Follow Us

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II

May 14, 2012

I just spent a glorious day of skydiving with my love and good friends. We took a road trip to Skydive Perris where my friends explored their 2nd and 3rd tandem skydives while I leapt into jump 36-39.

It’s an unexplainable feeling that comes over me when I skydive—nothing can upset me. All troubles leave my body and I am left with a sense of everything is exactly as it should be. I came home to write this blog realizing that a very similar sensation envelopes my body when I practice Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II)One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II.

It is challenging. It is often unstable. It makes me reach beyond my comfort zone and it is beautiful.

Basically, I hope that you tackle this pose with a vast sense of possibility. It is challenging, wobbly and not even close to being an everyday pose, yet with time, attention and discipline, it creates such profound beauty in the body and sensibility.

Challenge yourself—blend this pose into your everyday practice and find yourself free, strong and full of beauty.

Step 1:

Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your left foot forward to meet your hands. Drop your rear knee down and wiggle your front foot forward into a long lunge dropping the hips down toward the ground with the energy of splits. Place both of your hands onto your left quad. Press deeply into your leg as you draw your chest back away from your thigh. Roll your shoulder heads back to broaden your chest and drop your tailbone down toward the ground as you engage your lower belly. Press all five toes of your back foot down into the ground to create stability. Hold for 8 deep breaths.

Step 2:

Keep all the intention of Step 1 and reach both of your arms up to the sky. The body will want to pitch in the lower back so resist this tendency by engaging the lower belly and pulling it away from the top part of your front thigh. Curl your chest up toward the ceiling keeping the abs engaged, and reach your arms up and back. Keep the arms shoulder-width apart and energize your fingers (think jazz hands).

Step 3:

Continuing on from Step 3, keep the upward motion of the chest but drop your arms down. Avoid the tendency to roll the shoulders forward and continue to broaden your upper chest. Continue to lunge into your front leg as you lift the lower belly away from your front quad. Keep curling your shoulders back and extend your arms like lightening bolts toward the ground. Reach like you want to touch the ground, but don’t obsess over making actual contact.  Go for space and sensation and breath.

Step 4:

Grab a yoga strap and make a lasso just big enough to slip the ball of your foot through. Place the lasso over the ball of your back foot and sling the excess over your shoulder. Grab the strap with your right hand, palm facing up grabbing underneath the strap. The closer you grab to the foot, the deeper the backbend, so adjust accordingly. Place your left hand onto your quad like Step 1 while you look forward and hold the strap in your right hand. Rotate your shoulder by taking the elbow out up and in. Reach your left arm up, bend the elbow and grab the strap with the left hand as well. Work towards holding the strap at the same point and potentially walking the hands down the strap keeping the hips low and the chest high.

Step 5:

Step 4 should create an intense amount of challenge and with time you can continue forward into the full pose. It’s important to take your time. Keep practicing Step 4 and work on slowly walking both hands down the strap while keeping the heart lifting and the hips low. Eventually you’ll find your foot. Grab hold of both sides of the foot and leg go of the strap. Keep hugging the outer hips in as you ground deeply into the front heel. Hug the outer arms in deeply trying to bring the elbows together as you let your head fall back toward the sole of your foot. You WILL wobble all over. The keep to balance here is being OK with the fluctuations of your body. Enjoy the dance and KEEP TRYING.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in | Tagged

Mermaid Pose

April 30, 2012

I love this pose for so many reasons.

My comedic side loves the imagery of being a hot mermaid sitting on a rock getting splashed by waves making the sailors floating by go mad. That sassy image helps to get your chest open and play the part. I even wore my magical Teeki tights to give me an exciting “tail” for the pose:)

My teacher side adores this pose because it’s the perfect confidence booster to get students ready for Eka Pada Raja Kapotasna. I can’t count the times I’ve taught this pose in workshops only to have people declare, “I can’t believe it—I’m in the pose!!” The glow that comes over their face when they realize they can do something they never dreamed possible warms my heart.  Mermaids are no longer a mythical creature but rather a very beautiful reality on your mat.

Just like any Challenge Pose, there are steps. This pose requires space in the hips, psoas, and upper back. Take each step as an individual pose and breathe—your body will open up when it’s ready for the next step and you’ll be singing the sweet mermaid song before you can whistle “Under the Sea.”

Step 1:

This pose does require open hips with a single Pigeon base, but the good news is it doesn’t require the deepest variation of the pose. Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your right shin to the front of the mat. Bring your right heel in fully to your body (the deepest variation has the shin parallel to the front of the mat) and extend your rear leg straight. Roll the outer edge of your left leg down towards the ground as you spiral your upper inner thigh towards the ceiling. Work on squaring your hips by rolling your left ribs forward and encouraging the left hip to fall towards the mat. Pop up onto fingertips with straight arms and work on lifting the top of your pelvis and heart. Gently roll your shoulder heads back and hold for a good full 8 breaths.

Step 2:

Look over your left shoulder and bend your left knee drawing your foot in. Reach back and grab your foot with your left hand. If simply making contact with the foot is intense, stay here and breath. Otherwise, begin a slow bend in your left elbow to draw the foot in closer towards your body. Continue to roll your left hip down towards the mat and brace yourself by keeping your right fingertips on the ground in-front of your body. Play around with how far you bring the foot in and take as much time here as you need . . . this step is crucial in getting the psoas muscle to release to go into the full backbend.

Step 3:

Keep your left elbow bend and slide your left foot down the inside of your forearm until it lands in the crook of your elbow. Lightly curl your toes so they hold onto your leg as if they were fingers. Engage your core by lifting up through your belly and chest so you can lift your right hand up without rocking forward. Reach the right hand back to clasp the left.

Step 4:

Keeping your hands clasped, drop your chin and take your gaze down. Lift your clasped arms up above your head then lightly let them slide behind your skull so that the right elbow points straight up. Once the arm is behind you, take your gaze forward and renew the effort to square your hips and chest to the front of your mat (don’t obsess here, just encourage the rotation). Pull your heart up as you root down through your hips and keep the right shoulder relaxing in the socket. Take 8 breaths then release your clasp and come back into your single Pigeon and fold to release your back. I’d recommend a vinyasa as well after taking both sides.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in | Tagged ,

Funky Side Crow

April 14, 2012

 

I can’t even try to pretend that this challenge pose comes from ancient yoga texts.

This cute hybrid arm balance lovingly earns the name “funky” because it is—funky, fun and fabulous. The pose blends a traditional Side Crow arm with a forearm on the opposite side. As a general rule, I’d say it’s best to learn Side Crow first, but having the forearm down gives you more to balance on than just two hands therefore making it slightly more accessible.

However you look at it, I’d like you to have fun. Yoga is here to help us in a plethora of ways, but when you do a pose that’s funky it’s intention is certainly to make you smile. Now go shake that crow feather!

 

step one:

 

Begin in Tadasana. Keeping the weight in the heels, bend the knees, and drop the hips. Take a peak at you toes. If you can’t see them, shift the shins back remaining in the heels until you see the tips. Descend the tailbone as you lift the arms and chest. Take one full breath in Chair Pose. Keeping the knees bent, draw the palms to the heart and twist to the right landing the left elbow on the right thigh. Stay here or reach the armpit towards the thigh. Push the Namaste palms into each other, aiming the right elbow at the ceiling. Keep the knees even (you can look down to make sure) and take 8 breaths. Come back to Chair Pose for one breath then push to stand. Repeat the second side.

 

step two:

Come into a low squat balancing on the balls of your feet with the big toes and inner heels touching. Inhale, lift your left arm high and as you exhale, drop your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh. If you have wiggle room, deepen your twist by taking the left elbow closer to your right hip. Once you have the twist, place both palms flat onto the ground shoulder width apart. Place your right forearm down onto the ground (yes, you’ll be lopsided) so that your right elbow is roughly in line with your left palm and they are shoulder width apart. As you place the forearm down you’ll have to lean forward bringing your face closer to the ground. You’ll begin to feel a shelf developing under your left arm for support.

 

step three:

Continuing from step three, lean your chest forward and extend your gaze slightly past you front fingertips. This leaning action will help you to stack your left elbow (the leg support arm) over your wrist so you can properly hold your own weight. Once the elbow is stacked, sweep your shinbones up parallel to the ground working towards keeping your knees completely stacked. Hug the left forearm in to properly distribute your weight and keep even pressure under all 5 knuckles of your right hand. Take 5 breaths and place your feet back down. Repeat on side two and have fun!

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in | Tagged , ,

Light Up the Sky

April 2, 2012

Photo: Jasper Johal 

Ah, Firefly. One of the most magical insects to light up the sky.

I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, where these magical creatures would light up the summer fields like stars fallen from the night sky. I’d dance along with them and wonder where their inner glow came from. In retrospect, it’s possible they were just fired up from doing a ton of yoga!

The gorgeous arm balance Tittibhasana can be performed two ways—upright, as I’ll describe here, or with legs parallel to the ground, like what’s pictured in my ToeSox ad.

Photo: Jasper Johal 

There isn’t a better way of doing the pose, it’s just what you crave. The variation we’ll cover is a bit lighter on the core work and more intense on the hips and hamstrings. That being said, they are both challenging and require some sweet loving hip openers to start. I recommend some Sun Salutations and standing Warrior poses to build heat in the hips before you dive in. And as always, remember patience. You’re always shining, and when it’s time—you’ll fly.

 

Step 1:

This Low Lunge variation opens your hips and begins to prepare your arms and legs for Tittibhasana (Firefly Pose). From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands and drop your left knee to the floor. Shift your right foot several inches to the right and place both forearms down onto blocks or, if you can release all the way, onto the floor to the inside of your right leg. Keep your left toes curled under and your hips low. Without lifting your hips, straighten the left leg. Extend your heart forward while you release the shoulders and base of the neck away from your ears.

Dip the right shoulder behind your right leg, hold the right calf muscle with the right hand, and bow your heart down, pushing into the calf to move your right shoulder deeper behind the leg. Keep your right shoulder in this position as you place both palms on the mat shoulder-width apart, as though you were positioning your hands for Chaturanga or place your forearms onto the ground. Move your chest forward as you would in Cobra and breathe here for 8 breaths. To release, step back into Chaturanga and then move with your breath through  Upward-Facing Dog and Downward-Facing Dog before repeating this pose on the left side.

 

Step 2:


 You’ll continue to open your hips as you encourage more mobility along your spine in what I like to call Bug Walk— a standing variation of Tittibhasana. From Down Dog, walk your feet toward your hands, step the feet hip-width apart, and fold into Uttanasana. Bend your knees and take both arms between your legs, wrapping your arms around the outside of the shins and placing the palms on your feet, with the fingers and toes pointing in the same direction. If this is too intense, keep your hands behind your calves.

Once you’ve set up your torso and arms, start to gently extend the backs of the legs, moving them toward straight. Extend the sternum and gaze forward, keeping your neck soft. At this point, you’ll look like a turtle poking its head out into the world to see what’s going on. You may want to stay right where you are now and simply enjoy the opening in your lower back and hamstrings; or, if you feel relaxed and connected with your breath, you can take yourself for a little walk. Keeping everything in position and starting with your right foot, walk around in a circle. When you come back to your starting point, lift the left foot first and walk yourself around in the opposite direction. Then slowly release your arms and torso from between your legs and fold into Uttanasana for 8 to 10 breaths. From here, step back to Chaturanga and then move through Up Dog and Down Dog. Then step or hop to the top of your mat into Uttanasana.

Step 3:

Bend your knees, take the arms between your legs, like you did above, and then use your hands to push against one calf at a time, to move your shoulders behind your legs just like putting on the straps of a backpack. Fold here as deeply as possible while remaining comfortable. Place your palms back down on the mat, shoulder-width apart. Hug your shoulders with your inner thighs and bend your knees to slowly lower the hips.

Lift your right foot off the floor, keeping the knee bent as you hug your inner thighs toward the midline of your body. Then lift your left foot from the floor, keeping the knee bent and your gaze forward. Start to drop your hips as you work your arms towards straight. Take the gaze forward and continue to hug the thighs around your arms to keep you in place. Broaden your collarbone by pushing your shoulder heads back and firm your upper outer arms in. When you can’t lower your hips anymore without loosing balance, begin to straighten your legs. Keep the action of hugging inward as you expand your toes and legs sky high. Don’t worry about getting your legs completely straight, just work them toward what feels challenging but supported to you. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths then bend your knees and place your feet back onto the ground to release. Those of you who want a more advanced exit, try to bend your knees and pull back into Crow Pose.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in | Tagged , ,

Funky Headstand

March 19, 2012

 

Ashtanga Yoga’s second series offers seven headstands where the yogi needs to find their balance and center to maintain the strength of Headstand while moving their arms into all sorts of interesting variations. These are the last group of poses in the series for a reason—they’re hard! This Funky Headstand is a hybrid pose inspired by the Ashtanga headstands.

It’s important to have a solid grasp on your Headstand practice before you spice it up, so if you’re new to Tripod Headstand or Forearm Balance, I highly recommend you click the links below to focus on those poses in your practice first. If you have a good grip on them—read on! The joy of yoga is that it is limitless and all we need is intelligence, awareness, and a sense of adventure. Funky Headstand is a great hybrid of Tripod Headstand and Forearm Balance. Dive into the practice below, and work with a wall behind you if you’ve never tried this (even if you balance in the middle of the room with each pose) until you’ve adjusted to your new foundation. Have fun!

Step One:

For a full breakdown of Tripod Headstand, visit my previous Challenge Pose post.

Start in Dophin Pose with your palms flat, shoulder-width apart and the crown of your head on the ground. Your elbows will create a 90-degree angle. Curl your toes under and walk your feet in creating straight legs and lifted hips. Place your right knee onto your right arm followed by the left to left. Lift the hips up as the thighs draw tight to the chest. Stay as compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up towards the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the knee caps and spread the toes. From here you can reverse the process back into Child’s Pose, or flex the feet, keep the body strong like Plank Pose, and drop into Chaturanga.

Step Two:

For a full breakdown on how to do Pincha Mayurasana, read this earlier Challenge Pose post.

Start in Dolphin Pose with both of your forearms parallel to each other and shoulder-width apart. Curl your toes under and straighten the legs as you walk your feet in toward your elbows making sure that the shoulder stay parked over the elbows. Take a leg up into a Standing Splits reach. Bend the bottom leg and take tiny hops up toward the pose. If this is not enough energy to get you all the way to the wall, use a bit more kick-off power. Remember to activate the lower leg the second it leaves the ground! This extra energy will help to pull it all the way up into the pose. Once the legs are at the wall try flexing the feet and dragging the heels up the wall to elongate the low back. The tailbone should reach toward the ceiling as the frontal ribs soften toward the spine to remove the “banana” in the back. Keep the gaze slightly forward to prevent strain in the neck and breath freely. Take one leg away from the wall back to the ground and drop to the knees into Child’s Pose.

Step Three:

The major key to this pose is the set up of the arms. Start on your hands and knees. Place the right forearm down as if preparing for Pincha Mayurasana. Take the left palm flat so that the fingertips are in line with the right elbow. The arms are shoulder-width apart. Bend the left elbow to a 90-degree angle just like in Chaturanga: elbow over wrist, shoulder head in line with elbow. Straighten one leg at a time until you are in (Funky) Plank. Keep the gaze forward to extend the chest, hug the left elbow in over the wrist as the right shoulder head continues to lift. Scoop the tailbone, lift the kneecaps, and extend through the heels. Take 8 breaths and then rest in Child’s Pose. Reverse the arm positioning and repeat these actions.

Step Four:

Time to make a hybrid, baby! Start on your knees and set up your funky arms—place your left forearm down on the ground and place your right palm flat so it is in line with your left elbow but shoulder-width apart. Tuck your chin and place the crown of your head down in the middle of the two arms roughly lined up with the center of your forearm. Curl your toes under and take a “funky Dolphin” variation as you walk the feet in and lift the hips. If you have the flexibility to pull both legs up at the same time, you can press up into your Headstand keeping the hips high, core in, and thighs squeezing to the midline (smart to practice with a wall behind you if this is new). Otherwise, lift one leg up like a standing split and practice small hops bending the bottom leg to pull both up to the wall. The key is to keep the forearm elbow rooting and the tripod shoulder lifting with the elbow squeezing in. If you can keep your foundation solid, you’re set—just avoid the banana in the back by corseting your ribs in toward each other, lifting your tailbone, and keeping the legs engaged and reaching towards the ceiling. Try for 8 breaths then release into a nice, long Child’s Pose.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

Posted in | Tagged ,

Visvamitrasana

March 5, 2012

I just returned from an amazing week in Maui where I led a retreat at the Four Seasons Wailea. It happened to be prime humpback whale season, which meant they were everywhere. It was remarkable. I’d be sitting there eating lunch watching them spout water through their blowholes or witness a full body breaching.

I should mention that I love the ocean but am very uncomfortable when it comes to being IN it. While there, I worked to conquer my fear—I paddle boarded, learned how to row on a Hawaiian outrigger, and even kayaked. My kayak excursion lead me within 100 feet of these magnificent creatures (probably the most simultaneously amazing and terrifying experience I’ve ever had), with nothing but some water and a tiny boat between us. Once the whale activity slowed down, people decided to take a dip in the ocean right where the whales had been moments before. Jumping in the ocean where  tons of school-bus-sized marine life are swimming below sounded to me like a waking nightmare. I stayed on board as others jumped in, and listened incredulously when they surfaced and said how amazing it was and that you could hear the whales singing underneath the water.

I peered over the edge of the kayak and thought of my yoga practice—I commit to choosing love over fear on a daily basis. I never say never to a yoga pose or challenge because I know I am completely capable of anything I put my mind to. I looked back at the water and knew it was time to jump in.

So I did.

I dunked my head just long enough to hear a few chords of the humpbacks singing their song and couldn’t help but smile. The yogis of the sea were singing their pranayama to me. When I finally climbed back aboard my kayak, I felt I did so with a huge extra heaping of love.

As you tackle this week’s Challenge Pose, remind yourself you can. We create our own limitations. So dip your toes in to this posture and enjoy the beauty available to us when we face our fears.

Step 1:

Before tackling Visvamitrasana, you’ll want to warm the body with a few Sun Salutations, twists, and shoulder openers. When you feel nice and warm, begin Downward-Facing Dog and step your right foot forward to meet your hands. Stay on the ball of your back foot and bring both of your arms to the inside of your front leg (you might need to wiggle your right foot a bit to the right to make additional space). Lower both of your forearms down onto the ground (if this is way too intense, you’ll practice placing your arms onto blocks until the hip opens up). Hold here for 8 breaths extending your chest forward and elongating your left heel back to create a straight, long leg. Next, grab your right ankle with your right hand and begin to work your shoulder behind your calf like you’re putting on a backpack. Once you can’t snuggle your shoulder in any deeper, extend your gaze and chest and take another 8 breaths.

Step 2:

Place your back knee onto the ground and pivot on it so that your back shin is parallel to the front of your mat (like a supportive kickstand). If you find you have a bit more snuggle room with your “backpack” leg, work your right shoulder back behind your calf again. Set your right palm down on the ground but walk it over several inches to the right (if you’re on a yoga mat you’ll probably take your hand off the mat onto the ground or near the edge). Keep your right elbow bent and lean back and to the right. Keep leaning back, using the kickstand support of your back shin, until you can lift your right foot and left arm up off the ground. The right arm stays bent to create a shelf for your right leg to rest upon.

Step 3:

Grab the top or your right foot with your left hand. (Note: If you have tight shoulders you might want to use a yoga strap. Create a loop and place it over the ball of your right foot. You can pull down away from the buckle with your hand as much as you need to give your shoulder relief.) Tuck your chin and start to straighten your right leg as you revolve your chest open, allowing the arm to pass over your head. At first you’ll keep the right elbow bent (and your shoulder happily remaining in its socket). As your right leg straightens, however, begin to straighten your right arm to create stability. Firm your upper outer arm and right hip to help spin the chest open. If it doesn’t bother your neck, look up.

Step 4:

There’s a huge difference in balance between Step 3 and the full pose. I recommend practicing the Step 3 variation for quite some time before you move on so that you fully feel and understand the hip opening and revolving of the chest and shoulders. If, however, you’re ready to move on, here we go! Begin in Downward-Facing Dog and step the right foot forward to meet your hands as you spin the back foot flat like you’re preparing to stand into Warrior I. Instead of standing up, begin the same “backpack” work that you did in Step 1—grab your right calf with your right hand and dip your chest down to work your shoulder behind your leg as much as you comfortably can. Keeping the shoulder where it is, walk your right palm out to the side by several inches while keeping the elbow bent (you need to walk it far enough out to the side so you have something to lean toward without losing balance). Start to lean your chest open toward the right until you can lift your left arm first followed by your right foot. Grab the top of your right foot with your left hand (holding the top of the foot connecting to the outer edge) and begin to straighten your leg forward as the top elbow bends to spin your chest open. As you open the chest, it’s important to create an anchor in the back leg. Root into the outer edge of your left foot so much that it feels like you’re creating a mini cave with the arch. If the pose is new to you—look down. This will be the easiest to balance. As you become more comfortable with it, look sideways or all the way up to find that full expression of the chest.

Note: If your hips are especially low, you should take more time in the “backpack” phase. You want to get the leg as far up the arm as possible to create the long line required of this pose. It may just be a matter of focusing on hip openers more often to get into this full pose.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in | Tagged ,

Parsva Kukkutasana

February 20, 2012

 

The funny thing about challenges is that there’s always something more challenging.

In the same way that you can see your glass half empty or half full, it’s our choice on how we face what challenges us. Advanced yoga poses will be always be hard, so it’s really up to us to shift our attitude or pack up our Lotus (or lack thereof) and go home. This week’s challenge pose is hard. Period. You can choose to look at this pose and go, “Oh, hell no!” Or you can put a sly smile on your face and say yes to the challenge, knowing that you’ll be growing and hitting all sorts of interesting bumps along the way.

I’ve provided plenty of links in this post, so you can twist this bad boy pose all the way up or use this time to brush up on getting into Lotus. No matter what level you’re at—challenge yourself. It might be more mental than physical, but allow yourself to enjoy this ride. Yoga practice is meant to be enjoyed, so laugh at your flops and shine during your successes and always allow yourself room to grow.

 

Step 1:

This might be painfully obvious, but you must have a comfortable Lotus practice before you decide to twist it! Lotus can take years to develop in a safe and thoughtful manner, so continue your hip-opening practice until you can sit here in ease. Click here to review getting into your Lotus Pose. 

 

Step 2:

In 3rd Series Ashtanga, Parsva Kukkutasana, or Side Rooster, is traditionally entered from a Tripod Headstand, so as you can imagine, it’s time to get comfy with this pose as well! Come into Dolphin Pose with the crown of your head on the ground and your hands shoulder-width apart to form a 90-degree angle in the elbows. Walk your feet in and place your knees onto your upper arms. Hug yourself into a tiny little package. Lift your hips up as your thighs draw tight into your chest. Stay compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths, remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a Pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up toward the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the kneecaps, and spread the toes.

 

Step 3:

Doing Lotus on the ground is one thing; doing it while balancing in on your head is a completely different experience. Just like seated Lotus, the headstand version can take time to develop. It’s a good idea to practice hip openers in your Tripod to prepare—think Tree Pose, Bound Angle, or Flying Pigeon prep. Click here for a detailed breakdown on how to form Lotus in Headstand.

 

Step 4:

If you’ve made it this far, take a deep breath of accomplishment! This is like practicing a challenge pose inside of a challenge pose inside of a challenge pose! The next step is learning how to twist while keeping the base of your building solid. Once you have Lotus in your legs, recommit to your elbows staying over your wrists and your shoulders lifting away from your ears to create support. Begin to revolve your ribs toward the right arm by slightly dropping your left knee down and on the diagonal. Your right knee will elevate as the left descends. Practice this twisting motion several times and then rest. We’re so accustomed to using our arms to help us twist and now we only have our core. You will get PLENTY of work by doing small twists side to side in the beginning. Be very aware of your shoulders—don’t let the twisting action bring excessive weight into one side of your neck or shoulder.

 

Step 5:

One you’re comfortable with twisting side to side and it gets deeper (think intense yet comfortable. You’ll feel your psoas muscle engage but there should be NO PAIN), then it’s time to land on your arm. Continue the twisting action from the previous step until you land your left knee onto your right arm. This will feel like a massive twist, but the goal is to land above your elbow. Don’t worry about getting to your armpit—right above the actual elbow will do the trick. When your knee lands, engage your core and re-assess your shoulder situation: elbows in, shoulders up.

 

Step 6:

Now here’s the fun part—time to lift if up! Start a huge rounding sensation in your upper back similar to what you feel in Crow Pose. Drop your hips as you lightly curl your fingertips into the mat to help pull your chest forward. Start to roll from the crown of your head toward your hairline. Once you can see the ground then it’s safe to lift your head up (otherwise you’ll feel major strain in your neck). Keep hugging all of your energy toward your midline keeping the forearms and elbows in. Once your head lifts off the ground give a mighty push of your hands and round of your back to lift your face entirely from the ground. Keep rounding the upper spine to help straighten the arms (don’t worry how straight they go in the beginning, just focus on picking the pose up). Take a breath or 8 here and then slowly bend your elbows as they draw toward one another. Tuck your chin and come back onto the crown of your head. Pull your Lotus back to center and either relax or go directly into the second side. Take a well deserved vinyasa and Child’s Pose when you’re done.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in

Charging Scorpion

February 6, 2012

 

I’m pretty sure I was born with cement poured into my upper back.

For the longest time my tight upper back made me dread poses like Scorpion because no matter how hard I tried to ‘melt my chest’ it always felt like hitting a wall. Of course, this never stopped me from trying, but imagine my glee to discover that there was a hybrid scorpion pose called Charging Scorpion! I first saw Dharma Mittra do this pose and found myself cocking my head side to side with intrigue just like my dog does when I mention any words that have to do with calories. I immediately went to the wall to play around with this new Scorpion Pose and fell in love—my upper back moved! It not only moved, it felt divine. It has become one of the only poses where I can find movement and release in my upper back and I use the second step regularly to get my back ready and happy for deeper backbends.

Just like any Challenge Pose I post, this one can take some time! If you’re used to practicing regular scorpion this will throw you off as your gaze and chest is moving towards a hallow position as opposed to the curl we normally do. Give yourself time to adjust and remember the best way to go deeper is laugh and enjoy when you want to panic and grip. Work the Dolphin variation, when you’re ready go upside down into step two and then venture (or lightly charge) forward when you’re body gives you the green light!

Step 1:

 

 

Start on all fours preparing for Dolphin Pose with a slight variation! Interlace your fingers as if you were preparing for headstand and place your elbows shoulder width apart. Keep your head off the ground as you curl your toes under and work your legs towards straight (or as straight as they’ll go). Walk your feet in towards your elbows but instead of looking forward like you would in a traditional Dolphin, take your gaze towards your legs. Neutrally drop your neck without placing your head on the ground. Create a deep firming of the upper outer edges of your arms around the bone towards your face to gain stability. It will feel like you’re trying to shrink your arm pits into your sockets. Draw your face and chest through your arms back towards your legs until you feel a nice sensation bubbling up in your upper back. Hold for a good 8-10 breaths and repeat if wanted.

Step 2:

 

 

Create the same arm set up but this time at the wall—place your knuckles where the floor and base board meet. Take your gaze slightly forward and curl your legs back into Dolphin Pose. Lift one leg and lightly kick up bringing your feet to the wall (Note: Your head stays off the ground—it’s like a Headstand/Forearm Stand hybrid). Once your feet come to the wall, slowly take the entire length of your legs to the wall so that your feet, calves, hamstrings and hips are resting against the wall. Keep your belly engaged and tailbone lifting towards your heels to prevent any sitting in the lower back. Begin to firm the upper outer edges of your arms in and root down into your elbows. Neutrally drop your head so you’re gazing into the middle of the room and start to bring your head through your arms and chest away from the wall while the legs stay put. This should feel like a pretty amazing shoulder release, and if you feel any pain, make sure to put more effort into firming your outer arms in to protect the rotation of your shoulders.

Step 3:

 

 

Continuing on from Step 2, simply keep your hips at the wall and bend your knees with only your bottom and toes touching. Keep the core engaged, arms firming and chest/head reaching towards the middle of the room.

Step 4:

 

 

From Step 3, bring one foot away from the wall as you draw that knee in towards your chest. Start to take your gaze up towards the bent knee that’s pulling towards your heart. Take a few breaths and then switch legs. If you start to feel confident, keep one knee bent into your chest, gaze towards your knees, arms firm and play with lightly tapping the second foot away from the wall.

 

 

As you get more and more comfortable with this balance you can keep the thighs and knees squeezing together as you come into full balance. If you get to the level where you’re kicking up at a wall, try kicking up into the forearm stand with your fingers interlaced and your head off the ground. Start with a medium bend in both knees and then work the action of the chest and head pulling through the arms. Once you feel the transition in your chest, draw the knees as deep to your chest as you comfortably can and look up. Oh yes, and have fun!

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Posted in

Eka Pada Sirsasana

January 23, 2012

I remember my budding days in the Mysore room watching 2nd and 3rd series Ashtanga yogis effortless slipping their legs behind their heads and looking serene while I struggled with Half Lotus with no knee pain. I often thought they came from a different planet where flexibility was the norm and I was their subservient inflexible minion. I watched in awe hoping that one day I could get dual citizenship into their crazy, beautiful world. I kept practicing. I made it through the first series and into the intermediate series. I practiced vinyasa flow on the weekends, held my externally rotated standing poses with strength, and spent plenty of time surrendering into my Pigeons. Keep in mind, I was never trying to put my foot behind my head. Honestly, it seemed like a silly idea to even try.

By the time I got up to the dreaded Eka Pada Sirsasana (Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose), I was shocked. It certainly wasn’t a walk in the park, but it also wasn’t pulling teeth. My hips responded, slowly working their way toward the mountain top. With patience and perseverance, I got there! My foot slid behind my head and I sat as tall as I could. The bummer was there were no angelic horns or gates of heaven opening—it just felt like a freaking foot behind my head, and it was heavy! The realization made me laugh. It’s so easy to get caught up in aesthetic of the practice and wanting what other advanced yogis do so seemingly effortlessly. The danger is we forget to enjoy all the little juicy tidbits that happen everyday on our mat: The strength and stability that Warrior II builds in the lower body and in the mind. The surrender and openness that Pigeon creates in the hips and heart. And the deep, deep gratitude toward our body for even being able to roll out of bed and stand up each day.

Sliding your foot behind your head then becomes a victory, but also a realization that you’ve been fabulous all along. You don’t need to have a deep contortion to feel accomplished—just a strong foundation and love for your everyday practice and the willingness to learn and expand.

*This sequence will help you get your foot behind your head, but I highly recommend spending some serious time in externally rotated standing poses to build heat in your hips before you dive into this pose.

Step 1:

 

Depending on the depth of your single Pigeon, have a few blankets handy. Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your left shin bone to the front of your mat and drop your back leg and pelvis down. If your hips are nowhere near the ground, grab your blanket(s) and place them under your left hip to help level everything out. If you want a lighter hip opener, keep your front heel close to your body. If you want to intensify the external rotation, work the shin bone so it becomes parallel with the front of the mat, keeping your foot flexed. Roll your outer right thigh and right hip down toward the ground to help level your pelvis. Press down into the baby toe of your right foot and make a slight internal rotation of your upper inner right thigh. Inhale as you balance on your fingertips and lift your chest high. Exhale, walk your torso forward over your Pigeon leg and rest your head on the ground, blankets, or a block. Hold here for 8 breaths or up to 5 minutes.

*note: There should be NO knee pain in this pose. Strong hip sensation, yes, for sure. Knee pain is an indication that you’re going too deep into your hips. Either bring your heel closer to your body or prop yourself up on blankets for additional support.

Step 2:

This amped-up version of Thread the Needle is a fantastic prep pose for foot-behind-the-head on your back or seated upright (or for whenever you want a deeper hip opener). Start on your back in Thread the Needle: Bend both knees and cross your left ankle directly below your right knee. Lift the right foot off the ground and the leg in toward your chest. Reach your left arm through the gap in your legs and your right arm around the outside of your right thigh to clasp your fingers behind your hamstring. Hold here for a few breaths (keep your head relaxed on the ground).

From here you have two options: cradle or forklift your shin. If you cradle (my preference), take your inner left elbow around your left kneecap and inner right elbow to the sole of your left foot and clasp your hands in front of your shin bone as you straigthen release your right foot down onto your mat, with your knee still bent. If you forklift, slide both arms under your shin so the elbows hook at the leg. Try both and see what feels best. Once you put your right foot on the floor, you can stay like this or extend it straight, which will considerably intensify the stretch.

After holding this variation for a good 8 breaths, hook your right elbow under your shin just above your ankle and reach your left arm straight back overhead. Bend your left elbow, take the arm behind your head, and try to clasp your hands together. Press your head back into your elbow like a pillow to deepen the opening (this mimics the feeling of a foot behind your head). Hold another 8 breaths and gently release to switch sides.

Step 3:

From sitting, bend your left knee and take the forklift or cradle option from Step 2 (I’m doing the cradle variation in the photo). Once you have your left leg, sit up as tall as you comfortably can. Keep the lower back lifting and the chest up. Flex your right foot to give you an anchor in the pose. If possible, lift your left foot to be in line with your left knee (this will deepen the rotation) as well as pulling the foot side in closer to the body. Hold for a good 30 seconds or so.

Step 4:

 

Continuing on from where we left off in Step 3, it’s time to put your backpack on! Imagine your left leg is like the strap of a backpack and you’re working it up your arm so it will sit comfortably on your back. Keep your left shinbone where it is, but grab your left foot with both hands. Gently press your knee and shin out and back to the side, then put your left hand under your calf to help boost it up your arm. Do this several times until you can’t take the leg any higher.

Step 5:

Remember before you go forward: If it feels like you’re forcing something, then you probably are. You want this pose to be as effortless as possible (considering the situation), so please make a promise to yourself that you will not try to cram your foot behind your head for a painful moment of glory. You’ll get there.

Once you’ve completed Step 4, place your right hand on top of your left foot and bow your head down. Give a nice boost of your shin up with your left hand (which is still under the shinbone) to help slide the shin behind your head. Once it’s there, you’ll start a wiggle process trying to get the left shoulder forward and the chest up. Don’t think of the shin being behind your head—try go get it to the base of your neck. This will prevent the head from being forced down into your chest. You will need to press your head back into your leg to prevent the chest from collapsing and in the beginning, you might need to hold onto your foot with your right hand the entire time so it doesn’t slip off off your head immediately. Once it’s far enough down you neck, you can bring both hands to anjali mudra  in front of your heart. Press your heart into your hands, sit up as tall as you can, and press back into your pillow. Keep the bottom leg active and engaged. Broaden through your collarbone and take a few breaths here. Grab the foot with your right hand, dip your chin, and lightly slide the leg back to the ground.

 

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

Posted in

Eka Pada Urdvha Dhanurasana

January 9, 2012

I wrote last week about my rocky relationship with backbends, specifically Urdhva Dhanurasana. It’s easily one of the most common backbends practiced in public classes and provides immense relief when done correctl—and deep frustration when misunderstood. I highly recommend hoping over to that post before venturing forward into this one to make sure your foundation is solid, because I’m about to shake it up.

This one-legged variation of Upward-Facing Bow Pose is hands down one of the most visually stunning backbends. It reminds me of my favorite motto “Aim True.” The body creates the shape of the bow and the lifted leg takes aim as an arrow pointing toward the sky, or in my opinion, toward infinite possibility. I’ve always liked the idea that our energy doesn’t stop at the end of our limbs but rather continues on beyond our body to wherever we want it to go. As you practice this pose, set an intention first. Dedicate this pose to a person or thing that you love, and then take aim. Deliver this intention through the physical energy of your body straight into the bulls-eye of your dedication.

Step 1:

Bridge Pose is a nice way to test your comfort level in lifting one leg during a backbend. Begin on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips up and interlace your fingers beneath your back. Rock your shoulders and outer arms under your back to help arch the chest. Lift your hips without clenching your buns as you root into your heels. Keep a slight lift in your chin to keep the front of your throat long. Wiggle your right foot a few inches inward to your midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground and continue to extend the leg straight up into the air toward the ceiling. Keep the hips lifting along with the top leg. You can help this action by deepening the pressure under your right heel as you press your shinbone back toward your body. Press the tips of your shoulder blades in toward your heart and take 5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Step 2:

Once you get comfy with lifting one leg at a time, make sure the base of this Challenge Pose is solid. Upward-Facing Bow Pose  was last post’s Challenge Pose and forms the base of this one, so click the link above to fully understand your backbend before you add anything fancy to it.

Step 3:

Start on your back with your knees bent and feet flat hip-width apart. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders so they are flat and your fingertips point toward your feet. Lift your hips and head so you can lightly place the crown of your head onto the ground. Hug your elbows in over your wrists, plug the shoulders into their sockets while keeping the outer arm long, and begin to curl your chest by pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades toward your heart. Press into both palms to start lifting the head and straightening the arms.

Once your arms are straight (or as straight as they’ll comfortably be), walk your feet in a few inches. If you experience any lower back pain, lengthen your tailbone toward your knees to engage your lower belly or leave your feet where they are and don’t worry about shortening your stance.

Now, wiggle your right foot a few inches in toward the midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground (you might start here by lifting just a few inches and holding). Bend your left knee in toward your chest to activate your hip-flexor muscle, and hug in the outer hip. Roll the upper inner thigh down and keep even weight in your palms. Press the shin bone back to help open your chest. Stay here or . . .

Step 4:

 

Keep all the work from Step 3. Take the lifted bent knee and keep the location of the hip. Gently extend from your knee to your toes up toward the ceiling to help straighten the leg. Reach your tailbone forward and keep your upper outer arms rotating in to support your chest. Relax your neck and press deeper into your standing heel to encourage more space in the chest. Flair your toes toward the ceiling and relax the left thigh bone into its socket to keep the hips level. Take 5 breaths and then switch sides.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in | Tagged

Next »