What is the exhale instruction for Wide Leg Forward Fold with a Shoulder Bind?

• A. Hold
• B. Exhale
• C. Inhale
• D. Breath normally

Answer: (B)

Bringing the breath into this pose coordinates the movement: you use the exhale to fold forward and release into the bound position. Exhaling helps soften the neck and shoulders and lets the chest and hips settle, creating space for the arms to reach behind and complete the shoulder bind. The inhale then helps lengthen the spine as you unfold upward or settle deeper, but the cue specific to this exhale is to exhale, deepening the fold and release.

Holding or simply breathing normally don’t provide a targeted breath cue for this transition, and inhaling would typically cue lengthening rather than the fold and bind.