Category: Front Side Compression

POTM: Head to Knee Pose/ Janushirasana

12/1/2017

This posture comes toward the very end of every Bikram yoga class, paired with Stretching Pose/ Paschimottanasana. Together the two postures provide a lovely final stretch for the hamstrings, shoulders and back while improving circulation to the internal abdominal organs.

How to do:

Sit facing the front mirror with your right leg out cornerwise
Bend your left leg so your heel is up by your groin and sole of your left foot creates some pressure on the inner right thigh- your two legs should form a 90-degree angle like an "L"
Bring your arms over your head and turn at the waist to your right
Grab your right foot (you may need to bend the knee) and interlock your 10 fingers a couple inches below the toes
Pull your toes toward your face to try and flex the foot and get your heel off the floor
Tuck your chin to your chest like rabbit pose, suck your stomach in and put your forehead on your knee (again, you may need to bend the knee)
Bend your elbows down next to your calves
Bring your left elbow and left shoulder down a bit more until both shoulders are level with the floor
At the end, bring your head a little closer to your stomach and push your knee down one more time (got a cramp in the abdominal muscles? good news, you're on the right track!)
Release your foot and repeat to the left side

Tips:

When you switch your legs from the right to left sides, put your hands on the floor for support- then bring your arms over your head again once you've put the legs in position. This helps prevents strain on the lower back during the transition.
Your body is really warm and relatively limber by this point in class, and you may be a bit tired from all your efforts! Pay very close attention to your form, alignment and breath so as not to overstretch or "tweak" your back.

Among the many specific benefits of Head to Knee pose are:

Boosted circulation to liver, pancreas, and spleen and kidneys
Better circulation to bowels to improve digestion and relieve chronic diarrhea
Improved concentration and mental endurance
Ehanced flexibility of ankles, knees, hip joints
Stretching of the sciatic nerve to help relieve or prevent sciatica
Stretching of deltoids, trapezius, and hamstrings, especially erector femoris
Forward flexion of lower spine, especially last 5 vertebrae
Toning of biceps and quadriceps

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POTM: Rabbit Pose/ Sasangasana

11/1/2017

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Many students comment about the transition from Camel Pose to Rabbit Pose: it's very challenging, or it feels amazing- or both! Both poses deeply open the spine, helping ensure proper alignment as well as helping maintain the health of the intervertebral disks, whose spongy nature helps them absorb shock from daily movement.

Rabbit pose improves digestion, helps regulate metabolism and helps alleviate common cold and sinus symptoms as well as headaches. It benefits the central nervous system by creating maximum space between vertebrae along the back of the spine- which is not only great for stretching your back muscles, but also for the intervertebral disks and for the spinal cord which is protected by the bone joints of the spine.

The front-side compression helps strengthen and tone abdominal muscles. The "throat-choked" feeling of the chin tucked into the chest is where this pose nourishes the parathyroid and thyroid glands. Doing Rabbit pose also helps enhance mobility and flexibility of back muscles, spine, scapula and trapezius muscles. Come and try Rabbit in class today and make your body smile!

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POTM: Head to Knee Pose/ Janushirasana

POTM: Rabbit Pose/ Sasangasana

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