Standing Split

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana

Standing Splits challenges you to find a balance of strength, flexibility, and grace while opening your hamstrings, quads, and back.

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Step By Step

From Mountain Pose, hinge forward from your hips and bring your hands to the floor. Shift your weight into your left foot and lift your right foot off the floor until your leg is parallel to the floor or higher.
Balance on your left foot and your right hand (fingertips) and bring your left hand to your lower left calf. Press your left foot down into the floor as you engage and straighten your standing leg. Lift your right leg as high as you can as you fold your chest inward while maintaining a long spine.
Keep your pelvis (for the most part) square and your hips level by internally rotating your right hip as you lift your right leg as high as you can. Energize both legs and know that the more you press down, the higher you can kick up.
Hold for 30 seconds or longer. To release, slowly lower your right foot down to the floor. Repeat on the other side.

Variations

Standing Split with one or both hands on the ground

Benefits

Stretches hamstring, calf, hip flexor, quad, and back muscles
Strengthens ankles, legs, glutes and abdomen
Warms and energizes the body, while improving focus
Standing Splits Pose stimulates the Root Chakra (Muladhara) and Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), allowing the practitioner to feel rooted, connected, and balanced

Contraindications

Lower back injury
Hamstring injury
Knee injury

Modifications

Place a block under one or both hands to allow you to straighten your standing leg and find a deeper stretch
For more depth and leverage, you can practice this posture against a wall. Come to a Downward Facing Dog with your heals a few inches from a wall. Lift your right leg up and place your foot with toes flexed on the wall. Walk your hands closer to the wall as you walk your right foot up the wall. Enjoy a deep stretch in both legs. Repeat on the other side

Chakras

Standing Splits Pose stimulates the Root Chakra (Muladhara) and Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), allowing the practitioner to feel rooted, connected, and balanced.