The realization of yoga is to be fully conscious, present, and content at whatever state of the practice you have attained.  When you are fully satisfied right where you are, your pose often opens up and you can easily move forward. 

Tips on Bending Forward

A lot of people ask me in the standing forward bend (uttanasana), why they cannot get their heads and legs to meet, even though they seem to be able to place the palms on the floor.  It takes a long time to enter them deeply.  So your forehead reaches the knees, so what?  Forward bends teach patience. 

From Dr. Roger Cole, a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher and research scientist specializing in the physiology of relaxation, sleep and biological rhythm, I learned that “stretch reflex” may provide the reason for it.   This reflex causes a stretched muscle to automatically contract in opposition to the stretch.  If you try too hard to bend forward, you trigger stretch reflexes in your hamstring muscles.  Your feel the stretch pain and cannot bend further into the pose.  Forcing into the pose will make the matters worse.  The more pain you feel, the stronger the stretch reflex. 

Dr. Cole suggests that we practitioners stop as soon as you feel a slight challenge.  Instead, hold your position constant for a long time.  Keep the knees straight and don’t lose your pelvic tilt.  Get more comfortable at where you are in the pose, which means the stretch sensors in your muscles are getting reset.  What it felt like a stretch is gradually becoming neutral.  By maintaining the sense of neutrality, your stretch sensors will most likely become ready to allow you to move deeper into the pose. 

To progress in uttanasana, practice Utthita Trikonosana  (Extended Trigange Pose), Utthita parsvakonasan  (Extended Side Angle) and Virbhadrasana I, II, III (Warrior 1, 2, 3) between each pose.  Do the pose on each side and hold for at least 30 seconds.  Take your time, it will come when you are ready!

Source:  Yoga Journal 07/09