Build Towards A Bind

Build Towards A Bind

MOBILITY

BUILD TOWARDS A BIND

I remember watching a clip on Matt’s Instagram years ago, breaking down how to achieve the bind in Side Angle. At the time, I was chasing the bind the only way I knew how—by trying to get “more open.” I thought the key was in pushing further, straining deeper. But every time I tried to force it, I could feel my body resisting and the potential for injury growing. Then Matt said something that stopped me: “Internally rotate to get under the leg first, bind, and then open the chest.” Internally rotate? It felt so backward. But I gave it a try. And it worked—immediately. I was hooked. That single shift reshaped everything. That’s the beauty of Chromatic Yoga—it’s not about chasing flexibility but cultivating clarity, structure, and progressive strength. When we build towards a bind, it’s not about forcing. It’s about strategizing. It’s about understanding.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

SCORPION 2-HOUR ONLINE WORKSHOP

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

  • Learn how to access pain-free heart openers
  • Shoulder Alignment, Bio-Mechanics Strength & Mobility
  • Wrist Strength & Health
  • Technique-infused 2-hour workshop
  • Step-by-step tutorials for each heart opener
  • Decrease low back discomfort
  • Increase spinal strength, stability, and support
  • Injury Awareness: Avoiding spinal compression
  • Debunk popular alignment with anatomy knowledge
  • Skillfully guided sequence by the founder of Chromatic Yoga, Matt Giordano
  • ON DEMAND: Available immediately, lifetime access

CHROMATIC YOGA

Chromatic Yoga is not a style—it’s an intelligent system rooted in education and exploration. It’s designed to help us move through the practice step by step, anchored by awareness and strategy. When we build towards a bind, or any posture really, it’s the clarity of process that takes us there. Matt’s approach is inspired by the Koshas—the five layers of self. It’s a reminder that we’re not just muscles and bones, but energy, breath, intellect, and spirit too. By understanding and differentiating these layers, we can direct our energy and attention with precision. Our intellect—our buddhi—benefits from breaking things down into digestible steps. We learn to ask the right questions, to discern between physical challenge and mental resistance. This way, we move inward with purpose. When we explore a bind, we do it from the inside out—layer by layer, building both body and insight.

FORWARD FOLD SHOULDER DRILL

Matt opens the practice with a Forward Fold shoulder drill that begins the biomechanical journey toward a bind. While folded, we interlace the hands behind the back, initiating internal rotation in the shoulders. Pressing the thumbs together activates the rotator muscles and teaches the body coordination between internal and external movement. As we retract the shoulder blades and straighten the elbows, gravity helps draw the arms toward the ground, but we don’t surrender entirely—we press into the thumb side of the hand for isometric engagement. Coming to stand while keeping the arms lifted above the buttocks, we move dynamically between forward fold and upright chest expansion. This alternation wires the neuromuscular system to support a bind without passivity. The triceps, rear deltoids, and even the rhomboids come online. Strength, not just openness, becomes our guide. It’s a powerful, foundational step as we build towards a bind with stability.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BUILD TOWARDS A BIND: MOVE FROM PROCESS TO POTENTIAL

WHAT IF THERE’S TOO MUCH RESTRICTION?

When we explore Humble Warrior, the bind-like position behind the back can feel like a wall. For many of us, pressing the palms together isn’t accessible—and Matt explains why. Tightness in the anterior deltoids and pectoralis major may be the culprit, making it hard to broaden the chest enough to narrow the back body. But that doesn’t mean we’re blocked. Instead, we explore with a prop: a block placed between the hands behind the back. This increases the space between the arms, making the rotation accessible while still building strength and proprioception. As we squeeze the block, we learn the actions of the bind without forcing the shape. It’s a tool for re-patterning. Restriction isn’t the end of the road—it’s the beginning of better inquiry. Each adjustment and prop is an invitation to explore smarter, so we can safely build towards a bind, even in a modified form.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

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

BOUND SIDE ANGLE

Now we’re ready to integrate the full mechanics of the bind. Matt demonstrates that the key to Bound Side Angle is starting with internal rotation in both arms. The lower we get, the more accessible the connection becomes. The front shoulder dips under the thigh, and the hand reaches around to the lower back. With that arm in place, the opposite hand finds the wrist or fingertips. Once the grip is secured, the pose evolves. We press down through the heel, initiate rotation through the pelvis and spine, and expand into the full external rotation of the upper body. Opening happens from the inside. Rather than forcing the shape, we flow through intelligent transitions. The bind becomes a result, not the goal. When we build towards a bind with sequencing, strength, and patience, we gain a deeper sense of embodiment and ease—fueled not by flexibility alone, but by integration and intention.

300 hour teacher training online

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

PLAN, PROCESS, PREVAIL

To build towards a bind is to plan, process, and prevail. Our plan begins with curiosity and information—learning about our bodies, gathering tools, and choosing our path. The process is where transformation lives: in drills, props, setbacks, and moments of insight. Sometimes the route we imagine isn’t the one that leads us to the bind—but that detour teaches us more than we expected. And prevailing? It’s not just about the clasp of the hands. It’s about choosing an approach that helps us move better, feel stronger, and understand our bodies with greater clarity. For me, it started with letting go of force and embracing internal rotation. That unexpected step back became a leap forward. When we commit to the plan, lean into the process, and trust ourselves enough to pivot when needed—we always prevail. Not just in the pose, but in our connection to practice, presence, and personal growth.

Take advantage and participate in the unfolding of the Chromatic process in Matt’s upcoming Scorpion 2-Hour Online Workshop.

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

Video Extracted From: Chromatic Yoga 15 Hour Online Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

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

Continue Learning

Build Towards A Bind

Build Towards A Bind

Build Towards A BindMOBILITYBUILD TOWARDS A BIND I remember watching a clip on Matt’s Instagram years ago, breaking down how to achieve the bind in Side Angle. At the time, I was chasing the bind the only way I knew how—by trying to get “more open.” I thought the key...

read more
Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

read more
Handstand Actions

Handstand Actions

Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

read more
Handstand Mechanics

Handstand Mechanics

Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

read more
Stable Sirsasana

Stable Sirsasana

Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

read more
Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

read more

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
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Bound Side Angle

Bound Side Angle

2 Variations To Open Up Your Shoulders

expand

BOUND SIDE ANGLE

You might either approach Bound Side Angle with excitement or with a sense of fear. If you adopt a certain perspective, it’s possible for the word “bound” to evoke a sense of freedom in the context of yoga. In postures like Bound Side Angle, openness is required not just in the shoulders but also in the hips. While on one hand, yes, the posture can seem limiting and closed (especially if there are constrictions due to pain or injury); on the other hand, through the use of props and specific articulations, there are ways to access increased shoulder mobility. In today’s video, Matt offers very explicit actions you can take to acquire more flexibility and strength. What you’ll also find is that the connection you gain to the rest of your body ultimately creates a positive influence on your ability to find more opening.

chromatic yoga 15 hour immersion

CHROMATIC YOGA

OCTOBER 2023  15Hr. Immersion

  • 12 Chromatic Yoga practices with founder Matt Giordano
  • Full-spectrum immersion covering all posture categories
  • Improve your body awareness and advance your practice
  • Technique, biomechanics, and alignment at the forefront
  • Life-enhancing and inspirational Chromatic philosophy woven through each class
  • 15 Continuing Education hours with Yoga Alliance
  • 15 Accredited Hours with the Chromatic School of Yoga
  • Step-by-step instruction for increased accessibility
  • Improve strength, balance, flexibility, and proprioception
  • Appropriate variations and modifications for all levels

$168.00 $138.00

MORE INFORMATION

 

MUCH MORE THAN YOUR SHOULDERS

It’s easy to prioritize the amount of mobility required in your shoulders for this posture, which is necessary, but there is more that requires your attention. Once you learn about what Chromatic Yoga is all about, you come into a more expansive awareness of your whole self—body and mind. Within your practice, this awareness is expressed as an informed exploration. This means that you begin to learn that certain movements or actions will alter your access and experience in a posture. 

Let’s examine what’s involved with the hips. There is a generous amount of abduction required, demanding a high degree of flexibility and strength in the adductor muscles. The wider the stance, the “easier” it will be to access the bind. In the video and discussion below, you’ll see how this supports your ability to find more shoulder mobility.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BOUND SIDE ANGLE: 2 VARIATIONS TO OPEN UP YOUR SHOULDERS

BOUND SIDE ANGLE TECHNIQUES WITH A BLOCK

When setting up Bound Side Angle, some of the first cues Matt offers in the video are “hips back, groins back.” Emphasis on the positioning of your hips is addressed quite early. Taking these actions can immediately make way for increased space for you to drop your torso as low as possible. If the attempt to lower your upper body to a greater degree feels too ambitious, Matt suggests placing a block underneath your front foot. You can see how this elevation brings your inner knee closer to the back of your shoulder, which can allow more freedom for your arm to go underneath your inner thigh. 

That being said, it is also the articulation of the shoulder joint that impacts your ability to wrap around for the bind. More protraction of the scapulae and internal rotation of the shoulders will assist you in getting your arm behind you.  

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

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

BOUND SIDE ANGLE WITH A STRAP

In both variations, once you have the security of the clasp, of your hands or with a strap, you can begin to lift. There are still actions that need to take place before you invite in the shoulder articulations for expansion. Creating a posterior tilt in your pelvis will set off the action of pulling your shoulders back, therefore lifting the chest up.

Practicing all of this with a strap may at first appear to be less arduous than without one. Matt notes that it may actually be more challenging in the sense that it provides increased range of motion in the shoulders. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of the muscle activations that will create an underpinning of strength to support the flexibility. Activating muscles like the rear deltoids and the erector spinae (for spinal support), along with the glutes and adductors, will substantially bolster the integrity of this posture.

300 hour teacher training online

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

THE ENTIRE SCOPE

As the saying goes, “You can throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks,” or in terms of yoga, you can arm yourself with education to gain more distinct results. The beauty of Chromatic yoga is that Matt articulates the alignment and biomechanics of each posture with absolute precision. This allows you to make informed choices regarding your practice: At any given time, you’ll have multiple opportunities to select which variations and modifications are appropriate for you. Through practice and repetition, you’ll experience a transformation within your physical body. What you’ll also learn is how to adopt and integrate the philosophical teachings of yoga into multiple areas of your life. Bound Side Angle pose may be a physical posture, but when you are open to the entire scope of what’s available to you within it, your potential is limitless.

Register for Matt’s next immersion, Chromatic Yoga, for a transformative experience.

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: Shoulder Revelation Immersion

lotus pose online yoga classes

The Teachers' Toolkit

  • Advance your practice
  • Learn masterful teaching techniques
  • Acquire business-building skills
  • Attract the right students
  • Learn about social media, marketing, and business structure
  • Catapult your teaching and career

Continue Learning

Build Towards A Bind

Build Towards A Bind

Build Towards A BindMOBILITYBUILD TOWARDS A BIND I remember watching a clip on Matt’s Instagram years ago, breaking down how to achieve the bind in Side Angle. At the time, I was chasing the bind the only way I knew how—by trying to get “more open.” I thought the key...

read more
Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For Handstand

Strong Hands For HandstandSTABILITYSTRONG HANDS FOR HANDSTAND When it comes to building strength for handstand, it starts at the base: our hands. Developing strong hands means targeting the wrist flexors, the very muscles that help create a trustworthy foundation....

read more
Handstand Actions

Handstand Actions

Handstand ActionsLEAN, GRIP, PUSHHANDSTAND ACTIONS Handstand isn’t something we conquer in a single class, it’s a layered process that demands repetition and refinement. There are certain key handstand actions that are non-negotiable: lifting the shoulders up to the...

read more
Handstand Mechanics

Handstand Mechanics

Handstand MechanicsINVERSIONHANDSTAND MECHANICS Stability, strength, and coordination come together in the pursuit of mastering handstand mechanics. One of the most critical foundations is internal rotation at the hip joints, which can aid with certain entries and...

read more
Stable Sirsasana

Stable Sirsasana

Stable SirsasanaHEADSTANDSTABLE SIRSASANA Creating a stable Sirsasana is less about the final pose and more about the mechanics that lead us there. From weight transfer and spinal alignment to hamstring flexibility and shoulder engagement, each layer matters. Unlike...

read more
Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip Rotation

Explore Hip RotationSURYA YANTRASANAEXPLORE HIP ROTATION Hip rotation isn’t just an anatomical concept—it’s an open invitation to become more intimate with our body’s story. In yoga, we often live in lateral (external) rotation, especially in hip-opening postures....

read more

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
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

BLACK FRIDAY: 30% OFF ALL ONLINE IMMERSIONS & WORKSHOPS !
0
days
0
hours
0
minutes
0
seconds
BLACK FRIDAY: 30% OFF ALL ONLINE IMMERSIONS & WORKSHOPS!
0
days
0
hours
0
minutes
0
seconds
BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Congratulations, your 30% discount code has been applied and will be reflected at the very bottom of the checkout page. All Immersions & Immersion Bundles are included in this sale. To get more info on each immersion click on the photo. On Demand and Lifetime Access To all
Overlay Image
BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Congratulations, your 30% discount code has been applied and will be reflected at the very bottom of the checkout page. All Immersions & Immersion Bundles are included in this sale. To get more info on each immersion click on the photo. On Demand and Lifetime Access To all

Pin It on Pinterest