Peak Pose: Hasta Padangusthasana | Hugger Mugger Yoga

A long time in the past, a scholar got here to my class desirous to learn to apply Padmasana (Lotus Pose). On the time, I had lengthy since ditched my class plans, realizing that my agenda was not at all times in sync with what college students wanted. So, on this explicit day I improvised a category that constructed as much as Padmasana. That led me to begin enthusiastic about focusing my courses round a peak pose.

Since then, I’ve taught many sequences that lead as much as a peak pose. A peak pose is one which requires some particular preparation, and sometimes lends itself to modifications. Let’s be clear that the worth of our yoga apply by no means hinges on whether or not we are able to “carry out” peak poses. However if you wish to attempt practising sure difficult poses, cautious preparation is critical.

Methods to Style a Peak Pose Sequence

Whenever you wish to deal with a specific peak pose, you should first break down its elements. In different phrases, what are the bodily traits of the pose that might pose challenges? Right here’s an instance:

As we speak’s peak pose is Hasta Padangusthasana (Hand-to-Massive-Toe Pose). Right here’s a breakdown of the weather that it is best to apply earlier than trying this pose:

• Stability
• Hip abduction
• Hip exterior rotation
• Hamstring stretching
• Torso mobility and enlargement

There are many poses that target these qualities. However I’ll present just a few examples right here that can assist you get began. When you shift your intention towards getting ready for a peak pose, it may be a enjoyable and academic puzzle to determine put a singular sequence collectively.

Prep Poses for Hasta Padangusthasana

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose): Begin by standing on a yoga mat in Tadasana. Starting in Tadasana means that you can assess your place to begin. Do you’re feeling calm or agitated? Heavy or mild? Boring or vibrant? Drained or energetic? It’s at all times useful to tune into your baseline earlier than you begin a apply. Tadasana is an easy pose that offers you a chance to really feel delicate sensation. Be happy to return to Tadasana in between poses to examine in with any shifts that will have occurred.
2. Vrksasana (Tree Pose): Training a stability pose has two advantages right here: you’ll be able to assess how your physique is balancing right now, and stability poses can promote focus, a mandatory talent for balancing. Additionally, hip of the bent leg in Tree Pose is in abduction (transferring away from the middle line), the identical place as the highest leg in Hasta Padangusthasana.
3. Prasarita Padottanasana (Large-Leg Ahead Bend Pose): This pose supplies a simple strategy to apply strengthening and grounding the legs. It additionally stretches the hamstrings and abducts your hip joints. Root your ft into the ground and place your fingers on the ground or on yoga blocks. Utilizing yoga blocks, even in case you’re very versatile, can promote simpler respiration.
4. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II Pose): Warrior II combines stability, power and hip abduction with an expanded profile. Be certain to breathe deeply. Training the pose a number of instances on all sides may also help you construct stability.
5. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose): Trikonasana is comparable in form to Hasta Padangusthasana, however in a special relationship to gravity. As a result of each ft are contacting the ground, the stability problem is enormously diminished. This offers you the chance to deal with the opposite components: Hamstring stretch, exterior rotation, core mobility, and hip abduction. Mobilizing your core—in order that your physique can really feel expanded and related all through—is simple right here. Deal with respiration deeply, and just be sure you keep effectively inside your vary of movement in order that your breath could be free and expansive.
6. Hasta Padangusthasana (Hand-to-Massive-Toe Pose): After practising the earlier poses, try to be able to apply your peak pose. Be happy to face along with your again in opposition to a wall so that you just don’t have to fret about balancing. That manner you’ll be able to deal with enlargement. You can too apply with one facet near a wall, and place just a few fingers on the wall to stabilize stability. In case your hand doesn’t simply attain the foot of the prolonged leg, use a yoga strap to carry onto the foot. This may enable you to preserve expanded alignment.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Follow and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third e book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards in 2010.