Prasarita B

Without the hands available to support or deepen the fold, this variation is really a test of whether the spine can stay long using its own strength. It's common to see the back round here specifically because there's no floor or block to lean on as a reminder to stay long.

To hold a flat-back forward fold from a wide stance using core and leg strength, without the arms assisting the depth.

1. 1From Prasarita A, hands come to the hips.
2. 2Fold forward, keeping the spine as flat and long as possible, without rounding.
3. 3Hold at whatever depth allows the spine to stay flat, hands remaining on the hips throughout.
4. 4Hold for five breaths, gaze to the nose.
5. 5Inhale to rise back to standing.

Instead of searching for the “correct” position, notice:

• •Spine stays flat throughout, fold depth limited by what the spine's own strength can support.
• •Hands remain on the hips, not drifting to the floor for support.
• •Weight even across both feet.

Ujjayi breath, steady, since maintaining the flat spine without arm support takes real sustained effort through the hold.

This pose reveals rounding more clearly than the others, since there's no hand support to disguise it, so the spine is what to check closely.

Reflect after practising:

• •If your spine wants to round the moment your hands leave the floor, that's useful information about how much of your previous fold was being held up by your arms rather than your own strength.

Rather than mistakes, you may notice:

• •Practice Half Lift on its own, holding the flat back for a few breaths, to build the same strength this pose asks for without the added demand of the wide stance.

• •A shallower fold, prioritizing a genuinely flat spine over depth. This is one pose where less depth with better form is clearly the better trade.

• ✓Inhale to rise back to standing, transitioning into Prasarita C.