Featured Pose Triangle Pose

by Baxter

Triangle pose (Utthita Trikonasana) is one of the most commonly practiced standing poses, and for good reasons! This accessible pose can help build upper and lower body strength, can increase upper and lower body flexibility, and can improve your balance. It is also easy to modify for those, like me, who lack the flexibility to bring the bottom hand to the floor. And if you have trouble with balance, you can do the pose with your back to the wall. Overall this pose creates a wonderful feeling of openness. Without being overly demanding, this pose can be energizing when you’re lethargic or uplifting when you’re feeling blue.

Because the poses stretches your legs and hips, it is a good way to warm up for seated forward bends and supported inverted poses. And because the pose lengthens your spine and is a mild twist, it is a good way to warm up for seated twists.

I prescribe this pose for: 

• general stiffness and tightness in legs and shoulders
• general muscular weakness
• improving core strength 
• improving balance

Even though this pose is commonly taught, there are some minor controversies out there in the yoga-sphere about how to do it “correctly,” so today I’m going to share my favorite way to do the pose. I'll start with instructions for getting into the pose, being in the pose, and getting out of the pose, then list the cautions you should consider before doing the pose at the end.

Instructions:

Moving Into the Pose. Start in Mountain pose (Tadasana) facing the long edge of your mat. 

1. Step your feet wide apart, somewhere between 4 and 5 feet, depending on how tall you are and how long your legs are.

2. Spinning on your right heel pad, turn your right foot AND leg out 90 degrees toward the right short edge of your mat. You can usually tell if you have your leg turned out correctly if your kneecap points in the same direction as your middle toe. (Depending on your particular anatomy, there are exceptions to this alignment, but it works most of the time.)

3. Next, pivoting on the ball of your left foot’s big toe, kick your left heel back an inch or two towards the left short edge of your mat. This will turn your left foot in a bit toward the front foot. (I know there are other ways to adjust the back foot, but I find this way the most efficient and stable for your balance.) Check to make sure that after you adjust both feet both heels still line up with one another relative to the long axis of your mat.

Also, once your legs have taken on the new relationship, your hips should have naturally rotated a bit towards your front foot. This means your left hip point has rotated around towards your inner right leg and your hip points are no longer parallel to the long edge of your mat, as they were when you started. I like this new arrangement, as it is pretty healthy for the front hip joint and the left sacroiliac joint! Now, the chest may have gone along for the ride, but see if you can easily rotate the chest back to the left a little so it squares back up with the long edge of your mat (but don’t take the hips along!).

4. After you’ve established your feet, inhale your arms up and out to your sides, parallel with the floor. Then as you exhale, reach out over your front leg like you have a letter in your right hand that you need to pass over a chasm to your beloved! This will encourage the right side of your waist and chest to stay long, and not shorten and curl towards the ceiling. It will also cause a slight shift of your pelvis initially back to the left bit, and then the right side of the pelvis will tip down a bit.

5. At this point, engage your legs to stay straight and strong as you place your right hand on a chair seat, a block, or the floor, depending on your flexibility. Your propping should allow the right side of your body to stay relatively long and straight—you might need to set up in front of mirror to actually see this alignment.

Keeping your hips in their new location (don’t let them spin up!), allow your upper belly and chest to rotate around the axis of your spine toward the long edge of the mat and possibly a bit more skyward. Stop this action if your feet become ungrounded, if your knees start to bend, or if your pelvis starts to spin up.

For Very Flexible People: Hand on the Floor

For Less Flexible People: Hand on a Prop

6. You can line your arms up with each other if your lower hand is on the floor or a low block, but the higher your propping the more variation you might need for your top arm. I see a lot of students jamming their left shoulders or throwing their top arm way back behind their chest. Instead, consider aligning your top arm with the top edge of your shoulders, even if it angles down a bit from vertical.

I prefer to have students keep their heads and necks lining up with the rest of their spine, but there are a lot of other ways this is taught. I won’t go into this here, but for the healthy aging neck, this way is pretty neutral in the joints. You can try to rotate your head to look up or even down (I like to vary my head position while in a longer hold).

Being in the Pose. To keep you grounded and stable in the pose, allow a downward movement of energy from your hips to your feet. At the same time, allow an upward energy starting in your feet, which gains support in your pelvis and then travels up through spine to the crown of the head. At the same time, spread your arms away from your heart toward your hands.

How long to stay in Triangle depends on many factors, but I start with dynamically entering and exiting the pose with the breath a few times, and then stay in the pose statically for just a few breaths or for as long as 2-3 minutes. The longer you are in it, the more stretch takes place in some areas and the more strength is required in others! Take your time advancing how long you stay in.

Leaving the Pose. Keep the strong, grounded feeling in your legs, and then on an inhalation, as if someone has grabbed your top hand and is assisting you up, pivot your hips and torso back to vertical. Then exhale your arms to yours sides and bring your feet back to parallel with each other before repeating the pose on the second side.

Cautions: People with a tendency to hyperextend their front knee should be careful to not to jam the front knee into a locked position. Instead, shift some weight from your front heel to the ball of your front foot and micro-bend your front knee. For people with low back pain or sacroiliac dysfunction, Triangle pose sometimes can aggravate your condition. So if you are experiencing low back or sacroiliac pain in the pose, come out of the Triangle pose immediately. Finally, Nina learned from one of her female teachers, that if done too often, Triangle pose can be risky for women’s hips. So Nina recommends doing this pose only a few times a week, not every single day.

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Featured Sequence Gentle All Around Practice

by Nina

This short sequence is designed for anyone who wants to get started with a short, gentle home yoga practice. This sequence is a great complement to our Low Back Care Practice and Mini Restorative Practice because it focuses on upper body flexibility, strength and balance, which are not addressed by the other sequences.

Although I originally designed this practice, Baxter reviewed it and made a modification—so it is officially Dr. Baxter Bell approved. We both hope you enjoy the practice!

1. Standing Shoulder openers (see Opening Tight Shoulders).

Releasing tight shoulders is important for the upper back and neck health, and is an important antidote for time spent in front of computers, driving, gardening, or other activities where you are reaching forward all day. If you have limited range of motion in one shoulder, just do the best you can, even if that means, for instance, taking your hand only half way up the wall rather than all the way. To make the sequence shorter, you could skip some of stretches (and alternate on different days of practice).

2. Half Dog pose at the Wall (see Half Dog Pose at the Wall). 

This pose is a wonderful all-over stretch because as it opens your shoulders it also stretches the sides of your torso, and, if you straighten your knees, it stretches the backs of your legs as well. It’s a perfect warm-up for standing poses!

3. Warrior 2 and Warrior 1 Mini Vinyasas (see Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 Mini Vinyasas).

Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 are classic standing poses that improve your balance (due to their wide leg stance), build leg strength (due to the bent front knee) and increase upper body strength (due to holding arms out to the side or over head). Practicing these as mini vinyasas (moving in and out of the poses with your breath), will improve balance and agility, and are a gentle versions of these poses. (Though this is not as strengthening as holding the poses for extended periods.)

For the Warrior 1 vinyasa, if you can’t hold your arms overhead, you can keep them in Namaste (prayer position) in front of your chest or place your hands on your hips.

4. Tree pose. 

Depending on your self confidence and your ability to balance, you can do this pose in any number of ways. If doing the pose in the middle of the room causes stress, stand in Tadasana (Mountain pose) with your left side near the wall. Shift your weight to the your left leg—if needed use your left fingertips on the wall to balance—and lift your right foot into any of the following positions:

• toes of the right foot on the floor, rest of the foot off the floor
• right foot on top of your left foot— but try not to have your right toes touch the floor
• sole of the right foot pressing against your left calf
• sole of your right foot pressing against your left thigh (above the knee)

5. Chair Twist (see Simple Chair Twist).

This pose releases back muscles that are stiff or sore from sitting at a desk or from traveling, or from everyday activities that stress the back, such as gardening and painting, and increases the rotational mobility in your spine. Twisting also helps nourish the spine—movement of the spine helps maintain the health of the discs—and also strengthens the bones themselves as your back muscles pull on the bony insertions of the spine. And it also strengthens the oblique muscles of your core. If you have a history of low back problems, please do this pose with a block between your thighs and twist only from the navel on up.

6. Easy Inverted Pose (see Easy Inverted Pose).

Resting your calves on a chair with a support under your pelvis puts your body into a slightly inverted position, so the blood flows from your legs down toward your heart making this pose a very calming inversion, which is also very restful for your leg muscles. If the support under your pelvis irritates your lower back, you can simply do the same pose without it.

NOTE: If you're reading this on the day it was posted, keep your eye out for a second post that recommends a weekly routine (including this sequence) that would be beneficial for anyone with back problems or who just wants to start practicing yoga at home.

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Featured Pose Reclined Leg Stretch Supta Padangusthasana

by Baxter

This classic stretch  pose is both a hip opener and a leg stretch, as it stretches your hips in several different directions while also stretching the backs of your legs and lengthening your lower back. It releases muscle tension in your legs and hips from sitting, standing, or walking. And because it releases physical stress from your lower body, it can be relaxing during stressful times or if you just tend to store stress in your body. Because the four versions get your hips moving through much of their range of motion, they are excellent for starting a longer practice or even just doing on their own as a mini practice.

Baxter prescribes this for:

• tightness in the backs of the thighs, the hips and the lower back
• chronic back pain
• releases tight muscles pulling on knees, and strengthens those that straighten the knees
• warming up for standing or seated forward bends, or for twists
• stress relief

Timing: If you are an experienced practitioner, hold the pose for 1-2 minutes. If you are new to the practice, start by holding this pose for 30 seconds, working up to 1-2 minutes over time. Rest for a few breaths afterwards in Relaxation pose before moving on to your next pose. To make the series into a mini practice, do the variations in order on one side, and then repeat on the second side.

Cautions: If you experience low back pain when you practice version 1 or 2, try bending your bottom leg and placing the sole of the feet on the floor. And if low back pain is an ongoing problem for you, we recommend that you skip version 4 entirely. For any version, if the pose causes hip or back pain, try backing off a bit to see if the pain resolves. If not, skip that version.

1. Leg Straight Up

This version stretches the back of your hip and hamstring muscles of your top leg (the back of your thigh) and to a lesser degree your calf, releasing tightness in these areas and providing relief from low back pain.

To come into the pose, start in Constructive Rest position, lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. With a strap in hand, bend your right knee into your chest, place the strap over the arch of the right foot and straighten the right knee, stretching your foot towards the ceiling, keeping some tension on the 2 sides of the strap, walking each hand up the sides of the strap until the arms are straight. Slide the bottom leg long on the floor, straightening the left knee and pressing out through the left heel. Adjust the angle of the right leg forward or back until you can easily keep the right knees straight and still have a feeling of stretch in the hamstring and calf of the right leg. Relax your shoulders, and make sure your lower spine is either softly touching the floor or slightly arched away from it (and is not jammed into floor or over-arched). After you have aligned yourself, bring your attention to the sensations in your body or follow your breath.

To come out of the pose, bend your right knee, slip the strap off your foot, and lower your right leg to the floor. Then strap aside and shake out both hands for a moment. Repeat on the second side. When you’ve finished both sides, bend both knees and come into Constructive Rest pose for a few breaths.

2. Leg to the Side  

This version focuses the stretch on the inner thigh muscles of your raised leg, releasing tight hip muscles. It also strengthens your core muscles, which helps relieve low back pain by improving spinal stability.

To come into the pose, start in version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your right hand and stretch your left arm out to your left side in a “T” position. Continue stretching out through your left leg as you slowly bring your right leg out to your right side and down towards the floor, stopping when your foot is one to two feet from the floor, according to your flexibility. Your hips will tip slightly to your right.

Bring your right elbow to the floor as you keep tension on the strap and press your right foot into it. To create more stretch around your hip, turn your right leg so your heel spins up and toes spin down. If holding your leg out to the side is painful or too much effort, place a block or folded blanket under your right thigh to support it. When you’re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to version 1 by lifting your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.  

3. Scissor Legs  

This variation stretches your outer hip and leg, which is particularly helpful walkers, hikers, runners and cyclists, who tend to be tight in these areas. Unlike version 4, this version doesn’t require twisting your spine, so it is safer for some with lower back pain.

To come into the pose, start in version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your left hand and extend your right arm out to the side in a “T” position. Keeping your lower back and pelvis on the floor, bring your right leg toward your left, about 6-12 inches across the mid-line of your body. Keep some tension on the strap and press your right foot into it.

To create more stretch around your hip, roll your outer right hip away from your waist so your right heel spins to the left and right toes spin to the right. When you’re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to the version 1 by bringing your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.

4. Twisting  

Like version 3, this version stretches your outer hip and leg along with your deep buttock muscles. But because this version is also a twist, it also opens your chest and releases tight back muscles.

To come into the pose, start by coming into version 1. Next, take both sides of the strap into your left hand and extend your right arm out to the side in a “T” position. Roll your hips and legs to the left, coming onto your outer left leg so your right hip is stacked on top of the left. Then swing your right leg directly out to the left so it is parallel to the floor, with your toes pointing to the wall behind you.

As you continue to reach your right arm out the side, try to keep both shoulder blades on the floor. If you can’t keep the right one on the floor due to tightness in your chest, allow it to remain a bit lifted. Keep some tension on the strap and press the right foot into it. To create more stretch for your right hip, leg, and buttock muscles, roll your right hip down toward your left foot and away from the right side of your waist. If holding your leg out to the side is painful or too much effort, place a block or folded blanket under your right foot to support it. When you’re aligned, follow the instructions for the classic pose for finding a focus.

To come out of the pose, return to version 1 by bringing your leg back to vertical. Then follow the instructions for coming out of version 1. Repeat on the second side.

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Upcoming Featured Poses Upper Body Strength and Flexibility!

by Nina (with Baxter)

Baxter and I have been excitedly planning (and photographing) the next group of poses we’re going to feature on our blog. Inspired by the popularity of my post Building Upper Body Strength the Easy Way, we decided to focus on the upper body for the next several months. We’ll be presenting several basic, easily accessible poses, all with several modifications, that will help you both build your upper body strength while you increase flexibility in your arms, shoulders, chest, and upper back.

Before getting started with the individual poses, we thought we’d take a moment to say something about why upper body strength and flexibility is so important for healthy aging.

With our current shift to more sedentary work styles, for many of us, our upper bodies are typically underused. Because we’re no longer carrying, lifting, and reaching on a regular basis, our upper bodies are not at their optimal levels of strength and function. And even those of us who exercise regularly by walking, running, or cycling, can become imbalanced due to neglecting our upper bodies.

I think that it’s important to most if not all of us that we maintain our independence as we age. For the elderly, upper body weakness has a significant effect on everyday activities, including the most basic ones, such as getting out of a chair, taking care of your home, and carrying your groceries. We also need to work on upper body flexibility, as people who are tight in upper back, shoulder and chest areas can have difficulty taking items off shelves or even dressing themselves.

Working your upper body also helps optimize your circulatory system, keep the connective tissue around your nerves mobile, and facilitate communication between your upper body and your brain, all of which will contribute to keeping your body healthier as you age.  

So stay tuned! Hmmm, what is Baxter doing with that block?

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Featured Pose Reverse Prayer Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This pose from our office yoga series moves your shoulders into a position that you don’t take very often in your everyday life. Although this movement is not commonly needed, it’s still an important one because for the long-term health of your shoulders, you need to move them through their full range of motion. Unlike Prayer pose (Namaste) in front of your chest, Reverse Prayer pose (Paschima Namaskarana) takes your upper arms into internal rotation, creating an excellent stretch for your forearms that’s helpful for your elbows, wrists, and hands.

Although the classic version of the pose is difficult, if not impossible, for some people, a second variation, where you hold your elbows or forearms, makes the pose accessible to almost everyone.

This is an excellent counter pose for any work that involves the use of your hands whether it is manual labor or office computer work. And, as with all our office yoga poses, you can do it almost anywhere, in any attire. The pose also releases tension from your shoulders and collarbone area (an area where most people don’t even realize they hold a lot of tightness), providing physical relief as well as relaxation.

Those of you who have shoulder or arm injuries (such as, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome or rotator cuff injuries) should start by trying version 2. If you can do variation number comfortably, you can cautiously attempt version 1.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• stiff and tight shoulders 
• tight forearms and elbows 
• tight wrists and hands 
• counter-pose for activities that require griping your hands 
• stress relief of the shoulders and neck area (self massage!)

Instructions: For version 1, start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet hips-distance apart. Bring your palms together into Prayer position (Namaste) in front of your chest, and press your palms together firmly. Take a moment to assess how flexible your wrists are in this position. 

Now bring your arms behind your back, with your fingertips pointing toward the floor and elbows slightly bent. Then move your hands a few inches away from your lower back and spin your fingertips up toward the ceiling. Allow the pinky side of your hands to lightly touch your lower back. At this point your elbows are bent and your upper arm bones are turning in quite a bit. Carefully wiggle and wriggle your hands up along the line of your spine as high as you can comfortably go or until your palms come completely together. If your palms can come together, try to bring the thumb sides of your hands closer to each other (as they tend to get pulled apart). 

Stay in the pose for approximately 30 seconds, working up to 2 minutes. To come out of the pose, carefully wiggle your hands down your back at least six inches or so before you release your hands down by your sides (this takes the tension out of your shoulders).

If you attempt version 1 and are unable to turn your fingertips up and keep them together, there may be too much tightness or tension anywhere from your shoulders to your wrists that prevents you from doing this safely. Choose version 2 instead.

For version 2, start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet hips-distance apart. Take your arms out to your sides with your elbows bent to a 90-degree angle and your palms facing forward. Then spin your forearms forward and down (this is internal rotation) so your fingertips point down toward the floor. Bring your right forearm behind your back so the forearm rests on your lower back, then bring your left arm in as well, grabbing your left forearm or elbow with your right hand. Then spin your left hand around to grab your right forearm or elbow, as shown below.

Stay in the pose for 30 seconds, working up to 2 minutes. Then release your arms and repeat on the second side, bring your left arm behind your back first.

Cautions: If you have a history of shoulder joint dislocation, you should avoid the extreme internal rotation required by this pose. Or, if you want to try the pose, start with version 2. If you feel any dramatic movement in your upper arm bone, back off immediately. Likewise, if you have pain in your shoulder joint, elbow, or wrist. Those of you who have active rotator cuff injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow should check with your teacher before practicing this pose.

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Featured Pose Supported Plow Pose Arda Halasana

by Nina

In her interview with us (see Judith Lasater on Yoga and Aging), Judith Lasater mentioned the poses that she currently practices, citing "especially Viparita Karanai (Legs Up the Wall pose), Supported Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) on the chair and Supported Halasana (Plow pose) on the Halasana bench." In my post Judith Lasater's Favorite Poses, I talked about these poses and why, even though they may be a little tricky to learn, they're so worth the effort. Today, at long last, I'll actually get into the nitty gritty details of how to get into and out of Supported Halasana, which Judith does with the Halasana bench.

If you don't have a Halasana bench (very few of us do!), you need a chair that has no bar between the two front legs because you need to be able to get your head underneath the chair seat. And you also need a chair that either has no back panel or that has a space between the panel and the seat that is large enough to fit your legs through (I'm on the small side, so I use a chair that still has a back panel).

Start by placing two folded blankets (folded as if for Shoulderstand) with the folded ends against the chair legs. Place a folded yoga mat on the chair seat for cushioning. Then lie down on your back, with your shoulders a couple of inches from the folded edges of the blankets (your shoulders will move toward the edge of the blanket when you go up), your head underneath the chair seat, and your knees bent with the soles of your feet on the floor. Lengthen your arms along the floor, with your fingers reaching toward your toes.

To come up into the pose, press your hands into the floor and swing your legs up and onto the chair seat. Scoot your legs through the chair back until your thighs rest comfortably on the chair seat. If necessary, you can steady the chair as you scoot your legs through the chair back by taking your hands onto the front chair legs. When you are settled, bring your arms up toward the chair seat, bend your elbows, and rest your arms on the floor outside of the chair legs.

(With the Halasana bench, there is no chair back to worry about so it is easier to get in the pose, however, the bench has sides so your head is closed in by the box.)

Make sure that your thighs are relaxing onto the chair seat, and that your back is near vertical (it can be slightly rounded). If you are tall, you may need to add some height to the chair seat to support your thighs (that will mean getting out of the pose, adding blankets on top of the chair seat. This photo shows a second way to do the pose, with extra height on the seat (for a tall person) and bent knees:

Congratulations you've made it into a Supported Halasana! The pose should be quite comfortable. Ideally you should be able to remain in the pose for several minutes (I stay about four) to allow the relaxation response to take full effect. Hanging upside down from your hips will also provide a lovely release of your back, as your spine lengthens with gravity. However, if the pose is uncomfortable or causes you any pain, come out of it. Think about what kind of changes you might make to your propping. If you find that you just can't get comfortable, for example, if your neck is stiff and can't bend deeply, this pose might not be for you.

To come out of the pose, bring your hands back down by your buttocks. Then press your hands into the floor as you slowly scoot your legs off the chair seat and swing them down, with bent knees, back to the floor.

When your feet are back on the floor, slide out from under the chair so your head is on the blanket stack and your shoulders are resting on the floor. Then slowly roll over onto your side and rest there for a couple of breaths. When you're ready, slowly use your hands to push yourself up to a seated position, only raising your head when you are fully upright. Taking your time coming out of the pose helps you retain the quietness you cultivated while you were in the pose.

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Featured Pose Warrior 3 Wall Version

by Baxter and Nina

Warrior 3 is the third pose in our upper body strengthening series because this pose provides unique upper body strengthening with little or no weight bearing on your hands. Before providing instructions on how to do the full pose (coming soon), which can be quite challenging, we’re providing an alternative using the wall that is accessible to almost everyone.

Warrior 3 is unique in that in this pose you keep your torso, arms, and one leg parallel with the floor. In this position, gravity challenges you to keep yourself upright instead of folding over your front leg. All the musculature on the back of your body has to work actively to keep you in this position, including your hamstrings and buttocks along with all the spinal muscles up to the base of your neck. You are also building strength the arm muscles required to keep your arms overhead (the position known as flexion), including trapezius, anterior and posterior deltoid, serratus anterior.

To enhance the strength building aspect of the pose when you are using your hands on the wall, use the lightest touch possible on the wall so your arms still have to work to hold themselves up. Touching the wall with just your fingertips is the most effective, but you can still gain strength building with your palms lightly on the wall if you prefer full contact with the wall for support, balance, or even just a sense of security.

Instructions: Start by facing a wall, standing about one foot away. Place your hands on the wall shoulder-distance apart, either with palms or your fingertips on the wall. Depending on your hamstring and hip flexibility, your hands should be somewhere between shoulder height and elbow height. Next, bend your knees and push your hips back away from the wall, and, keeping your buttocks over your heels, slowly walk back until your arms and torso form one long line approximately parallel to the floor.

You are now in Half Downward-Facing Dog pose (see Featured Pose: Half Dog Pose at the Wall for photos and detailed instructions of moving into this pose). From here, push your fingertips or palms firmly into the wall as you press your sitting bones away from the wall. Then shift your left foot to the right, at the mid point between your feet, while allowing your hips to shift a little to the left so you are balancing on the left foot. Then swing your right leg up and back, in line with your arms and torso.

Be careful to avoid letting your chest sink toward the floor, because hanging from your shoulder joints puts a lot of strain on them. Instead of feeling a stretch in the shoulders, you want a feeling of even strength around your shoulder joints. So think about lifting your chest up into your shoulder blades, as opposed to dropping your chest down toward the floor and aim for a feeling of completely parallel line (if you are flexible) or an even slope (if your hamstrings are tight).

One you’re in the pose, try lightening the press of your hands on the wall so you can feel the work of your back body’s musculature keeping you in position. With your raised foot slightly pointed, lengthen through your hell away from the wall. Start by staying in the pose for six breaths or so and gradually over time work your way up to 1.5 to 2 minutes.

To come out of the pose, release your right leg down to the floor, bend your knees, and walk in toward the wall. Repeat on left other side.

Cautions: This pose requires a lot of back strength, so if you have lower back issues, you may need to modify the pose by placing your hands higher on the wall or by keeping your lifted leg slightly bent. If you have a hamstring strain, if you feel any strain in the standing leg, bend it slightly so you don’t aggravate your injury.

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Featured Pose Warrior 2 Pose Revisited

by Baxter

We wrote about Warrior 2 pose (Virabhadrasana 2), a staple of modern yoga asana practice quite a long while ago (October 20th, 2011, on our first month of the blog), but it is such a valuable pose I felt it was worth revisiting and updating, especially as we have some ideas for useful variations that we never described.

Warrior 2 is one of the most commonly taught and practiced yoga poses in our modern era, and is often one of the first standing poses taught to beginners. This is probably because you are mostly upright and therefore not to far away from the home base of Mountain pose. It is a pose that fosters both strength and flexibility, especially in the legs and shoulders, and begins to introduce just a bit of rotation or twist to the spine. Specifically, it will strengthen the hip flexors of the front leg, the knee extenders of the back leg, the muscles that help to keep the arms parallel to the floor, such as the deltoids, upper trapezius, and supraspinatus, to name just a few. It encourages lengthening of your inner thigh muscles of both legs in slightly different areas, as well as your back leg calf muscles.

Your spine rotates a bit in this pose, as your pelvis turns slightly towards your front foot, your thoracic spine turns toward the long axis of your mat, and your neck and head turn towards your front hand, so the pose is also a mild twist. Because you step the feet apart and one foot turns out and other turns in, it is one of the first balancing poses you are likely to meet if you are new to yoga. And if you step carefully in and out of the pose, or move from the starting position in and out with our breath (see Warrior 1 and 2 Mini Vinyasas), this pose also cultivates agility.

I prescribe this pose for:

• General strengthening 
• General stretching 
• Osteoporosis. The pose is weight bearing for the lower body, so strengths lower body bones. It also provides isometric work of the shoulders and upper back so it can improve the thoracic spine bone health.
• Improving balance and agility
• Improving mental focus (when held for longer periods of time)
• Improved overall muscular endurance (when held for longer periods of time)
• Anxiety (the pose burns off excess energy and is “grounding”) 
• Fatigue, sluggishness, or depression (standing poses can stimulate your nervous system) 

Cautions: For those with uncontrolled blood pressure or a history of heart disease, I recommend that you don’t hold the pose for more than a few breaths, as it can cause an increase in blood pressure and the workload of the heart. For those with balance issues, I recommend that you work with your back to a wall or start with the chair version shown below. If you have knee problems, don’t bend your front knee quite as deeply. Make sure it stops just shy of being over the front ankle.

Classic Version

Step your feet wide apart (about the length of your legs). Turn your right foot and leg out 90 degrees. Then turn your left foot in slightly, so the lateral edge of your back foot lines up with the short edge of your yoga mat, or even in a bit more than that. 

Inhale and extend your arms out to your sides, parallel with your shoulders. Then, exhale and bend your right knee toward 90 degrees (but not further), making sure your right knee is aligned with your middle right toe and positioned over the right ankle. 

Allow your hips to rotate around the vertical axis of your spine a bit towards your front foot. At the same time, rotate your chest towards the long axis of your mat. If it’s comfortable for you, turn your head to gaze over your right hand.

You can hold the pose for a few breaths initially, and gradually add more time in the pose as you feel ready, eventually up two minutes.

To come out, straighten your front leg, turn your feet parallel and relax your arms to your sides. Repeat on the second side.

First Variation: Feet Closer Together, Hands on Hips

Working with your feet slightly closer together and keeping your hands on your hips is a good variations for people newer to yoga, those with tight inner thigh muscles and connective tissue, and those with shoulder issues such as rotator cuff injury that make taking your arms to sides challenging or painful. It is also less challenging for balance then the first variation, so is a good place to start for those with balance challenges.

Instead of stepping the feet as wide as classic Warrior 2, step your feet only about three feet apart. Then adjust your front and back foot as in classic Warrior 2, but keep the hands on the hips, with the shoulder blades relaxed on the back chest.

From here, the rotations of the spine are as with the full version.

Second Variation: Warrior 2 with Chair

This variation of Warrior 2 is particularly helpful for those with balance issues, with other health issues that compromise endurance, or with injuries that could affect safely standing without pain, such as knee, hip and ankle injuries or arthritis. But it is also beneficial for people who have no restrictions, and you might find that it actually creates more sense of stretch to the muscles and connective tissue of the inner thighs.

Sit on the front edge of a chair. If you are taller or have long legs, you may need to use a blanket or lift under your front leg, so your thighs are not lower than your knees.

Swivel to your right, bringing your right sitting bone and the back of your right thigh along the front edge of the chair seat. Your left sitting bone may actually be slightly off the chair seat.

Bend your right knee so that the right knee is right above the ankle with the right foot turned out 90 degrees.

Slide your left leg back away from the right until you can fully straighten your left knee with the sole of your left foot on the floor. Note that your left leg will likely not stretch straight back as in the full pose, but will probably need to come towards the right long edge of the mat a few inches. From here, your arms and spinal movements are the same as the classic pose. 

Stay for several breaths, and gradually work up to 90-120 seconds with practice.

To come out of the pose, lower your arms, bend your back knee and swing both legs forward so you sit evenly on the front edge of the chair. Then repeat on the second side.

Third Variation: Reverse Warrior 2 (aka Exalted Warrior)

This variation challenges the stability of your legs and also adds some stretch and lengthening for your chest and arms on the front leg side. It will also add more challenge to your balance.

Come into classic Warrior 2 as described above.

Maintaining the alignment of your front knee, inhale and bring your right arm up towards the ceiling as you reach your left hand down toward the outer left thigh.

Keeping your right knee firm and steady, slowly slide your left hand further down your left leg as you side bend your torso over your left leg and continue to reach your right arm up and back. Stop when your body signals significant tightness. 

Lynda Bailo

Lynda Barrow

Your gaze can remain straight ahead, or for more challenge to your balance, you can carefully gaze up towards your top hand. Stay for just few breaths at first, working towards longer holds over time. 

To come out, start by tipping back into classic Warrior 2, then exit as described above. Then repeat on the second side.

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Featured Sequence Lower Body Flexibility Practice

by Baxter

Last week I posted a Lower Body Strength Practice. I mentioned how preserving and sometimes improving our lower body strength is essential for our daily activities as well as for our hobbies, exercise and sporting desires. And it is equally important that we keep the lower body flexible and open, in good balance with our developing strength. It’s great to have the strength for a long hike, but if you are hampered with tight inflexible muscles, hopping over that creek might be a real stretch (sorry, couldn’t resist)! Staying flexible is not only a good way to increase the possibilities of activities we can participate in, but it is also a good way to preserve the full range of motion of all our joints, and, in doing so, keep the joint space healthy and fully functional.

Recent research shows that holding poses longer then upwards of 90 seconds can result in maintaining the muscles at the new stretched length, versus having them shorten up the next day. But you may need to work up to 90 seconds if the intensity of the held poses is too much at first, or if your muscles get super shaky and you need to come out before trying again. So, when you see suggested timings, know that you are working towards 90 second holds, but you should start out wherever it feels best for you!

Today’s sequence will include mostly static, held postures, but I often will begin with a dynamic mini-vinyasa, moving in and out of the “full” pose on my inhale and exhale as a way to warm up the muscles and joints, and prepare my body for the full pose. Take a look at last week’s sequence for ideas on how to do that.

Warm-Up Pose

Dynamic Reclined Hip Stretches: Since you will be working with all the joints of the lower body, it is nice to start by warming them up to their fuller range of motion. Repeat the sequence few times on each side (see Dynamic Reclined Hip Stretches).

Reclining Poses

Reclined Leg Stretch (Supta Padangustasana): Three variations of this pose improve flexibility around the hip joint.

Version 1: Lying on your back, bring one knee into your chest and place the strap around the arch of the right foot. Extend the leg towards vertical (getting vertical depends on your unique muscle and joint challenges). Push out along the line of your leg bones towards your heels, and pull back towards your hip via the strap. Work your way gradually towards 90 seconds, and then move on to Version 2.

Version 2: Take both ends of the strap into your right hand, take your left arm out to your left in a T position, and slowly lower your right leg until it is about 12 inches off the floor (or more than 12 if you are tight).  Repeat the same action in your legs as version 1, working towards a 90-second hold. Then exhale your leg back to vertical.

Version 3: Now take both ends of the strap into your left hand and take your right arm out to the right in a T position. Now bring your top leg and hips into a twist to the left, until your right leg is parallel to the floor and your hips are stacked one on top of the other. Work towards 90 seconds, then inhale and come back to Version 1.

Repeat all three versions on the left side.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha): This pose improves flexibility at the front of the hip joint. Come into Constructive Rest pose, on your back, with your knees bent and your feet about fourinches from your hips. Warm up by lifting your hips up as you inhale and lowering them down when you exhale, up to six times. Then inhale and stay for up to 90 seconds. Press down evenly into your feet, and lift from both your hips and your lower tip of your breastbone. Optionally, you can turn your upper arm bones under the pose, being mindful to not put any strain on your neck. As you come out of the pose, release your shoulders.

Standing Poses

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana): This pose opens the back buttock muscles and the hamstrings, as well as the back calf muscles.  From Mountain pose, you might warm up for full Uttanasana by inhaling your arms overhead, exhaling into Uttanasana (maybe keeping the knees a bit bent first few times), inhaling up to Urdva Hastasana (Arms Overhead), and exhaling back to Mountain pose. Then, when you are ready, on an exhale, come into full forward bend and stay for up to 90 seconds. If you are super tight, keep a slight bend in your knees. If your hands don’t easily come to the floor, place them on blocks. Come up on an inhale.

High Lunge: This pose stretches different areas of the lower body in your two legs. A great way to get into High Lunge is from Standing Forward Bend, so with your hands on the floor or on blocks, step your left foot way back on you mat, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Bring your right knee directly over your right ankle, arms long and strong, and work up to 90 seconds. After your hold, you can step forward into Uttanasana to transition to the second side, or step back into Downward-Facing Dog pose to do so.

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Muka Svanasana): This pose, like Uttanasana, is a good way to open up the back of the hips and legs. From High Lunge, step your front foot back to match your back foot, and place both hands flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart. Press your hips up and away from your hands, coming into a pyramid shape. With either straight legs or slightly bent knees, imagine your hips are lifting away from your heels and your heels are releasing down away from your hips. Very gradually work your way towards a 90-second hold. 

You can transition into our next pose, Upward-Facing Dog, from Down Dog by swinging your shoulders forward over the wrist into Plank pose.  

Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Muka Svanasana): This pose opens up the fronts of the thighs and hips. From Plank pose, pivot at your shoulder joint, let your hips come forward towards your wrists, allowing your chest and legs to come into a back bend shape, with your thighs coming parallel to the floor. You can keep the toes turned under, or you can shift your feet so the tops of the feet are pressing into the floor. I’d suggest short holds at first, very gradually working towards your goal of 90 seconds. Keep your arms long and strong, and your legs engaged as well. A good rest in Childs Pose after Upward-Facing Dog is usually well deserved!

Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana): This is a great pose to open up the front leg inner thigh and hamstring, and back leg side hip and calf. From Mountain Pose, step your feet wide apart, perhaps between 4-5 feet, depending on your height and leg length. Turn your right foot and leg out 90 degrees, and kick your back heel back out an inch to adjust your feet. Allow your hips to rotate few degrees towards your right foot, but keep your chest aligned with the long edge of your mat. Inhale your arms parallel with the floor, and tipping from your hips and upper leg bones, bring your hips and torso out over your right leg until the stretch in your right inner thigh or hamstring indicates a good place to stop. Rest your bottom hand on your leg or a block or chair seat, depending on your tightness. Gradually work up to 90 seconds. Come up on an inhalation, exhaling your arms to your sides. Then repeat on the left side. 

Seated Poses

Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Konasana): This pose is a great stretch for the inner thighs and outer hip muscles. Sit with a folded blanket under your hips and your legs straight out in front of you. Then bend your knees out to the sides and bring the soles of your feet together a few inches in front of your hips. You can support yourself by placing your hands on the floor by your outer hips or you can hold onto your ankles or feet. Keep a nice lift in your spine, and press the soles of the feet together, while thinking of your knees moving away from each other.

Seated Wide Angle Pose (Upavista Konasana): This pose lengthens the inner thigh muscles and the hamstrings. From Cobbler’s pose, take your legs back out in front of you and straighten your knees. Then swing your legs wide apart on the floor, perhaps 90 to 120 degrees open. Use your hands to support your chest by placing them on the floor either just behind your hips (if you are tight in the hips) or just to the outside of your hips. Adjust the position of your legs so your kneecaps point straight up. Keep your arms long and strong. If this position is really intense, consider slightly bending your knees. Work towards your 90-second goal.

Hero Pose (Virasana): This pose is a great stretch for the top thigh muscles and the ankles and shins, and it one of my favorite meditation sitting positions. But Hero pose can be challenging, so try using various props to help get comfortable. Place a blanket folded into a large rectangle on your mat and place a block near the back of the blanket. Next, kneel near the front edge of the blanket and place the block between your feet. Keeping your knees hip-distance apart, splay your shins behind you so your feet are wider apart than your hips and slowing sit down on the block. If you’re tight, start on a high side of block and gradually work your way down to the lower heights as your legs permit. Feeling a good stretch on the top of the thigh or front of the shin and ankle is to be expected, but you should not feel pain in your knees or other joints. Once you get to your 90-second goal, you can sit longer as your body permits. I usually come out by coming forward into my hands and knees, and stretching one leg at a time back behind me to open the knees up before moving on to any other pose.  

If you want to keep your sequence short, you can end here. Otherwise, if you have time, you can move on to physical relaxation.

Relaxation

Choose any form of Savasana (Corpse pose) you prefer and focus on relaxing your lower body. If your legs feel uncomfortable, try the version with your knees resting on a blanket roll.  

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