In short: upward-facing intense stretch is a seated forward bend turned upward. You balance on the sitting bones, hold the feet with straight legs pointing to the sky, and draw the legs and torso together so the chest moves toward the shins. It combines a deep hamstring stretch with a demanding balance and strong core work, so it is not a beginner pose.
It is the last of the balancing seated poses of the Ashtanga primary series, right after both big toes pose, and Yoga Journal has published it as the peak pose of a vinyasa-style sequence. Below are the name, two ways in, cues and precautions.
What the name means
Ūrdhva Mukha Paścimottānāsana joins ūrdhva (upward, raised), mukha (face) and paścimottānāsana, the seated forward bend or intense stretch of the back of the body. It is the same fold as seated forward bend, but with the whole body turned upward and balanced. The English “upward-facing intense stretch” is Yoga Journal’s translation; some classes call it upward-facing seated forward bend. Do not confuse it with upward-facing dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), a backbend.
Two ways in
From sitting. Yoga Journal’s breakdown by Annie Carpenter starts seated: bend the knees, hook the big toes, lean back to the edge of the sitting bones and firm the legs to straighten them. Inhale to widen the chest; exhale to fold thighs and torso toward each other. Then move the hands to the soles of the feet and stretch the heels up. The work, she explains, is in the hip flexors, the abdominal wall and the deep spinal muscles acting together so you find your centre and balance.
The Ashtanga roll-up. As in both big toes pose, you lie back, swing the straight legs overhead to the floor, take hold of the outer edges of the feet, and roll up on an inhalation to balance with straight arms and legs. On the next exhalation bend the elbows outward and draw the torso along the legs; stay for five breaths, then straighten the arms, lift the chest and look up for a breath before coming down. AshtangaYoga.info notes that many practitioners find this the most demanding pose of the first series because the intense stretch meets an equally intense balance.
Precautions in plain words
The roll-up loads the neck, and the balance loads the sitting bones and tailbone. Avoid the roll-up with neck problems, and avoid the pose with a tailbone injury, lower-back or hamstring injuries, or during pregnancy. If the back rounds hard or you tip onto the tailbone, bend the knees. Practise on a padded surface. This page is general information, not individual advice.
Preparation and what comes next
Yoga Journal suggests a “happy baby” balance (holding the big toes with bent knees while balancing on the sitting bones), a half version holding the soles with bent knees, and a forward fold with the back against a wall. Boat pose and both big toes pose build the balance, and seated forward bend builds the fold. In the Ashtanga primary series it is followed by bridge pose (Setu Bandhasana), which opens the front of the body.
A simple way to practise it. Work in three steps over several sessions. First, the bent-knee balance holding the big toes, keeping the lower back drawn slightly in. Second, the half version, holding the soles with bent knees and straightening the legs gradually. Third, folding the straight legs toward the chest. Yoga Journal’s breakdown recommends staying for about five breaths at whatever stage you reach. If you practise the Ashtanga roll-up, pad the floor and learn it with a teacher.
You will meet it in Ashtanga practice and in some vinyasa classes.
