Hasta Uttanasana

Hasta Uttanasana, Raised Arms Pose, Raised Hands Pose, Hand-Raising Pose, or Sky Reaching Pose is an asana.

Stretches: Abdomen
Pose type: Standing
Also known as: Hand-raising pose, Raised arms pose, Sky reaching pose, Raised hands pose

The name comes from the Sanskrit words hasta (हस्त) meaning “hand”, uttana (उत्तान) meaning “intense stretch”, “extension”, “straight”, or “stretched”, and asana (आसन) meaning “posture” or “seat”.

1. Stand erect and raise both the hands above the head. Hands are shoulders width between the two arms.
2. Bend the trunk and head backwards to create a slight curve.
3. Raising the arms and bending the trunk backwards is done at the same time. Breathe in deeply while raising the arms.
4. When done as part of the Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) a mantra can be chanted while performing this asana. Hasta Uttanasana is done as the 2nd pose and the 11th pose.