Working towards Siddhasana & Paschimottanasana

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hey all,

I want to be able to practice Maha Bandha and Maha Mudra, but right now I can only sit in Sukhasana, and my forward bends still need a lot of work. Since Maha Bandha requires Siddhasana and Maha Mudra needs a decent forward bend, I’ve decided to focus on increasing my flexibility so I can eventually sit in Siddhasana comfortably and deepen my Paschimottanasana.

I asked an AI to give me a daily schedule with specific asanas and how long to hold them, aiming to help me progress toward these two poses. It gave me a detailed routine, but I wanted to check with those of you who have more experience to see if the schedule actually makes sense because I know AI can be unreliable sometimes.

One thing I found a bit odd: the Siddhasana-focused practice takes around 50 minutes, while the one for Paschimottanasana is only about 20 minutes. Does that seem balanced, or should I adjust the timings to make the practice more effective overall?

Edit:
These are the tools that I have
Manduka Pro long
Manduka Strap long
Bolster
2x cork bricks
4x foam blocks

Output AI:

Siddhasana

  1. Seated Ankle & Hip Warm-In (5 min total – mobility, not bullshit)

    Ankle Rolls (seated on mat): 1 min each direction

    Knee-to-chest seated ankle rotations: 1 min each leg

    Sukhasana with forward lean: 2 min hold, use bolster under knees if needed

  2. Deep Hip & Adductor Release (15–20 min)

    Butterfly (Baddha Konasana) with bolster under knees: 3–5 min

    Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold (Upavistha Konasana):
    • Sit on folded blanket or block, strap around feet if needed
    • Fold slowly, hold 4–6 min, bolster under chest optional

    Frog Pose (Mandukasana) with blocks under chest or bolster support:
    • 3–5 min. Exit slowly. Use padding under knees.

  3. Hip Flexor & Quad Extension (10–12 min)

    Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana) with back knee padded:
    • Use blocks for support under hands
    • 2 min per side

    Reclining Hero Pose (Supta Virasana):
    • Sit on block or bolster between heels
    • Recline back onto bolster or more blocks as tolerated
    • 2–4 min hold

  4. Posterior Chain & Lower Back Conditioning (10–15 min)

    Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana) with strap around feet:
    • Fold with straight spine, use bolster under knees or torso
    • Hold 3–5 min

    Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) or Sphinx (if stiff):
    • 3 reps of 30 sec–1 min holds with 30 sec rest between

    Supine Twist: 1–2 min each side

  5. Sit in a Propped Version of Siddhasana (5+ min)

    Sit on bolster or block

    Use blanket/bolster under knees or feet as needed

    Try both legs alternately on top over time

    Focus on neutral spine & breath

Optional: Add Legs-Up-the-Wall (Viparita Karani) to finish (5–8 min)

You can modify durations based on time—just keep the proportions roughly the same. Want me to make a printable chart or checklist version

Paschimottanasana

Daily Practice Tips to Deepen Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)

  1. Start with a Warm-Up

    Cat-Cow: 1–2 minutes

    Focus on flexing and extending the spine to prepare it for the fold

    Downward Dog: Hold for 5–10 breaths

    Warm up the hamstrings and spine

    Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana): Let the spine decompress, knees soft at first

  2. Prep Stretches (Use Strap + Blocks)

    Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hamstring Stretch):

    Use a strap around the ball of your foot, keep the lifted leg straight

    Hold each side for 1–2 minutes

    Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose):

    Sit on a folded blanket or block

    Use a strap around the foot of the extended leg

    Reach forward while keeping the spine long

    1–2 mins each side

  3. Paschimottanasana with Props
    Version A – Strap Support

    Sit on a folded blanket or low block to elevate hips

    Loop strap around balls of feet, hold ends in each hand

    Inhale: lengthen spine

    Exhale: hinge at hips, pull gently with strap

    Don’t round the back—aim for long spine and pelvic tilt

    Stay for 1–3 minutes

Version B – Bolster Support

Place bolster on your extended legs

Hinge forward and rest your torso on the bolster

Add a block under the far end of the bolster if you’re stiff

Let go and breathe deeply—this supports passive flexibility

  1. Post-Pose Rebound

    After the fold, lie down in Savasana or Supine Twist

    Let your body integrate the stretch

Additional Tips:

Consistency > intensity: Better to do 5–10 minutes daily than an hour once a week.

Bend knees slightly in the beginning if your pelvis is tilting backward.

Focus on pelvic tilt, not rounding your spine. Think “belly to thighs” rather than “head to knees.”

Exhale to deepen: Use each exhale to subtly release into the fold.

Hold stretches longer (2–5 mins), especially if you can do it passively with a bolster.