Hasta Bandha: The Hand Lock

In Sanskrit, "hasta" means "hand" and "bandha" means "lock". Working with Hasta Bandha adds a unique richness to an asana practice. It works with forces in opposition, utilizing a deeply grounded support through the hands along with an energetic expansion up the arms, to create a functional, structurally sound, and stable buoyancy in the body.

Anatomy of Hasta Bandha

Goals

• Create even weight distribution throughout the hand

• Build a strong foundation for vinyasas, inversions and arm balances

• Prevent strain and injury of the wrist through structural integrity

• Utilize the natural arch of the hand to create balance

• Connect and ground the body to the earth through the fingertips and finger pads

Technique

• Begin with hands placed on the ground, shoulder-width apart (in downward facing dog or table top)

• Spread fingers wide and imagine the inner edge and outer edge of the wrist drawing away from one another

• Firmly plant the fingertips and finger pads

• Identify points of stability in the palms (base of the index finger, base of the pinky, base of the thumb)

• Ground through the points of stability and engage the hand to draw them towards one another

• Lift through the center of the palm and draw the energy upward