Paschimottanasana

Janusirsasana is a variant with one knee bent out to the side; Upavishthakonasana has the legs straight and wide apart.

[3] In terms of the subtle body (as in the Yogabīja), it means the central energy channel, the sushumna nadi, which runs the length of the backbone.

[14] It is independently described under a different name, Hastapadasana ("Hand-to-Foot Pose"[a]) in Swami Vishnudevananda's 1960 Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, suggesting an older origin.

[15] Paschimottanasana is entered from Dandasana (seated Staff pose) by bending forward from the hips without straining and grasping the feet or lower legs.

[18] Dandasana or "Staff pose" has the legs extended along the floor and the body straight upright, with the palms or fingertips on the ground.

[11][21] Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana, also called Ubhaya Padangusthasana, is a balancing form of the pose, legs and hands pointing upwards.

It has the first and second fingers grasping the big toes, the legs wide apart, straight, and raised to around head height; the body is tilted back slightly to balance on the sitting bones.

The pose can be practised with a strap around each foot if the legs cannot be straightened fully in the position; a rolled blanked can be placed behind the buttocks to assist with balancing.