shift your weight into your left leg and rise to the ball of your right foot.
5. Subtly activate your core by three-dimensionally drawing around your center as if tightening a corset around your waistline.
6. When you feel stable, lift your right foot off the ground and place your heel on the seat of the chair in front of you—the option to bend your right knee as much as you’d like.
7. Activate your right foot. Flex your ankle and ground your heel down into the chair. Press out through the ball of your right foot and spread your toes.
8. Loop your strap around the ball of your right foot and hold onto either end of the strap with each hand.
9. Press the ball of your right foot forward into the strap as you simultaneously drawback against the strap with your hands with equal and opposite energy.
10. Root down into your standing leg, and from this foundation, send energy up your whole spine to elongate the crown of your head toward the sky.
11. Gently hug your shoulder blades toward each other and lift your heart up toward the sky.
12. Hold for a few long deep breaths before switching sides.

Variation #2 Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (For More Intense Stretch)

1. Place a chair at the top of your mat with the seat of the chair facing toward you. Add a soft cushion, pillow, or blanket on top of the back post of the chair for padding.
2. Stand facing the chair, holding onto a yoga strap.
3. Focus your eyes on one non-moving point in front of you. Lock your gaze on this point and keep it focused there for the duration of your balance.
4. Shift your weight into your left leg and rise to the ball of your right foot.
5. Subtly activate your core by three-dimensionally drawing in around your center as if tightening a corset around your whole waistline.
6. When you feel stable, lift your right foot off the ground and place your heel on the back post of the chair in front of you—the option to bend your right knee as much as you’d like.
7. Activate your right foot. Flex your ankle and ground your heel down into the back post of the chair. Press out through the ball of your right foot and spread your toes.
8. Loop your strap around the ball of your right foot and hold onto either end of the strap with each hand.
9. Press the ball of your right foot forward into the strap as you simultaneously draw back against the strap with your hands with equal and opposite energy.
10. Root down into your standing leg, and from this foundation, send energy up your whole spine to elongate the crown of your head toward the sky.
11. Gently hug your shoulder blades toward each other and lift your heart up toward the sky.
12. Hold for a few long deep breaths before switching sides.

Variation #3 (For More Intense Stretch and Balance Challenge)

1. Come to stand at the top of your mat, holding onto a yoga strap.
2. Focus your eyes on one non-moving point in front of you. Lock your gaze on this point and keep it focused there for the duration of your balance.
3. Shift your weight into your left leg and rise to the ball of your right foot.
4. Subtly activate your core by three-dimensionally drawing in around your center as if tightening a corset around your whole waistline.
5. When you feel stable, lift your right foot off the ground and loop your strap around the ball of your right foot. Hold onto either end of the strap with each hand. 
6. Option to keep your right knee bent as much as you’d like or the option to reach and extend your right leg forward in front of you.
7. Activate your right foot. Flex your ankle and press out through the ball of your right foot as you spread your toes.
8. Press the ball of your right foot forward into the strap as you simultaneously draw back against the strap with your hands with equal and opposite energy.
9. Root down into your standing leg, and from this foundation, send energy up your whole spine to elongate the crown of your head toward the sky.
10. Gently hug your shoulder blades toward each other and lift your heart up toward the sky.
11. Hold for a few long deep breaths before switching sides.

Variation #4 (For the Most Intense Stretch and Balance Challenge)

1. Come to stand at the top of your mat.
2. Focus your eyes on one non-moving point in front of you. Lock your gaze on this point and keep it focused there for the duration of your balance.
3. Shift your weight into your left leg and rise to the ball of your right foot.
4. Subtly activate your core by three-dimensionally drawing in around your center as if tightening a corset around your whole waistline.
5. When you feel stable, lift your right foot off the ground and loop the first two fingers and thumb of your right hand around your right big toe. Draw your left hand to rest on your hip.
6. Option to keep your right knee bent as much as you’d like or the option to reach and extend your right leg forward in front of you.
7. Activate your right foot. Flex your ankle and press out through the ball of your right foot as you spread your toes.
8. Press the ball of your right foot forward as you simultaneously draw back against your big toe with your hand with equal and opposite energy.
9. Gently hug your right thigh bone back in toward your hip socket as you level off your hips.
10. Subtly draw your right shoulder back in toward your shoulder socket.
11. Root down into your standing leg, and from this foundation, send energy up your whole spine to elongate the crown of your head toward the sky.
12. Gently hug your shoulder blades toward each other and lift your heart up toward the sky.
13. Hold for a few long deep breaths before switching sides.

There Is Always a Place to Work in Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

The extended Hand-to-Big Toe Pose is undoubtedly a challenging shape, but there are so many variations and modifications of this pose, so there is always a place to work on this shape. 

Play around with these variations to find the one you like best (and that might change daily!). Balance and flexibility are constantly in flux in our lives, so let your practice meet you where you are at that moment. 

Grab your favorite props and build balance and length in this graceful and expansive posture to help build your confidence and poise. Practice along with the video provided below.