Half Lotus Explorations Articulations for Your Hips, Knees, and Ankleship mobilityHALF LOTUS POSE EXPLORATIONS Lotus Pose may become accessible at different phases of your practice, but it might not ever become attainable. Half Lotus Pose and variations are a great...
Half Lotus Explorations
Half Lotus Explorations
Articulations for Your Hips, Knees, and Ankles
hip mobility
HALF LOTUS POSE EXPLORATIONS
Lotus Pose may become accessible at different phases of your practice, but it might not ever become attainable. Half Lotus Pose and variations are a great way to see what is possible. Practicing these preparatory postures and/or actions also provides what is actually useful: nourishment for the hips. Ultimately, creating health, longevity, and functionality in the hips is much more rewarding than just being able to say “Hey, I’m in Lotus Pose!”
The only way to get to know yourself and your body is to be willing to experiment in your practice. Diving into the options Matt provides in this video tutorial of Half Lotus explorations is the perfect opportunity. They are still deep hip openers, but they may provide more scope for how to articulate the hips, knees, and ankles.
LOTUS
- Anatomy-informed classes
- Increase hip mobility and range of motion
- Balance flexibility and strength
- Skillful techniques for Lotus variations and many other hip openers
- Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
- Unlock your Lotus Pose
- Learn the 4 Quadrants of the Hips
- 8 Classes: All levels appropriate
- Lifetime unlimited access to all
- Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you
$128.00 $78.00
EXTERNAL & INTERNAL ROTATION OF THE HIP
Executing Half Lotus doesn’t mean that you will find it easier; it’s simply an alternative entry that allows you to maybe more fully examine each side of your body in more isolation. Early in today’s clip, Matt breaks down “Half Lotus Half Hero Pose” as one of these Half Lotus explorations. Here, you have one leg in external rotation and the other in deep internal rotation. This is not only an excellent variation to explore if it is more accessible to you but also a way to examine where you are along the spectrum of the posture. More importantly though, it helps you increase mobility in your hips by working on both internal and external rotation. The hips are in external rotation in Lotus, but working on the opposite internal rotation creates more balance and health in the hip joint overall.
WATCH THE VIDEO
HALF LOTUS EXPLORATIONS: ARTICULATIONS FOR YOUR HIPS, KNEES, AND ANKLES
ARTICULATION OF THE KNEES
In this Lotus article , I discuss how Matt explains the importance of the “closed” angle of the knees. This is vital, and there are some specifics to look at in these Half Lotus variations, especially regarding the use of props. Some ways to utilize props support the variations, and other ways can defer your progress. First, Matt recommends that you elevate your hips by sitting on a block or blanket. Bringing the hips higher allows you to keep your knees at a safer angle. Initially, once you externally rotate your hip, your knee might be quite high, so placing a block underneath it for support can also be beneficial. Matt explains that once you increase your range and develop the ability to bring your foot further across your body, you may notice that your knee will rest closer to the ground.
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
ARTICULATION OF THE ANKLES
There are also specific joint actions that are necessary at the ankle. One of the ways to practice this is in “Half Virasana Half Cobbler’s Pose.” At the end of the video, Matt shows how to create eversion of the ankle. Having one leg in Cobbler’s Pose gives you a little bit more freedom to articulate this movement. You’ll see a demonstration of eversion of the ankle early on in the clip, but that variation may be less accessible. Why is eversion essential? It takes the stretch away from the outside of the ankle, which may cause injury. With eversion, you are shortening the outer ankle. When coming into any Lotus variation, performing this action can inform where to place your attention, which may be to create more opening at the hip and/or further closure at the knee.
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
- Business, branding, marketing, and social media skills
HALF LOTUS FOR LIFE
Words like “resilience” and “fortitude” come to mind when we think about the Lotus flower or posture. In life, these qualities are essential to push through adversity and overcome obstacles. Sometimes working on finding more mobility in the hips can feel like a laborious task, but it’s through adversity, whether on or off the mat, that we truly learn about ourselves. Approaching these Half Lotus variations may take you right into the mud, so to speak, and it may be quite mucky and taxing, but when your experience begins to shift and you start to notice the possibilities, this is when you’ll rise and come into the light of your potential. Achieving Half Lotus may be exciting, but being able to say “Hey, I’m able to do all of the activities I love” is the true reward.
Register for Matt’s March 2023 Immersion Lotus to unleash your potential.
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
Video Extracted From: Hips & Hamstrings Immersion
BREATH OF FIRE
- Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
- Core strengthening & integration
- Master your breath with pranayama practices
- Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
- Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
- Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
- Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral
- 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
- Lifetime unlimited access to all
- Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you
$148.00 $98.00
Continue Learning
Half Lotus Explorations
read more
Fire Log Pose
Fire Log Pose 3 Actions for Increased Hip MobilityagnistambhasanaFIRE LOG POSE There’s such a joyous feeling when you’re unwrapping a gift and caught up in the anticipation of finding out what’s inside. This can be similar to the process of exploring a specific yoga...
Lotus Pose Variations
Lotus Pose Variations Is There a Safer Option?padmasanaLOTUS POSE VARIATIONS One of my favorite episodes of Three’s Company is when John Ritter’s character (Jack) laughs at Joyce Dewitt ( Janet) and Suzanne Somers (Chrissy) when they are doing Lotus Pose during a yoga...
Pigeon Leg Lifts
Pigeon Leg Lifts Ignite Your Core-Hip Connectionpigeon drillPIGEON LEG LIFTS Pigeon Leg Lifts are the perfect example of how you can flip a common yoga posture on its head. You may have explored several variations of Pigeon Pose, but this out-of-the-ordinary...
Rectus Abdominis Handstand Drill
Rectus AbdominisHandstand Drill The Key Component for ControlabdominalsRECTUS ABDOMINIS HANDSTAND DRILL This rectus abdominis handstand drill takes the fear out of inversions. That may be a bold statement to make, but it’s true. If you don’t have prior experience...
Strengthen Your Diaphragm
Strengthen Your Diaphragm Resistance-Band Breath TechniquebreatheSTRENGTHEN YOUR DIAPHRAGM Strengthening your diaphragm. Is that a thing? It absolutely is, just like any other muscle you develop and strengthen in your body. The diaphragm is arguably one of the most...
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
