Ekapadasana (Standing Split Pose)

by Yogi Ananda Viraj (Eugene P. Kelly, Jr.)

The word eka means one. Pada means foot or leg. The ekapadasana is the ”single foot posture.”

Instructions:

1. Begin by standing up straight hands at sides (tadasana).
2. Extend the arms straight out in front of the body.
3. Focus the eyes on a spot on the wall directly in front of you.
4. Slowly raise the right knee until the thigh is perpendicular to the body.
5. Straighten out the right leg while maintaining balance on the left.
6. Keeping the right and left legs straight, slowly bring the right leg back behind the left and bend the body forward until the arms, trunk and right leg are parallel to the floor. Remain focused on the “wall spot.”
7. Hold this position from 30 seconds to a minute.
8. Repeat this procedure on the opposite side.
9. Do this asana two times on each side.

Variations:

Once you can maintain proper balance in this position you may attempt the following variations. The first is easy to explain but rather difficult to master. Simply do the ekapadasana with your eyes closed.

The second variation involves more stretch. Rather than keeping the arms, trunk, and leg parallel to the floor, you can drop the extended arms and bend the body forward to clasp the ankle of the foot on the floor while raising the opposite leg, keeping it straight, to bring it “in line” with the arms and trunk. Then place the head on the knee. This variation is known as the urdhva-prasarita-ekapadasana.

Benefits:

This posture improves concentration and thought-body coordination. Also, the ekapadasana stretches all the posterior leg muscles. There are really few other positions which give this kind of stretch to the legs.