Prasarita Padottanasana B is the second variation of the wide-legged forward fold and is unique among the four in that the hands remain on the hips throughout the pose. This seemingly simpler hand position actually makes the fold more challenging because the hands provide no ground contact to assist the fold or support balance. The B variation particularly emphasizes the connection between uddiyana bandha and the depth of the forward fold, as the practitioner must rely entirely on hip flexion and gravity without arm assistance.

The name follows the same root as the A variation: prasarita (spread), pada (foot), uttana (intense stretch). The B designation indicates the second of four hand-position variations. In the counting system used at KPJAYI, the letter corresponds to the Sanskrit vowel order, with A being the first and D the fourth.

Prasarita Padottanasana B has 5 vinyasa. Continuing from the standing position after Prasarita A (feet remain wide), inhale (1) — place the hands on the hips, lift the chest. Exhale (2) — fold forward with hands remaining on hips. Inhale, look up with a flat back (still hands on hips). Exhale (3) — fold completely for five breaths, crown of the head toward the floor (state). Inhale (4) — look up with a flat back, hands on hips. Inhale (5) — rise to standing. The feet remain in the wide position for Prasarita C.

From the standing wide-legged position after completing Prasarita A, place the hands firmly on the hips with the fingers wrapping forward and the thumbs pressing into the sacrum area. On the inhale, lift the chest and extend the spine. On the exhale, fold forward from the hip crease, keeping the hands on the hips throughout the descent. The hands on the hips provide tactile feedback for the anterior tilt of the pelvis as the torso folds. Look up momentarily, then exhale into the full fold.

In the full expression, the crown of the head reaches toward or touches the floor while the hands remain firmly on the hips. The elbows draw back, which helps open the chest even in the forward fold. Without the hands on the floor for support, the depth of the fold depends entirely on hamstring flexibility, hip flexion, and bandha engagement. The legs stay straight and the quadriceps are strongly engaged. The spine maintains as much length as possible. Hold for five deep breaths, using the exhales to release deeper into the fold.

On the inhale of vinyasa 4, look up with a flat back while keeping the hands on the hips. On the next inhale (5), use the strength of the back and legs to rise all the way to standing, maintaining the hands on the hips. This standing-up action without hand support requires significant core and back extensor strength. Remain in the wide-legged standing position and transition directly into Prasarita C.

The drishti is nasagra (nose tip) during the held state of the fold. Because the hands are on the hips rather than on the floor, the orientation of the head is the same as in Prasarita A — the gaze settles softly on the nose. On the look-up transitions, the eyes lift forward. The consistent nasagra drishti across all four Prasarita variations helps maintain continuity of focus.

This variation provides perhaps the clearest demonstration of uddiyana bandha's role in forward folding. Without hands on the floor to assist the fold, the practitioner must rely on the deep engagement of the lower abdomen drawing in and up to create space for the torso to descend between the legs. The absence of arm support makes bandha engagement not just beneficial but essential. Mula bandha provides the pelvic floor stability needed to fold deeply without collapsing the lumbar spine.

The feet maintain the same wide, parallel position established in Prasarita A. The hands on the hips help the practitioner feel the anterior tilt of the pelvis — the fingers on the front of the hip crease provide feedback about whether the fold is initiating from the hips or the waist. The elbows draw backward, opening the chest and preventing the shoulders from rounding forward. The spine remains long throughout the fold, with the intention to bring the sternum toward the floor.

Students commonly round the entire spine into a C-curve because the lack of hand support makes it harder to fold from the hips. The hands on the hips often slip or become loose — they should maintain firm contact throughout. Some students hold the breath during the fold because the abdominal engagement required is unfamiliar. The transition from the fold to standing is often performed with a rounded back rather than a flat back, which strains the lower back. Students may also unconsciously narrow the stance from the A variation.

The muscular demands of the B variation shift from the A variation because the arms are not providing support or traction. The erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, and gluteal muscles must work eccentrically to control the descent. The hamstrings receive the same stretch as in Prasarita A. The hip flexors (psoas, iliacus) work to deepen the fold. Rising from the fold requires significant concentric contraction of the erector spinae and gluteus maximus, making this variation strengthening as well as stretching.

The hands-on-hips position provides direct tactile feedback that helps retrain hip-hinge mechanics, making this variation particularly valuable for students who habitually round the lower back in forward folds. The strengthening of the back extensors and gluteal muscles during the rise from the fold is therapeutic for lower back weakness. The cardiovascular benefits of the partial inversion remain present as in all Prasarita variations.

Students who cannot fold deeply with hands on hips may shorten the hold time rather than modifying the hand position, as the hands-on-hips aspect is the defining feature of the variation. If the student cannot maintain a flat back during the fold, bending the knees slightly preserves the hip-hinge pattern. For students who struggle to rise from the fold without hand support, the ascent can be performed more slowly with knees slightly bent, building back extensor strength progressively.

Prasarita A, which directly precedes this variation, establishes the wide-legged fold pattern with the additional support of hands on the floor. The hamstrings and adductors are already warm from the previous standing poses. The back extensor strength developed through the Surya Namaskara transitions prepares for the hands-free fold and rise.

Prasarita C follows immediately, changing the hand position to interlaced fingers behind the back, which introduces a shoulder stretch. The series of four variations with progressively different hand positions provides internal variety while maintaining the same fundamental fold. Standing tall between variations with the hands on the hips serves as a brief neutral position.

Removing the hand support in the B variation teaches self-reliance and trust in the body's internal mechanisms. The practitioner cannot lean on external support (the floor) and must instead develop internal resources (bandha, strength, flexibility). This mirrors the broader yogic teaching of developing inner stability rather than depending on external circumstances. The simplicity of the hand position — just the hips — strips the pose to its essence and asks the practitioner to confront the forward fold without props or assists.