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When I started to think about Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, One-legged King Pigeon, it was one of those 'impossible' poses.

My body has a lot of issues with this pose, the main ones being: the length of my quadriceps (not long enough lol!) and hip flexors, side and shoulder muscles (longer armpits would be nice...) and bendiness in my lower back.  My scoliosis mostly affects the lumbar area, and on one side I have hugely built up muscles, while the other side is a bit convex.  Yoga helps a lot to balance it, but the imbalance really comes out when I attempt deep backbends that require more flexibility in the lumbar spine, so my backbends in this area are much easier on one side than the other.  The entire pigeon set of backbends, to me, seems like a pipe dream.  And yet, with slow and hard work, I AM making progress although I am nowhere yet near the final pose!

Anyway, in the spirit of doing as many impossible things as you can before breakfast, I've been working with a sequence that includes another of those 'impossible' poses - hanumanasana, or splits pose.  Another pose that I thought I would NEVER EVER IN A MILLION  YEARS be able to achieve... And yet, a few months ago out of the blue I slipped into it almost without trying (now it's hit and miss depending on how warmed up I am... and it's actually easier when I'm not trying).  Go figure.

Like some others involved in this discussion on Nadine Fawell's blog, I have been finding that my primary series Ashtanga-based practice just does not open up these areas enough for me.  So here is a sequence that I have been enjoying lately.  To practice it, you will need two blocks (or sturdy books) and a strap.  You might also want to put some extra padding under your knees for the lunges!  Although some of the poses in this sequence might look a bit advanced, with the use of props I think it's accessible to everyone.  Just respect your limits and remember, as I read in the blogsphere recently: "Yoga is a practice, not a perfect!"

1. Warm ups - start with your favourite warm ups, making sure you really warm up your hamstrings and your lower back.  5 sun salutations should just about do it, but any warm up works.

2. Lunges

a) Find your way into a low lunge, placing padding under the back knee if you need it.  Now, place the two blocks either side of the forward foot.  Press your hands into the blocks and lift up through the spine, opening the chest and shoulders.  Extend from the back knee, keeping it active and feeling a nice stretch the length of your back thigh.


b) Bring the blocks up so they are standing at their tallest, and walk them back a bit.  Using your hands to ground into the blocks and keeping the legs strong, extend the spine upwards from the pelvis and curl backwards.  This is called Monkey Lunge! If you are comfortable you can even release the hands and let your fingertips brush the floor.

c) Coming back to lunge, ground the forward (in this case the left) hand on the block and gently lift your right lower leg, catching the foot with the hand or using the yoga strap.  Keep the right thigh engaged slightly to protect your knee, and gently pull the right foot closer to your body for a nice, deep stretch.

3. Hanumanasana


a) To prepare for splits pose, from lunge turn your left toes back towards you to straighten the left leg, and take a gentle forward bend to stretch out the hamstring.


 b) Place your hands on the blocks and start to slide your left foot forward. Keep the heel on the ground and the toes flexed towards you.  Support your weight on the blocks as much as possible and focus on your breath.  When you have found a comfortable extension, focus back in on the right leg, lengthening it away from your body and feeling the hip flexor stretch! Don't worry about how far you can go - just breathe and be where you are with this one.


3. Kapotasana Poses

Warm up with your normal variation of supine pigeon, folding forward and staying there for as long as you like.  When you are ready, come back up for some pigeon variations and backbending work.


a) (NB I switched legs on this picture so you can see the pose better).  Support your weight by pressing your hand into a block placed outside your forward knee.  Then bend the back knee and gently bring the back foot up towards your body, grabbing it with your hand, or elbow if you choose.  Keep the thigh muscles engaged slightly and try to enjoy deep breaths here.


b) A nice way to get used to the idea of backbending is to use a yoga strap.  Loop the strap around the back foot (right foot again in the photos!) and bring the forward end over your shoulder on the same side.  Get comfortable in pigeon, and when your ready grab the strap with one or both hands.  Lengthen the spine from the waist, open up the chest, and start to curl back by walking your hands down the strap.  Again, don't worry how far you can or can't go! Just focus on breathing fully and exploring new sensations.


c) Now try coming back into the first variation with the strap looped around your ankle, and play with catching the strap and bending backwards! (NB: this is a hard one to get into on the 10-second self-photo timer, so I haven't quite come fully into the backbend, opening up the chest and bringing the head back.  But you get the idea!)


4. Finish up after you've done both sides with a nice long forward bend to counter the back-bending, and then take savasana or any other resting pose.

I hope you enjoy some or all of these ideas! What are poses that you used to think impossible that you are now working towards?  What is your experience in King Pigeon? Any tips for me?

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Hello everyone!

A reader left the following comment on a post about Warrior III: "I still have a hard time maintaining this pose. Are there any easier poses that will give me the strength to execute warrior pose 3?"

Warrior III is a challenging standing balance - a real power pose, but also one that requires heart. Any pose that requires heart also requires us to be compassionate with ourselves - so keep that in mind as you work towards this challenge. :)

There is a lot going on in Warrior III, but for the purposes of this post, there are two main aspects that we are going to work on to build more stability and ease in this challenge pose. Each aspect is an opposing pair, or muscle groups that work together:

1. Strong quadriceps and long hamstrings
2. Strong core and lower back

Depending on the individual yogi, you may want to work both of these areas, or one might give you more trouble than the other. As you go through the exercises below, take the time to observe how they feel for your body.

NOTE: Warrior III is a strong pose. The exercises below are not recommended if you have any injuries or have recently had surgery, especially but not limited to back injuries, hip or knee replacements, or a caesarian section.


1. Leg lifts
Stretches the hamstrings and warms up the abdominal muscles.

Lie on your mat with your arms stretched out overhead and your feet flexed. As you exhale, use your abdominal muscles to draw the lower ribs down towards the floor and tuck the belly button towards the spine.

On an exhale, slowly raise one leg in the air. On an inhale, slowly lower the leg. Try to use the core muscles to initiate and sustain the movement - not the muscles of the leg.

Do each side 4-10 times.

Think about it: If you are able to raise the leg to about 90 degrees, then you are exactly imitating the alignment of Warrior III, only lying down!! If you can't get the leg to 90 degrees while keeping it straight, then you will need to work on your hamstring flexibility to achieve the full pose.

Make it easier: If you feel any stress in your lower back, try bending the non-active leg and placing the foot on the floor, or bring your arms down by your sides, or both.

Make it harder: Raise and lower the leg in 4-6 increments, exhaling to move the leg and inhaling as you hold.
 



2. Balancing cat
Warms up the abdominals and the lower back muscles.

Come to all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.

Firm through the core and then lift one leg, stretching it straight out behind you. Keep the leg at the same height of your torso (many of us tend to lift it too high!) and strongly lengthen through the thigh and the heel as if you were pressing your foot against a wall. Or, even better - press your foot against a wall!!

If your balance fees comfortable and stable here, lift the opposite arm and stretch it out in front of you. Keep the arm about the height of your ear - you are trying to create a straight line from the heel, to the hip, to the shoulder, to the ear, to the fingertips. Keep your neck soft and long. Keep your abdominals engaged.

Hold for 3-5 breaths, repeat 1-3 times on each side.


Think about it: This is basically the shape of Warrior III only with one knee bent and one arm down. Feel how you can use your core to support yourself as you lengthen through the fingertips and through the heel of the outstretched foot. Practice inner rotation on the raised thigh, dropping the hip down and extending through the heel.

Make it easier: Don't raise the opposite arm.

Make it harder: Do a series of crunches before holding the pose: as you exhale, round the spine, lift through the core, and draw your raised knee towards your nose. As you inhale, straighten the leg.


3. Intense side stretch variation
Stretches the hamstrings and strengthens the lower back, one side at a time.

Come to standing with your feet hip width apart. Step one foot back so your feet are about a leg's length apart. Turn your back foot so the toes are pointing forwards or at a 45 degree angle.
Place the arm corresponding to your front leg on your lower back. Raise the opposite arm and as you exhale, keep the arm extended as you come all the way down into intense side-stretch. Inhale here.

Exhale, lift your extended arm halfway, bringing your torso parallel to the ground. Inhale, hold. Exhale, come back down.

Repeat 4-6 times on each side.

Make it easier: If you have tight hamstrings, you don't need to come all the way down in this pose. Just come as far as is comfortable, and then lift back up. Even if you are only lifting an inch or two, you will still be getting the benefits of this pose!

Make it harder: On your last repetition, hold the lifted position for 3-5 breaths.


4. Wide-legged forward bend variation
Strengthens the abdominal muscles and the lower back muscles, both sides together.

Stand sideways on your mat with your arms stretched out to your sides. Your feet should be wide apart, but no wider than underneath your wrists - if you bring the feet too wide you will lose stability in this pose.

Exhale, and draw the belly muscles in towards the spine as you bend forward from the waist, keeping the arms outstretched. Keep your thighs internally rotate and don't lock the knees, but keep your thighs strongly engaged in this pose.

If this feels ok, try the following:

Exhale, extend the arms out in front of you, arms even with the ears.

Hold each variation 3-5 breaths, being observant that you are not feeling any strain in your lower back.

Make it easier:  Keep your hands on your hips or bring them into prayer position.



5. Warrior III variations
Try these variations on the full pose.

With all those warm ups, try the following variations on the full pose! You can practice these at home or bust them out in class.

a) Warrior III with your hands on a chair - helps you to get a sense of the shape of the full pose and get a great lengthening stretch, without having to worry too much about losing your balance! You can also do this with your back heel pressed against a wall to get a real sense of how to engage your back leg.

b) Warrior III with your hands in prayer - brings the centre of gravity back and takes the stress off the lower back. This variation is especially recommended if you feel strain in your back when you attempt the full pose.

c) Warrior III with your arms outstretched in "airplane" - brings the centre of gravity back and lets you use your arms a bit to help with balance. This version is great if you keep toppling over in the pose!



As always, I love your comments so please leave your feedback! Was this tip helpful?What else would you like tips about?

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Dear Ashtanga,

Well, this has been a while coming, so I'm just going to be straight with you: I am seeing other yoga.

Yes, the mere fact that I am writing this is indicative of the problem - you see, Ashtanga, your system is just not flexible enough to meet my needs (no pun intended!). I guess this shouldn't come as a great surprise - just like any partnership, you can't rely wholly on one other person (errr, yoga system) to meet ALL of your needs. And yet, Ashtanga, that is kind of what you wanted me to think, which is, in hindsight, setting the bar a bit unrealistically high, right?

But don't worry, Ashtanga - it's not you, it's me. I've changed. I've grown in my practice, and you, of course, have been a part of that. But as I have become more in tune with my body - and my spirit - there are things that I have become less comfortable with, too.

You see, I'm not a dogmatic person. I don't have a religion, and I don't subscribe to the idea that any one system is better than another. Yet when I was introduced to you, Ashtanga, that sense of superiority was somehow present in the subtext. Now, I know that you're saying "it's not my fault I'm misinterpreted!" - and you know what, you're right. It's not your fault! But somehow that's the message that slipped through - "Ashtanga is like the ferrari of Yoga", one teacher said to me. The implication being that other 'vehicles' will get you there (wherever there is!) all the same, but that Ashtanga will do it faster. And with a bit more panache, perhaps. And I admit, when I first come to the practice, I certainly felt a bit of that turbo charge from the fast pace of the sequence and all those vinyasas! But I've come to a time where I'm suddenly thinking that a Ferrari is maybe not the only car that I need, because really, a Ferrari is only good if you have perfectly smooth, wide roads - say, a healthy, fit, injury-free body.  To be honest, I'm more of a 4x4 girl myself - because life is not a smooth ride, and I'd happily sacrifice a bit of speed to make sure that I have enough flexibility to deal with anything that comes along!

And that's the thing, Ashtanga. In real life, I think that in order to be effective, a system has to be able to evolve and change. But in Ashtanga, there is no evolution of the system. We are taught that the system is perfect as it is, that it is enough, that it cannot be changed or modified. I imagine the reaction of my Ashtanga teachers if I suggested we just "slip" shalabasana into the primary series, or "skip" Marichyasana D and do something else instead. According to the system, they would have good reason to be outraged! Everything is sequenced for a reason, everything in it's rightful place. You have to take things one step at a time! Which is wise advice, for sure. But it also assumes that one particular sequence (or 6, if you like) is right for every possible human body on earth. And the more I practice and the more I teach, the more I believe (as Krishnamacharya himself is reputed to have taught) that yoga should be adapted to the individual - and not the other way around.

Now that's not to say that your sequencing isn't beautiful, Ashtanga, because it truly is. But there are things that my body is missing, and I need to look elsewhere to find them. Lunges, for example - deep stretches into the psoas and hip flexors. So important for my back!  Piriformis stretches for keeping that pesky sciatica at bay - achieved when your leg crosses to the other side of the body, in easy twist for example - missing until ardha matsyendrasana in second series, and even that doesn't really isolate the muscle.

I could go on, but see, that is just me, and everybody's body is different. The point is, Ashtanga, that I spent a few years believing what I was taught - that Ashtanga is a complete system, that it is a system for anybody and everybody, that "practice [Ashtanga] and all is coming", and to practice other types of yoga would just be messing with the results. That, say, a Land Rover Defender might be robust, but a Ferrari is better. That with Ashtanga, there is really no need to practice anything else.

Well, for me, for my body, that just isn't working anymore. And so, Ashtanga, while I will probably still visit often, I am seeing other Yogas. And it feels good!

Sincerely,

Me.

Readers - what are your experiences with yoga systems? ;)

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• What do you think about spending on overseas aid?
• How much do you think your country spends on overseas aid as a percent of GDP?
• What impact do you think this makes?

Now watch the video:


Perception vs. reality...  Thoughts?  I have a lot to say about this but I want to start by opening it up!

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Hello yogis!

Well, one of the biggest changes in moving to England from the tropics is, of course, the weather!  One of the biggest shocks is the late sunrise - I practice yoga in the mornings and it has been hard to motivate myself to get out of bed and practice in the dark! I am used to the sun actually rising during sun salutations...

So, you readers who have experience in seasonal yoga, I asked the question on Twitter and will ask here again:

How do you motivate yourself to practice in winter?

I can't wait to read your responses!

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