Both of these poses create very similar stretches in a gentle, and customized way. There are great options for anyone who chooses not to do Pigeon Pose, including Seated Figure Four and Supine Figure Four. Sometimes Pigeon Pose is simply not available, especially for those who have had knee or hip injuries, surgeries or replacements. Solution: Place forearms on blocks or cradle the head in arms on a bolster Solution: Bring the front heel closer to the groinĭiscomfort: Discomfort/tension when releasing torso down toward the floor Solution: Place a blanket, block, or bolster under the hip so it can release with easeĭiscomfort: Discomfort in the right (front) knee Here are a few ways to soften the intensity-using props, of course.ĭiscomfort: The front hip lifts away from the floor, causing the inability to relax fully If, at any time, breathing feels jagged or frantic, remind students they are diving too deeply and invite them to release the stretch a little bit or come out of the pose entirely.įor many students the depth of the hip rotation in Pigeon Pose is simply too uncomfortable to bear. Repeat on the other side.Įncourage your students to monitor breathing each breath should be long and even. Others may enjoy a gentle Downward-Facing Dog, pedaling through the feet.
As a counterpose, some students may then wish to work through Spinal Balance, stretching out each leg and moving through the hips. After 5 to 10 breaths, have students walk their hands back toward the front leg and gently return to All Fours. Students can stay upright in the pose with hands on the floor, or begin to exhale their torso toward the floor, placing forearms on the floor or lying all the way down. The back leg will look like it’s in the Splits, with the knee and top of the foot resting on the floor. From here, gently slide the supporting leg back into the pose. This creates an upside-down Figure Four shape. Release the right leg to the mat, with the right ankle landing in front of the left thigh and the outer shin resting on the floor. Draw the right knee forward and outward, toward the right wrist. One of the most accessible ways is from All Fours.īegin on All Fours, with knees under your hips and your wrists under shoulders. There are several ways to approach Pigeon Pose. Encouraging them to continue a deep, even breath will help them relax into Pigeon. As you work through these more demanding poses, draw students’ attention to the breath.
#Pigeon pose how to
When cueing Standing Forward Fold, be sure to emphasize the length and relaxation in the spine so that students can remember how to re-create that same sense of length and relaxation later. Low Lunge with the back knee and foot on the ground is an excellent way to explore the depth of the flexion and extension needed for Pigeon. Warrior 2, and all its friends (Reverse Warrior, Side Angle Stretch, and Triangle) have great external rotation of the hip in the front leg, so be sure to draw attention to this. Throughout Mountain 2, focus cueing on the action in the hips. Hip Flexion, Extension, and External Rotation Let’s see how we can make this pose more accessible for our students-and ourselves.įinding comfort in the depth of the stretchīegin with the YogaFit standard Warm-Up (standing or supine) and a few rounds of Sun Salutations to warm the body. Pigeon Pose is right up there with the best of them. Of course, poses that answer the call can be pretty intense. By evening, our hips are begging for a little internal and external rotation.
Tight hips? Join the club! Most of our day-to-day activities require us to flex and extend at the hip (think: running, cycling, sitting at a desk, standing for long periods of time), which keeps us in the same plane of motion throughout the day. POSE OF THE MONTH: Pigeon Pose by Jenn Tarrant | How can we cue this challenging pose to make it more accessible for our students-and ourselves?