What is Uttana Mandukasana, Its Benefits & Precautions

What is Uttana Mandukasana

Uttana Mandukasana “Manduka” in Sanskrit means frog. The body in Uttana-Mandukasana resembles an erect frog that’s why it is called ‘uttana-mandukasana’.

Also Know as: Extended Frog Pose, Stretched Frog Posture, Utatana-Manduka-Asana, Utan or Uttan-Manduk-Asan

How to start this Asana

• Sit in Vajrasana and keep your knees wide.
• Let the great toes touch each other and keep the body straight.
• Then, cross both arms behind the head and place the hands on the upper part of the opposite shoulder blades.
• The chin should touch the chest wall like the Jalandhara bandha.
• The bandhas of Jalandhara, Uddiyana and Moola are also performed in this asana.

How to end this Asana

• To release, come back in the starting position and then relax.

Video Tutorial

Benefits of Uttana Mandukasana

According to research, this Asana is helpful as per below^(YR/1)

1. It improves the lungpower, circulation in the walls of the chest and abdomen and tone of the abdominal and shoulder muscles.
2. It also improves sciatica in some people.

Precaution to be taken before doing Uttana Mandukasana

As per several scientific studies, precautions need to be taken in diseases mentioned as per below^(YR/2)

1. People with spinal cord deformities, disabilities of hip joints and severe backache don’t do this exercise.

So, consult your doctor if you have any of the problem mentioned above.

Histroy and scientific base of Yoga

Due to the oral transmission of sacred writings and the secrecy of its teachings, yoga’s past is riddled with mystery and confusion. Early yoga literature were recorded on delicate palm leaves. So it was easily damaged, destroyed, or lost. Yoga’s origins may be dated back over 5,000 years. However other academics believe it could be as old as 10,000 years. Yoga’s lengthy and illustrious history may be split into four distinct periods of growth, practise, and invention.

• Pre Classical Yoga
• Classical Yoga
• Post Classical Yoga
• Modern Yoga

Yoga is a psychological science with philosophical overtones. Patanjali begins his Yoga method by instructing that the mind must be regulated – Yogahs-chitta-vritti-nirodhah. Patanjali does not delve into the intellectual underpinnings of the need to regulate one’s mind, which are found in Samkhya and Vedanta. Yoga, he continues, is the regulation of the mind, the constraint of the thought-stuff. Yoga is a science based on personal experience. The most essential advantage of yoga is that it helps us to maintain a healthy bodily and mental state.

Yoga can help to slow down the ageing process. Since aging starts mostly by autointoxication or self-poisoning. So, we can considerably limit the catabolic process of cell degeneration by keeping the body clean, flexible, and properly lubricated. Yogasanas, pranayama, and meditation must all be combined to reap the full advantages of yoga.

SUMMARY
Uttana Mandukasana is helpful in increase flexibility of muscles, improves shape of the body, reduce mental stress, as well improves overall health.