How you can Do Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) in Yoga

Targets: Hip opener

Gear: Mat

Degree: Intermediate

Pigeon pose is a hip-opening ahead bend. There are three major variations of Pigeon pose, every constructing upon the one earlier than. This model is the primary stage and it’s the one you’ll generally follow in yoga class. The following is Mermaid pose and the complete pose is One-Legged King Pigeon. Anticipate to spend a while getting snug in every pose earlier than shifting to the following step.

Advantages

Pigeon pose particularly works as a hip opener and ahead bend, stretching your thighs, groin, again, piriformis, and psoas. The leg prolonged to the rear will get a stretch of the psoas and different hip flexors. On the opposite aspect, the rotators and outer hip are stretched. It’s a good antidote to sitting for lengthy durations. It prepares you for seated postures and backbends.

Step-by-Step Directions

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Watch Now: How you can Stretch Your Hips with Pigeon Pose

There are a couple of other ways to strategy Pigeon pose. One of many easiest is from Downward Dealing with Canine. You’ll be able to comply with the identical instructions beginning out of your fingers and knees place for those who favor.

1. From Downward Dealing with Canine, carry the precise leg up right into a Down Canine Cut up.
2. Bend your proper knee and convey that leg ahead as for those who have been going to step right into a lunge. As a substitute of putting your foot down as you’ll for a lunge, carry your proper knee to the ground on the surface of your proper hand. The appropriate shin might angle again in direction of the left hip or be extra parallel to the entrance of your mat, relying in your vary of movement.
3. Launch your left knee to your mat. Your left leg must be flat on the ground. Have a look backward and ensure that your left foot is pointing straight again.
4. Sq. your hips in direction of the entrance of your mat.
5. Take padding (a folded blanket works nicely) underneath the precise aspect of your hip as essential to make the pose extra snug.
6. In the event you really feel secure, carry your torso down right into a ahead bend over your proper leg.
7. Maintain hips sq. and weight balanced equally on either side as greatest you’ll be able to. If this feels too intense, place a blanket or block or underneath the hip or again knee. Attain your brow towards the ground.
8. Proceed squaring your hips and respiratory into any tightness.
9. Come again up, bringing your fingers according to your hips.
10. To launch, curl your left toes underneath and step again right into a Downward Dealing with Canine.
11. Repeat the pose on the opposite aspect.

Widespread Errors

Keep away from these errors to get essentially the most out of this pose.

Rotated Rear Leg

Your rear leg must be in a impartial place quite than rotated outward. To right this, tuck your toes underneath and raise your thigh to regulate so your hips are sq..

Hips Not Sq.

Do not collapse onto the hip of the entrance bent knee. Maintain your hips sq., propped with padding as wanted.

Modifications and Variations

You’ll be able to tailor the Pigeon pose to greatest suit your physique by following these methods. Work on getting a deeper stretch or preserve it extra modest—no matter works greatest in your physique. 

Want a Modification?

To make this extra snug (and more practical) for a newbie, you’ll be able to take a couple of further steps and precautions. 

Test the hip of the leg that’s bent in entrance of you. If the hip would not contact the ground, be sure you take enough padding underneath the butt on that aspect. If needed, use a number of blankets or a block. It is vital to evenly distribute your weight between each hips and preserve them sq. towards the bottom. In any other case, you’ll be putting stress on the knee and twisting your sacrum.

If the ahead bend is tough, use a block underneath your forearms and/or underneath your brow. Attempt to create a help system of props that lets you chill out within the ahead bend.

If the Pigeon Pose simply would not give you the results you want, Eye of the Needle (Succirandrasana) is an efficient substitute.

Up for a Problem?

As you change into extra superior, you’ll be able to transfer on to Mermaid pose or the complete model of the One-Legged King Pigeon Pose. There are three other ways to discover Pigeon. These directions are for when the precise knee is in entrance of you and the left leg is stretched behind.

1. Quad stretch: Bend your left knee and attain again in your left foot along with your left hand whereas lifting your proper arm up in direction of the sky.
2. Mermaid pose: Bend your left knee and attain again in your left foot along with your left hand. Hook the bend of your left arm across the prime of your left foot. After you have the hook, attain your proper arm up and again to clasp the left fingertips or wrist.
3. One-Legged King Pigeon: Bend your left knee and attain again for the left aspect of your foot along with your left hand as left elbow factors up in direction of the sky. After you have the foot, invite your proper arm to additionally attain up and again and seize maintain of the precise aspect of the foot.

How you can Put together

Eye of the Needle Pose is among the greatest preparatory postures you are able to do for Pigeon Pose, particularly you probably have tight hips.

1. Lie in your again along with your knees bent and toes on the ground and discover a impartial backbone.
2. Carry one foot and cross the ankle on the alternative thigh, simply above the knee.
3. Interlace your fingers behind the again of the alternative thigh and exhale as you draw each legs in nearer to your chest.
4. Maintain for 5 breaths and repeat on the opposite aspect.

For a extra energetic hip opener, you may as well strive a standing Determine-4 pose, also referred to as One-Legged Chair pose, to organize for Pigeon.

Security and Precautions

Keep away from this pose you probably have any knee harm or hip points. You shouldn’t really feel any stress on the knee. You’ll really feel rotation of your femur within the hip socket and an ideal stretch alongside the entrance of the hip, nevertheless it shouldn’t be painful.

Continuously Requested Questions

What muscle groups does Pigeon pose stretch?

As a hip opener, Pigeon Pose stretches the outer hip, thigh, groin, and again, and in addition the piriformis, and psoas muscle groups. The prolonged leg additionally receives a hip flexor stretch.

Who ought to keep away from Pigeon pose?

These with knee, hip, or again points might need to keep away from Pigeon pose, and it might be uncomfortable in later levels of being pregnant. As with all yoga poses, any pose that causes bodily discomfort or ache must be stopped instantly and prevented or modified.

How are you going to ease into Pigeon pose?

Work your means into Pigeon Pose by putting a folded blanket or block beneath your seat for help. Maintain the posture with an upright torso as an alternative of folding ahead. If that is nonetheless not accessible to you, lie in your again and carry out Eye of the Needle Pose as an alternative.

Attempt It Out

Incorporate this transfer and comparable ones into one in every of these widespread exercises:

• Yoga Poses You Ought to Do Every day
• Yoga Poses for Sciatica
• Yoga Poses to Stretch Your Quads