Utpluthi Asana – Uprooting Pose
What is Utpluthi Asana?
The Utpluthi asana is also called Tolasana. It is an arm balance pose. The practice of this asana on a regular basis, leads to strengthening of the arms, core muscles, and the shoulders. This pendant form of asana forms a part of the Primary Series of Ashtanga asana. You will also use it as a transition pose, between many asanas. The asana also aims to give you a huge boost of energy.
Utpluthi is an arm balancing pose, that increases the strength in your upper body. The name comes from Sanskrit texts and so you should know its meaning.
- Utpluthi means ‘uprooting.’
- Asana means ‘pose.’
Hence the name, Utpluthi Asana is just apt.
Now, you should learn about the major aspects of this pendant asana.
How To Do the Utpluthi Asana ?
It is very easy to do this asana, for an intermediate student, who has already mastered all the variations of the Padmasana or the Lotus pose. Otherwise, it may not be feasible.
- You have to sit in Lotus pose or Padmasana in the beginning. If that is not possible, due to some challenges, you can also sit cross-legged, with the legs comfortably resting on one another, in Sukhasana.
- Roll back the shoulders and lengthen your spine. This will open up the shoulders.
- You have to place both the hands on both sides of the hips.
- First, you need to inhale and then exhale, and press the hands on the floor, engage all your core muscles and lift the legs and buttocks up from the floor.
- You can start the practice with five breaths initially, and increase them as you become more proficient.
- Then, you can exhale and slowly lower the body onto the floor. Unfold the legs and then keep them straight in front of you, in Dandasana.
Modifications and Variations Utpluthi Asana
- If you have not mastered Padmasana yet, then you can try the pose, in Ardha Padmasana. You can start in the same manner, as mentioned above, but the leg, whose feet has not been thrusted into the hip crease, will hang and touch the floor. However, you will get a fair idea of how it feels.
- You can also use blocks under your palms, to increase the height and exert less pressure, to lift the lower body.
- To assist your body with the lift, you have to draw your groins into the core area of the torso.
If you are doing the arm balance poses for the first time, and that too, without having perfected the Padmasana or Lotus pose, you can try out some of the other variations. You can try out Crow pose or Stork pose, I.e., Kakasana or Bakasana to start with. It may be easier for you.
You can also try Lolasana, to increase your arm strength and core strength, in the initial phase of your practice.
You have to take 5 deep breaths, when you are up in the pose, and your Drishti should be towards the nose or Nasagra Drishti.
Safety Precautions Decoded
In the beginning, you will have some problems, staying afloat.
- Try it with the Ardha Padmasana at first, and when you have perfected the lift, do the complete one. You can also try other preparatory poses like Kakasana and Bakasana.
- Moreover, you should practice the Pranayam techniques first, as the wrong breathing practice can lead to other problems and will not yield the results.
- Moreover, you have to practice this asana, while your stomach is empty. There should be a gap of at least 5-6 hours between your last meal, and the practice of this asana.
Who Can Do Utpluthi Asana and Who Cannot?
The contraindications are quite similar to the ones associated with the Lolasana. You can practice the asana, if you are of healthy constitution. However, you have to refrain from its practice, if you happen to suffer from one of the below conditions.
- If you are suffering from blood pressure or heart ailments, you should not perform the asana, as it can exert extra pressure.
- The arm balance pose requires you to use all the core muscles, the shoulders, arms, back, and shoulders, to perform the lift. So, if there is any sort of injury to any part of the body, you must not practice this asana.
- If you have had a wrist injury or a surgery in the past, you should not do this asana.
- If you lack breath awareness, and is not relaxed during the asana, it will also not yield any result. This pose involves holding your breath for a few seconds, during the lift. At that time, if you exert extra pressure on the chest, it can be harmful.
- You should try this asana, only when you have perfected the Uddhiyana bandha.
- Women who are pregnant or are in their post-delivery stage, must not practice this asana.
Benefits of Utpluthi Asana
Your body will gain from myriad benefits, if you do the utpluthi asana on a regular basis, in a safe way. The benefits are as follows.
- You can build strength in your deeper tissues, bones, ligaments and tendons, if you practice Utpluthi Asana properly.
- The regular practice of utpluthi asana will give you a toned body, as you are using all the core muscles for the lift.
- It also leads to stability of the hips and also gives the yogi, upper body strength. When you have these two in place, the arm balance pose becomes easy. So, it is important that you start with the preparatory poses as listed above, before attempting the actual Utpluthi Asana.
- If you are into competitive sports, or are a body builder, you require a lot of strength in the arms, hands, wrists and elbows. So, this asana is just apt for you.
- This asana also helps to stretch the outer leg muscles and the hips.
- It greatly improves the digestive system of the body.
- The asana can help you to develop a strong sense of balance.
- It also strengthens the heart and lungs.
- It can remove belly fat as well.
- Lastly, your kidney and bladder function also improve.
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