Home > Intermediate Flow > Sitting to Forward Fold

Step by step:

0:00 to 0:11 - The giver moves close to the receiver. This helps maintain a comfortable position for the next step.

0:11 to 0:18 - The giver places his feet just below the receiver's hip crests...almost the same foot position  used to get into a Forward Fold from a standing position. He then takes her wrists into his hands, encouraging her to relax her arms and shoulders.

0:18 to 0:24 - The giver and receiver synchronize their breaths until they are centered and comfortably in position.

0:24 to  0:26 - The giver starts leaning back and pulling the receiver's wrists to lift her body up and over his. Note how at 0:26, her hips are directly over his. His hands have been pulling hers high over his head since 0:24.

0:26  to the end - The receiver's body is lifted and her hands moved into a comfortable position. The lifting can be intense for the giver and may need some practice initially for it to work gracefully.

What can complicate this element for the giver:

* initially sitting too far away from the receiver

* placing your feet in the wrong place against the receiver's hips

* pushing too hard with your legs when lifting. If the receiver is light, you risk them flying away!

* trying to lift the receiver fully before their hips are directly over yours.

The most critical times for the spotter are when the giver starts lifting the receiver and again when he sets her back down.

In the former case, the worst that can happen is the giver's feet slip and the receiver falls on top of the giver. Not a big deal.

The latter can be riskier, though, since you want to set the receiver down slowly, safely and gently...not drop them with a thump or send them flying away!

From this angle, it is easier to see where the giver positions his feet on the receiver.

Here are more details you can see from the rear.