Peak Pose: Baddha Konasana – Hugger Mugger

I wish to sequence my asana courses in an arc. Which means that we begin sluggish, work as much as extra sophisticated poses, after which cool right down to an extended, luxurious Savasana. We apply a number of “peak” poses in the course of the apply. Once we consider the idea of a peak pose, we frequently consider excessive backbends and arm balances—poses which might be unattainable for most individuals due to skeletal restrictions. In fact, among the most humble, pedestrian-seeming poses—seated ahead bends—are literally tougher than they seem. Right this moment, we’ll discover learn how to sequence a category to work towards Baddha Konasana (Certain Angle Pose) as a peak pose.

Not All Hip Joints Are Made for Baddha Konasana

Baddha Konasana could look easy, however there’s really rather a lot that should occur for the physique to have the ability to apply it safely. First, it’s a must to have a hip joint construction that permits for excessive exterior rotation and abduction. Stretching the apparent muscle tissue—internal thighs, quadriceps, hips and hamstrings—is useful, however for an individual whose hip sockets are positioned extra anteriorly, and particularly if these sockets are deep, no quantity of flexibility will enable the knees to succeed in the ground.

So it’s vital to know that getting the knees to the ground will not be the purpose. The purpose is to discover a sense of ease and stability in no matter pose you’re training, it doesn’t matter what it appears to be like like. Nonetheless, there are methods to extend the convenience, even when your hip joints usually are not made for exterior rotation.

Concentrate on Your Backbone

In case your knees are nowhere close to the ground on this pose, it may be most useful to focus in your spinal place as a substitute of your thigh place. When the knees are larger than the anterior superior iliac spines (hip bones), it’s fairly difficult to tilt the pelvis ahead in order that your backbone can preserve its pure curves. If that is so for you, sit on a number of folded yoga blankets, place your fingers subsequent to your hips and press down into your blankets to assist tilt your pelvic rim ahead. Except you possibly can bend ahead by main with the pelvis—not the waist—I wouldn’t advocate bending ahead.

Listed below are the actions vital for training a wholesome Baddha Konasana:

• Exterior rotation
• Abduction (thigh bone extends out from the middle; which means the adductors (internal thigh muscle tissue) want to elongate)
• Impartial backbone (spinal curves are of their pure “S” form)

Prep Poses for Baddha Konasana

To be able to put together the physique for Baddha Konasana, we have to each heat and stretch the muscle tissue that create these actions. After all, there are many yoga poses that may be useful. I provide some ideas under, however it may be a enjoyable exploration to think about poses by way of these actions, and add your personal concepts to the sequence. The hyperlinks under include detailed directions for every pose listed.

Prasarita Padottanasana (Vast-Legged Ahead Bend Pose)

I really like beginning with standing poses as a result of they strengthen (heat) and stretch the leg muscle tissue concurrently. This explicit pose focuses in on the internal thighs and hamstrings. Once you apply, interact the internal thighs by drawing them up towards the hip joints.

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose)

Warrior poses are robust, warming poses. Warrior II, particularly, helps abduction in each legs and exterior rotation within the bent leg.

Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

Like Warrior II, Trikonasana helps abduction and exterior rotation, however it additionally provides hamstring stretching to the combination.

Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)

Ardha Chandrasana helps exterior rotation and abduction, and additional stretches the hamstrings. It additionally warms the muscle tissue of the standing leg.

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Prolonged Hand-to-Massive-Toe Pose)

For those who take a look at this pose, you possibly can see that it’s primarily the identical form as Ardha Chandrasana and Supta Padangusthasana, however with a special orientation to gravity. It additional warms the muscle tissue of the standing leg and helps abduction and exterior rotation.

Ardha Virasana (Half Hero Pose)

Now that you just’ve warmed up your leg muscle tissue, you possibly can start to concentrate on stretching. I like to begin with the quadriceps. After all, in case your knee feels uncomfortable on this pose, please modify, or skip it. The quads ought to already be fairly warmed up after all of the standing poses, so it’s okay to skip this if it’s problematic to your knees.

Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Massive-Toe Pose)

The primary two variations of this pose (stretching the leg straight upward and stretching it out to the facet), may help launch the hamstrings and the adductors.

Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Ahead Bend Pose)

On this pose, the bent knee is in Baddha Konasana place. It may be useful to stretch the adductors one by one on this place earlier than making an attempt to stretch each concurrently. Make sure you sit on loads of help in order that your pelvis can provoke the ahead bend.

Upavista Konasana (Seated Angle Pose)

It needs to be apparent why this pose could be useful for stretching the adductors. It additionally gives a bit extra stretch for the hamstrings.

Baddha Konasana (Certain Angle Pose)

Lastly! Time to apply the height pose. Do not forget that getting the knees to the ground will not be vital. As a substitute, probably the most useful motion is to increase the internal thighs outward from the pelvis. As all the time, ensure you have sufficient help beneath your hips in order that your backbone may be straight.

Paschimottanasana (Seated Ahead Bend Pose)

A relaxed Paschimottanasana will assist you transition to an easeful Savasana.

If you’re brief on time, be happy to skip a few of these poses. They’re all supporting of Baddha Konasana, however you don’t essentially must apply all of them to learn.

If you’d like extra info on hip-healthy apply, take a look at this e book: Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced educating in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Purple Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards.