Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose anatomy
Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose · Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana · Tư thế đứng tay nắm ngón chân
Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose mainly works quadriceps, iliopsoas (left), erector spinae; it stretches hamstrings (left), gastrocnemius (left), gluteus maximus (left); gluteus medius (right), gluteus minimus (right), soleus (right) stabilize.
Opening the 3D model…
Stand on one leg and extend the other straight forward, holding the big toe with the same-side hand (or a strap), the other hand on the hip. The hamstrings of the lifted leg stretch while the standing leg and trunk muscles keep you balanced.
Muscles in this pose
Working (contracting): Quadriceps, Iliopsoas (left), Erector spinae
Stretching: Hamstrings (left), Gastrocnemius (left), Gluteus maximus (left)
Stabilizing: Gluteus medius (right), Gluteus minimus (right), Soleus (right), Tibialis posterior (right), Transversus abdominis, Biceps brachii (left)
Why these muscles work or stretch
- Quadriceps · Working (contracting): Standing leg
- Iliopsoas · Working (contracting): Holds the leg up
- Erector spinae · Working (contracting): Keeps the back straight, not rounded
- Hamstrings · Stretching: Main stretch
- Gluteus medius · Stabilizing: Keeps the pelvis level
- Tibialis posterior · Stabilizing: Supports the arch of the standing foot
- Biceps brachii · Stabilizing: The hand holds the big toe
Practice cues
- Stand tall on the standing leg, hips level
- Bend the lifted knee or use a strap if your back rounds
- Keep the shoulders even and the chest lifted
Benefits
- Stretches the hamstrings and calf of the lifted leg
- Strengthens the standing leg and gluteus medius to keep the pelvis level
- Builds endurance in the hip flexors and trunk muscles
- Trains balance and focus
Cautions / contraindications
- Take care with dizziness or low blood pressure; stay near a wall
- Take care with a hamstring injury; bend the lifted knee
- Ease off with low back pain; keep the back straight, not rounded
Easier variations
- Loop a strap around the foot and bend the lifted knee
- Rest the lifted heel on a chair or low ledge, standing near a wall
General information, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or teacher.
Written and reviewed by Yoga An Viên center · Updated 18/10/2026
How to practice this pose (YogaWay, in Vietnamese)
Related poses
- Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Upavistha Konasana
- Standing Half Forward Bend Ardha Uttanasana
- Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose Supta Padangusthasana
- Heron Pose Krounchasana
- Half Splits Ardha Hanumanasana
- Staff Pose Dandasana
A free community project by Yoga An Viên center · Model: Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0), based on BodyParts3D © DBCLS (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)