After a day of being deskbound your most common areas of tightness are your hamstrings, lower back, shoulders and neck.
You can do wide-legged forward fold at that 3 pm slump to give you an energy boost, or when you are feeling anxious with your workload. It is more than acceptable to slightly bend your knees especially if you are a beginner.
Folding deep will relax the groins, massage the spine, stretch the inner thighs, hamstrings and ankles whilst calming the brain.
The infamous “I can’t touch my toes” is often heard, but yoga is about moving your body appropriately through its range of motion. It does not matter how close to the ground you get; what does matter is having firm legs and a stable spine whilst forward folding.
Steps
Separate your feet as wide as comfortable, with toes slightly facing in. Inhale to the top and as you exhale, bend forwards at the hips, folding over the hip crease with hands on the floor or supported. Let the head relax and sink in with gravity towards the floor. This mild inversion is wonderful for calming.
Contraindications
Do not do this pose if you have a lower back injury.