Have you ever had a really tough Yoga or Pilates class and woke up with back pain the next day?
Back pain isn’t inherently bad; the type of back pain determines if it’s good or bad.
When we do exercises that work our back muscles, often we cheat and use other muscles instead. So when we’re forced to actually work those back muscles, they’re sore the next day, just like lifting weights can make you sore.
A typical “cheat” is in Bhujangasana (Cobra pose). We are lay on our belly, legs extended straight back behind us and hip width apart, hands our under our shoulders, we draw the shoulderheads back, shoulderblades sliding down our back, and peel our chest up off the floor, coming into a mini-backbend, the navel pulling towards the spine (rather than pushing into the floor) to support the lower back. Often we use our arms to push ourselves up into the pose. This wrong on two fronts. The first is that it defeats the purpose of working the back muscles. And the second I’ll talk about in a moment. So next time you do Easy Cobra, try lifting your hands off the floor and see how far you body dips back down to the mat. If you don’t dip down at all, you’re using your back muscles to achieve the backbend, which strengthens the back muscles, the spinal stabilizers, and yes you may be a little sore in your upper back the next day if you’ve done a lot of them.
The second reason why this cheat is bad is that by using the arms, we can force much more of backbend than our body is able to safely handle. When we force a backbend, the lumbar spine (lower spine) is what takes the most amount of pressure and we pay for it the next day with a sharp pain in the lower back.
Other misalignments that can cause bad back pain when doing backbends are:
• Allowing the legs to splay. This crunches the sacroiliac joint (SI Joint) and causes lower back pain.
• Not pulling the shoulderheads back and the shoulderblades down the back. This reduces the amount of bend in the thoracic (upper) spine making the lumbar (lower) spine take all the pressure. Again this causes lower back pain.
• Throwing the head back and jutting the chin. This crunches the cervical spine (back of the neck) and causes neck and shoulder pain.
• Not engaging the abdominal muscles. Even through we’re doing a backbend and the front of the body is stretching while the back of the body is working, we shouldn’t let our belly go slack. By gently pulling the navel in towards our spine, we support our lower back and reduce the likelihood of pain the following day.
Backbends should be graceful arcs…think of a drawn bow. At no point should they have a jagged point like one might see in an arrow.
And anytime you’re doing backbends, you should bring your body back into balance with forward bends to counteract the stresses placed on the body. And if the backbends were deep backbends, do a transitional pose/exercise between it and the forward bend. Twists are great for neutralizing the body. Think of it as the ginger that refreshes the palate before eating your next bite of sushi.
In general, if the pain you feel is superficial (close to the surface) and you feel a good stretch as you move, it’s likely sore muscle pain. If the pain you feel is deep and sharp with any movement or when not moving, it’s likely due to improper stresses placed on the body.
In Yoga one of the Yamas (precepts of social discipline) is the concept of Ahimsa (non-violence). I ask my students to practice this principle during their exercise. Discover the difference between the pain caused by exertion versus the pain caused by doing harm to the body.
Listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right when you’re doing it, it likely isn’t right.
Namaste.
26 September 2009
18 September 2009
Yoga Retreat Oct 9th-11th at the Yoga Lodge
Last weekend I was at a Yoga Teachers Retreat at the Yoga Lodge on Whidbey Island. It was a true treat.
One of the clubs I teach at will be hosting a retreat Oct 9th-11th. If you're interested in attending, here's the details. Unfortunately, I'll be working so I can't attend.
Join the Redmond Athletic Club Yoga Retreat and immerse yourself in a peaceful place that calms your mind and allows you to step away from demands of daily life, relax, and let go.
The Yoga Lodge is a beautiful sanctuary; a world away from your own. In three shared rooms, the lodge sleeps 11. If you prefer to camp onsite or stay offside we’ll still enjoy meals as a group. Maximum capacity is 20.
Fees include 7+ hours of yoga practice/meditation, mostly organic vegetarian meals and shared accommodations/bath for those staying onsite. Ferry costs and transportation aren’t included. The lodge also offers a sauna, a private pond, trails, and meadow, space to enjoy writing, reading, or a nap.
Schedule
Friday, Oct 9th
3:30pm Check in
5-6:30pm Active Yoga
6:30-8pm Dinner
8:30-9:15pm Restorative Yoga
Saturday, Oct 10th
7-8:30am Active Yoga
8:30-9:30am Breakfast
9:30am-1pm: Free time
1-2pm Lunch
2-5pm Active Yoga
6:30-8pm Dinner
8:30-9:15pm Restorative Yoga
Sunday, Oct 11th
7-8:30am Active Yoga
8:30-9:30am Breakfast
12pm Sack Lunch and check out
Pricing
$350 Retreat with Lodging/Meals
$310 Retreat with onsite Camping/Meals
$190 Retreat with Meals only
Contact Redmond Athletic Club to sign up
425.883.4449
One of the clubs I teach at will be hosting a retreat Oct 9th-11th. If you're interested in attending, here's the details. Unfortunately, I'll be working so I can't attend.
Join the Redmond Athletic Club Yoga Retreat and immerse yourself in a peaceful place that calms your mind and allows you to step away from demands of daily life, relax, and let go.
The Yoga Lodge is a beautiful sanctuary; a world away from your own. In three shared rooms, the lodge sleeps 11. If you prefer to camp onsite or stay offside we’ll still enjoy meals as a group. Maximum capacity is 20.
Fees include 7+ hours of yoga practice/meditation, mostly organic vegetarian meals and shared accommodations/bath for those staying onsite. Ferry costs and transportation aren’t included. The lodge also offers a sauna, a private pond, trails, and meadow, space to enjoy writing, reading, or a nap.
Schedule
Friday, Oct 9th
3:30pm Check in
5-6:30pm Active Yoga
6:30-8pm Dinner
8:30-9:15pm Restorative Yoga
Saturday, Oct 10th
7-8:30am Active Yoga
8:30-9:30am Breakfast
9:30am-1pm: Free time
1-2pm Lunch
2-5pm Active Yoga
6:30-8pm Dinner
8:30-9:15pm Restorative Yoga
Sunday, Oct 11th
7-8:30am Active Yoga
8:30-9:30am Breakfast
12pm Sack Lunch and check out
Pricing
$350 Retreat with Lodging/Meals
$310 Retreat with onsite Camping/Meals
$190 Retreat with Meals only
Contact Redmond Athletic Club to sign up
425.883.4449
Duty
“No one should relinquish his duty even though it is flawed — all actions are enveloped by flaws as fire is enveloped by smoke.” — Excerpt from the Bhagavad-Gita
Last weekend at a Yoga Teachers Retreat my group was asked to take the above excerpt and present it to our peers the next day.
As with anything determining the meaning behind specific words is key to gaining understanding.
Lets begin with the word “duty”. Does duty mean taking out the trash, doing homework, going to work, taking care of our family? I think in this case, we can take “duty” to mean “Dharma”.
Dharma essentially means the natural law of things. In the context of this quote, I believe it means one’s purpose in life.
The Bhagavad-Gita tells us that we have the right to action, the right to work, the right to duty. But we do not have the right to the fruits of those actions, work, or duty.
We need to give up selfish attachments and do our best without insisting that things turn out the way that we want them to.
Once we can accept this attitude, we are freed. Freed to act, freed to work, freed to do our duty with a clear mind and unburdened heart.
The idea is “surrender”. Once we have surrendered to Dharma, we do not act. We allow actions to flow through us.
And no one relinquishes Dharma, then all is perfect, there will be no flaws.
We are not things of name and form, we are not a world of innumerable separates; we are one. See yourself in everyone, in everything around you. All is but a partial reflection. With this partial reflection illuminating but one small part of a whole.
If you have read the Bhagavad Gita, then you do not understand. But study the Bhagavad Gita, contemplate the truths revealed in the Bhagavad Gita, then all magically snaps into place. Connections of thought and ideas coalesce and we are reminded of that single truth: All is the same, all is one, separateness is an illusion.
As teachers and practitioners we know this, we say as much, we share the message with others. But everyone once in a while we must stop the parroting and internalize the message, reconnect with it, know it for what it is.
Like the Yoga Sutras, I believe the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, and the Upanishads are meant to be read and re-read. Each time something new resonates within yourself, each time you gain more knowledge, more understanding.
My teacher trainer, Catherine Munro, put it best:
The Sutras are meant for deep contemplation throughout the entirety of your life. The reason for this is that life influences you, changes your perception of things, and at different times in our lives we are open to different things. Therefore if you study the Sutras multiple times throughout your life, your difference perspectives will give you a fuller understanding and bring you closer to enlightenment.
These aren’t her exact words but the essence of the message is there.
So if you haven’t already. I encourage you to stop by your local bookseller and pick up one of these three books. Connect with them. Find your own Dharma to find bliss.
Namaste.
Last weekend at a Yoga Teachers Retreat my group was asked to take the above excerpt and present it to our peers the next day.
As with anything determining the meaning behind specific words is key to gaining understanding.
Lets begin with the word “duty”. Does duty mean taking out the trash, doing homework, going to work, taking care of our family? I think in this case, we can take “duty” to mean “Dharma”.
Dharma essentially means the natural law of things. In the context of this quote, I believe it means one’s purpose in life.
The Bhagavad-Gita tells us that we have the right to action, the right to work, the right to duty. But we do not have the right to the fruits of those actions, work, or duty.
We need to give up selfish attachments and do our best without insisting that things turn out the way that we want them to.
Once we can accept this attitude, we are freed. Freed to act, freed to work, freed to do our duty with a clear mind and unburdened heart.
The idea is “surrender”. Once we have surrendered to Dharma, we do not act. We allow actions to flow through us.
And no one relinquishes Dharma, then all is perfect, there will be no flaws.
We are not things of name and form, we are not a world of innumerable separates; we are one. See yourself in everyone, in everything around you. All is but a partial reflection. With this partial reflection illuminating but one small part of a whole.
If you have read the Bhagavad Gita, then you do not understand. But study the Bhagavad Gita, contemplate the truths revealed in the Bhagavad Gita, then all magically snaps into place. Connections of thought and ideas coalesce and we are reminded of that single truth: All is the same, all is one, separateness is an illusion.
As teachers and practitioners we know this, we say as much, we share the message with others. But everyone once in a while we must stop the parroting and internalize the message, reconnect with it, know it for what it is.
Like the Yoga Sutras, I believe the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada, and the Upanishads are meant to be read and re-read. Each time something new resonates within yourself, each time you gain more knowledge, more understanding.
My teacher trainer, Catherine Munro, put it best:
The Sutras are meant for deep contemplation throughout the entirety of your life. The reason for this is that life influences you, changes your perception of things, and at different times in our lives we are open to different things. Therefore if you study the Sutras multiple times throughout your life, your difference perspectives will give you a fuller understanding and bring you closer to enlightenment.
These aren’t her exact words but the essence of the message is there.
So if you haven’t already. I encourage you to stop by your local bookseller and pick up one of these three books. Connect with them. Find your own Dharma to find bliss.
Namaste.
11 September 2009
Directing Prana
The breath animates, sustains, and nourishes our body. It is the most essential, vital, and intimate relationship we have with life.
By regulating our breath we can enhance our physical and mental performance. For example:
• A quiet, soft, and calm breath leads to a composed and peaceful experience.
• An even, deep, and regular breath can build stamina and heat.
• A harsh, irregular breath can lead to injurious practice and induce reactive behaviour.
Thousands of years ago, Yogis realized the importance of an adequate oxygen supply. To help revitalize the mind and body, and control Prana (vital life energy) they developed and perfected various breathing techniques.
You can also take advantage of these Pranayama Exercises.
Dirga
The Three-Part Breath is considered a focusing breath because we are focusing our breath alternately breathing into the belly, chest, and back.
For students first learning this breath, I recommend a slightly unconventional way of learning to breath into the different sections of the lungs. Rather than doing them in a smooth progression, I recommend taking each individually.
Begin by lying on your back, I like the knees to be bent and feet flat on the floor. Spine is in a neutral alignment. Begin to take long deep belly breaths allowing the belly to rise on each inhale, and with each exhale the navel falls gently back towards the spine. Do 10 of these breaths.
For the next 10 breaths, gently pull the navel in towards the spine, stilling the belly and directing the breath into the upper chest. Now the chest rises and falls while the belly remains relatively still.
For the last 10 breaths, while gently pulling the navel in towards the spine, think of lifting it up under the ribcage and cinching in the side waists. Now hold the belly and chest still while sending your breath into your side and back ribs. You should feel your ribs expanding out to the sides and pressing down into the mat.
Once you are able to confidently direct your breath through the different sections of your lungs, you’re ready to move on.
Begin by breathing into your belly, once the belly is full, continue to inhale and begin to expand the side ribs, and with the last part of the inhale fill the upper chest/low throat area.
And ask you exhale, begin by emptying the upper chest, collapsing the side ribs inward, then with the last of your exhale, allowing the navel to fall towards the spine.
The breath moves through each section smoothly like an undulating ribbon or a gentle wave.
Kapalabhati
The Skull Shining Breath is considered a very cleansing breath.
Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, an easy cross-legged position. Allow your inhales to occur softly, passively. Then with each exhale, sharply and forcefully expel the air from your lungs, pulling the navel into the spine. Continue this rhythm of passive inhales and forceful exhales 20 times then take 4 long deep breaths and repeat.
The rhythm of your breaths should be quick but not so quick that the inhale becomes forced. Allow the relaxation of the belly to draw the air into the vaccum rather then consciously sending the air in.
Nadi Sodhana
The Alternate Nostil Breath is a balancing breath because we are intervening in a autonomic process that is inherently unbalanced and introducing order. Though we have two nostrils, we only breath through one nostril at any given moment. Throughout the day the nostril we breath through will shift to the other. This shift usually occurs every two hours but is variable depending on the individual. The less healthy we are, the longer between nostril shifts. And I’m sure that you’ve all heard that disuse or little use causes strain on the system and sometimes injury. This is true for car engines, plumbing in a house, and even our bodies.
Our nasal cycles also correspond to brain function. When we’re breathing through our right nostril, the left side of our brain has higher activity. Therefore balancing our the breathing is important not just to our physical health but to our mental health as well.
To begin, sit in an easy cross-legged position and place your right thumb against your right nostril and breath in through your left nostril to the count of four. Then close your left nostril with your ring finger and pinky, while lifting your thumb from your right nostril as you exhale through the right. Now inhale through the right nostril, switch, and exhale through the left nostril. Continue this for four cycles then return to normal breathing.
Only perform Nadi Sodhana if you’re nasal passages are unobstructed. Do not perform if you have a cold. Forced inhalation through a congested nostril can cause injury.
Shitali
Shitali is a cooling breath that is beneficial during really hot weather or when you need to cool yourself during or after a vigorous Yoga practice.
Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, the roll up the sides of the tongue creating a U-shape with the tongue partially extruding from your lips. Inhale gently through your mouth feeling the cool air run along the tongue and directed into the body. Then exhale through the nose.
Ujjayi
The Victorious Breath is a heating and energizing breath that’s a perfect complement to Suryas (Sun Salutations) or Vinyasas. It can give you that boost to get through those endurance challenging sequences.
Begin to cultivate an Ujjayi breath by constricting the back of your throat as if you were saying “Hah” or trying to fog up a mirror. In fact, go ahead and say “Hah” 3 times long and drawn out.
Now continue to inhale and exhale deeply and evenly through your nose while keeping this gentle throat constriction. This constriction of the throat creates a resistance and channeling affect to the air as its breathed, heating and energizing you.
The sound of your Ujjayi breath should be soft and personal. The person right next to you may hear you but the person on the other side of them should not. Your breath should be long and even, and without force. It is a gentle breath that should not require great effort to maintain.
So in review:
Dirga / Three Part Breath (Focusing)
• Alternate breathing into the belly, chest, and back
Kapalabhati / Skull Shinging Breath (Cleansing)
• Passive inhale, forced exhale
Nadi Sodhana / Alternate Nostril Breathing (Balancing)
• Inhale one nostril, exhale through other
Shitali (Cooling)
• Inhale through rolled tongue, exhale through nose
Ujjayi / Victorious Breath (Heating and Energizing)
• Deep and even through partially constricted glottis
I hope this week’s tip helps you to recognize the mirror between your breath and your thoughts/actions/moods. Then rejoice in the knowledge that you can influence each by simply controlling how you breathe.
Namaste.
By regulating our breath we can enhance our physical and mental performance. For example:
• A quiet, soft, and calm breath leads to a composed and peaceful experience.
• An even, deep, and regular breath can build stamina and heat.
• A harsh, irregular breath can lead to injurious practice and induce reactive behaviour.
Thousands of years ago, Yogis realized the importance of an adequate oxygen supply. To help revitalize the mind and body, and control Prana (vital life energy) they developed and perfected various breathing techniques.
You can also take advantage of these Pranayama Exercises.
Dirga
The Three-Part Breath is considered a focusing breath because we are focusing our breath alternately breathing into the belly, chest, and back.
For students first learning this breath, I recommend a slightly unconventional way of learning to breath into the different sections of the lungs. Rather than doing them in a smooth progression, I recommend taking each individually.
Begin by lying on your back, I like the knees to be bent and feet flat on the floor. Spine is in a neutral alignment. Begin to take long deep belly breaths allowing the belly to rise on each inhale, and with each exhale the navel falls gently back towards the spine. Do 10 of these breaths.
For the next 10 breaths, gently pull the navel in towards the spine, stilling the belly and directing the breath into the upper chest. Now the chest rises and falls while the belly remains relatively still.
For the last 10 breaths, while gently pulling the navel in towards the spine, think of lifting it up under the ribcage and cinching in the side waists. Now hold the belly and chest still while sending your breath into your side and back ribs. You should feel your ribs expanding out to the sides and pressing down into the mat.
Once you are able to confidently direct your breath through the different sections of your lungs, you’re ready to move on.
Begin by breathing into your belly, once the belly is full, continue to inhale and begin to expand the side ribs, and with the last part of the inhale fill the upper chest/low throat area.
And ask you exhale, begin by emptying the upper chest, collapsing the side ribs inward, then with the last of your exhale, allowing the navel to fall towards the spine.
The breath moves through each section smoothly like an undulating ribbon or a gentle wave.
Kapalabhati
The Skull Shining Breath is considered a very cleansing breath.
Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, an easy cross-legged position. Allow your inhales to occur softly, passively. Then with each exhale, sharply and forcefully expel the air from your lungs, pulling the navel into the spine. Continue this rhythm of passive inhales and forceful exhales 20 times then take 4 long deep breaths and repeat.
The rhythm of your breaths should be quick but not so quick that the inhale becomes forced. Allow the relaxation of the belly to draw the air into the vaccum rather then consciously sending the air in.
Nadi Sodhana
The Alternate Nostil Breath is a balancing breath because we are intervening in a autonomic process that is inherently unbalanced and introducing order. Though we have two nostrils, we only breath through one nostril at any given moment. Throughout the day the nostril we breath through will shift to the other. This shift usually occurs every two hours but is variable depending on the individual. The less healthy we are, the longer between nostril shifts. And I’m sure that you’ve all heard that disuse or little use causes strain on the system and sometimes injury. This is true for car engines, plumbing in a house, and even our bodies.
Our nasal cycles also correspond to brain function. When we’re breathing through our right nostril, the left side of our brain has higher activity. Therefore balancing our the breathing is important not just to our physical health but to our mental health as well.
To begin, sit in an easy cross-legged position and place your right thumb against your right nostril and breath in through your left nostril to the count of four. Then close your left nostril with your ring finger and pinky, while lifting your thumb from your right nostril as you exhale through the right. Now inhale through the right nostril, switch, and exhale through the left nostril. Continue this for four cycles then return to normal breathing.
Only perform Nadi Sodhana if you’re nasal passages are unobstructed. Do not perform if you have a cold. Forced inhalation through a congested nostril can cause injury.
Shitali
Shitali is a cooling breath that is beneficial during really hot weather or when you need to cool yourself during or after a vigorous Yoga practice.
Begin by sitting in Sukhasana, the roll up the sides of the tongue creating a U-shape with the tongue partially extruding from your lips. Inhale gently through your mouth feeling the cool air run along the tongue and directed into the body. Then exhale through the nose.
Ujjayi
The Victorious Breath is a heating and energizing breath that’s a perfect complement to Suryas (Sun Salutations) or Vinyasas. It can give you that boost to get through those endurance challenging sequences.
Begin to cultivate an Ujjayi breath by constricting the back of your throat as if you were saying “Hah” or trying to fog up a mirror. In fact, go ahead and say “Hah” 3 times long and drawn out.
Now continue to inhale and exhale deeply and evenly through your nose while keeping this gentle throat constriction. This constriction of the throat creates a resistance and channeling affect to the air as its breathed, heating and energizing you.
The sound of your Ujjayi breath should be soft and personal. The person right next to you may hear you but the person on the other side of them should not. Your breath should be long and even, and without force. It is a gentle breath that should not require great effort to maintain.
So in review:
Dirga / Three Part Breath (Focusing)
• Alternate breathing into the belly, chest, and back
Kapalabhati / Skull Shinging Breath (Cleansing)
• Passive inhale, forced exhale
Nadi Sodhana / Alternate Nostril Breathing (Balancing)
• Inhale one nostril, exhale through other
Shitali (Cooling)
• Inhale through rolled tongue, exhale through nose
Ujjayi / Victorious Breath (Heating and Energizing)
• Deep and even through partially constricted glottis
I hope this week’s tip helps you to recognize the mirror between your breath and your thoughts/actions/moods. Then rejoice in the knowledge that you can influence each by simply controlling how you breathe.
Namaste.
07 September 2009
Prolong Your Life
Yogis and Yoginis measure their life by the number of their breaths rather than the number of their years. So take long deep measured breaths to extend your life =)
04 September 2009
Hippy Warriors
Hip alignment plays an important role in mastering the Warriors (Virabhadrasana I, II, and III) and we can start with proper positioning of the feet.
In Vira II, the body is facing to the side, arms outstretched to the sides, parallel with the floor, and the dristi (gaze) is powerfully directed over the forward hand.
To facilitate proper opening of the hips, the forward heel should be in line with the arch of the back foot. So when doing vinyasas and lunging your foot forward, place it directly between the hands before windmilling your arms up to Warrior II.
After your feet are properly aligned, turn your attention to the levelness of your hips. Most of us need to consciously pick the front hip up off our thigh so that both hip bones are level with one another, tailbone drawing down towards the floor, allowing the torso to lengthen up towards the ceiling.
When performing Vira I, the entire body is squared towards the front of the mat and arms are outstretched towards the sky.
If you’re having a difficult time squaring your hips towards the front of the mat, take a look at your feet. Unlike Vira II, your front heel should be in line with the heel of your back foot (or even have a little more space in between!). So when doing vinyasas and lunging your foot forward, place it close to the hand on the same side, pivot the back heel to the floor and take a quick glance back to make sure the feet are properly place then rise up into a glorious Warrior I. This slight alteration in the feet is what gives you enough space to square forward.
Virabhadrasana III is an amazing pose when performed correctly though most of unintentionally “cheat” making the pose easier but also putting stress on our ligaments and tendons.
In Vira III, the body is in Tadasana but teeter-tottered forward creating a T-shape. Your standing leg’s foot should be pointed straight forward and directly under the hip of that same leg. Most people “cheat” a little and lean their hips backwards behind the foot since it’s much easier to balance and you feel less like you’re falling forward. The hips should be squared towards the floor, hipbones pointing straight down. The tendency is to roll the hip open but this causes a twist in the body that we do not want. An easy way to help facilitate the squaring of the hips is to flex your back foot and point the toes straight down towards the floor. It’s quite difficult to have the toes pointing down while rolling the hip open to the side. Once your hips are properly aligned, reach out through your fingertips and heel, creating length and space.
Just like a house of cards, success and stability begins with a proper foundation. So place your feet properly and your hips will follow.
Namaste
In Vira II, the body is facing to the side, arms outstretched to the sides, parallel with the floor, and the dristi (gaze) is powerfully directed over the forward hand.
To facilitate proper opening of the hips, the forward heel should be in line with the arch of the back foot. So when doing vinyasas and lunging your foot forward, place it directly between the hands before windmilling your arms up to Warrior II.
After your feet are properly aligned, turn your attention to the levelness of your hips. Most of us need to consciously pick the front hip up off our thigh so that both hip bones are level with one another, tailbone drawing down towards the floor, allowing the torso to lengthen up towards the ceiling.
When performing Vira I, the entire body is squared towards the front of the mat and arms are outstretched towards the sky.
If you’re having a difficult time squaring your hips towards the front of the mat, take a look at your feet. Unlike Vira II, your front heel should be in line with the heel of your back foot (or even have a little more space in between!). So when doing vinyasas and lunging your foot forward, place it close to the hand on the same side, pivot the back heel to the floor and take a quick glance back to make sure the feet are properly place then rise up into a glorious Warrior I. This slight alteration in the feet is what gives you enough space to square forward.
Virabhadrasana III is an amazing pose when performed correctly though most of unintentionally “cheat” making the pose easier but also putting stress on our ligaments and tendons.
In Vira III, the body is in Tadasana but teeter-tottered forward creating a T-shape. Your standing leg’s foot should be pointed straight forward and directly under the hip of that same leg. Most people “cheat” a little and lean their hips backwards behind the foot since it’s much easier to balance and you feel less like you’re falling forward. The hips should be squared towards the floor, hipbones pointing straight down. The tendency is to roll the hip open but this causes a twist in the body that we do not want. An easy way to help facilitate the squaring of the hips is to flex your back foot and point the toes straight down towards the floor. It’s quite difficult to have the toes pointing down while rolling the hip open to the side. Once your hips are properly aligned, reach out through your fingertips and heel, creating length and space.
Just like a house of cards, success and stability begins with a proper foundation. So place your feet properly and your hips will follow.
Namaste
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