Help For HamstringsFLEXIBILITYHELP FOR HAMSTRINGS “Yoga butt” or high hamstring tendonitis can be a literal pain where the sit bones meet the hamstrings and glutes. This area is prone to overuse injuries, especially when repetitive forward folds overstretch rather...
King Pigeon Preparation
King Pigeon Preparation
HIP OPENING
KING PIGEON PREPARATION
King Pigeon demands more than flexibility; it asks us to build carefully and deliberately. Progress comes not from leaping into the deepest version of the posture, but from cultivating strength, control, and awareness through smaller, intentional steps. This is where preparation becomes the key to sustainability, giving us the freedom to expand safely into the shape. Matt reminds us that when we take time to layer drills and explore smaller shapes first, we reduce the risk of strain and create safer biomechanics in our practice. Mastery isn’t about rushing, it’s impossible to bypass the process and expect sustainable results. The emphasis on preparation means we refine actions like scapular retraction, chest expansion, and hip mobility in progressive stages before attempting the full expression. With this approach, we not only protect our bodies from potential injury but also cultivate a deeper relationship with the pose itself. King Pigeon Preparation, then, becomes less about achievement and more about learning to honor the path toward mastery.
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A LITTLE CAMEL TO START
Matt begins by guiding us through a small Camel Pose variation to prime the spine and shoulders. With one hand behind the head, he emphasizes lifting the armpit up and back, while pressing the ribs forward to expand the chest. The opposite shoulder externally rotates to broaden the posture. These actions awaken the upper body and prepare us for the heart opening mechanics needed in King Pigeon. The focus here is not about depth but about refining direction: chest lifting forward and upward while maintaining stability in the shoulders. By starting with this accessible backbend, we set the stage for more demanding postures without overwhelming the body. Matt highlights that this is where we can feel the relationship between shoulder placement and spinal extension, an essential part of the groundwork for safely evolving toward King Pigeon.
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KING PIGEON PREPARATION: ESTABLISH A BASE FOR SAFE EXECUTION
KING PIGEON UPPER BODY
From Camel, we transition into a chair-supported drill that isolates the upper body mechanics of King Pigeon. With elbows on a chair, Matt instructs us to suction the armpits upward against gravity rather than collapsing downward. This effort prevents dumping into the shoulders and instead strengthens the supporting muscles of the upper back. He encourages pressing the elbows down and slightly inward, which frees the shoulders and creates more chest space. Here, the layering principle is clear: by practicing the action of lifting while lowering the chest, we develop both strength and mobility. It’s a reminder that King Pigeon is not achieved by flexibility alone—stability and activation play equal roles. This focused drill helps us condition the body to maintain openness in the chest while keeping the shoulders safe, a critical piece in preventing injury as we progress further.
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WHEEL AT THE WALL
Next, Matt brings us to the wall to explore a Wheel variation that reinforces scapular positioning. Starting like a Bridge, he moves onto the crown of the head before shifting the weight toward the wall. The key here is to keep the armpits pulled back as the chest presses forward, creating space in the shoulder joint. He emphasizes that even as the elbows begin to straighten, we must resist letting the armpits drive forward, which would compromise alignment. The wall offers a valuable checkpoint; it supports our chest expansion while reminding us to maintain the controlled shoulder actions that protect against compression. Matt stresses that drills like this can often feel more challenging than the full pose because they demand such precision. Yet, this challenge is exactly what conditions us for stability and confidence when approaching King Pigeon.
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VIRASANA VARIATION AS PREPARATION
Finally, Matt introduces a Virasana variation using a strap looped around the foot, offering another preparation pathway toward King Pigeon. This setup allows practitioners with different mobility ranges to access the shape safely while still working the essential actions. With the strap in place, he guides us to keep the elbows wide, the armpits pulling back, and the chest lifting forward. This mirrors the mechanics practiced earlier but adds the element of quadriceps lengthening and deeper backbend integration. By working within this supported variation, we refine the coordination needed for King Pigeon without forcing the body into positions it may not yet be ready for. Matt reminds us that preparation is not a detour but part of the destination. The layering of these drills strengthens our foundation so that when we do move into King Pigeon, we do so with integrity, awareness, and freedom.
In Matt’s upcoming online immersion called Deep Release this October, he will guide us through the intricacies of how to navigate pain and injury by ensuring that we more fully understand the biomechanics of our own bodies.
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Article by Trish Curling
Video Extracted From: Shoulder Mobility Immersion
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