Strengthen Your “Shelf” For Mayurasana

by Trisha Curling | Feb 1, 2024 | Main Page Display

Strengthen Your “Shelf” for Mayurasana

How to Prepare for This Unique Arm Balance

DELTOIDS

STRENGTHEN YOUR “SHELF” FOR MAYURASANA

Let’s note that muscle groups do not work in isolation: The activation of accessory muscles, although not necessarily the focal point, are an integral part of the execution of a posture. In Mayurasana, the anterior deltoids and rotator cuff muscles may not be part of your first thoughts regarding how to execute this posture, but without considering the role they play, we simply will not be able to create the “shelf” required to create the balance we need in this posture. There is obvious core activation, not to mention strength and activation in the glutes and hamstrings, but the shelf Matt refers to in this class is the ability to hug the elbows in as tightly as possible so as to create an anchor for the pose. The anterior deltoids and rotator cuff muscles offer support, stability, and strength in Mayurasana.

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BLOCK SQUEEZE DRILL

In terms of teaching Mayurasana, Matt notes that it’s not an easy pose to sequence towards. Not many other postures mimic the mandatory actions, but there are certainly creative movements and drills we can incorporate into our practice in order to cultivate the inescapable strength required for Mayurasana. Of course, Matt demonstrates the actions we can take to strengthen the appropriate muscle groups. Included in this preparation, in particular for the shelf in Mayurasana, are the biceps, pectoralis muscles, anterior deltoids, and rotator cuff.

Today’s video starts off with a “block squeeze” drill. The block is squeezed between the forearms with bent elbows, while the arms are externally rotated. Our palms are facing forward, and the upper back is rounded while we “sit” in a Chair Pose position. The pectoralis muscles are engaged, but it’s the external rotation that helps us target the rotator cuff muscles.

WATCH THE VIDEO

STRENGTHEN YOUR “SHELF” FOR MAYURASANA: HOW TO PREPARE FOR THIS UNIQUE ARM BALANCE

MAYURASANA AT THE WALL AND ON YOUR BACK

Mayurasana at the Wall

Here, we can practice mimicking what we did in the block drill—squeezing our elbows in towards each other. In addition, the feeling of “trying to pull the wall up” turns on the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the biceps. We can’t lift our legs here, but we can practice the sensation of pulling our feet back to activate the glutes and hamstrings.

Mayurasana on Your Back

By pressing our feet into the ground in this variation, we can get more feedback and activation of the glutes and hamstrings. In the upper body, we practice the shape by rounding the back and placing our arms as if to set up the shelf on top of the rib cage.

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MAYURASANA “MASTERY”

In the full class, Matt reminds us that creating the shelf with our arms doesn’t mean that we are resting on top of them. What we’re actually doing is setting up a strong base, our negotiating point for balance. To achieve the final expression of the posture, it’s the angle of the bend at the elbows, the grip of the ground with the fingers, and the strength in the shoulders and upper body that allow us to shift and find the sweet spot that supports the lift of the legs. In today’s video, you’ll see how Matt shifts his weight back and forth before he locks in to the next step, where he finds authentic balance and uses the strength of the core, glutes, and hamstrings to lift his legs. The trust in the foundation that’s been created allows for this masterful execution of Mayurasana.

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KEY ACTIONS IN THIS ARM BALANCE

Here are the 2 key actions Matt outlines for Mayurasana (we’ll find them in most arm balance postures):

Bending the elbows at an open angle (helps to stop us from falling)
Intentionally leaning forward while trying to stop at the same time

For Mayurasana, more than building strength in the shoulders, biceps, core, glutes, and hamstrings, it’s about how to be very intentional in the drills we implement in our yoga practice. The only way to become masterful is to be informed and guided through drills like these and, of course, to practice the posture itself.

In Matt’s upcoming 3-part series, Shoulder Mastery, he’ll delve into more about shoulder strength for arm balances, along with a deeper understanding of the shoulders when it comes to inversions, binds, and even releasing the neck.

Strength without action offers no direction. Register for the workshop series today!

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Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Anatomy of Arm Balances

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Glutes & Hamstrings

by Trisha Curling | Nov 30, 2023 | Main Page Display

Glutes and Hamstrings

8 Skills and Drills for Activation

strength

Glutes and Hamstrings

How many times has your yoga teacher said “feel your glutes” in a particular posture in a yoga class, but you’re not sure exactly what that means or what it’s actually supposed to feel like? You can easily lose or misunderstand the connection to the sensations in your body unless you’re intentional about locking in to each action in your asana practice. It’s more than that though—it’s also about learning the techniques to actually make the connection. Learning effective techniques and implementing them can help you to get to know your body in a deeper way, and this can very effectively change how you move. In today’s video, Matt highlights 8 effective ways for you to connect to your glutes and hamstrings in order to strengthen them for better functionality overall.

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LEARN THE TECHNIQUES

An excellent approach to connecting to your glutes and hamstrings is to learn technique. This provides a focus and removes the pressure of trying to randomly figure out where and how to feel what you may believe you’re supposed to feel. It also helps you explore your body in a safe way. In Matt’s approach, instead of just going through a variety of postures that are “prescribed” to fire up your glutes and hamstrings, Matt provides a direct how-to, which means there are articulations and repetitive actions that help you connect with certainty to the sensations in your glutes and hamstrings.

Strength is more than building muscle and resilience; it’s a skill. The skills and drills that Matt offers create a solid foundation for transformation and connection in your body.

WATCH THE VIDEO

GLUTES AND HAMSTRINGS: 8 SKILLS AND DRILLS FOR ACTIVATION

TRANSFORM THESE STANDING POSTURES

In Low Lunge, Matt demonstrates how to access your glutes and hamstrings effectively. To ignite your hamstrings in the front leg, drag your front heel back while creating a posterior tilt in the pelvis. When you also press down the front heel, your glutes will spark up.

In the video, Matt maintains the same actions in Warrior II, Goddess Pose, and the Pyramid variation he demonstrates. Pressing down through your heel and pulling your feet towards each other contracts and activates your glutes and hamstrings.

The Supported Warrior III “leg lift” variation offers specific pelvic articulations that are key to connecting to the sensations in your glutes and hamstrings, and Crescent Pose Slides are an effective glute and hamstring strengthener.

Incorporating these skills and drills will help you understand your body more deeply .

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GLUTE BRIDGE AND TABLE TOP VARIATIONS

These potentially more “traditional” movements to activate and strengthen your glutes and hamstrings are also executed with different levels and unique articulations in the video.

One of the first ways to really find connection in these variations is to remove your yoga mat! Matt wears socks on his hardwood floor. Wearing socks forces you to dig in a little deeper into the floor to find steadiness.

Matt offers 3 variations of Glute Bridge and 4 variations of Table Top. What’s nice about exploring the different variations is that you have the opportunity to find out where your needs are on each side of the body. This is where growth and understanding take place.

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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

When it comes to the hamstrings, you may often think about how to become more flexible in that area of the body; what may be neglected is that to create integrity in your muscles, there must be a healthy degree of strength. Strength is often associated with glutes, but why, and how can you strengthen them effectively? If you strengthen your glutes and hamstrings effectively, you support your ability to propel your body forward in your daily movement. Applying these safe and effective techniques will contribute to your hip health and thus your overall health.

Register for Matt’s December 2023 Immersion Blissful Hips in order to learn and to expand your current toolbox for strength!

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Article by Trish Curling

Videos Extracted From: Hip Mobility Immersion

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ONLINE ANATOMY COURSE

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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

Explore Hip Rotation

Step Up Your Side Plank

Headstand and Side Crow Transitions

Reinvent Revolved Triangle

Urdhva Dhanurasana Unknowns

Redefine Chaturanga

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Side Angle Self Adjustment for Hip Strength

by matt | Sep 28, 2021 | Home Page, Main Page Display

SELF ADJUSTMENT IN SIDE ANGLE POSE

ACTIVATE YOUR GLUTES FOR GREATER GAINS

SIDE ANGLE

SELF ADJUSTMENT IN SIDE ANGLE POSE — ACTIVATE YOUR GLUTES FOR GREATER GAINS

Glute gains! Who doesn’t want those, right? When we think about glute gains though, our minds may go directly to the aesthetic appearance, when in reality, what we really need is the health and strength of that group of muscles (gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus) in order to have functional strength, balance, and endurance. We have the ability to create this reality within our bodies by way of adjustments and focused muscle activation in our physical yoga practice.

When we think about adjustments in a yoga context, it can be quite a lengthy discussion with many layers. Receiving adjustments from our yoga teachers can be a wonderfully supportive experience, while for some, it may be the complete opposite. There may be an aversion to touch for many reasons; no matter what the reasons are, they are to be 100% respected.

STRENGTH

Yoga For Strength: Strengthen Your Weaknesses • Maximize Your Physical Potential

12 classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice
Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
Joyful accountability to help you reach your practice goals

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The Power of Self Adjustments

Now, we happen to be in a time where so many of us are still not practicing in studios or in person with our private teachers. We are participating in virtual classes more than ever. If you weren’t utilizing self adjustments before, this unique time provides an opportunity to incorporate them. This can be a transformative addition to your physical practice, whether in the studio or at home. Self adjustments offer more than you may think they do. They can be a really great way to connect with our own bodies. When we maintain awareness of the breath and connect with the specific action in the self adjustment, we can truly transform the experience we are having on the mat.

Incorporating adjustments is more than just placing our bodies into a specific alignment. Taking gradual steps through the process helps us to feel safe, therefore helping us to progress.

3 STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE SETTING UP YOUR SELF ADJUSTMENT

Pay attention to your breath, maintain a rhythm that sends a signal to your brain that you are safe and that you are ready to sync the next action with your breath.
Find stability first. If you need additional support in the posture, then gather the props you may need. Utilizing blocks, a chair, and/or a wall may be just the thing that helps you to find the sensation or connection to the muscle activation.
Go for it! Perform the self adjustment. First, find the appropriate alignment in your body and then apply the action/contraction in the muscle with your own assist.

In today’s video, we can see Matt take all of these steps for glute activation in Side Angle Pose. In his preparation for the posture, he has set himself up on a chair, making himself more stable, and then he presses the knee of the front leg out into his bicep in order to turn on the abductors and gluteus muscles. He adds the action of pressing down through the heel in the front foot to turn on the gluteus maximus. These actions completely change the experience in the posture.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

The 3 Main Benefits of Self Adjustments

Gain a sense of awareness of where we are in space (proprioception)
Develop muscular strength
Gain access to increase range of motion

With better proprioception (body awareness), we have a better chance of activating our targeted muscles. In the example of Side Angle from the video, the act of pressing into the bicep provides feedback into the brain and body to activate the abductors. We can understand the sensation of this activation so much more. This feedback shows us how to come back to this activation with more confidence whenever we revisit this posture in our practice. The act of that isometric contraction in the targeted muscles builds integrity and strength in the muscles and surrounding tissues. With more strength, we find an opportunity to increase more active range of motion. With better active range of motion, we in turn unleash our access to new postures. We can truly see that self adjustments provide so much more than stacking bones and joints. We are changing our experience on the mat and in our bodies as a whole.

If you want to develop more strength in your yoga practice, check out Matt’s October 2021 Immersion, titled “Strength“

If you’re ready to unleash your true potential and develop greater strength in your yoga practice, then Matt’s new Immersion Strength for the month of October is perfect for you.

In this immersion, you will gain access to:

12 Classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice.
Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
Joyful accountability to reach your practice goals.

~Written and Edited by Trish Curling

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STRENGTH

Yoga For Strength: Strengthen Your Weaknesses • Maximize Your Physical Potential

12 classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice
Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
Joyful accountability to help you reach your practice goals

SALE PRICE: ~~$138.00~~ $128.00

LEARN MORE!

Livestream Class Packages

STRENGTH

Yoga For Strength: Strengthen Your Weaknesses • Maximize Your Physical Potential

12 classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice
Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
Joyful accountability to help you reach your practice goals

SALE PRICE: ~~$138.00~~ $128.00

LEARN MORE!

SHOULDER REVELATION

Strength•Mobility•Biomechanics

Increase strength and flexibility
Decrease risk of injury
Release shoulder tension
Learn anatomy and biomechanics
Access a wider range of postures
Stabilize the rotator cuff muscles
Learn binds, heart openers, and arm balances
12 all-levels, 75-minute online classes
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VITALITY

RIGOR & RELEASE

Get back to feeling energized
Vinyasa-style approach, accessible to everyone
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Strengthen and lengthen the most essential muscle groups
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BALANCE

INCREASE & AWAKEN YOUR BALANCE

Learn over 12 balance postures
Muscle strength and reactive patterning
Increase proprioception and deliberate weight shifting
Tree, Standing Hand-to-Foot variations, Warrior III
Half Moon variations, Handstand, Side Plank, Headstand
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Hips & Hamstrings

RECLAIM YOUR ELASTICITY

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Crow, Side Crow, Titibasana, Ashtavakrasana
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HEART OPENERS

DISCOVER THE JOY OF BACKBENDS

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MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

YOGA • BREATHWORK • MEDITATION

YOGA: TRANSFORM YOUR BODY
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THE DANCE

ALIGN • REFINE • FLOW

MOVEMENT TRANSFORMATION
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THE PULSE

BALANCE • STRENGTH • FLEXIBILITY

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2020 IMMERSIONS

HIPS • HEART • HANDSTAND

HIP OPENERS
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BUILD COURAGE & STRENGTH
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boundless freedom

SHOULDER & NECK RELEASE
SHOULDER BIOMECHANICS
BALANCED STRENGTH
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12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS

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BIRDS OF PARADISE

FLEXIBILITY OF INNER THIGHS
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LEADS TO BIRDS OF PARADISE
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BEST STARTER PACKAGE

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THE SPINAL RESET

BACKBENDS & SIDE BENDS
TWISTS AND FORWARD FOLDS
SPINAL BIOMECHANICS
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JOURNEY TO BLISS

PHYSICAL MEETS SPIRITUAL
EXPLORE THE KOSHAS
MIND-BODY TENSION RELEASE
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BACK, NECK, & SHOULDERS

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THE BREAKTHROUGH

HIP OPENERS
HIP BIOMECHANICS
EMPHASIS ON ARM BALANCES
4 POST-CLASS MEDITATIONS
12 CLASSES: ALL LEVELS

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JOURNEY TO THE HEART

FULL BODY RESET
INCREASE BALANCE
ARM BALANCES
4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
ELEMENTALLY THEMED

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KING PIGEON & HANUMAN

FLEXIBILITY OF HIPS
SHOULDER & SPINE MOBILITY
4 GUIDED MEDITATIONS
12 INTERMEDIATE CLASSES
HAMSTRING RANGE OF MOTION

$128.00

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Continue Learning

Explore Hip Rotation

Step Up Your Side Plank

Headstand and Side Crow Transitions

Reinvent Revolved Triangle

Urdhva Dhanurasana Unknowns

Redefine Chaturanga

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Eagle Pose technique how to double wrap the legs

by matt | Jun 10, 2021 | Home Page, Main Page Display

GARUDASANA – EAGLE POSE

How to Double Wrap the Legs

Eagle Pose

GARUDASANA – EAGLE POSE

Why is it hard to double wrap the leg?

Garudasana, known as Eagle Pose, is a challenging hip opener and hip strengthener. It’s useful in developing balance, but for many people, double wrapping the leg is not accessible. For sure, some people have no trouble at all, but others are completely perplexed.

There are three reasons why it would be challenging for you or your students to double wrap:

Lack of flexibility of the abductor muscles (outer hip muscles). These are the muscles that are lengthened when we cross our legs.
Lack of strength of the standing hip abductor muscles. This is a bit confusing unless you watch the video below. The standing hip abductors help to elevate the opposite side of the pelvis, making it more possible to cross the top leg over the bottom leg.
Lack of technique and timing. In most cases, if you are not applying deliberate technique while moving into a pose, you will be entering the pose the hard way, which means you will only be able to do the postures that match your set of physical muscular patterns. This is a disservice, not because you will miss out on the poses but because you will miss out on the opportunity to change your muscle patterns. In the video below, you will see the timing and techniques for getting into Eagle Pose with double-wrapped legs.

yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

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How to Increase Flexibility of the Abductors — Outer Hips

If flexibility is inhibiting you from accessing Garudasana and you want to find ways to access your greater range of motion of the outer hip muscles, there are a couple postures you can work with. Any posture that includes crisscrossed legs will be useful and effective in increasing abductor flexibility. Although there aren’t many traditional postures, aside from Eagle Pose itself, one that comes to mind is Gomukhasana, Cow-Faced Pose. However, I would say that Eagle Pose should usually precede Gomukhasana because Eagle Pose requires less flexibility. The posture that I use in the Hips and Hamstrings immersion to prepare for Eagle is a straight single-leg forward fold with crisscrossed legs.

How to Get into the Straight-Leg Crisscrossed Forward Fold

Start in Lunge Pose with your right foot forward.
Heel-toe (move) your right foot to the left side of the mat.
Step your back left foot to the right side of the mat so that both legs are crisscrossed.
I suggest using block under both hands prior to the last step.
Straighten your legs to a degree where you are stretching without strain.

IMPORTANT KEY ACTION: Wag your tail bone to the left to increase the stretch along the outer hip and IT band. If that’s too intense, wag your tail to the right to decrease the outer-hip stretch.

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WHY LACK OF ABDUCTOR STRENGTH HOLDS YOU BACK IN EAGLE POSE

Strength of the abductor group (outer hip muscles) is super important for two reasons. First, the standing hip abductors are what lift the opposite side of your pelvis, which allows you to cross your top leg over. Second, without outer hip strength on the standing leg, you would struggle to balance the pose! Outer hip muscles play a major role in balancing any single leg pose. If you find it challenging to balance Garudasana, then you will want to start with a strength-training routine for the abductors. We focus in on strengthening these muscles in the Hips and Hamstrings Immersion

FREE VIDEO TUTORIAL: HOW TO DOUBLE WRAP LEGS IN GARUDASANA, EAGLE POSE

This video clip was taken from Class #3 in the Hips and Hamstrings: 12 Class Immersion

HOW TO DOUBLE WRAP THE LEGS

Notice in the video that I am focused on squeezing the outer standing hip inward and lifting the opposite side of the pelvis upward as a result. This allows the thigh bone to more easily cross the midline of the body. You will also notice that my thighs are significantly rotated inward; this helps to access the wrapping of the legs as well. In the class leading up to this tutorial, we used a wall to eliminate the necessity to balance while working with these actions. In this video, I joke about the use of a wall, but I highly recommend you try it that way.

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HOW DO I INCREASE FLEXIBILITY OF MY HIPS FOR OTHER YOGA POSTURES?

The easy answer to this is to practice in such a way that you are deliberately strengthening each muscle group around the hips. To learn more about what muscle groups are involved in hip opening, check out the article I wrote on The 4 Quadrants of The Hips, where I share my methodology and approach for my personal practice and in my teaching. Once you understand which muscles surround the hip joints, the next step is to begin strengthening each muscle group. Strengthening one muscle group through range of motion will increase the flexibility of the opposing muscle group. This is the magic of an educated and deliberate practice — we take the guesswork out, and efforts are more effective in achieving intended results.

To increase your strength and flexibility of the hips, you can join the Hips and Hamstrings Immersion,which will take you through twelve 75-minute online yoga classes, each focused on a different pose and the relevant muscle group(s). I take you through creative ways of strengthening, then I provide you with effective techniques for stretching and accessing various yoga postures.

HIPS & HAMSTRINGS IMMERSION

Increase range of motion of your hips and hamstrings
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Release stress patterns, discomfort, or pain in your hips, back, and knees
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Triangle Pose: Trick to Avoid Hip Impingement

by matt | Jan 29, 2019 | Home Page, Main Page Display, Uncategorized

Triangle Pose

Avoid Hip Impingement & Increase Your Range of Motion

Triangle Pose

Triangle pose is an iconic posture in yoga that has tremendous benefits for increasing hip range of motion by creating more flexibility of the hamstrings and adductors (inner thigh muscles). There are several potential strength benefits that triangle pose has to offer, however, it requires an intentional activation of our muscles and they likely won’t engage on their own. In the video and photo breakdown below, I go over my favorite muscle activations for triangle pose. From my experience in practicing triangle pose with teachers across the world, I have heard these verbal alignment cues more often than not: “Square your pelvis to the sidewall, tuck your tail bone, and place your hand on your shin, block, or ground.” When I practice, I try to really do what the teacher asks, but every time I tried this I noticed an immediate pain in my hip that I never get when I approach triangle pose on my own or coming from a posture like side angle pose. I also noticed that if I maintain these alignment cues, my hand only goes to my shin at best unless I fall into a deep side bend. Knowing the anatomy of the hip, I assumed that this alignment increased the potential compression at the hip joint, and maybe caused the soft tissue to be pinched. I decided to do some research on Hip FAI (femoral acetabular impingement) or hip impingement.

The Research

After much research on Hip FAI (femoral acetabular impingement), I was hoping to bring you conclusive data on how yoga could cause or help hip impingement, however, the current research on yoga specifically is minimal and mostly all over the place. It is commonly agreed that range of motion and proper strength training can help prevent hip impingement. It is also commonly agreed that many athletic sports could be the cause of it, as well as childhood development of the bones and joints. There is however an interesting study that showed increased impingement and stress on the hip joint in dancers when performing specific dance positions which include external rotation and posterior titled pelvis. The research doesn’t mention these specific structural alignments, however, being the husband of a dancer raised on ballet I was able to confirm my suspicion about these pelvis and femur bone alignments. In ballet you are asked to keep the low back long which is a posterior tilt of the pelvis – often cued as “tuck your tail” in yoga classes. One pose in the research article stood out to me: développé à la seconde, which is essentially standing triangle pose or Utthita Hasta Pandangusthasana B. The photo of my good friend Beau Campbell (@theyogarina) to the right (below on mobile) shows the posture in the study. Food for thought: If this posture is creating compression at the hip, what happens when you add the weight of gravity as we do in triangle pose.

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What is Hip Impingement

Hip impingement is the result of increased friction or damage of the soft tissue that makes up the hip joint. The hip joint is where the thigh bone and pelvis connect. It is a ball and socket joint – the head of the femur (thigh bone) is a round “ball” and the pelvis has a “socket” that receives it. There are soft tissues that cover and surround the bones so that the joint becomes slippery and smooth. Articular cartilage covers the two bones, and the labrum is like a gasket that forms a tight seal around the joint. When these soft tissues become inflamed, irritated, or damaged it is referred to as hip impingement. Some Hip impingements are the result of the way our bones were formed growing up, and others could be the result of repetitive high impact exercises or sports. A healthy hip joint is one where there is no wear and tear of the soft tissues.

Are there other Kinds of hip injuries?

Hip impingement is not the only kind of injury around the hip area. The hip is surrounded by ligaments, muscles, fascia, and nerves that can all become injured due to stress, strain, or structural miss-alignments. Just because you have hip pain does not mean you have an impinged hip. We are also coming to realize that not all physical pain exists in the body, but can also be stemming from mental or emotional trauma. What should you do if you have hip pain? Don’t freak out- see a specialist to assess where the pain is stemming from so you can take proper action to support your health. It could be a pulled muscle, or as simple as a muscle that is hyperactive and causing a myriad of issues. Physical therapy, Acupuncture, and Massage are all great healing modalities to try.

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4 Steps TO ENTER TRIANGLE POSE

Step 1 - Internal rotation

Rotate the back foot, thigh bone, and pelvis inward toward the front leg. No need to overdo this like you would when trying to square the hips in a lunge pose. How much to turn in will depend on you and your structure so go slow and try various angles and observe what you feel. This will increase the amount of possible joint mobility, but tight hamstrings might still inhibit the range of motion.

Step 3: Glute Activation

From your front buttocks press down into your heel until you feel your pelvis starts to open back toward the sky (the opposite of step 1). Ideally, activating both gluteus Maximus and gluteus medius/minimus as you do so. This likely will all happen when you press down, but if your pelvis doesn’t rotate open and your outer hips don’t engage, try pressing your inner heel down and outward.

Step 2: bow at the pelvis

Flex (or bow) at the hip joint to bring your front hand to the block or the ground I personally avoid asking students to go to the shin as not to put more downward pressure into the front knee. Personally, I come to fingertips as it’s a bit easier than full palm and still grounded. Press down into your hand for support and activation of your deep core – psoas muscles.

Step 4: Counter Action

Similar to step 1, we are trying to rotate the thigh and hip inward again, however, the major difference is that in step 4 it is simply an activation of the muscles, not an actual movement of the bones. Counteraction creates stability and also helps to prevent going too deep into the end range of motion which could bring you right back to impingement or just an overstretch of the adductors.

HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
Maximize your strength through range of motion
Access your pose potential
Release tension of hips and back
Sensation-based practices
Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
Active, passive, and isometric stretching
Improve mobility and stability
So much more!

~~$148.00~~ $128.00

MORE INFORMATION

✋ SIGN ME UP

The Adductors

The muscles along the inner thigh are referred to as the adductor group, and typically serve to bring the thigh bones toward the midline of the body, but they can also internally rotate the thighbones, extend them backward like the hamstrings (adductor magnus) and even externally rotate when in deep extension. The adductors also help to stabilize the pelvis.

Practicing Triangle

Is triangle a high-risk posture? Probably not on my list of postures to avoid, but depending on your body and how you approach it, it may have massive benefits or setbacks. The steps I have provided for you have helped me feel better in my triangle pose, and many students have felt the same. This doesn’t mean it will be best for you, so proceed with presence, observe what you feel as you practice, and go slow enough to be able to make choices. There are many more potential options of how to isometrically activate your muscles in postures like triangle. Should you want to learn more please check out the Hips: Rock Em and Unlock Em workshop below. Leave a comment if this post has been helpful or if you have questions or requests for future posts.

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ONLINE TEACHER TRAININGS

GET CERTIFIED AT THE 200 OR 500 HOUR LEVELS

200 Hour Training: Get certified to teach yoga
300 Hour Training: Take your certification to the 500 hour level
Recognized globally by Yoga Alliance
Take your practice to the next level
All levels, ages, and experience welcomed

GET THE DETAILS!

Continue Learning

Explore Hip Rotation

Step Up Your Side Plank

Headstand and Side Crow Transitions

Reinvent Revolved Triangle

Urdhva Dhanurasana Unknowns

Redefine Chaturanga

All Videos

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