Come to Tadasana in the middle of your mat, heel toe your feet out to a wide stance (one leg length apart) and then turn your front toes forward towards the front of the mat. Align the front heel with the arch of the back foot.

As you inhale, switch the legs on and anchor down, lift your arms up and reach your hands away from each other here. Engage your bandhas here as you hinge from the hip by pushing into the back hip as you reach towards the front of the mat taking your entire torso with you. Fold over so your front hand gently presses against your front shin. Back hand reaches up towards the ceiling. Open your heart space towards the side of the room, neck remains long with the crown of the head reaching towards the front of the mat. If it feels good for your neck you may like to tuck your chin slightly and take your gaze up towards your hand, forehead remains higher than the chin.

Check in here that you have a micro bend in the front knee, ensuring that you don’t hyperextend the joint.

Have a play with the length of your stance, too short and you won’t feel the full effects of the stretch, too far apart you might feel unbalanced and a strain. The perfect length is completely individual to you, so feel into this one.

If you feel unsteady on your feet or find it challenging to keep your torso aligned and heartspace open, take your practice to a wall, keep the back of your body pressing against the wall and adjust your stance as needed.

To deepen the pose you may like to take a half bind here by taking a bend in the top elbow and reaching around your back until your hand lands on your front hip/thigh. Ensure you continue to lengthen through the collar bone, chest opens out.