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Accelerated Handstand Development

by Trisha Curling | Apr 11, 2024 | Main Page Display

Accelerated Handstand Development

inversion

ACCELERATED HANDSTAND DEVELOPMENT

Accelerating the process of achieving a goal comes from consistent practice, but it also depends heavily on the information and knowledge we’ve acquired.

Whether a handstand is part of our regular asana practice or not, there is always room for improvement. Learning and understanding the intricate skill sets are imperative. These are the things that will expedite our development. This doesn’t mean that it will happen fast but that we are equipped with more knowledge to apply to our physical practice, which will enhance our results.

There are a number of different areas for improvement when it comes to a better handstand, and one that might be overlooked is pelvic alignment. The drills and skills from today’s video provide the roadmap towards the final destination of a well-balanced handstand (pun intended lol).

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PELVIC ALIGNMENT TENDENCIES

In an upright position, knowing the difference between anterior and posterior tilt of the pelvis may be easier to negotiate. At other times, it may be harder to determine. In the full class, Matt explains that many of us have the tendency to posteriorly tilt the pelvis when standing, which may be because we are trying to find the least amount of energy exertion by placing more weight into the hip joints.

The opposite is true when upside down in a handstand. Here, the tendency may be to anteriorly tilt the pelvis (especially if there is a wall behind us). We might feel that the safer place to be is behind us, so the hips move in that direction. This tendency does not serve us in a balanced handstand away from a wall. In this case, the posterior tilt of the pelvis is a must.

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ACCELERATED HANDSTAND DEVELOPMENT: POLISHING PELVIC ALIGNMENT

SPHINX TO HOLLOW BODY & CRESENT POSE

To find balance in a handstand off the wall, we must polish our pelvic alignment. We don’t start by trying this in handstand; first, we must strengthen and train the appropriate muscles in other postures and drills. In today’s video, Matt begins by demonstrating 2 ways to implement this strengthening and training in our regular practice.

Sphinx to Hollow Body

In this demonstration, we are guided through 4 phases. It is a very slow and controlled process that not only strengthens the core and upper body, it also helps us understand how to effectively isolate and articulate the movements of the rib cage and pelvis.

Crescent Pose

Here we really learn to train and develop the tucking of the tailbone—the posterior tilt of the pelvis—against straightening and lengthening the back leg. When doing this, we’re activating the quadricep and gluteal muscles at the same time. This will translate well when transitioning upside down.

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HANDSTAND WALL DRILLS

Included in the process of handstand development is the practicing of pelvic alignment when we’re inverted in the context of drills. The handstand drills in today’s video are done against a wall. They provide the opportunity to place our feet on the wall in order to focus on the placement of the pelvis into a posterior-tilt position.

First, without any props, we gain the understanding of how important it is to push through the shoulders to initiate greater movement of the rib cage back, which initiates the desired “straight stacking” of the body. When the action of the posterior tilt takes place, our feet become lighter.
This is the same drill with the use of a chair, which can assist by offering more control to get upright. The exit here can also assist in practicing a safer exit when we start practicing away from a wall.

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PROCESS & TRANSFORMATION

We can never escape going through the processes our bodies need when we’re working towards a given yoga posture, and those processes are always individual. The muscles we need to train, the techniques we need to develop, and the knowledge we need to acquire will vary at different times throughout the process.

Matt always says that a posture like a handstand is evidence that we have tapped into increased mastery of the understanding of our own bodies. This is the true gift of the process on the journey towards transformation, not achievement.

Matt’s 10-Day Handstand Program works to systematically expose our greatest potential.

Transform your relationship with handstand by registering today!

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Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Handstand & Meditation Immersion

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ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
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Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
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Accelerated Handstand Development

Accelerated Handstand DevelopmentinversionACCELERATED HANDSTAND DEVELOPMENT Accelerating the process of achieving a goal comes from consistent practice, but it also depends heavily on the information and knowledge we’ve acquired. Whether a handstand is part of our...

Tweak The Twists In Your Yoga Practice

Tweak the Twists in Your Yoga PracticepadmasanaTWEAK THE TWISTS IN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE The definition of "tweak" here is the following: to improve (a mechanism or system) by making fine adjustments to it. This perfectly describes a major part of what’s involved in the...

Lotus Foundations

Lotus FoundationspadmasanaLOTUS FOUNDATIONS Lotus Pose requires a healthy amount of hip flexibility. For some, it comes easy. Reasons for this might be that the person is hypermobile in the hips, knees, and ankles and/or that many months or years of effort have been...

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasanaflying pigeonHIPS AND EKA PADA GALAVASANA Depending on where we are in our asana practice journey, arm balances may feel a little overwhelming. It can be difficult to know where to start. Instead of thinking about the final destination, we...

Hip Flexor Health For Better Movement

Hip Flexor Health for Better MovementstretchHIP FLEXOR HEALTH FOR BETTER MOVEMENT Healthy hip flexor muscles are associated with both stretch and strength. Although we’re going to focus more heavily on strength in this article, always note that both strength and...

6 Postures For Hips and Lower Back

6 Postures for Hips and Lower Backstretch6 POSTURES FOR HIPS AND LOWER BACK When we're interested in learning about postures that help us with our hips and lower back, it’s simply not good enough to find a video or practice that says that certain poses will help with...

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Tweak The Twists In Your Yoga Practice

by Trisha Curling | Apr 4, 2024 | Main Page Display

Tweak the Twists in Your Yoga Practice

padmasana

TWEAK THE TWISTS IN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

The definition of “tweak” here is the following: to improve (a mechanism or system) by making fine adjustments to it.

This perfectly describes a major part of what’s involved in the school of Chromatic yoga—it’s the fine adjustments related to the biomechanics of each posture that create a massive impact and transformative experience in our yoga practice. When we pay attention to each adjustment and learn to integrate it in a way that develops our intentions with a particular posture, we reap the benefits of expanding our potential. In Chromatic yoga, Matt shows us how to sequence yoga practices in a way that integrates knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics, and technique.

The postures and drills in today’s video show us how to properly co-activate the right muscle groups in order to maximize the benefits of twists through what Matt calls the “fire line.”

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WHAT IS THE FIRE LINE?

There are 5 elements in yoga philosophy. Referred to as mahabhutas, they are the following:

Earth
Water
Fire
Air
Space

Each element carries its own unique qualities, which go beyond the physical. Our focus today is on the element of Fire in a physical sense, but we can see how the qualities also lend themselves to our mental and spiritual development. Here are some of the qualities that represent Fire:

Transformation
Motivation
Power
Energy
Presence

When it comes to the physical, Matt has developed a system that allows us to coordinate specific actions within specific muscle groups at the right time. The “fire line” refers to the coactivation of the “diagonal core line.” It creates a domino effect with these steps:

Protraction of the scapulae (activating serratus anterior)
Spinal flexion, then layering on spinal rotation (igniting the external obliques on one side and the internal obliques on the opposite side)
Flexion of the opposite hip (iliopsoas)

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TWEAK THE TWISTS IN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE: CHROMATIC YOGA FIRE LINE EXPLAINED

CREATE THE CONNECTION

When it comes to twists in our yoga practice, it may sometimes feel easy to default to a more “relaxed” approach. What we learn from today’s video is the importance of timing and the coactivation of specific muscles that support strengthening the core for better twists. In the fire line, it’s all about cultivating power and front-body strength in the midline.

In order to begin understanding how to create the connection between twists and the appropriate muscles, we first see the following postures in the video:

Revolved Crescent Lunge
Revolved Crescent Lunge with Open Arms
2 variations of Revolved Chair

We start by creating connections through the actions of protracting the scapulae, spinal flexion, and rotation—the ability to move the upper body as a unit, rather than just moving or reaching with our arms.

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DEVELOP THE TWIST TECHNIQUE

How do we further develop the technique for twists? Well, in the video, when Matt demonstrates Revolved Low Lunge, he emphasizes “flexing” our way down, rather than just falling with gravity. He stresses how we’re essentially resisting “the fall” by pulling the rib cage back to maintain the spinal flexion as we rotate.

The last piece of the puzzle regarding the fire line is hip flexion. As we move toward Boat Pose and “sock drills” in the video, we actually practice reversing the coactivation steps. The steps of muscle activation become the following in the sock drills:

hip flexors
internal obliques
external obliques
serratus anterior

The reversal of the steps amplifies our body’s ability to respond to the actions we’re asking it to perform.

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AN ARM BALANCE WITH A TWIST

After masterful sequencing and the activation of the core, we can work towards an arm balance with a twist, like Side Crow. Again, instead of resting the hip and outer thighs on both arms, we can utilize the activations in the fire line to balance and rest on the triceps of one arm. This ability then becomes transferable to other arm balances.

The techniques involved in these postures and drills create a stronger foundation and functional ability in our bodies overall, and this only scratches the surface of the fire line, not to mention the other elements.

Matt’s upcoming 30-hour hybrid immersion, Elements of Mastery, offers a unique opportunity to practice and learn both online and in person with Chromatic Yoga creator, Matt Giordano. This training will dive into all of the elements while immersing you in the studies of anatomy, biomechanics, and technique with a nondogmatic approach.

Secure your spot for this unparalleled opportunity!

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Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Breath Of Fire Immersion

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ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
Release aches and pains
Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
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Accelerated Handstand Development

Tweak The Twists In Your Yoga Practice

Lotus Foundations

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

Hip Flexor Health For Better Movement

6 Postures For Hips and Lower Back

All Videos

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Lotus Foundations

by Trisha Curling | Mar 28, 2024 | Main Page Display

Lotus Foundations

padmasana

LOTUS FOUNDATIONS

Lotus Pose requires a healthy amount of hip flexibility. For some, it comes easy. Reasons for this might be that the person is hypermobile in the hips, knees, and ankles and/or that many months or years of effort have been put towards developing the capability in their bodies.

If we push our limits to get into Lotus before our bodies are prepared, we can cause injuries that might have been prevented had we properly warmed up for such a deep posture. Implementing a “take a step back” mentality is key in moving our potential forward in the accessibility of Lotus.

Warming up doesn’t mean going straight into stretching and lengthening as much as possible. What we’ll see Matt demonstrate today is the importance of strengthening and contracting the muscles first.

HIP RELEASE

2-HOUR LIVESTREAM WORKSHOP!

Technique-infused 2-hour workshop
Nondogmatic alignment awareness
Inner thigh & outer hip flexibility
Increase active range of motion of the hips and pelvic movements
Learn anatomy of the hips as you practice
Strengthen the muscles for optimal balance
Postural focus: Flying Pigeon and Lotus Pose
Injury awareness: Avoiding knee & low-back strain/pain/compression
Use anatomy knowledge to debunk popular alignment
Skillfully guided sequence by the founder of Chromatic Yoga, Matt Giordano
LIVESTREAM DATE: March 30th at 10am Eastern Time (NYC Timezone)
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STRENGTHEN THE EXTERNAL ROTATORS

Homing in on the foundations is the “step back”; it’s like pulling an elastic band as far back as we can before we let it go. The farther back we pull, the further forward it will fly.

In the video, Matt demonstrates two variations of Baddha Konasana to get us started.

Variation I

This will activate the external rotators of the hip. Getting into the posture requires widening the knees and bringing the soles of the feet together. Pressing the feet down while lifting the hips initiates the engagement of the external rotators so that we can access maximum external rotation of the hips.

Variation II

This time, we internally rotate the legs and take the feet wider than the knees to do the lift. These actions will support the engagement of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL, an internal rotator) but will also continue to activate the external rotators.

WATCH THE VIDEO

LOTUS FOUNDATIONS: HOW TO MAXIMIZE HIP FLEXIBILITY

TARGET THE HIP FLEXORS

Targeting the muscles of the full circumference of the hips is essential when preparing for Lotus. Matt demonstrates 2 effective drills/postures to target the hip flexors.

Scissor Legs

Scissoring the legs will help us connect with the sensation of activating the hip flexors, but it’s the pulsing of the legs that builds more heat and stimulation of the muscles.

Happy Baby Pose Without Hands

Once again, we are in deep hip flexion, but it’s about more than just drawing the legs in close. Being intentional about actively pulling the feet in, as if we were holding them with our hands, while pushing the knees out is what produces the activation of the adductor muscles.

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Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
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ISOMETRIC ENGAGEMENTS

One notable benefit of isometric exercises is that they help to recruit many muscle fibers at once. “Most muscle strengthening exercises involve moving the joints, using the muscles to push or pull against resistance. However, isometric exercises involve holding static positions for long periods of time.”

Kandola, Aaron. 5 Isometric Exercises For People To Try. Medical News Today, June 26, 2023

This form of muscle contraction is commonplace in Matt’s classes. In the video, he teaches us how to effectively use this type of engagement in the following postures when preparing for Lotus:

Crescent Pose Preparation

The action of drawing both feet towards one another and pressing down through the front heel will assist in activating the glutes and hamstrings of the front leg, while activating the hip flexors of the back leg.

Humble Warrior

Pressing the sole of the back foot down and dragging it forward while pressing down through the heel of the front foot will assist in activating the back adductors and gluteus muscles.

Pigeon Pose

Pulling the two knees towards one another isometrically in the stretched position will help to activate the glute and hamstring muscles of the front leg and hip flexors and adductors of the back leg.

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AWAKEN THE OUTER HIP MUSCLES

Finally, we look at the outer hip muscles. In a Forward Fold position, we push the back of the legs outwards. This will ignite the gluteus medius and minimus. We can layer on TFL activation by lifting each leg and pulling it forward to tap the back of each respective wrist.

Today’s postures may be part of a typical physical practice, but when we “dial back” and implement the actions that will strengthen and arouse the activation of the hip muscles, we can be more confident in moving towards greater flexibility and mobility to safely experiment with Lotus pose.

Matt’s upcoming workshop Hip Release will guide you towards a better understanding of how to maximize flexibility, strength, and mobility of the hips.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Lotus Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
Release aches and pains
Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
Lifetime access

TELL ME MORE!

Continue Learning

Accelerated Handstand Development

Tweak The Twists In Your Yoga Practice

Lotus Foundations

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

Hip Flexor Health For Better Movement

6 Postures For Hips and Lower Back

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

by Trisha Curling | Mar 21, 2024 | Main Page Display

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

flying pigeon

HIPS AND EKA PADA GALAVASANA

Depending on where we are in our asana practice journey, arm balances may feel a little overwhelming. It can be difficult to know where to start. Instead of thinking about the final destination, we can benefit from implementing techniques and drills that will support actual transformation and the development of strength, flexibility, and mobility. When it comes to a posture like Eka Pada Galavasana (Flying Pigeon), the spotlight is on our hips. Safely executing the posture requires deep hip opening, which itself requires great care and preparation. Incorporating the techniques Matt teaches in today’s video is the perfect start. However, beyond incorporating the techniques, it’s about HOW we implement them.

HIP RELEASE

2-HOUR LIVESTREAM WORKSHOP!

Technique-infused 2-hour workshop
Nondogmatic alignment awareness
Inner thigh & outer hip flexibility
Increase active range of motion of the hips and pelvic movements
Learn anatomy of the hips as you practice
Strengthen the muscles for optimal balance
Postural focus: Flying Pigeon and Lotus Pose
Injury awareness: Avoiding knee & low-back strain/pain/compression
Use anatomy knowledge to debunk popular alignment
Skillfully guided sequence by the founder of Chromatic Yoga, Matt Giordano
LIVESTREAM DATE: March 30th at 10am Eastern Time (NYC Timezone)
REPLAY: Available immediately, lifetime access

✋ SIGN UP HERE

“PUSH AND SUSTAIN”

One of the most impactful statements Matt makes in the full class is “Push and sustain, don’t push and forget.” When he says this, he’s actually referring to a glute activation technique, but his words can be applied generally to how we approach the techniques from today’s video.

Sometimes we receive cues in a given posture or drill, but we then so easily revert back to what our bodies are used to, something that feels less “strange” or challenging in our bodies.

Eka Pada Galavasana requires hip strength to lock in the open position of the hip in the front leg and the lift from the glutes in the extended back leg. In the breakdown of each posture and technique, we’ll see the importance of finding and sustaining specific activations to increase strength.

WATCH THE VIDEO

HIPS AND GALAVASANA: TECHNIQUES TO UNLOCK THIS ARM BALANCE

GETTING THE HIP FLEXORS ACTIVE

The Lizard Pose variation and techniques Matt offers today are a great way to start the process of activating the muscles of the hips (more specifically, the hip flexors). This is particularly important in the first variation of Eka Pada Galavasana, where Matt demonstrates the “hugging in” of the back leg. We also learn how to “push and sustain” here. The technique that promotes both strength and flexibility is a facilitated stretch, that is, the activation of the muscles we are stretching. In the first variation of Lizard Pose, we use a facilitated stretch to activate the hip flexors by pressing the back knee down and forward. Sustaining the pull forward is the key to the effectiveness of this technique. When this happens, the muscle will release its tension and feel safe to lengthen while simultaneously strengthening. This will help with the hip flexion of the back leg. If we want to extend the back leg in Eka Pada Galavasana, lifting the back leg in Lizard while pulling the ball of the foot forward will also ignite our quadricep muscles. Activating the quadriceps will support the strength of extending the back leg.

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

Deepen your yoga practice
Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
Learn foundational class structures and templates
Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
SPRING ENROLLMENT OPEN! Training begins June 1

LEARN MORE!

PRACTICE THE HOOK

Opening our hips is paramount to practicing another important piece of the puzzle: hooking the front foot as high as possible above the triceps on the arm.

With the help of blocks, Matt sets up a Pigeon Pose variation. The blocks are stacked, creating enough height so that we can mimic the “hook” required to keep the foot in place. What actions are needed for this hook? In the ankle, we must dorsiflex and then layer on eversion of the ankle. The height of the block also supports the positioning (flexion) required in the hips.

While all this is happening, we are still encouraging the facilitated stretch of the hip flexors in the back leg.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

Get 500 hour certified
Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
Expand your teaching skills
Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
SPRING ENROLLMENT OPEN! Training begins June 1

LEARN MORE!

EKA PADA GALAVASANA VARIATIONS

The final preparations for the hips take place while we are practicing the Eka Pada Galavasana variations Matt teaches in the clip. Importance is still placed on activating the front hip while it is in deep external rotation. When setting up for the arm balance, we do this by pressing the shin down into our arms and pulling the back leg forward (facilitated stretch). As we set up the pelvic tilts and the placement of the front leg on the arms, we move towards one of the other extremely important pieces of an arm balance: leaning our body weight forward. Without getting the leg or shin in the right spot, however, we won’t be able to lean forward enough to find our balance.

In his upcoming workshop, Hip Release, Matt shares more insights into creating the required integrity in the hips for other arm balances.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Blissful Hips Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

Accessible, exciting, and easy to learn
Anatomy and biomechanics for yoga
Appropriate for both teachers and students
Learn joint alignment vs pose alignment
Demystify yoga poses and transitions
Release aches and pains
Learn how to avoid common injuries
Caters to all levels with modifications and props
20 hours Continued Education Credits with Yoga Alliance
20 hours toward Chromatic Yoga Certification and 300 Hour
Lifetime access

TELL ME MORE!

Continue Learning

Accelerated Handstand Development

Tweak The Twists In Your Yoga Practice

Lotus Foundations

Hips and Eka Pada Galavasana

Hip Flexor Health For Better Movement

6 Postures For Hips and Lower Back

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Hip Flexor Health For Better Movement

by Trisha Curling | Mar 14, 2024 | Main Page Display

Hip Flexor Health for Better Movement

stretch

HIP FLEXOR HEALTH FOR BETTER MOVEMENT

Healthy hip flexor muscles are associated with both stretch and strength. Although we’re going to focus more heavily on strength in this article, always note that both strength and flexibility are imperative for increased health within the muscles that make up the hip flexors and the muscles overall. Unfortunately, because the hip flexors are a challenging area for many, they are sometimes given short shrift or executed with little intention in our yoga practice. Matt reminds us that the hip flexors are the initiators of forward movement, so facing the challenge is essential in order to reap the benefits.

In today’s video, Matt provides accessible options to incorporate into our yoga practice. These actions and drills, when practiced consistently over time, transform our experience on the mat and in our everyday movement.

HIP RELEASE

2-HOUR LIVESTREAM WORKSHOP!

Technique-infused 2-hour workshop
Nondogmatic alignment awareness
Inner thigh & outer hip flexibility
Increase active range of motion of the hips and pelvic movements
Learn anatomy of the hips as you practice
Strengthen the muscles for optimal balance
Postural focus: Flying Pigeon and Lotus Pose
Injury awareness: Avoiding knee & low-back strain/pain/compression
Use anatomy knowledge to debunk popular alignment
Skillfully guided sequence by the founder of Chromatic Yoga, Matt Giordano
LIVESTREAM DATE: March 30th at 10am Eastern Time (NYC Timezone)
REPLAY: Available immediately, lifetime access

✋ SIGN UP HERE

MOVEMENT IS A MUST

“Those who move more frequently have less occurrence of blood clots, frozen joints, cartilage degeneration, impaired digestion, metabolic disease and even skin problems”.

Humans Have a Basic Physical and Psychological Need to Move the Body: Physical Activity as a Primary Drive

We implement movement into our daily lives, so without even knowing any of the specific scientific benefits (as listed above), we still know what they are because we experience the positive aftereffects. Some of the benefits we experience include the following:

increased energy levels
better sleep
improved mental health

Strong, healthy hip flexor muscles literally initiate movement and drive us forward. It’s the action of hip flexion that allows us to do things like walk, run, and skip. Strengthening our hip flexor muscles will ultimately help us to move forward in a more efficient way.

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HIP FLEXOR HEALTH FOR BETTER MOVEMENT: 5 DRILLS TO BUILD STRENGTH & LENGTH

DRILLS FOR PRONE PRESS AND BOAT POSE

Prone Press

The actions involved in this drill help us feel a connection to our hip flexor muscles. There are 2 variations to explore:

In a prone position, we bend the first leg and press the knee into the ground. This promotes the sensation of activation. The second leg lifts but remains straight.
The second variation adds more intensity by abducting the arms and lifting the torso.

Boat Pose Drills

The variations Matt teaches here offer a challenge for our hip flexor muscles.

The first one calls upon us to move in a way that forces us to be very intentional about initiating the movement with the hip flexors, as opposed to emphasizing the core.
Maintaining hip flexion while extending each leg all the way up is humbling. It’s also very telling about the amount of work that is required.

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PYRAMID & “DANDASANA-LIKE” LEG LIFTS

Pyramid Leg Lifts

If it’s a challenge we’re looking for, this is it! Once we are set up in this Pyramid variation with dorsiflexion in the front foot, we then actively lift the front leg up towards the chest. Even if there is a generous amount of strength present, it will be possible but still challenging. If we have less strength here, the front leg may not even lift up. Something important to note is that even if the leg doesn’t lift, the movement will still activate the hip flexor muscles.

“Dandasana-Like” Leg Lifts

The variations within these leg lifts offer a nice controlled way of promoting strength in the hip flexor muscles. You’ll see in the video that a simple change in angle of the leg will help target the psoas, pectineus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, or gracilis.

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STRETCH IT OUT

As much as strength is imperative for the health of our hip flexor muscles in terms of improved movement, we must also incorporate opportunities to stretch these muscles in our yoga practice, even between strengthening drills.

The delicious stretch Matt offers in the video is laid out in 4 stages, targeting first a stretch of the quadricep muscles, all the way up to the psoas in the final stage.

Selecting stages, or gradually going through all of them, can offer relief from the strengthening drills, but we shouldn’t underestimate the challenges that come with lengthening as well.

In Matt’s next workshop, Hip Release, he’ll guide us through specific postures, drills, and techniques for the hips. We’ll learn to stretch and to extend our understanding of our own bodies in order to have a greater effect on our yoga practice and to improve our movement overall.

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Videos Extracted From: Move Immersion

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6 Postures For Hips and Lower Back

by Trisha Curling | Mar 7, 2024 | Main Page Display

6 Postures for Hips and Lower Back

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6 POSTURES FOR HIPS AND LOWER BACK

When we’re interested in learning about postures that help us with our hips and lower back, it’s simply not good enough to find a video or practice that says that certain poses will help with these areas of the body. A statement like that is too broad—it doesn’t mean very much until we understand how to implement the poses in our yoga practice.

Yoga is a powerful tool because it provides us with the gift of awareness. In the context of a physical yoga practice, a teacher like Matt shows us how to get to know our own bodies in a deeper way. We learn how to exercise discernment so that a posture becomes tailored to our individual needs. In today’s video, we’ll not only observe 6 postures for the hips and lower back but also obtain the information to guide us in a direction that makes them helpful.

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PELVIC TILTS IN WARRIOR II AND IN REVERSE WARRIOR

How can postures become helpful? We can get to know when and where stretching and/or strengthening is appropriate. We always have choices.

In Warrior II and Reverse Warrior, the discussion is essentially about the action of leveling or not leveling the hips.

In the video, Matt explains that in his experience, he has often seen the front pelvis dropped downwards in Warrior II. However, this position in the hips may actually be more beneficial in Reverse Warrior, if we have the intention of stretching the side of the the front waistline. The lateral pelvic tilt helps create a stronger lateral flexion of the spine and an increased stretch in the psoas. Maintaining a more leveled pelvis in Warrior II can eliminate potential compression in the front hip. Exploring these articulations of the pelvis can help us find what is valuable at any given time.

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6 POSTURES FOR HIPS AND LOWER BACK: HOW TO DECIDE BETWEEN STRETCH & STRENGTH

STANDING FIGURE 4 AND JANU SIRSASANA

Standing Figure 4

This variation offers another opportunity to explore the positioning of the hips for an increased stretch of the side body. Matt first cues a medial rotation of the hips and then, to again increase the stretch in the side waistline, he cues “hiking up the pelvis” for more lateral flexion when we’re bent over on the diagonal .

Janu Sirsasana

Here we gain more insight in terms of choosing whether stretch or strength is beneficial. Due to the lateral flexion of the spine, this variation offers a deep stretch for the quadratus lumborum (QL), which might feel good. If the opposite is true and there is more discomfort than ease, an upright version may be more beneficial. In the upright version of the pose, the back muscles are engaged. If they feel tight, we may lean towards stretching, but tight muscles are often an indication of weakness, so opting for strength may be the key to finding relief in the lower back.

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FROG POSE AND HURDLER STRETCH

Frog Pose

Due to the intense shape of the posture, Frog Pose can reveal a great deal about our current experience with the strength and flexibility of our adductors. To encourage the optimal health and safety of the muscles, implementing a facilitated stretch offers stability while stretching. In the video, Matt shares how varying the angles of the pelvis will influence where we feel the stretch in the adductors.

Hurdler Stretch

This shape offers both stretch and strength for the QL. Matt offers two variations in the video to help us to find what is more accessible. In both variations, both the tilt of the pelvis and “finer” details like pressing the exposed side of the rib cage up and a small tucking of the buttock on the straight-leg side will assist in supporting the lower back and hips to refrain from strain.

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THE FINER DETAILS CARRY THE WEIGHT

Throughout the exploration of these postures, it’s these finer details that help personalize what we experience in the hips and lower back. Thoughtful and careful implementation supports our individual goals regarding increased flexibility and/or strength in the lower back and hips. Paying attention to the finer details makes all the difference in what we feel sensationally in our bodies.

This is why practicing with Matt creates such a transformational experience. His upcoming workshop, Hip Release, will be filled with techniques to help with increased range of motion in the hips, effective strength and flexibility drills, and ways to avoid pain. Register at the link to enliven your practice today.

See you on the mat!

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Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Blissful Hips