Purvottanasana (Upward Plank Pose)
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- How to Do Purvottanasana
- Benefits
- Tips for Better Practice
- Why Learn with a Yoga Teacher or Instructor
- Cautions and Contraindications
- Conclusion
- FAQS
Introduction
Most yoga sequences stretch the back body and strengthen the front. Forward folds, seated work, supine abdominal exercises — the posterior chain gets stretched, the anterior muscles get worked. Purvottanasana does the opposite, which is exactly why it belongs in a well-rounded practice.
Purva means east or the front of the body (in traditional orientation, the east-facing direction was the front). Uttana means intense stretch. Asana means posture. The pose stretches the entire front body intensely — chest, shoulders, abdomen, hip flexors, quadriceps — while simultaneously demanding strength from the posterior chain to hold everything up.
It doesn’t appear in many beginner sequences, which is partly why people neglect it. That’s a gap worth closing, because the anterior body stretch that Purvottanasana provides is one that almost every other yoga pose misses.
How to Do Purvottanasana
Sit with legs extended, feet together, hands on the floor behind the hips with fingers pointing toward the feet. Press the palms firmly into the floor.
Inhale and press through the hands and feet simultaneously, lifting the hips and chest. The body rises into one long inclined plank from feet to shoulders, face pointing upward.
In the full expression, the feet are flat on the floor, toes pointing forward or slightly turned in, and the head drops back so the chin points toward the ceiling. The chest is high, the hips are fully lifted, the whole body is one straight line.
Most beginners will find some modification necessary. Common starting points: knees bent with feet flat on the floor (tabletop-style variation, sometimes called Reverse Table Top), or hips lifted with toes pointed rather than the full foot flat. Both are legitimate entries to the pose.
Hold for 20 to 45 seconds. Lower on an exhale and rest briefly.
Benefits
Complete anterior body stretch. The chest, anterior deltoids, pectoral muscles, biceps, abdomen, hip flexors, and quadriceps all stretch as the body lifts and the chest opens toward the ceiling. For people who’ve been doing a lot of forward folding, this counter-movement is exactly what the body needs.
Wrist and shoulder strength. The hands press into the floor with the wrists in extension — the same position as many arm balances and inversions. Purvottanasana builds the wrist and shoulder strength for these postures while the legs provide support, making it a useful bridge to more demanding arm work.
Posterior chain engagement. The glutes and hamstrings are the primary lifters of the hips. Holding the plank-like position requires sustained activation of the posterior chain. Spinal erectors and mid-back muscles also work hard to maintain the incline without sagging.
Counterpose to forward folds and seated work. After Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend), after Uttanasana, after a long sequence of forward-facing postures — Purvottanasana provides the counter-direction that rebalances the spine and opens what all that forward work compressed.
Ankle and foot stretch. With the feet flat and the toes pointing forward, the anterior ankle and the top of the foot stretch substantially. This is a stretch most people never do deliberately.
Tips for Better Practice
- Squeeze the legs together. The feet want to splay; the knees want to widen. Keeping the legs close together maintains the structural integrity of the full body line and engages the inner thighs, which helps lift the hips.
- Push the floor away with the hands. Don’t just balance on the palms — actively press. This activates the triceps and protects the wrists by engaging the arm muscles rather than dumping load into the joint.
- The head drop is optional. Dropping the head back in full cervical extension is not appropriate for everyone. If the neck is stiff or there are cervical issues, keep the chin slightly tucked.
- For Reverse Table Top: sit with knees bent, feet flat, hands behind the hips. Lift the hips so the torso and thighs are parallel to the floor. This is a legitimate and effective modification that most people can do immediately.
- If the wrists hurt, use fists instead of flat palms, which puts the wrist in a neutral rather than extended position.
Why Learn with a Yoga Teacher or Instructor
The full body alignment of Purvottanasana — hips high, body in one line, feet flat, chest fully open — has several places where the form can break down without the practitioner realizing it. The hips sagging is the most common; the feet turning out excessively is another. A teacher watching from the side sees both clearly and can cue corrections that make the pose both safer and more effective.
For students working toward arm balances or inversions, a teacher can use Purvottanasana deliberately as wrist and shoulder prep, building the specific strength needed with appropriate progressive loading.
Cautions and Contraindications
- Wrist injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome: The wrist extension in this pose is significant. Use fists or forearm modifications, or avoid the pose until the wrist condition is resolved.
- Rotator cuff tears or shoulder impingement: The load on the shoulder in an extended, externally rotated position may aggravate these conditions.
- Cervical disc problems: Skip the head-drop. Keep the neck in a neutral position throughout.
- Pregnancy: The prone-arching position is inappropriate in later pregnancy. Reverse Table Top with minimal backbend is sometimes manageable in the first trimester — check with a prenatal yoga teacher.
Conclusion
Purvottanasana is the pose that most yoga practitioners are missing from their practice without knowing it. All those forward folds, all that seated work, all that anterior body compression — this is the counterpart that makes them sustainable. The anterior body stretch is genuine, the posterior chain work is real, and the wrist and shoulder strength it builds transfers to the rest of the practice.
Do it after your forward folds. Do it after Paschimottanasana. The spine will thank you.
FAQS
Q: What muscles does Purvottanasana work?
A: Arms (especially triceps), wrists, shoulders, core, glutes, and the back. It’s a comprehensive strengthening pose.
Q: My wrists hurt in Purvottanasana. What helps?
A: Turn your fingers outward slightly. Or try the pose on fists (knuckles down) to reduce wrist extension.
Q: Should I drop my head back in Purvottanasana?
A: If you have a healthy neck, yes — it completes the chest opening. Keep the chin slightly tucked if you have any neck issues.
Q: Is Purvottanasana a good counterpose for forward bends?
A: Yes, it’s often used exactly for that — to balance a deep forward fold sequence.
Q: Who should avoid Purvottanasana?
A: People with wrist injuries, shoulder impingements, or neck problems. Those with lower back pain should also be careful.
Q: How long should I hold it?
A: 15 to 30 seconds. It’s demanding — don’t hold it so long that form breaks down.
