Standing Splits October 28, 2013

The splits go way beyond the yoga practice for me. They evoked fear in me way back in my musical theatre days when I was playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret and had to learn the splits as part of a routine. It wasn’t pretty, but I stretched every night (these were my pre-yoga days) and with time, my performance resembled something that looked sorta like the splits. Lucky for me, the scene didn’t call for perfection.

Fast forward to my life as a yogi, I had been practicing Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow religiously but had forgotten all about the splits (now known as Hanumanasana) until the fateful day where I was taking class and the teacher said, “If you want to take your lunge into a split, go for it.” I paused, contemplated, and thought, might as well! Next thing you know I’m in the full splits! I was in complete shock because I hadn’t been practicing this pose. The beauty of my realization was that doing a full yoga practice had provided me with the tools to open my body into this posture. All I needed to do was practice and stay open minded. I’ve never forgotten that moment or lesson.

Today, we take the splits off the ground and let them soar. Standing splits, while related to the grounded version, requires more muscle engagement and less help from gravity. I actually find these preps to be quite delicious and the perfect warmup to attempt the pose away from the wall. Remember this pose doesn’t happen by casually swinging your leg up into the air. It takes the perfect blend of flexibility and strength. Use them both.

Step 1:

King Arthur is a love/hate pose. This Hanuman or Standing Split prep is an excellent way to open up the quad, hip flexor and psoas. Take your mat to the wall and place your left shinbone up the wall with the knee a few inches away from the floor board. Toenails are against the wall. If you have sensitive knees feel free to place a towel under your knee or double up the mat. Take your right foot forward into lunge so that the knee is stacking over your heel. Begin with your hands on the ground to see what level of sensation you’re at. If it seems safe to go deeper, place both of your palms onto your right quad and lift your torso up. As your hips and back get closer to the wall, keep your left foot to the outside of your hip just like Virasana (Hero Pose). If you want more sensation continue to press into the quad with your hands and eventually bring your back to the wall. Allow your tailbone to neutrally drop as you engage and lift your lower belly. This seemingly small action turns on the psoas, so go slow! If you’re feeling extra strong and stable, try lifting your arms straight up overhead with the palms spinning in shoulder-width apart.

Step 2:

Bring your hands back down onto the mat, shoulder-width apart. Lift your left knee off the ground and start to climb the wall with the ball of your left foot. You’re not trying to get into a split here, you just want the leg to elevate. The knee can stay bent. Pause when you can’t get the foot higher. Try to square off your hips by rolling your left hip forward and down. Keep your standing quad engaged.

Step 3:

Transfer your weight into your hands keeping the arms straight and upper outer arms hugging in. Lift your right foot off the ground by pushing into your hands and transfer your heel to the baseboard of the wall. Walk your hands in slightly and push down to help wiggle the top leg further up and towards the wall. I prefer to keep my toes curled under during this process because it helps me to square the hips. The hips will want to externally rotate, so the curling of the toes gives you extra juice to roll the hip down and forward to level out with the right side. It’s incredibly difficult to get completely square so don’t push yourself too much, just do your best. If you can walk the hands in toward the wall, go for it! Remember you want to extend your chest long over your thigh and push into the ground to help engage the hold the lifted leg. After you’ve taken at least 8 breaths, walk your hands out and drop to your knees to rest.

Step 4:

Practicing Standing Splits in the middle of the room after using the wall is a bit exhausting but still quite rewarding. Start at the front of your mat in Standing Forward Fold. Sweep your left leg up behind you reaching it parallel to the ground. Inhale, get long through your chest, exhale begin to fold over your standing leg. I like the analogy of your chest being a pat of melted butter and your base leg is the toast. You want to evenly spread the butter! Basically, it isn’t about how close your torso gets to your leg, but how long it gets. I also like to place my right forearm behind my base calf to give me more leverage. You can push that arm into your calf to help extend your lifted leg. Your left hand will stay grounded in line with the toes of your base foot. The hand is hip width distance from the right foot. The top leg requires flexibility, but, more than anything, needs engagement and strength. Spread the toes of your lifted leg and expand through the back of your kneecap. Continue to encourage internal spiral by rolling the pinky toe back. Again, it’s very difficult to get the hips completely square, but the hope is to stay away aware. Keep your standing quad lifted and engaged and maybe plant a kiss onto your bottom shinbone.

Hollow Back September 30, 2013

I’ve never been a natural backbender. I understand I have a flexible back compared to most people, but put me in a group of advanced yogis and my jaw still drops upon witnessing the agility of the spine. Backbends have always frustrated me because I’ve felt limited. I focus on my alignment, works my cues, and give it my best, yet always find that I end up hitting a wall no matter how hard I try. The beauty of “hollow back,” a variation on Pincha Mayurasana, is its potential—I feel limitless. This backbend allows me to isolate my upper chest, protect my lower back, and feel what it’s like to keep moving forward. It’s a glorious feeling! It’s become not only my favorite backbend but potentially my favorite pose. I hope you’ll feel the same way!

Step 1:

Like any inversion, it’s best to start practicing this pose learning against a wall. Begin in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with the soles of your feet flat against the wall. Your legs should be straight with the thighs pressing down. Let your hands press into the ground where they naturally fall (directly next to your hips), and then, pressing down through your palms, lift

your hips and step both feet BACK so that they are now behind your hands. The goal here is to be able to lower your forearms down while keeping the palms in the same spot—this will ensure that your feet touch the wall when you kick up. Your forearms should be parallel to each other and shoulder-width apart. If you feel extremely nervous you can have a teacher spot you or cozy in just a bit closer to the wall. If you have a tendency to splay in your elbows you might consider interlacing your fingers like in Tripod Headstand instead of keeping the forearms parallel (elbows will still be shoulder-width apart).

Step 2:

Come into Dolphin Pose on your forearms. Keep your shoulders stacking over your elbows as you walk your feet in. Lift one leg up and gently kick up into Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Stand) allowing your top leg to come to the wall. Keep the wall leg straight (or as straight as it will go) and let your other leg bend with the knee facing the center of the room. Immediately hug your upper outer arms in to release through the base of your neck. Keep your elbows firming into the ground to draw energy up into your shoulder sockets. Instead of looking forward like you traditionally would, begin to let your head drop neutrally. This part takes time and confidence. It may just begin with looking slightly back.

Step 3:

Once you build confidence with dropping your head, let it go completely neutral. Your gaze will now be in the center of the room. Firmly press the foot into the wall. If you need to wiggle it down a bit that will help you deepen the backbend. If you feel too far out at this

point, kick out and readjust so that your fingers are slightly closer to the wall. Otherwise, give your upper outer arms an extra squeeze in to protect the upper back and start to pull your head through your arms. The idea is to eventually clear your arms with your ears. Your chest will follow suit; pull your heart toward the middle of the room. Keep pulling the center through as you firm the upper arms in and root through your elbows. As for the leg reaching into the center of the room, the tendency is to keep it high, so you’ll need to engage the hip flexors in order for it to drop into the split.

Step 4:

Kicking up into this pose in the middle of the room takes time. The first part of the goal (and reaching this may take weeks, months, or years) is to learn how to balance Forearm Stand with a neutral neck. It’s much easier to neutralize your neck when you bring one knee into a bent position (check out the Shape in step 2 with the wall leg slightly higher up). When you bring one leg closer to your center of gravity, it makes it easier to balance. This will enable you to slowly lower your head, let your gaze fall toward the middle of the room, and neutralize your neck. Once this balance feels normal you can add the backbend. Always re-firm the outer upper arms. The action of hollow back can cause the arms to splay, so we need to make the effort to firm them in before we add the action. Once the arms are solid, pull your head through toward the center of the room along with your chest. I have the legs picture in the splits above, but the shape of your legs is entirely up to you. The splits can be useful as it creates a nice counter balance to everything going on. Continue to drop the leg closest to your chest downward as it has a tendency to float up (you’ll see mine isn’t parallel to the ground. I’m still working on that!).

Anantasana August 19, 2013

I know this Challenge Pose may not look as challenging as others, but this one is a hidden gem. Obviously, it’s challenging in the hip and hamstring department, but Side-Reclining Leg Lift is quite the ride on the core roller coaster. This seemingly innocent lounge-like posture requires a ton of abdominal engagement to maintain the balance without toppling over (which is actually quite fun). I compare the movements in this post to being a fish out of water; your body will do an interesting dance to stay in the shape of the pose.

So, skip the crunches and tell Navasana to sail ship. Let’s work our core in the “chill” way today, and create some interesting fishy choreography. Dive in, fishies!

Step 1:

It begins rather simple. Lie on your side on your yoga mat. The goal is to line up your entire body flush with the edge of the mat. Start with your bottom heel (keep your foot flexed) and then continue along the line of your leg. Line up your hip with your heel and then prop yourself up on your bottom elbow with your head in your hand. Gently corset your ribs together so that the upper back stays along the edge of the mat. Adjust the angle of your bottom elbow to be in line with the mat. You can keep your top foot and hand on the ground in front of you for balance. Look over your shoulder to make sure everything is straight and ready to go.

Step 2:

Once your body is in a long straight line, bend your top knee and place the sole of that foot in front of your bottom thigh. Adjust your foot so that the toes and knee cap point toward your flexed base foot. Bring the pinky edge of your bent knee foot flush with your inner thigh. Place your top hand to the inside of the top thigh and gently press back to open your hips and encourage external rotation. There is a tendency to pitch the low back and puff the ribs. Counteract this by zippering your tailbone toward your flexed foot and drawing your front ribs in as if you just tightened a corset around your ribcage.

Step 3:

Keep the action of your tailbone and ribcage as you hook your top leg big toe with your top hand. Before you extend your top leg reaffirm the flex of the base foot and the engagement of the base leg. This leg will be your anchor to prevent you from falling. Slowly extend your top leg toward a straight position keeping the top shoulder in the socket. Externally rotate the top leg taking the heel forward and toes back. Here’s where the dance begins; don’t panic is your body wobbles, this is normal. Just keep the intention of the anchored base leg, long tailbone and corseted ribcage. Relax your gaze and head on your hand. Try to go for a solid 8 breaths or longer if you’re feeling inspired. Switch sides.

Baby Hopper II August 5, 2013

Last blog we tackled Baby Hopper, a spin on the arm balance Grasshopper. The full arm balance requires a large amount of hip opening and twisting flexibility. Baby Hopper I is a lighter variation of Grasshopper, while this variation keeps us closer to the ground. Please bear in mind that I’m using the term Baby Hopper because this variation doesn’t have a Sanskrit name.

This posture is great prep for the deeper versions, but is also incredibly fun! Students who struggle with the arm balance absolutely love this; it’s an empowering moment to realize the other postures are achievable once this one makes sense. But some people get confused on what goes where and how to lift their bottom up, so read on to demystify this sweet pose.

Step 1:

I recommend several Sun Salutations and light twists before tackling this pose to warm up the psoas and hamstrings (and IT band). Once you’re warm, come into a comfortable seat with your legs straight out in front of you. Inhale, lift your chest high, and, as you exhale, extend your torso forward over your legs grabbing the outer edges of your feet. If you can’t reach your feet use a strap, pulling back and forward/up with your chest. Focus on keeping the spine extended rather than getting flat over your legs. Extend your sternum forward and the tips of your shoulder blades down your back. Take 8 breaths.

Step 2:

Come up from your forward fold and bend your right knee with the foot flat on the ground in line with your right sits bone. Recreate the same actions with your torso from Step 1: extend your heart forward as you fold over your left leg. You can even place your left palm flat on the outside of your left leg with the right palm doing the same to the pinky edge of your right foot. The goal in this pose is to take your right arm in front of your right shin bone, getting the armpit as close to the shin bone as possible. Reach your right arm forward like you want to shake your foot like a hand. Once you have this deep reach, extend your arms behind you, palms out, behind your right hip. If you can’t reach, grab a strap. If you can, grab your right wrist with your left hand. Pull your heart forward and root your hips down. Keep your left foot flexed and right knee hugging in.

Step 3:

Release the forward fold from Step 2. Place your right foot over your left knee so it rests flat on the outside of your leg. Inhale, lift your heart and spine, and, as you exhale, take your left arm to the outside of your right thigh. Bend your left elbow and brace your spine with your right palm on the ground behind your tailbone. Think length as you inhale and revolve as you exhale. Keep dropping the right sits bone down and keep the left leg active by flexing the foot.

Step 4:

Release your twist but keep the legs. Now twist in the opposite direction, taking your right arm to the inside of your right calf. Lean forward with your chest so that you can snuggle your arm further down the leg. You’ll start to roll to the outer edge of your straight leg; don’t worry, it’s all good. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and bend your elbows into Chaturanga. Push your right outer arm into your shin as you extend your gaze and heart forward.

Step 5:

Adjust your left palm closer to the body so that when you bend your elbow your arm is brushing your ribs. Your elbow will still be bent at this point so make sure your palm stays directly under your elbow. Reach your right hand to your left foot and grab the baby or big toe edge (personal choice). If it’s difficult to reach you can put a small bend in the knee to get there but then go back to a straight leg. Lean forward as if you want to go to Chaturanga (this is the action that allows you to lift your butt off the ground). Once your left shoulder is in line with your elbow, you’ll be able to lift the left leg off of the ground. Don’t just think of lifting your leg—lift your hips and core! Engage mula bandha. Keep your gaze forward and heart extending. Hug the left elbow into the body. Voila!

Baby Hopper July 22, 2013

I’m currently sitting at an airport restaurant on my layover between Reno and Orlando after my 10-day teaching stint in California. It’s always interesting for me to come back to where I taught for 8 years. There’s so much passion for yoga in this part of the country. It inspired me.

I love yoga, but have been practicing for quite some time now and often need a little kick in the behind to stay inspired. I was contemplating my next Challenge Pose post when I ran across a photo of fellow teacher Tiffany Cruikshank in a variation of Grasshopper. It wasn’t as deep as the original pose, and I found it to be accessible, and honestly, cute. I decided to

name it aptly: Baby Hopper. This is a fabulous variation to get you ready for the full twist/hip opener, or maybe just a fun spin on the original to remind you why we do yoga—to smile, to love, to have fun.

Step 1:

The first goal is to open up our hips. Stand on your right foot and cross your left ankle directly above your right knee so the foot hangs over the side. Keep your left foot flexed and the weight of your body in your standing heel. Bend your right leg, sinking your hips down, and place your hands in Anjali Mudra at your heart. Firm the outer right hip in as you allow the left knee to relax down toward the ground in deeper external rotation. Hold here for a solid 8 breaths, and either rest and repeat or continue to the next step.

Step 2:

Begin to twist your upper body toward the sole of your left foot. In regular Grasshopper, we twist the left elbow into the left foot, but we’re only going about two-thirds of the way here (hence the name Baby Hopper). Lean forward and bring your hands shoulder-width apart to the ground. Land your left arm in between your left foot and right knee. Try to place your left shin as high up your left arm as comfortable. Relax your left foot.

Step 3:

Shift the weight of your left shinbone onto your left arm. Your left foot will dangle in between your arms below your chest. Your right knee will rest onto the back of your left triceps, just above your left elbow. This part is crucial, as you’ll want to rest your back leg on the arm for extra support. You can also use a slight push from your back leg to help snuggle your left shinbone further up toward your armpit, which will make you feel more compact and together. Keep your gaze forward of your fingertips and bend your elbows toward a 90-degree angle.

Step 4:

Once your arms bend into full Chaturanga, lean the weight of your heart and gaze forward, making your rear leg lighter. Elevate your hips with the lean until you can lift your right bent knee leg off of the ground. Keep the right leg on the back of your left arm and extend the right leg straight out to the side. Spread your toes. Keep the gaze a few inches past your fingertips and take 5-8 breaths. Come back down and switch sides.

Eka Pada Koundinyasana Variation July 8, 2013

I moved from the yoga mecca of Los Angeles where yoga classes are virtually offered 24-7 to a small town in central Florida. My practice went from easy and accessible to, “am I really in the mood to do a home practice?” Needless to say, the move did leaps and bounds for my soul but didn’t care much for my yoga practice. I had the fortune to find an amazing friend and yoga partner in my now assistant, Taylor Harkness. This incredibly joyful and whimsical soul made me fall in love with the yoga confines of my own house as long as I had him there to inspire me.

Today’s challenge pose was his take on the classic, Eka Pada Koundinyasana II. There are a few adjustments that need to be made so I’d recommend tackling the traditional pose first if you haven’t yet. This variation adds a bit more lean and sass. Sometimes all we really need is a pinch of flare to remind us that everything is amazing and exactly as it needs to be.

Step 1:

The traditional stance of Downward Facing Dog has our hands in line with each other and shoulder-width apart. Today we’re going to tweak that just a bit. Let’s keep the feet and legs

as they are with the continuation of lifting your hips up and back. The hands will remain the same distance apart but take your right hand about 5 inches behind your left hand. In other words, you’re shortening the stance of your Down Dog ONLY on your right side with your right hand. It will feel lopsided and odd, but will help the final product. Keep firming your upper outer arm in on the right side as this adjustment in stance will make you want to collapse in your shoulder head.

Step 2:

Time for some core and shoulder discipline! I recommend practicing this step several times just to create foundation and strength before entering the actual arm balance. The key here is to keep your gaze forward and be brave enough to lean! Lift your right leg up into the air from Downward-Facing Dog. Bend your knee as you look forward and bend both elbows toward Chaturanga. Don’t take your shoulders in line with your elbows immediately (this can be very heavy). Keep them slightly higher as shown in the picture and HOLD. Try to be be here for a good 5 full breaths. Once this feels strong, continue onto Step 3.

Step 3:

Once you’ve landed your knee onto your arm as in Step 2, it’s OK to lean into a full Chaturanga. That extra lean forward and down is often all it takes to get the strength and momentum to pick up the back leg. If you have more flexibility you can straighten out your right leg before the full lean and lift of the back. If you’re less flexible, lean forward with the bent knee and then begin to straighten your front leg once you’re in the arm balance. Engage your back leg deeply; it should feel caffeinated! Bend your back knee and draw your heel in toward your hips. Draw the bottom tips of your shoulder blades down your back to avoid any collapsing of your shoulder heads. Keep your heart extending forward and tilt your gaze toward your front foot. The left shoulder may be slightly lower than your right, just keep the shoulders rolling back.

*a nice cheat* Eventually this pose is done solely on the front arm, but it’s nice to use your extra arm as a training wheel or just when you’re feeling tired! Let the left side waist rest on your left outer arm to create a shelf. If you feel more stable this way, stick to it!

Funky Chopasana June 10, 2013

Chopasana in Ardha Chandrasana (Sugarcane in Half Moon Pose) is one of the yummiest variations in the book. It’s a lovely backbend that stretches out the psoas and hips while opening your heart. It’s already difficult to balance, and adding the wrap takes on a whole new dimension! I’d recommend practicing your regular Chopasana as well as wrapping your top arm in Half Moon so that you get comfortable with all of the actions. The odds are you’ll fall trying to do this. Just remember you already have an entire leg on the ground, so it’s all good! Be fearless, and have fun!

Step 1:

A. You can enter Half Moon from a forward fold by placing your right fingertips a few inches in front of your right foot and rolling your hips and torso open, or you can lean forward into the pose from Warrior II by kicking off of your back leg as your shift the fingers forward onto the floor. Either way, make sure that your right shoulder is stacked over your fingertips and that your lifted leg is parallel to the ground.

B. Internally rotate your top arm and bend the elbow reaching for your hip. Depending on the mobility of your shoulder, you can reach for your inner thigh, hip, love handle, or grab your clothing. Keep your gaze down while you do this to maintain balance.

C. Keep the wrapped upper arm and bend your left knee bringing your heel in towards your bottom. Keep the leg parallel to the ground.

D. Extend long in your right waist trying to match the length of the left waist. Keep your lower belly engaged and extend through your tailbone. Gaze at your base hand and try to hover your hand above the mat. Keep your standing leg engaged.

Step 2:

E. Keep your gaze at one point and start to creep your right hand up your standing leg until you can get to your hip. No rush! The right hip firms in, the chest stays open, and the left shoulder head rolls back.

F. Once your hand gets to the hip you are very close to your foot! Bend your lifted knee deeper so you can draw your heel closer to your bottom. Lift your right hand not only back but UP. The foot will be higher than you think it is. When you find your foot grab hold of the big toe side of your foot.

Step 3:

Create all the actions of Bow Pose now: Press your foot into your hand so that the shin pushes back. This action will start to deepen your backbend and chest opener. Roll your left

shoulder back as the right drops toward the ground. You can gaze down for balance or gaze sideways/up for more of a challenge.

Bird of Paradise May 27, 2013

I’m not going to lie, this is one of my least favorite poses. Which is unfortunate considering how pretty it is. As the title brags, Bird of Paradise mimics the beautiful flower of the tropical plant. But the pose can be uncomfortable for many reasons: it requires deep hamstring and hip flexor range, an open chest, and a strong sense of balance. The pose looks serene but within it, the yogi is constantly battling the fluctuations of balancing on one leg with an engaged core and extended leg. It’s tempting to sneer and pant while getting into the pose but that certainly won’t help and may just end up scaring the person next to us. Know that this pose is indeed challenging—physically and mentally—so do your best to relax your mind and expectations. Enjoy the bent knee variation of the if your hip flexor and hamstrings aren’t ready; the full pose will come in due time!

Step 1:

Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart and come into a slightly bent-knee forward fold. Reach your right arm back and in between your legs as if you’re reaching for something behind you. Keep leaning deeper into the fold to reach the arm further back. The goal is to get your right shoulder wiggled far back to the inside of your right leg. Extend your left arm up toward the ceiling.

Step 2:

From this bent-knee forward fold, rotate the palms of both hands back and bend your elbows as you clasp your hands on the outside of your right hip. If you can’t make the clasp, start with a yoga strap in your left hand and whip it back to grab hold of with your base hand. If it is easy for you to clasp your hands, try grabbing your left wrist with your right hand.

Wiggle your feet closer together so you’re at a traditional hip-width stance. Keep your knees bent and lean the weight into your left leg as you lift the heel of your right foot up. Hold tight to your clasp. Drop your hips and see if you can hover your right foot above the ground.

Step 3:

Once your foot is hovering, push into your base foot. Start to lift your chest up away from your thighs, keeping the base leg bent as your torso comes up. Remember there’s no rush! It’s easy to lose your balance in this transition, so take your time. Once your torso is upright keep your wrapped leg relaxed. Straighten your standing leg and focus on lifting the kneecap. Drop your tailbone and hug your standing hip in. Relax your shoulders down away from your earlobes. This is a fabulous variation of the pose so feel free to stay here. If you want the full extension, drop your right sit-bone down as you hold tight to your clasp and extend the right leg toward straight. Drag the base tips of your shoulder blades down your back and lift your heart. Soften your shoulders and spread your lifted toes. Keep your gaze down and forward for more balance or forward and/or up for more challenge.

Silly Crow May 13, 2013

I adore yoga because it is truly limitless. Not only are there many, many traditional poses, but we can build upon those with creative and inspiring variations. One of my favorite variations is the “funky arm” base where one forearm is down and one is like in Chaturanga. We’ve played with these in Funky Headstand and Funky Side Crow and today we’re just going to get silly and do it in Bakasana. I actually discovered this by accident while teaching a workshop where I said it wouldn’t be a pose if you tried to do the funky base, when lo and

behold—why not! My dear friend Taylor Harkness chuckled and said he does this all the time!

Not only will this pose relieve some wrist pressure (if you struggle with that), but you’re also giving yourself a bigger base, which means easier balance. And it’s cute, whimsical, and a good reminder that you can play with your practice. Enjoy!

Step 1:

Begin on hands and knees. Place your right forearm flat onto your mat and drag your left palm back so that it’s shoulder-width apart from your right arm and the fingertips/center of palm is in line with your right elbow. Curl your toes under and straighten your legs to come into a Dolphin Pose. Walk the feet in slightly. You’ll notice that your left elbow is behind your wrist. Don’t panic, this is fine. The shift to elbow-over-wrist will happen in just a moment.

Step 2:

You have two options in this step and I recommend trying both ways. I’m lifting the same leg as my forearm in this picture, but you can practice entering the pose from either leg. Let’s stick with the photo for now then try a second round on your own with the opposite side. Lift your right leg up into the air. Bend your knee and bring it towardsyour right outer arm as you lean your chest forward.

Step 3:

Land your right knee onto your right tricep. Allow your right shoulder to lean past your elbow without collapsing. This means you’re still hugging the upper outer right arm in as the shoulderhead descends. Press evenly into all five fingers. As you lean the right shoulder forward, your left elbow will now stack over your base wrist. Don’t lower that shoulder below a 90 degrees! Bend your left knee.

Step 4:

Keep gazing forward and take a slight hop to get your left knee right above your left elbow onto your arm. Keep the left arm firming in as you would in Chaturanga. Round your upper back and draw the inner edges of your feet together. Smile!

Dwi Pada Koundinyasana April 15, 2013

I was all geared up to prepare a new challenge sequence of poses when it hit me, I’ve never taught you guys Dwi Pada Koundinyasana (the two-legged variation of the Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya)! I wanted to use this pose in a transition but it would be silly to do that without breaking it down for you first so here we are—back at a good old single pose blog.

This was one of the first advanced postures I remember seeing photographed. The woman photographed was beautiful, strong, and made the pose look effortless. I figured it must be easy until I tried it myself and realized that my version didn’t look anything like that.

This pose builds off of Parsva Bakasana (Side Crow or Crane Pose) and some deep twisting. I’d recommend doing a good warm up before this pose: Sun Salutations A + B, a few Warrior poses into internal standing poses with twists such as Crescent, Chair, and spend some good long holds in lunges or Hanumanasana prep. The warmer your core muscles are, the more accessible this pose will become. Once you’ve done your warm up, dive in and enjoy!

Step 1:

Lie on your back with both straight up in the air. Keep your legs together and extend through the balls of your feet just like Barbie (point your foot but curl back through your toes). Take your arms wide in line with your shoulders onto the ground so that your palms are flat. Relax your shoulders down away from your ears and do your best to keep them evenly rooted. Inhale first, then on your exhale lower your legs as a team down and toward your right hand as if eventually your toes could touch your fingers without bending or separating your legs. As you lower you’ll notice your opposite shoulder wanting to bubble up. Keep that shoulder grounding to connect with your core. Use your inhale to bring the legs back up to center then repeat on your exhale reaching the toes towards your left fingertips. Keep in mind you might start off only lowering a third of the way and that’s totally fine. Take it to the level that’s challenging for you and not beyond that. If you’re totally losing your balance and collapsing to the side, you’re taking it too far. Make sure you can still control your actions and move from your core. This will prep us for the shape and control needed in Dwi Pada Koundinyasana.

Step 2:

Begin in a bent-knee Navasana (Boat Pose) balancing on the tripod of your sit bones and tailbone. Elevate your shins so they are parallel with the ground. Interlace your all your fingers together except your index finger and thumbs and swing your arms to the outside of your right thigh. Try to connect the space between your thighs and chest by pulling together. Keep your outer left arm touching your right thigh, and explore straightening just your right leg up toward the ceiling. Do the same with your left leg. If that’s going well, try straightening your legs as a team. Don’t forget to breathe! Keep your inner thighs and knees hugging at all times, and your chest high as possible. Come back to neutral and repeat on the other side.

Step 3:

Side Crow is the precuror to Dwi Pada Koundinyasana. so take your time to tackle this Challenge Pose.

Step 4:

As you set yourself up for Side Crane on your left arm, notice if your knees and feet are stacked. There is a tendency for them to be uneven, so just take a moment to line them up before you lift into the arm balance. Twist as deep as you comfortably can working your right knee/thigh area to the upper outer edge of your left arm. The goal is to bring the upper arm and hip closer together—the deeper the twist the easier the staying power. Bend both elbows into a full Chaturanga stance, keeping the elbows over the wrists and letting your shoulders drop down evenly in line with your elbows. Keep the gaze forward. Sweep your feet off the ground bringing your feet in line with your knees so that your shins are parallel with the mat. Begin to hug your thighs together as if you were trying to grill a panini! Extend your legs toward straight, hinging from your knees. As you extend continue to think of drawing the tops of your thighs into your armpit. Spread your toes enthusiastically!

Try a slight extension in the beginning, working toward full straight legs, but DO NOT let your arms straighten. This will give you the firepole effect and you’ll slide to the ground. Stay in a nice, full Chaturanga and round your upper back just like you would in Crane Pose. It will also be tempting to look at your feet, but this throws off the balance in your shoulders and often makes the opposite shoulder slump down. We don’t want that! You can prevent shoulder collapsing by gazing forward and extending your heart.

Headstand to Chaturanga: Part II April 1, 2013

My last Challenge Pose post tackled how to fall from Tripod Headstand into Chaturanga in a slightly more feminine and soft way than what we’ll dig into today. Now we’ll approach the fall from the traditional angle. You’ll sound like a ton of bricks hitting the floor (don’t panic) when you come down—but it’ll also make you feel pretty badass.

This transition is strong. It requires an immense amount of trust in yourself and in your body. Everyone can do it; it’s just a matter of whether or not you’re mentally ready to approach the shift. It’s a change, and as we all know—change is scary. This is an awesome opportunity to let go of attachments to what you think you know or what you’re capable of. Just take the lesson in, breathe, and literally let go.

Step 1:

As always, it will be difficult to practice falling out of your Headstand if you don’t already have a headstand practice (and Chaturanga practice) so please click here to review your Tripod Headstand alignment and details.

Step 2:

Once you get into your full Tripod Headstand, there is very little change that will happen before we drop. First, flex your feet. Your toes are the biggest obstacle of this transition. If you land on the tips of your toes your risking jamming them, or ever worse, breaking them. So when I say flex, I really mean it. The goal is to land on the balls of your feet in the exact same way you do your Chaturanga. If this confuses you at all, take a break from reading this and do a Chaturanga; that’s our landing pad for our feet.

Once you’re feet are powerfully flexed and prepared to be a landing pad, you need to lock-in the body. This may sound morbid, but I want you to act as though your body has gone into rigor mortis. Work from your foundation: elbows in over your wrists, shoulders lifting away from your earlobes, front rib corset in and toward each other, tailbone extending toward your heels, and legs powerfully engaged with flexed feet.

Step 3:

It’s fall time. Once your “rigor mortis” has set in you might come to realize that Tripod Headstand is Chaturanga—just turned on its (your!) head. With that realization, the only thing that really needs to change is getting off the head. Trying to lift it from this position would take superhero strength, so instead, image this: someone walks by in your locked-in state and simply blows in your direction. This slight wind instigates the falling of your legs (no bending at the knees or hips) and you slide from the crown of your head as you extend your gaze forward. Without ANY bend in your body, the feet drop into Chaturanga with your head is now off the ground, your gaze forward. This is what we strive for. What will most likely happen is a minor freak out followed by a belly flop of sorts. The key here is to keep your body STRAIGHT. No piking, no bending, no folding. Lock it in, let your legs start to fall as a team, and just let yourself slide from the top of your head until it’s off the ground and you’re gazing forward.

Note: It is very tempting to straighten your arms as you fall so you land in Plank instead of Chaturanga. This is your brain simply responding to an intense situation telling your body to protect your face from crashing into the ground. Trust yourself! If you can do Chaturanga, you can do this! Keep every part of your body strong and committed as you go through your transition. You’ve got this.

Headstand to Chaturanga: Part I March 11, 2013

I’ve seen seriously strong yogis go weak in the knees at the prospect of dropping into Chaturanga from Headstand. It just goes to show how mental this transition is. You don’t

need superhero strength, you just need to tell yourself you can. There’s no room for doubting when it comes to the fast-twitch transitions (almost all of yoga is slow twitch).

Think about Tripod Heastand for a minute—it is Chaturanga it just happens to be on the crown of your head. The body is in a plank position (Chaturanga Dandasana) and the arms are already in the same stance as Chaturanga—shoulders in line with elbows, elbows over wrists. So basically, the only thing that needs to change to fall into the pose is your gaze—it needs to go forward. We’re going to tackle the full, classic drop next week but for today’s blog, I want you to get strong. I want you to feel in control of your body so that dropping doesn’t intimidate you. Today’s transition is a variation on the full variation and, honestly, more graceful. I use this transition when I’m feeling more feminine or if I’m feeling short on energy. Just remember to link your breath to every move you make.

Step 1:

Place the crown of your head onto the mat with your palms flat and shoulder-width apart. The hands should be far enough away from your head so that your elbows stack directly over your wrists. Curl your toes under so that you come into Dolphin Pose. Walk your feet in, helping the hips lift up. For this exercise in particular, if you can press up into your Headstand (pull your legs up into the pose as opposed to using your arms as a ladder), that will help in gaining control and strength for the impending drop. Otherwise, use your best means of getting into the pose: either hopping up or placing your knees onto your arms first then cannon-balling your way up.

Step 2:

From Headstand, reaffirm your foundation before you get ready to shift your weight. When weight in the legs shifts, the same happens in the shoulders. But we don’t want that to happen here because it could possibly tweak the neck. Hug your inner thighs together and spread your toes strongly. Begin to lower your legs as a team toward a 90-degree angle. If this is too intense on the core or you can’t keep your shoulders supported, just do baby lowers until you have the stability to get to 90 degrees. Hold there for 5 breaths, then return your legs up into a full Headstand.

Step 3:

Once you’ve become strong in Step 2, it’s time to try lowering your legs even more. Just remember: The closer your legs get to the ground, the heavier your shoulders will be. so keep them lifting and your elbows hugging in! Begin by trying to lower your legs beyond the 90-degree angle and, with time, see if you can lightly tap your toes onto the ground. The goal isn’t to set the toes down, in fact, never stop thinking “up.” Keep the legs hugging tightly to

the midline, and think of your upper front thighs touching your core. Take one breath and return your legs to full Headstand.

Step 4:

Time to add some flicking and breath work! We’re going to take the strength that you’ve created from steps 2 and 3, and use it to flick your legs back to land in Chaturanga. It’s best to do this action connected to the breath. Our thoughts and fear are the biggest obstacles to making this transition, so if you cue your action to the breath instead of to your thoughts, your ability to make this transition gets stronger.

Stabilize your foundation by lifting the shoulder heads up and hugging your elbows in over your wrists, with even weight through your fingers. Inhale and begin to lower your legs as a team to just a pinch below the Pike position. Exhale and flick your legs (it might even feel like you’re taking them back up a bit) back as you push deeply into your hands and whip your gaze forward. Use a strong exhale if you need to in order to help the transition move smoothly. Don’t linger in the inhale part of the transition. Make your breath and movement committed and smooth.

Tripod Headstand to Crane February 25, 2013

Just as our most challenging poses evolve on the mat, so has this Challenge Pose blog. I’ve guided you through countless yoga postures and have reached a point where I think we’re ready to move beyond just a single pose. So, drum roll please … we’re going to start diving into transitions, building on top of postures, and strategy plans for becoming stronger in advanced poses. Feel free to send me requests and ideas on Facebook and/or Twitter account, as I look forward to this new chapter with you all! Thank you for constantly challenging me to challenge you.

Today’s post is all about my favorite challenging transition—Tripod Headstand (Sirsasana II) to Crane (or Crow) Pose (Bakasana). I worked on this endlessly before I saw had success. It stumped me for the longest time, but man-oh-man did I get strong from trying! It’s a very technical breakdown (think IKEA instructions: You can’t skip steps F-J or you’ll end up with a desk when you bought a dresser) that is more accessible than you think. Remember to take your time as you practice, to breathe and smile, and know that you will improve over time.

Dig in!

Step A:

You can get a full break down of how to do Headstand on an earlier Challenge Pose post. Begin by placing the crown of your head onto your mat with your palms flat and shoulder-width apart, equidistant from your head. Use your favorite entry into Headstand (knees to arms and lift, one leg lift up, or dragging the legs in like a press). Take a moment to feel the stacking of your bones—feet over hips, hips over shoulders—your shoulders lifting, and your elbows hugging in strongly.

Step B:

Keep the foundation of your Headstand and your legs together. Bend your knees and bring your thighs parallel to the ground. Hug your thighs together.

Step C:

Separate your knees hip-width apart but keep the inner edges of your feet touching.

Step D:

Slowly lower your knees down to land lightly on your arms. This can be tricky because it requires core strength. To help you get stronger, practice lowering toward your arms and then back up to the thighs-parallel position. Keep practicing these small movements until you can land your knees onto your arms solidly. Take care to keep your shoulders lifting as you land your knees so that the weight doesn’t transfer into your neck. Try to land your knees as far up your arms as you can. or walk them up closer to the armpits once you land.

Step E:

Your bottom will still be high from Step D, which means almost all of the weight is still in the upper body/head area. This makes it VERY difficult to lift. This step is all about dropping the weight of your bottom down toward your heels to lighten your head. Try to close the gap between your hamstrings and calves by letting your bottom sink down. You’ll feel your head get lighter.

Step F:

Keeping the hamstrings and calves together, begin to slide from the crown of your head toward your forehead until you can actually see your mat straight-on. This is the head shape you want to keep as you transition to lifting so there’s no strain in the neck.

Step G:

Gaze at one point and stay small and compact. Push your palms deeply into the ground to elevate your face off of the mat the tiniest amount. If you rush this or try to muscle through it you’ll most likely fall backward. Don’t think “Crow” yet. . . just get your face inches off of the ground and continue to look down. Try to hold that shape and breathe.

Step H:

Once you feel stable with your face off the ground, begin to work the elements of the full pose. Start by a powerful rounding in your upper back while simultaneously pressing the ground away with your palms. This action will begin to suck you up away from the ground. Keep your heels tight toward your bottom and play with bent and/or straight arms. You can place your feet down from here, shoot it back into Chaturanga or return back to Headstand (we’ll review that one later)!

Kapinjalasana February 4, 2013

Kapinjalasana (Partridge Pose) is one of the postures that just makes you stop and laugh.

It’s a challenge pose woven into a challenge pose but when you look at it you see simple beauty and poetry. Yoga has a way of tricking us like that.

So, I’ve put it out there—this pose is doubly challenging. We’ve got the strength and balance aspect of Vasisthasana combined with the fully rotated shoulder backbend that you see in a King Dancer or One-Legged Pigeon Pose. No biggie, right?!

To reach the final pose, we start simple. Here we’ll break it down to explore the strength of Side Plank, the beginnings of adding a backbend to that pose, and then the ability to practice the shoulder rotation in the full pose without the fear of falling. Once these all make more sense, you’ll be ready to go! As with all backbends, remember there is a huge dose of surrender that needs to happen. Keep your stability and strength in the Side Plank, but melt and release your heart and shoulders to open into your backbend.

Step 1:

Begin in Plank Pose. Move your left hand to the center of the front of the mat, tip to rest on the outside edge of your left foot, and stack your right foot directly on top of the left to come into Side Plank (Vasisthasana). Make sure your left shoulder is stacking directly over the wrist and that your right arm is extending straight up. Keeping your gaze down, lift your right leg a few inches off the left leg. Bend your right knee, bringing the heel in toward your bottom. Internally rotate your top arm and slowly reach back for your right foot. As you do this there is a major tendency to fall backward. To prevent this from happening, push your pelvis forward to counteract the movement of reaching back. Once you have a grip on your foot, push it back into your hand as you continue to press the pelvis forward. This creates the backbend (similar to the shape of Bow Pose). If possible, push the entire sole of your base foot into the ground like you’re trying to stand on it. This will elevate your hips and fire your obliques. You can keep the gaze down for balance or play with looking sideways or leaning your head and throat back toward your foot. To release, either move back through Side Plank or you can drop directly into Wild Thing for a yummy backbend.

Step 2:

Time to understand the fully rotated backbend without the extra challenge of balance. Lie down on your belly with a strap handy. Make a lasso with the strap just big enough that you

can slip the ball of your foot through. Bend the right knee and lasso that lifted foot, draping the excess strap over your right shoulder. Prop yourself up onto your left forearm like in Sphinx Pose. Look over your shoulder and rotate your right palm up toward the sky. Hold the strap as close as you comfortably can from underneath so the palm is still up. Keep in mind the closer you grab to your foot, the deeper the backbend, so you might want to ease your way into this. Rotate your elbow out, up, and in, letting your shoulder rest in its socket (don’t let your shoulders creep up on your ears) and hug your elbow tight to your face. Soften the inner shoulder but stay long through the outer arm. Gently press your foot back into the strap to trigger a deeper backbend (if you feel this in your knee, release a bit). Keep your left leg straight and push the toes down into the ground as an anchor. Take 5 breaths then switch legs.

Step 3:

Time to use two fabulous props: the wall and a strap. We’ll repeat the actions of Step 2 but this time we’ll put it into Side Plank. Since this will dramatically up the ability to balance, we’ll use the wall as an aid in stabilizing the pose.

Have your lasso ready over the ball of your right foot. Go to a wall and place the big toe edge of your right foot into the place where the ground and floorboard meet. Lift your hips up into Side Plank checking to makes sure the shoulder and wrist of the bottom arm stack. Lift your right leg up, bend the knee, and begin to reach for your foot so you can grab the strap from underneath. If it feels right, shimmy your hand down the strap closer to the foot. Once you have a good grip, gently press the hips forward as you start to rotate your arm out, up, and in. It will feel like you’re trying to pull the foot toward your head. Remember the power of your hips! Send them forward to deepen the pose and root deeply into your ground foot to create stability and strength. Let your chest surrender and curl so it doesn’t fold into your lower back. Hold for a few breaths, then move through Side Plank or Wild Thing to release. Switch sides.

Step 4:

Time to give it a shot without a strap! You’ll know you’re ready to try this when you can walk your hand down the strap and grab your foot with ease. Until that happens, keep using the strap. (No shame—this is how you improve!)

Begin in Side Plank with your gaze down on your bottom hand. Lift your right leg off the left, and lightly bend the knee toward your bottom. If needed, you can bend the left leg slightly for more balance. Flex your right foot so you have something solid to reach for. With your palm up, grab the pinky edge of your right foot, holding onto as many toes as you can. Once you have a nice handful of foot, begin the arm rotation: out, up and in. If the base leg is bent, work it back into a straight position and work the sole of the bottom foot flat into the ground to give you more of a foundation. Breath here or begin to reach the crown of your head back toward to curl the heart space open. Breathe! Take as many breaths as you can and if you start to fall, just let yourself go into Wild Thing!

Dropbacks, Part II January 21, 2013

In the last post we tackled the first part of dropping back—reaching into the void! I say that because it’s exactly what it feels like. We’re reaching back into nothing hoping that the ground will be kind to us if and when we get there. That’s why we focused on using a wall and will do the same this week. (I’ll be using the wall for all of these demonstrations, as you’d want a teacher to aid you away from the wall.)

Today we focus on not only gaining more flexibility in our back and strength in our legs, but also the confidence it takes to stand up from a backbend. From my experience, if I tell myself I can’t do something then I can’t—I’ve put the heavy weight of denial into my body and standing becomes impossible. On the flip side, if I commit to my strength, body, potential, and to the pose, it might not look pretty, but I get far closer to my end goal. Use this as a lesson in prepping the body and mind, as this is the true essence of yoga—and key to executing a dropback.

Step 1:

You don’t want to tackle dropping back into full backbend (Urdhva Dhanurasana) without being comfortable in the full backbend first! Take a look at my Challenge Pose blog dedicated to Urdhva Dhanurasana here first before continuing on.

Step 2:

Take two blocks to the wall and place them at their lowest level so that the widest sides are flush against the wall, shoulder-width apart. Lay on your back with your head facing the wall and your knees bent with your feet flat and hip-width apart. Makes sure your feet are entirely parallel to each other—you might want to think “toes in, heels out” as most of us like to externally rotate the legs. Reverse your palms and place the heels of your hands onto the blocks with your fingers curling around the edges. Hug your elbows in so that they stack over

your wrists. Push into your feet and lift your hips as you press into the blocks to lift your head and come onto the crown.

Adjust your elbows here, so that they are shoulder-width apart and keep the shoulders plugged into their sockets. Press down onto the blocks to lift your head and chest straight up. Renew the rotation of your arms—hug the upper outer edges of your arms in so it feels like you’re shrinking your armpits and relaxing the base of your neck. Don’t try to look anywhere, just let your head relax. If possible, walk your feet in toward your hands a few inches and push your shinbones back. Keep the squeeze of the arms and gently draw your throat and heart toward the wall to deepen the backbend. Root into your heels and think of the pelvis lifting directly up to the ceiling. Take 8 full breaths. Then walk your feet back out, bend your elbows but keep them shoulder-width apart, and tuck your chin to come down onto your back.

You’ll repeat this same set of actions but progressively take the height of the blocks up. Next place them at medium height, still with the widest part flush against the wall. On round 3 (if you’re body is ready to progress. Remember there is no rush!) you won’t be able to pause on the crown of your head because of the height of the blocks. You’ll also want to focus on not only pushing into the blocks, but also on pushing them into the wall to make them more stable (use a sticky mat under the blocks to prevent slipping). Depending on your flexibility, some of you may be able to walk your feet in and rest your throat on the wall. Focus on zipping your tailbone forward toward your knees and rotating the upper inner thighs down to broaden and release your upper back.

Step 3:

If you can do the backbend on the tallest side of the block with ease, you’re ready to try and walk yourself up the wall to stand! While in your backbend with your hands on the blocks, take a moment to focus on your legs. Keep the toes in and heels out as they will now want to splay (you can even take a strap around your thighs to keep them hip-width apart). Root into the heels and remember to roll the inner thighs down. Lift your heart with even more vigor and take one hand off the block and place it several inches above at the wall. Repeat this action with your other hand and climb the wall, pushing into it to help bring the weight into your legs with the heart lifting. When you feel like you can’t climb anymore and you have a solid amount of weight in your legs, pause. Push both palms flat into the wall and work the rotation of your arms to broaden your upper back. Relax your head and lift your entire upper chest as much as you can. Pop onto your fingertips and feel even more weight come into your legs. Keeping the head hanging back give yourself a count of 3—1, 2, and on 3 continue the upward rolling motion of the spine leading with your heart to stack your vertebrae and come all the way up to stand.

NOTE: You will want to lift your head and look where you’re going because it’s human nature. Resist the urge to look up. The skull is incredibly heavy and will most likely tweak your neck. Trust the everything is exactly where you left it and envision your legs as tree trunks—strong and stable waiting to do their job to support you.

The other temptation is to bring one arm at a time way from the wall. This throws off the symmetry of the body and creates a difficult habit to break. Always leave the wall with both

hands (same for dropping back) and lead with the power in your legs and lift in your chest. If this is too fearful for you, have someone hold your hips for moral support until you trust your body.

Dropbacks, Part I December 24, 2012

I teach a workshop helping people conquer their fears by asking them what poses scare them. Drop-backs are always the winners! It’s one thing to conquer Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend), which can strike major fear into the hearts of tight-hamstring folk, but it’s a whole other ballgame to try to bend over backward, hoping that the ground will be there for you when you get there.

So here in Challenge Pose, I’m going to break the drop-back down into several parts: keeping yourself open and safe while reaching up and back, dropping into the full backbend, and then standing back up. While the first part, the subject of today’s post, may not look super challenging, trust me—it is. If you discipline yourself and work all of these actions, it is exhausting and incredibly rewarding. Just remember as you work toward your drop-back, it SHOULD feel impossible. That’s the magic of the posture. Once you get there you’ll be on Cloud Nine, but until then, keep doing your best.

Step 1:

One of the most common mistakes made while trying to drop back into Urdhva Dhanurasana is splaying your legs and feet. Externally rotating the legs gives a sense of more balance and control on the decent toward the ground. The problem is it also contracts the glutes and compresses the low back. In other words—no good. As frustrating as it is, working this rotation of your legs will give you a healthy backbend and, in time, the control that you’re looking for.

Come into Uttanasana with your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other. Take your palms to the sides of your legs just below your knees. Begin to apply strong pressure against your legs as if you were trying to close your legs without letting them move. Continue this pressing action and bring your focus to your inner thighs. Try to spread your inner thighs away from each other with a bit of internal rotation. Keep pressing the outer legs with your hands until you feel space in your lower back. This is the action we’re looking to create during a backbend in order to protect the low back.

Step 2:

In the same way that the legs like to splay, the arms can easily give out as well. When the arms cease to externally rotate, all the pressure goes into the upper trapezius causing a major traffic jam in the upper back. Working this rotation of your arms allows you release the base of the neck and properly lift from your heart.

Grab a block length-wise, placing your palms flat along the short edges. Extend the arms straight out in front of you. Push deeper into the pinky edge of the hands firing up the triceps. Rotate the entire pinky edge of the arm down and in, wrapping the triceps. Plug the shoulders into the sockets and begin to lift the arms up. As the arms extend, lengthen the side body along the ribs and armpits. Release the area at the base of your neck. Keep these two actions working together, draw your front ribs in to keep core connection, and lengthen through the inner elbows to create straight arms. Keep pressing the palms strongly into the block until the arms go as high as they comfortably can while keeping all the other actions engaged. Hold for 8 full breaths and release.

Step 3:

Step about 12 inches away from a back-facing wall with your feet hip-width apart (this measurement will change depending on your body and backbend. Start here and adjust accordingly). Place a block lengthwise and low between your feet. Gently hug into the block to recreate the actions of Step 1 as you broaden your inner thighs. Keep your kneecaps lifting and rotate your upper inner thighs back as you release your tailbone down. Join your hands in front of your heart in Anjali Mudra. Press the palms together as you roll your shoulder heads back and press your heart up into the heels of your hands. Notice the tendency to lose the lower body work when you lift your chest. Focus on keeping all the elements working together. If the neck allows and there is no holding in your upper trapezius, you can begin to release your head back to gaze toward the wall behind you.

Step 4:

Keeping all the actions from Step 3 solid, release your hands to shoulder-width apart with your palms facing inward. Begin to stretch your arms toward the wall, keeping the actions from Step 1 or externally rotating your arms and not letting them splay open. You may just begin to reach or you might make it to the wall. If you get to the wall, place your fingertips or even your palms there. Hug your upper outer arms in to release the base of your neck, and with every breath remind yourself to lift your heart. There is no such thing as lifting too much with the heart!

If you comfortably land the palms flat against the wall, you can explore walking them down a few inches without bending your knees or losing the lift in your chest. Hold here for 8 breaths. Keep your gaze at the wall and head relaxing backward as you press down into your feet and engage through your legs. Then walk the hands up a bit and pop to your fingertips. Transfer the weight into your legs and roll up one vertebrae at a time, letting the head stack last (looking up is natural as we like to see where we are going, but this adds major strain to the neck. Trust everything is where you left it).

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B November 12, 2012

The beauty of yoga is that it cannot be mastered. Don’t get me wrong—there are plenty of people out there who are extremely gifted and knowledgable, but the truly wise understand that the more you learn, the less you know.

We played with traditional headstand in the last Challenge Pose post, and will now be venturing into the world of headstand variations. There are seven headstands practiced in the 2nd series of Ashtanga Yoga, and we’ll tackle many of those as well as some less traditional variations. Today’s version, Baddha Hasta Sirsasana B, refers to the bound-hand position that will form the base of the pose.

All these poses keep us on our toes—or rather on our heads; they require us to be diligent, aware, and in tune with the moment. Tiny tweaks can completely change a pose giving us a new challenge and reason to show up on the mat. Keep that in mind as you venture forward. No one is asking you to master these poses TODAY. View them as projects and a reminder that yoga is here to play with us for the rest of our lives.

***IMPORTANT: You need to have a solid grasp and understanding of traditional Sirsasana before attempting this variation.

Step 1:

All of the headstand variations have different arm foundations, but the head stays the same (weight directly onto the crown with all four sides of the neck even). Without over thinking this, simply bend your elbows and grab your forearms close to the crook of your elbows. It doesn’t matter which hand goes on top, just go for your natural grip. It isn’t a death grip—just a soft holding of your arms to create the shape. Take this shape and place it onto your mat directly in front of a wall.

Step 2:

The key to remembering where to put your head is that you will be looking directly into your arms. Place the crown of your head down in front of your folded arms so that your forehead touches them. Stay on your knees as you start to lift your shoulders to give you plenty of length in your neck. Push your elbows down into the mat as an anchor.

Step 3:

Keep the foundation or your head and arms as you curl your toes under, straighten your legs, and lift your hips into Dolphin Pose. Walk your toes in toward your face until the hips eventually stack over your shoulders. You’ll feel the weight get heavier in your upper back as your feet get closer. Resist the urge to collapse by rooting the elbows down and lifting the upper back away from the earlobes. Practice holding here for 8 breaths. If this is exhausting work, you’ve found your variation! Keep working this until you can hold for 8 breaths with ease.

Step 4:

From Dolphin, bend one knee and tuck it tightly toward your chest. Draw your heel toward your bottom and spread your toes. This should tilt your hips even further forward over your shoulders so you come into a light alignment that will pull you up into your headstand variation. Take a few breaths with one knee lifted and then try the second side. If you can pull both legs up into a pike position (both knees to chest), go for it, and then use your belly control to straighten your legs into full position. Every few breaths remind yourself: shoulders up, elbows down.

Step 5:

Seeing that this is a foreign inversion for most, learning first at the wall is key. Drop the ego—even if you do Headstand all the time! It’s best to learn your pose in a safe scenario and then branch out from there. If you can get one knee into your chest, you can start to kick up. Bend the knee of the leg still on the ground and take little hops working the hips over your shoulders and either both knees into your chest or drawing the straight leg directly up to the wall. Don’t worry about balance yet—just get up. Once both heels come to the wall, try flexing your feet and drawing your spine and energy upward to lengthen your body and soften the load on your neck.

If you have the flexibility to press into Headstand, you can practice Dolphin Pose and walking the legs in straight until they can lift as a team up into the pose. This will eventually give you more control as you begin to move away from the wall. Take 5-8 breaths then come back to the ground and rest in Child’s Pose for 30 seconds.

Headstand October 29, 2012

Headstand (Sirsasana) has been called The King of Asanas. It tends to be the first inversion that most students learn as it has one of the most stable foundations for flipping ourselves upside down. This fantastic pose shifts our perspective so we can come out physically and mentally refreshed. There are endless headstand variations (yes, this is foreshadowing as what is to come soon on Challenge Pose) but it is important to understand the classic before you divert to variation. Remember that balancing on your head doesn’t mean you put all of your weight on it—headstand is a full-body posture that requires shoulder, core, and leg strength. Every few breaths remind yourself, “shoulders away from the ears and firm the upper outer arms in.” This will keep the weight out of the neck. Draw your front ribs in to engage the core and hug the legs together and reach the energy up to the ceiling. This prevents the “wet noodle” syndrome that makes us fear the spill into backbend.

Step 1:

Figuring out how to position your hands and arms is one of the most critical parts of performing a Headstand; if your body were a building, your hands and arms would be the base. Start by interlacing all of your fingers and then tuck the bottom pinky finger in toward

your palms so it won’t get crushed when you place your hands on the ground (as pictured). Leave enough space for an imaginary billiard ball to fit between your palms, and place your forearms firmly against the mat so your elbows are positioned shoulder-width apart. Check to make sure the tops of your wrists are stacked directly over the lower wrists. Remember, you don’t need to cup or hold your head; this causes us to collapse in the wrists and fall over.

Step 2:

Once you have mastered the foundation for your building, it’s time to find the crown of your head. Take a foam yoga block or lightweight book and balance it on your head while sitting up tall, keeping all four sides of your neck perpendicular to the floor. Take note of the place on your head where your block is balanced: It’s exactly where you’ll place your head on the ground when performing Headstand. This protects the cervical spine. You’ll feel constricted in your throat if you roll too far back and experience pain in the back of your neck if you’re too close to your forehead.

Step 3:

Dolphin Pose is ideal for building strength and mobility in the upper back to get you ready for full Headstand. To get into this position, place your knees on the mat and position your arms as instructed in Step 1. Tuck your chin toward your chest and place the crown of your head onto the mat right in front of your hands. (Your hands shouldn’t be touching your head.) Curl your toes under so that their cushions are on the mat, and lift your knees. Walk your toes in toward your elbows as far as you comfortably can without collapsing into your upper back. Push down into your elbows to keep your shoulders lifting (by making space between your ears and shoulders) and hug your upper outer arms in for support. This might be the pose you practice for quite sometime before you attempt full Headstand. Once you can hold this pose with ease for a full 8 breaths, then you’re ready to move on!

Step 4:

When you’re ready to get all the way up into a full Headstand, this is a great place to start: Reposition your mat near a wall and resume Step 1 with your knuckles touching the wall. Come into Dolphin Pose by walking your feet in toward your elbows as much as you can. Once you can’t lift your hips any higher, lift one of your legs and bend the knee drawing it tight into your chest. Practice little hops off the grounded foot while trying to bring your hips to the wall and both knees into your chest. With time, simply bend one knee into your chest followed by the second and engage your core to hold the position.

Step 5:

It’s full Headstand time! Once you can get both knees into your chest, focus on keeping your shoulders lifting; this will balance your weight so it’s not all on your head. Your mental mantra, at this point, should be “lift the shoulders” and “hug the outer arms in.” Next, with one leg at a time or simultaneously, straighten your legs up the wall. Flex your feet so that the only part your body touching the wall is your heels and knuckles. Draw your tailbone up toward your heels to engage your core and keep reminding yourself to lift your shoulders every few breaths. Start out holding here for 5 breaths and gradually work up to holding the position for 1 minute. When you’re done, take one leg down at a time and bring your heels to your bottom and forehead to thBent Knee Handstand Pike October 15, 2012

Photo by Jasper Johal

Watching someone do a practiced Handstand pike is like witnessing magic on the mat. The grace and ease that the body expresses in such an act of strength is mesmerizing. And for me, that made the learning process all the more hilarious and frustrating because I more closely resembled an awkward baby donkey than I did a graceful sorcerer.

I was the queen of donkey kicks as I learned; no core control or awareness, all eager and untrained legs and a stubborn will to succeed. It makes me laugh as I remember that time and I hope you will too as you learn and explore. It will start off uncomfortable, feel exhausting, and you’ll often end in a disgruntled pile on the floor. Just know that every single effort adds up and pays off. You’re earning your wings and gathering a pinch of magic and knowledge every time you take that leap.

Step 1:

Begin lying on your back with your arms and legs stretched out. Inhale in this position then, as you exhale, reach your arms straight up into the air as you bend your knees and bring them as tight to your armpits as you can. Inhale, reach your arms overhead and extend you legs straight hovering above the ground. Exhale, repeat the bend of you knees and lift of your arms. Keep your ribs hugging toward your midline on the inhale with active legs and arms. Pull yourself into a tiny little package as you exhale. Repeat 5-20 times depending on your strength.

Step 2:

Fear can be a huge factor when learning this pose, so we need to build confidence in baby steps. Grab a yoga strap and come to a wall. Make the lasso on the strap shoulder head to shoulder head then slip it on directly above your elbows (this prevents the elbows from buckling when they bear weight). Come into Downward-Facing Dog with your fingertips 6 inches away from a wall. Join your feet together and gaze forward slightly past your fingertips. Keeping your arms straight and upper back broad, think of the cannon ball shape that you make before you jump into a pool. Think in three steps: hips up over your shoulders,

knees tight to the chest, and heels drawn in toward your butt. The goal is to eventually jump your shoulders over you wrists and hips over your shoulders but that can take plenty of dedication and time. For now, you’ll practice hopping to create the shape and build strength and confidence. Keeping your gaze forward, take 3 hops (or until you get tired) then rest in forward fold or Child’s Pose.

Step 3:

Now we’re going to work on abdominal and hip flexor control as well as balance. Still at the wall, kick up into Handstand. Keep your gaze forward near your fingertips without any strain in your neck. I recommend keeping the strap on your arms, but either way keep your arms straight with the upper outer edges of your arms firming in. Keeping your left leg straight against the wall, bend your right knee and see if you can pull the right foot off the wall and draw it into your chest. This will likely make you fall out of the Handstand, so keep your right leg active to help prevent the over-transfer of weight. If that goes well, switch sides with the right leg straight and left knee bent, knee and thigh tight to your chest and heel toward your bottom.

Once you can manage one leg at a time, try to draw the second leg into a bent position so that both knees are bent, feet are touching each other and the wall with your knees hip-width apart. Hold here or gaze forward a bit more, dig your fingertips into the ground and practice tiny taps against the wall to come into balance. If you find your balancing point, hold for 5 breaths.

Step 4:

The final pose can be practiced at a wall or you can move out into the room. The pike can be entered from Downward-Facing Dog or from a standing forward fold, but we’ll practice the first one here to give you more momentum.

Starting in Down Dog, firm you upper outer arms in and broaden your upper back. Keep your arms straight as you corset your ribs in. Step your feet together and keep your eyes on the road (slightly forward of your fingertips). Inhale as you come high onto the balls of your feet and bend your knees. Exhale, leave the ground with both feet at the same time leaping your shoulders over your wrists and hips over you shoulders. The sooner you draw you knees into your chest the easier it will be to get your hips stacked. Let the last move be heels to your butt to avoid the donkey kick which will throw out your lower back. Keep practicing this jump until you hit your balance. Then, stay in your tiny little package with the gaze forward. From here, you can pull up into Handstand, go back to Down Dog, or lightly place you feet in-between your hands.

The options are limitless, but it takes time! People spend years working on pike, so respect your body as you explore this pose. Listen when it needs to rest and remember to have fun as you learn.

e ground and relax in Child’s Pose.

Vrschikasana in Pincha Mayurasana October 1, 2012

Our last Challenge Pose was Scorpion in Handstand and this week we explore it on our forearms. While the tail remains the same, the feeling of the pose can change quite a bit depending on your body. This will be a different shoulder experience for you, so I recommend practicing both styles.

Backbends aren’t easy for most of us, so take this posture with a big dose of patience. Deep backbending requires patience, surrender, and non-attachment to the result. Enter this pose with no picture in your mind, just feeling. Keep your core strong and remember, there’s no rush to the finish line. Enjoy the journey to your full pose and stay balanced, aware, and strong.

Step 1:

This posture is a great way to warm up your back for Scorpion Pose. Interlace your fingers and place your knuckles where the floor and wall meet. Place your forearms onto the ground so that the elbows are shoulder-width apart. Take your gaze slightly forward and curl your legs back into Dolphin Pose. Lift one leg and lightly kick up, bringing your feet to the wall. (Note: Your head stays off the ground—it’s like a Headstand/Forearm Stand hybrid.) Once your feet come to the wall, slowly take the entire length of your legs to the wall so that your feet, calves, hamstrings, and hips are resting against it. Keep your belly engaged and tailbone lifting toward your heels to prevent any compression in the low back. Begin to firm the upper outer edges of your arms in and root down into your elbows. Neutrally drop your head so you’re gazing into the middle of the room and start to bring your head through your arms and chest away from the wall while the legs stay put. This should feel like a pretty amazing shoulder release, and if you feel any pain, make sure to put more effort into firming your outer arms in to protect the rotation of your shoulders. Come back down to the floor.

Step 2:

It’s important to have a good grasp on your Forearm Stand, but the difference between regular Pincha Mayurasana and the Scorpion is the melting of the chest. Instead of kicking up with your fingertips against the wall, take your fingertips 5-8 inches away from the wall (this will depend on your shoulder flexibility and depth of backbend). Come into Dolphin Pose and walk you feet in toward your hands. Lift your dominate leg and lightly kick up bringing both feet to the wall with your feet flexed. Focus on keeping your core engaged and your tailbone lifting. Begin to take your gaze toward the wall and up. Keep your upper outer arms firming in, but let the center of your chest pull forward as if your arms were a gateway for your chest. Try to see the floorboard or above it. Keep your low back lifting the entire time to protect it.

Step 3:

Keep the melting/pulling through action of you chest. Bend one knee and take your toenails to the wall. Bend your second leg doing the same so that your knees are hip-width apart and your big toes touch. Don’t be concerned with how far down your feet go (this can cause you to collapse in your low back). Start small. Push your toes gently into the wall and feel how this allows you to bring your chest forward. If you fall out of the shape immediately you are too close to the wall. Find the balance of how much you bring your chest through versus how much you bend and activate your legs. If this feels good, play around with engaging one of your hamstrings and bending that knee more so you can take your foot away from the wall

and closer to your head. With time, try bringing the second foot in as well so you can experience a moment of balance!

Step 4:

If you want to feel balance in this pose you can work step three and practice bringing both feet toward the head with the safety net of the wall. If you are comfortable balancing in the middle of the room, you’ll want to kick up into your Forearm Balance first. Engage your legs and hug them tightly together keeping the toes spreading and reaching toward the ceiling. Start to melt your chest and pull your heart through the gateway of your arms. Keep the upper outer arms firming in and all 10 knuckles pressing down, especially the inner hands. Once you’ve met your chest melting capacity, bend both knees together letting them separate hip width apart but keeping the inner big toes touching. As the feet come closer to your head, keep you gaze forward and up so you can open and lift your chin. Relax the upper back as you engage the backs of your legs to bend deeper. Remember, the goal isn’t to touch your head, it’s to keep your backbend even. To exit, try bringing your legs back up as a team with your core engaged to enter your regular Forearm Balance and then come down into a Child’s Pose.

Vrischika in Adho Mukha Vrksasana September 3, 2012

Scorpion is one of the most popular poses requested to work on during my inversion workshops, and for a great reason—it’s amazing! This posture combines flexibility, strength, and balance. You need plenty of relaxed breath and a sense that the only moment that matters is the current one you’re in—this is where the full expression of the pose comes from. Like all Challenge Poses, you can start this posture at the wall so you can build your strength and flexibility before you add the balance. I’ve broken this down in Handstand, but look for the Forearm Balance version soon! Remember to keep your backbend even. It’s easy to focus on getting your feet to your head but for most people it makes the lower back collapse and often causes pain. Keep your core engaged and lower back lifting, even as you get deeper into the pose. Remember the “stinger” move is the final part of the posture. A scorpion won’t sting unless it has to, so create a soft curl and bring those toes in for the grand finale!

Step 1:

Before we add the backbend let’s review the Handstand. Depending on the depth of your backbend and proportions, you’ll have to play around with how far you take your fingertips from the wall. Roughly 8-12 inches is a good place to explore. Just remember you want to be close enough to the wall so that your feet touch when you kick up without throwing it all into your lower back. Once you kick up into your Handstand separate your feet hip-width apart and flex your feet. Stretch your heels up the wall so you can engage your lower belly feel the elongation of your low back. Lengthen your tailbone toward your heels and keep this action present through out all of the steps.

Step 2:

Pay careful attention to keep your arms straight, inner elbows expanding, and upper outer arms firming in so you can take the weight out of your upper trapezius. Treat your arms like the outer part of the cookie and your chest and heart like the creamy, soft center. Melt your chest down and begin to pull it forward through your arms toward the wall is if you were trying to smile your collarbone open from shoulderhead to shoulderhead. Take your gaze forward and lift your chin. Slowly slide your feet down the wall, trying to press the soles into the wall and your lower back lifting toward your heels with your belly engaged.

Step 3:

Keep the melting action in your chest and your gaze upward and forward as you bend one knee and place that foot’s toenails against the wall. Bend your second knee and place the opposite set of toenails against the wall so that your toes and inner heels touch. Keep your knees hip-width apart (together for a much deeper backbend but never wider than hip width—too much pressure on the low back). If this feels incredibly deep, stay here. If you’re still feeling supported in your core and low back, continue to pull your heart forward, hug your outer upper arms in, and gently bring the toes further down the wall toward the ground. Press your toes into the wall to help you deepen the curl in your chest. Perhaps practice taking one foot away from the wall by engaging your hamstring and, with time, bringing the second foot away form the wall to enjoy a glorious moment of balance!

Step 4:

The best way to experience balance in this pose is by following Step 3 and working your feet away from the wall slowly, one at a time. If you have a solid Handstand practice away from a

wall, I find that doing a bent knee pike is the most useful way to get into Scorpion. (Look for a future Challenge Blog post on this soon)! The major keys to remember when getting into this pose through a balanced Handstand is to take your time! Make sure your arms are firm first. Keep your legs engaged and hugging tightly together. Before you add anything with your legs, begin the melting process from step two as you take your gaze forward and up. Begin to bend your knees and spread your toes. You want to keep your backbend even so that it doesn’t all sit in the upper or lower chest. Too much in the lower back will toss you over into full Urdhva Dhanurasana and too much in your chest without proper bending of your knees will pull you back to your feet. The goal is to keep your chest and knees bending in sync. The final touch is engaging your hamstrings to bring the “stinger” in toward your head. This will feel like a deep bending of your knees. Keep the toes spreading!

Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana I August 6, 2012

There are so many backbends in the sea! Don’t worry child, you’ll find the right one.

Backbends can be similar to the dating scene—some are exciting, many are terrifying and often painful, and then there are a select few that simply shine. This week’s challenge pose is all about opening the heart, finding your foundation AND reaching for the sky. It’s a beautiful blend of all the elements we want to cultivate in our yoga practice. We’re going to work the base of the pose (Headstand), the space of the pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana), and then see if we can lengthen it out, combine it and reach for possibilities.

How will this date with your challenge pose go? Who knows. But I do know one thing—love openly and fearlessly. Pursue as if your heart has never been broken. A world of space and possibilities await you.

Step 1:

Begin on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet hip width apart on the mat. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders shoulder-width apart so that the fingertips point towards your body. Press into your feet and lift your hips as you curl your chest and lift your head, place the crown of your head directly onto the mat. Hug your elbows in over your wrists, firm your triceps in, keep the shoulders in their sockets and curl your chest towards the back of the room. Keep all these actions and press the ground away to lift the head up towards straight arms. Keep your knees and fee hip-width apart and your bottom relaxed. Press deeply into both heels to drive the shinbones back to help elevate your hips and broaden your chest. Take 8 breaths then keep the elbows in, bend them, tuck your chin and come back down to rest.

Step 2:

The base of this backbend is headstand so that seems like a pretty good pose to explore! If you can’t balance headstand in the middle of the room yet move your mat over to a wall space and keep your knuckles at the floorboard. Feel free to stay in the middle of the room if

your body allows. Interlace all of your fingers tucking the bottom pinky into your cupped palms. Place the outer edges of your laced hands onto the ground like a karate chop with the wrists. Elbows are shoulder-width apart and keep enough space in your palms so that they’re not splaying nor are they closed shut. Place the crown of your head on the ground directly behind the heels of your hand (don’t cup your skull, this will make you collapse in your wrists and make you lose stability). Curl your toes under, lift your knees and straighten your legs. Walk your feet in toward your face to come into a Dolphin Pose. Keep your shoulders lifting, triceps hugging in and your elbows rooting down. If you have the flexibility, walk your feet in close enough that you can lift both feet at the same time with straight legs all the way up into your balance. If not, hug one knee into your chest and give yourself a small hop to pull into a cannonball shape. From your pike (the cannonball) pull both legs up together into your full headstand (let the heels rest against the wall if you’re not balancing). Focus on the lift of your shoulders away from your earlobes, the rotation of your outer arms in and the foundation of the forearms and elbows. It should almost feel as though you could slide a piece of paper between the floor and your head. Take 8 breaths to a minute hold and come down into Child’s Pose.

Step 3:

Lie on your back with the knees bent and the soles of the feet flat and hip-width apart. Reverse your palms and place them down shoulder-width apart directly above your shoulders. Lift the hips, press into the feet, and come onto the crown of your head. Pause here. Practice hugging the elbows in over the wrists, drawing the tips of the shoulder blades toward the heart, and curling the chest. Next, place one forearm down at a time so the fingers are pointing in the direction of the feet. Interlace your fingers behind your head like you were setting up for Headstand. Once the hands are set, press down into the forearms to lift the head off of the mat. Continue the mantra of “triceps in, elbows root.” Imagine shrinking your armpits and firming the upper outer edges of the arms in. Gently practice curling the chest through the arms to open the throat and heart. Use the strength of your legs to help transfer more opening into the chest vicinity. Keep the curling of the upper chest and walk both feet several steps away from the upper body. Step the feet together so the inner edges touch. Push into the feet to work the legs toward straight or as far as they’ll comfortably go for you. Roll the upper inner thighs down and push powerfully into the big toes. Relax the neck and try to hold for 8 full breaths.

Step 4:

Keep holding the posture from step 3. Find a rooting down on all four corners of your left foot as you bend your right knee and draw your foot off of the ground. This might be a good place to practice—simply lifting the opposite foot away from the ground. Then can you bend the knee in toward your chest to engage your hip flexor. When you get comfortable with that begin to extend the leg directly up towards the ceiling. Spread the toes as if you were reaching for something an exude energy and length behind the back of your right knee cap. If you have the energy, switch sides. If not, place the foot back down and walk your feet back in so the knees are bent. Undo the lacing of your hands and set your palms up for Urdhva Dhanurasana. Press up into the full backbend for one breath and then come down and rest. Hug the knees into your chest.

*big thank you to Shanti Yoga Studio in McCall, Idaho for letting me take my photos in their space!

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana in Hanumanasana July 23, 2012

Backbends can be a glorious experience—that is if you like backbends.

The good news: Even if you despise backbends, there’s hope! Generally the backbending you do in a normal flow class is in poses like Bridge, Camel, Bow, and Wheel. Aside from those heavy hitters (great poses all, by the way) we don’t see many other backbends in a flow class, especially not ones with the shoulder fully revolved.

The upper body rotation required in this week’s Challenge Pose is the same that you’ll find in King Dancer, One-Footed King Pigeon, and Big-Toe Bow pose. It isn’t the easiest rotation in the world (especially if you get tight in your upper back or psoas) so they’re often avoided. The problem here is that these poses, when done with patience and props, often get us on the highway to flexibility and space! There’s nothing wrong with using plenty of props. For this pose, have a strap and a set of blocks handy. And take your time! Just recognized that you ARE flexible and you will find that aaaaaahhhhh moment in a backbend when you take your time, listen to your body, and show up doing your best.

Step 1:

This backbend requires a ton of psoas flexibility so we need to give some TLC here. Lie on your belly and prop up onto your forearms. Keeping your legs hip-width apart, bend your left knee. Gaze over your left shoulder and reach back with the same hand to grab your foot. If you feel intense sensation you’ll stay here and be content with holding your foot. If you can go deeper, slowly bend your elbow and bring your left foot closer to the ground. If you can do the full rotation, place the palm of your hand right above your toes on the top of your foot. Point your thumb out like you’re hitchhiking and pivot the palm until the fingers point in the same direction as your toes and your elbow points toward the ceiling. Push your toes into your hand and your hand into your toes. Relax your buns. Push down into your right elbow to elevate your chest as you roll your right shoulder head back to encourage the backbend. Press all right toes into the mat and keep that leg straight. Slowly release after about 8 breaths and switch sides.

Step 2:

From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot in between your hands and drop your left knee down to the ground. Go for a wider lunge, either taking your front foot forward or wiggling your rear knee back a bit so that your pelvis is lunging toward the ground. Interlace your fingers and press your palms down into your right quad. Draw up through your lower belly and peel your core away from your front thigh. Press deeply into your front leg as your roll your shoulders back and lift your heart up. Take 8 breaths and proceed to Step 3.

Step 3:

From your lunge, brace yourself with your hands on the ground and wiggle your front heel forward toward straight. Counterbalance the extension of the front leg by slowly wiggling the rear foot back as well until you come into your full split. If your split is not full yet, feel free to place two blocks underneath your hands for support or place a block at any level underneath the top part of your right hamstring.

Step 4:

The splits are intense are their own, but it’s time to add on! The best way to test the waters is by venturing into this next step. Keep your right hand down on the ground to brace yourself and bend your left knee, lifting your foot off the ground. Reach back with your left hand and grab the inside of the foot similar to what you did in Step 1. You may feel intense sensation immediately, and if so THIS is your pose and you’ll breathe and work here. If you can handle more intensity, begin to bend your left elbow and gently draw your left foot in as you relax both shoulders and roll them back. Keep trying to square your hips towards the front of your mat.

Step 5:

Lasso your strap over the ball of your back foot. Reach back with your left hand and grasp underneath the strap (the closer you reach to the foot, the deeper the backbend). Keeping your left shoulder in its socket, rotate your left elbow out, up and in so it points toward the ceiling. You may find your that your balance is off now, so if that’s happening keep your right hand on the ground for support, lift your chest and square your hips. If your hips are OK with balance, reach your right arm up, bend the elbow and grab the strap as well. Hold here or slowly walk your hands down towards your foot. Roll the left hip forward and keep your front foot flex as an anchor.

Step 6:

The best way to work the full pose is from the previous step; keep working it and walking your hand down the strap to grab your foot until you’ve done it enough times to have the confidence. If you’re working without a strap come into your full split. Bend your back leg and reach back with your left hand with the palm up and elbow bent. Grab your pinky toe and climb your toes like a staircase on the front side of your foot until you reach the big toes. Keep the rotation of your palm, grab hold and rotate your elbow out, up and in. Draw your arm to your face. Brace yourself with your right hand or reach it up, bend the elbow and walk down your right forearm to find the foot. Hug both elbows into the midline. Roll your right hip forward, lift from your lower belly and keep the front leg active. Don’t forget to breathe!

Hanumanasana in Pincha Mayurasana July 9, 2012

Ah, the splits. Hanumanasana in any form—regular, standing, inverted—tends to evoke strong emotions from yogis, whether it be full joy or a strong desire to make a hasty retreat. We no longer have the pressure of the floor or wall pressing into the body. The split shape now comes from our ability to EXPAND and REACH. We have no ground to look at to measure how deep we’ve gone nor ability to see if we’ve reached full extension. This pose is

all about feeling and trust. It’s about knowing you’re putting your talents out there. There’s no need for a reflection or visual result—you go based on what you feel.

This will not feel liberating for all of us, and if anything might be quite frustrating. If that’s the case just remember one day at a time, one pose at a time, one breath at a time. I’d recommend practicing both regular Hanumansana and Standing Splits to help you prepare for the shape on your arms, but remember making it into the full split doesn’t matter. The key is to expand yourself beyond where you began. Open yourself to possibility and challenge your boundaries. There is a whole world of opportunity (and yoga poses) out there for you to enjoy and grow from. Have fun!

Step 1:

It’s important to get the upper back warm and open for a big backbend like our upcoming Challenge Pose. One of the best (and most accessible) backbends to generate heat is Upward-Facing Dog. I’d recommend taking several Sun Salutes to warm up the body and hold your backbend for 5 breaths each when you get to it. To practice this pose start on your belly with your palms flat next to your ribs. Your elbows should be bent and stacked directly over your wrists. Separate your feet hip-width apart with your toenails flat on the ground. Roll your shoulder heads up and down your back so you feel your lower trapezius engage. Begin to press down into the ground while lifting your chest up toward straight arms. Everything will lift off of the mat except your palms and the tops of your toes. Relax your buns and engage your lower belly, lifting it toward your chest. Draw the tips of your shoulder blades down your back as you hug your triceps in and pull your heart through the gateway of your arms. Roll your shoulders back and lift your heart powerfully towards the ceiling. Press all 10 knuckles down evenly and do the same for your toes. Roll your upper inner thighs towards the ceiling to help release any tension in your buns.

Step 2:

Now, Hanumansana. If this pose is a regular part of your practice, begin in a runner’s lunge with your hips stacked over your back knee and your front leg straight with the foot flexed. Approach this pose from a 50/50 perspective—50 percent hamstring (front leg) and 50 percent psoas (back leg). Slowly wiggle the front leg forward and pause. Bring your attention to your back leg by curling the toes under, lifting the knee and wiggling the back leg further toward the rear of the mat. Continue this 50/50 approach until you reach your full splits where you can lie the back toes flat.

Step 3:

Let’s move on to Pincha Mayurasana. If you practice this inversion, it’s important to kick up in to the regular version of the pose first to continue building heat in the upper back and remind yourself of proper alignment in your shoulders and pelvis. Place your forearms onto your mat parallel to each other about 5 inches away from the wall (we’re going to allow a mild backbend). Stack your shoulders over your elbows and walk into Dolphin pose. Lift your dominant leg into the air as you hug your upper outer arms in. Keep your gaze slightly

forward and kick the second leg up bringing both heels to the wall. Flex your feet and draw your tailbone toward your heels to avoid any folding in the low back. You’ll feel the urge to bend the low back, keep the core strong and tailbone lifting to avoid this. Press into all 10 knuckles and engage and squeeze the triceps in.

Step 4:

Depending on your body proportion and flexibility you’re going to have to play around with the distance from the wall for this next step. Always safer to start closer and work yourself away over time. A good gauge is to first stand facing the wall and lift one leg so that the foot presses directly into it with a straight leg. The standing leg should also be straight and directly beneath you. This base foot starting place is where you want your fingers in order to reach the wall when you kick up.

Follow the same kick up rules as you did the in the previous step. Take the kick-up foot to the wall (you’ll already be in a split-like position because of your distance from the wall) and keep your opposite leg in the air reaching toward the middle of the room. Push the sole of your wall foot fully into the wall to encourage the leg to straighten. Keep your low back lifting as you melt your chest, pulling your heart and gaze toward the baseboard of the wall. If there is wiggle room, take your wall foot a few inches lower and continue the pushing action to straighten your front leg. Your back leg is caffeinated—keep the entire leg engaged, straight, and spread the toes! You’ll have to lower the middle leg lower than you might think to give you a full split. Make sure to practice both sides.

Step 5:

The wall is a great place to practice this pose until your inversion practice can balance freestanding. If you’re ready for a wall-less pose, kick up into your Pincha Mayurasana in the middle of the room. Find your traditional pose first. Next, melt your chest and pull your heart and gaze slightly past your fingertips. Reach one leg forward (toward where your wall was) as you let the back leg descend. Power up the front leg first and use the back leg as a balance point. Keep scissoring your upper inner thighs—back thighbone pulls in, front inner thigh rolls up toward the ceiling. Expand through the back of your knee-caps and spread your toes.

Eka Pada Kapotasana June 11, 2012

I just returned from a fabulous weekend teaching in Boulder at the Hanuman Festival among some of my favorite friends and teachers in the world. I came home feeling exhausted but unable to wipe the smile off of my face because I feel immense gratitude. I know gratitude is a word that is thrown around quite a bit, but I am completely basking in it.

This festival had so much HEART. It is a homegrown festival full of people that truly adore yoga. Everyone was smiling this weekend, no one was in a rush to get anywhere and laughter was even more common than the sound of Om.

I wrapped up the weekend teaching my backbend flow class I call, “All is Full of Love.” Everyone was dog-tired and sore by this point and I knew I had to work some special magic to keep people safe from collapsing. We started out sweet and slow, and by the end of the class, laughter was back, hamstrings were no longer cranky, and open hearts and chests abounded. Our intention for the class was to not only be open to giving love but to receive it as well. This week’s challenge pose is an incredibly beautiful and deep backbend that opens the heart to its fullest potential. It also puts us in a vulnerable position both physically and mentally. I truly believe the best way to succeed in this posture is by following the intention “I am open to both giving and receiving love.”

Try it out. It happened to me all weekend long and I’m still basking in the afterglow. Backbend your way back into a place of love and soak it up!

Step 1:

To get into Upward-Facing Bow (or Wheel Pose, Urdhva Dhanurasana), begin on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the mat hip-width apart. Place your palms shoulder-width apart directly behind your shoulders so the fingertips are facing toward your feet. Lift your hips as you press into your palms and come onto the crown of your head. Hug the elbows in so they stack over your wrists, keep the shoulder-heads plugged into the shoulder sockets, and curl your upper chest toward the back of the room. Straighten your arms to lift up. Drive down into your heels as you press the shinbones back to elevate the hips. Rotate your upper inner thighs down to soften your low back and relax your head and neck. Take 8 breaths and rest or continue directly into Step 2.

Step 2:

Staying in Wheel, lift your right foot slightly above the ground. Start to “slap” the foot back toward your head so that the toenails are pressing down into your mat. Try this a few times working on getting your foot closer toward your head.

Step 3:

Once you can’t bring your right foot in any further, begin to wiggle your left foot away from you several inches as you begin to lower your right shin onto the ground. For many of us, this will be the step we stay with for quite some time. This is a HUGE psoas stretch, so no pushing or shoving—remember yoga is here to make us feel better! If you can safely and comfortably place your shin to the ground, continue on to Step 4.

Step 4:

Keep your right shinbone down and left knee bent. Lower your right forearm down onto the ground and creep it toward the direction of your right foot. Try to grab the foot or eventually the entire heel. You can gently rotate the right elbow out to walk the arm in, but as soon as you have your foot, hug the elbow back in toward the midline. Follow by dropping the left forearm down and walking it in to grab your toes, foot, or heel. Press down into both elbows and curl your face toward the sole of your foot as if you could eventually rest your forehead into your foot. Wiggle your left foot forward until you can completely straighten the leg, pressing all five toes down into the mat. Roll the upper inner left thigh down to help stabilize the pelvis. Take 5 breaths. Walk the left foot back in so the knee is bent. Release your foot and place the palms flat behind you shoulder-width apart. Press back up into Upward-Facing Bow Pose, sliding the right foot back into its original position. Bend the knees, tuck the chin, and come down to rest. Padangustha Dhanurasana May 28, 2012

I’ve never been much of a backbender. In fact, I used to be awful at them. I might have the appearance of a small backbendy looking girl, but my strength has always been more in the arm balance department. For this reason I always told myself I’d never be good at backbends and that it would be best to focus on other areas of my practice.

This horrible attitude prevented me from soaring in my chest for years. I told myself I couldn’t and therefore completely limited myself. It wasn’t until a year of practicing with the super backbendy Noah Maze that I had a complete epiphany. We were practicing Bow (Dhanurasana) and Big Toe Bow (Padangustha Dhanurasana) poses. I had been playing with the strap for years and just realized I could come into full shoulder rotation on one side. I decided to give it a go and try the second arm as well. Then POOF. . . I was in the full pose. It was one of those, “Is anyone actually seeing this happening?!” moments. I was in a huge, beautiful backbend—ME! I came out if the pose crying tears of joy. It was one of the most liberating and empowering moments in my yoga practice. I never said never again. I realized I can do anything I put my mind to as long as I believe in myself, keep doing my best and recognize that everything is going to happen as it should.

I hope this pose cultivates some magic and power in you as well. Don’t stop believing and you’ll soar.

Step 1:

Before we try anything fancy it’s important to understand the basic posture (Bow Pose) first. Begin lying flat on your belly. Bend both of your knees and reach back one arm at a time to clasp the outside of your feet. Your thumbs will point down and feet can be pointed or flexed, which ever gives you more power. You want this power because ultimately it’s the legs that lift you into the backbend. Without even thinking of lifting your chest, press your shins back strongly away from you. This action will automatically lift your head and chest. Continue pressing back until your arms are straight and the shoulders curl open and back. Press your abs down into the mat to give you additional lift in your chest. Gently lift the feet up, encouraging the thighs away from the ground. Spread your toes and look forward. Take 5 deep breaths then release.

Step 2:

Grab two yoga straps and make lassos big enough for the soles of your feet. Place one lasso over the ball of each foot and lie down on your belly with the strap coming over your shoulders so you can easily access them. Prop yourself up onto you forearms and look back over your dominant side. Bend that knee, bringing the foot close to you. Reach back with the same arm, palm facing up and with a slight bend in the elbow. Grab underneath the strap as close as you comfortably can to your foot. Just keep in mind, the closer you grab to your foot, the deeper the backbend will be. Once you have the strap, inhale. Exhale, keep the elbow bent and rotate it in, out and up so that it’s facing the ceiling. Hug the elbow in tight to your face and relax the base of your neck. Repeat on the second side. Once you’re even, perhaps walk

your hands down the straps closer to your feet. Once you’ve reached a good sensation, press the shins back evenly, press your core down and lift your heart. Take 5 breaths. To release, slowly loosen the grip on the straps and place your arms onto the ground in front of you.

Step 3:

There are two ways of getting into the final pose. One is by doing step 2 and eventually walking your hands all the way down to your feet. The second way is to reach back for the feet without the use of the straps. The full pose takes practice, flexibility, and time, so please don’t be in a rush to lose your straps. Keep practicing with the props until your shoulders are ready to go strap-free!

Begin on your belly propped up on your forearms. Look over your dominant shoulder and bend that same knee. Reach back with the same arm, palm up and elbow slightly bent to keep the shoulder in the socket. Grab your baby toe from the toenail side and climb each toe until you can clasp onto the big toe side from the underneath grip. Take a big inhale, and on your exhale, rotate the elbow down, in, and up. Reach back with the second arm to do the same. Hug the elbows in tight around the head and press the legs back strong like you do in Bow Pose. Spread your toes and enjoy the massive amount of space in your chest. Release one arm at a time to brace the exit and take a vinyasa into Child’s Pose.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II May 14, 2012

I just spent a glorious day of skydiving with my love and good friends. We took a road trip to Skydive Perris where my friends explored their 2nd and 3rd tandem skydives while I leapt into jump 36-39.

It’s an unexplainable feeling that comes over me when I skydive—nothing can upset me. All troubles leave my body and I am left with a sense of everything is exactly as it should be. I came home to write this blog realizing that a very similar sensation envelopes my body when I practice Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II)

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It is challenging. It is often unstable. It makes me reach beyond my comfort zone and it is beautiful.

Basically, I hope that you tackle this pose with a vast sense of possibility. It is challenging, wobbly and not even close to being an everyday pose, yet with time, attention and discipline, it creates such profound beauty in the body and sensibility.

Challenge yourself—blend this pose into your everyday practice and find yourself free, strong and full of beauty.

Step 1:

Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your left foot forward to meet your hands. Drop your rear knee down and wiggle your front foot forward into a long lunge dropping the hips down toward the ground with the energy of splits. Place both of your hands onto your left quad. Press deeply into your leg as you draw your chest back away from your thigh. Roll your shoulder heads back to broaden your chest and drop your tailbone down toward the ground as you engage your lower belly. Press all five toes of your back foot down into the ground to create stability. Hold for 8 deep breaths.

Step 2:

Keep all the intention of Step 1 and reach both of your arms up to the sky. The body will want to pitch in the lower back so resist this tendency by engaging the lower belly and pulling it away from the top part of your front thigh. Curl your chest up toward the ceiling keeping the abs engaged, and reach your arms up and back. Keep the arms shoulder-width apart and energize your fingers (think jazz hands).

Step 3:

Continuing on from Step 3, keep the upward motion of the chest but drop your arms down. Avoid the tendency to roll the shoulders forward and continue to broaden your upper chest. Continue to lunge into your front leg as you lift the lower belly away from your front quad. Keep curling your shoulders back and extend your arms like lightening bolts toward the ground. Reach like you want to touch the ground, but don’t obsess over making actual contact. Go for space and sensation and breath.

Step 4:

Grab a yoga strap and make a lasso just big enough to slip the ball of your foot through. Place the lasso over the ball of your back foot and sling the excess over your shoulder. Grab the strap with your right hand, palm facing up grabbing underneath the strap. The closer you grab to the foot, the deeper the backbend, so adjust accordingly. Place your left hand onto your quad like Step 1 while you look forward and hold the strap in your right hand. Rotate your shoulder by taking the elbow out up and in. Reach your left arm up, bend the elbow and grab the strap with the left hand as well. Work towards holding the strap at the same point and potentially walking the hands down the strap keeping the hips low and the chest high.

Step 5:

Step 4 should create an intense amount of challenge and with time you can continue forward into the full pose. It’s important to take your time. Keep practicing Step 4 and work on slowly walking both hands down the strap while keeping the heart lifting and the hips low. Eventually you’ll find your foot. Grab hold of both sides of the foot and leg go of the strap. Keep hugging the outer hips in as you ground deeply into the front heel. Hug the outer arms in deeply trying to bring the elbows together as you let your head fall back toward the sole of your foot. You WILL wobble all over. The keep to balance here is being OK with the fluctuations of your body. Enjoy the dance and KEEP TRYING.

Mermaid Pose April 30, 2012

I love this pose for so many reasons.

My comedic side loves the imagery of being a hot mermaid sitting on a rock getting splashed by waves making the sailors floating by go mad. That sassy image helps to get your chest

open and play the part. I even wore my magical Teeki tights to give me an exciting “tail” for the pose:)

My teacher side adores this pose because it’s the perfect confidence booster to get students ready for Eka Pada Raja Kapotasna. I can’t count the times I’ve taught this pose in workshops only to have people declare, “I can’t believe it—I’m in the pose!!” The glow that comes over their face when they realize they can do something they never dreamed possible warms my heart. Mermaids are no longer a mythical creature but rather a very beautiful reality on your mat.

Just like any Challenge Pose, there are steps. This pose requires space in the hips, psoas, and upper back. Take each step as an individual pose and breathe—your body will open up when it’s ready for the next step and you’ll be singing the sweet mermaid song before you can whistle “Under the Sea.”

Step 1:

This pose does require open hips with a single Pigeon base, but the good news is it doesn’t require the deepest variation of the pose. Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your right shin to the front of the mat. Bring your right heel in fully to your body (the deepest variation has the shin parallel to the front of the mat) and extend your rear leg straight. Roll the outer edge of your left leg down towards the ground as you spiral your upper inner thigh towards the ceiling. Work on squaring your hips by rolling your left ribs forward and encouraging the left hip to fall towards the mat. Pop up onto fingertips with straight arms and work on lifting the top of your pelvis and heart. Gently roll your shoulder heads back and hold for a good full 8 breaths.

Step 2:

Look over your left shoulder and bend your left knee drawing your foot in. Reach back and grab your foot with your left hand. If simply making contact with the foot is intense, stay here and breath. Otherwise, begin a slow bend in your left elbow to draw the foot in closer towards your body. Continue to roll your left hip down towards the mat and brace yourself by keeping your right fingertips on the ground in-front of your body. Play around with how far you bring the foot in and take as much time here as you need . . . this step is crucial in getting the psoas muscle to release to go into the full backbend.

Step 3:

Keep your left elbow bend and slide your left foot down the inside of your forearm until it lands in the crook of your elbow. Lightly curl your toes so they hold onto your leg as if they were fingers. Engage your core by lifting up through your belly and chest so you can lift your right hand up without rocking forward. Reach the right hand back to clasp the left.

Step 4:

Keeping your hands clasped, drop your chin and take your gaze down. Lift your clasped arms up above your head then lightly let them slide behind your skull so that the right elbow points straight up. Once the arm is behind you, take your gaze forward and renew the effort to square your hips and chest to the front of your mat (don’t obsess here, just encourage the rotation). Pull your heart up as you root down through your hips and keep the right shoulder relaxing in the socket. Take 8 breaths then release your clasp and come back into your single Pigeon and fold to release your back. I’d recommend a vinyasa as well after taking both sides.

Funky Side Crow April 14, 2012

I can’t even try to pretend that this challenge pose comes from ancient yoga texts.

This cute hybrid arm balance lovingly earns the name “funky” because it is—funky, fun and fabulous. The pose blends a traditional Side Crow arm with a forearm on the opposite side. As a general rule, I’d say it’s best to learn Side Crow first, but having the forearm down gives you more to balance on than just two hands therefore making it slightly more accessible.

However you look at it, I’d like you to have fun. Yoga is here to help us in a plethora of ways, but when you do a pose that’s funky it’s intention is certainly to make you smile. Now go shake that crow feather!

step one:

Begin in Tadasana. Keeping the weight in the heels, bend the knees, and drop the hips. Take a peak at you toes. If you can’t see them, shift the shins back remaining in the heels until you see the tips. Descend the tailbone as you lift the arms and chest. Take one full breath in Chair Pose. Keeping the knees bent, draw the palms to the heart and twist to the right landing the left elbow on the right thigh. Stay here or reach the armpit towards the thigh. Push the Namaste palms into each other, aiming the right elbow at the ceiling. Keep the knees even (you can look down to make sure) and take 8 breaths. Come back to Chair Pose for one breath then push to stand. Repeat the second side.

step two:

Come into a low squat balancing on the balls of your feet with the big toes and inner heels touching. Inhale, lift your left arm high and as you exhale, drop your left elbow to the outside of your right thigh. If you have wiggle room, deepen your twist by taking the left elbow closer to your right hip. Once you have the twist, place both palms flat onto the ground shoulder width apart. Place your right forearm down onto the ground (yes, you’ll be lopsided) so that your right elbow is roughly in line with your left palm and they are shoulder width apart. As you place the forearm down you’ll have to lean forward bringing your face closer to the ground. You’ll begin to feel a shelf developing under your left arm for support.

step three:

Continuing from step three, lean your chest forward and extend your gaze slightly past you front fingertips. This leaning action will help you to stack your left elbow (the leg support arm) over your wrist so you can properly hold your own weight. Once the elbow is stacked, sweep your shinbones up parallel to the ground working towards keeping your knees completely stacked. Hug the left forearm in to properly distribute your weight and keep even pressure under all 5 knuckles of your right hand. Take 5 breaths and place your feet back down. Repeat on side two and have fun!

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Light Up the Sky April 2, 2012

Photo: Jasper Johal

Ah, Firefly. One of the most magical insects to light up the sky.

I grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, where these magical creatures would light up the summer fields like stars fallen from the night sky. I’d dance along with them and wonder where their inner glow came from. In retrospect, it’s possible they were just fired up from doing a ton of yoga!

The gorgeous arm balance Tittibhasana can be performed two ways—upright, as I’ll describe here, or with legs parallel to the ground, like what’s pictured in my ToeSox ad.

Photo: Jasper Johal

There isn’t a better way of doing the pose, it’s just what you crave. The variation we’ll cover is a bit lighter on the core work and more intense on the hips and hamstrings. That being said, they are both challenging and require some sweet loving hip openers to start. I recommend some Sun Salutations and standing Warrior poses to build heat in the hips before you dive in. And as always, remember patience. You’re always shining, and when it’s time—you’ll fly.

Step 1:

This Low Lunge variation opens your hips and begins to prepare your arms and legs for Tittibhasana (Firefly Pose). From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands and drop your left knee to the floor. Shift your right foot several inches to the right and place both forearms down onto blocks or, if you can release all the way, onto the floor to the inside of your right leg. Keep your left toes curled under and your hips low. Without lifting your hips, straighten the left leg. Extend your heart forward while you release the shoulders and base of the neck away from your ears.

Dip the right shoulder behind your right leg, hold the right calf muscle with the right hand, and bow your heart down, pushing into the calf to move your right shoulder deeper behind the leg. Keep your right shoulder in this position as you place both palms on the mat shoulder-width apart, as though you were positioning your hands for Chaturanga or place your forearms onto the ground. Move your chest forward as you would in Cobra and breathe here for 8 breaths. To release, step back into Chaturanga and then move with your breath through Upward-Facing Dog and Downward-Facing Dog before repeating this pose on the left side.

Step 2:

You’ll continue to open your hips as you encourage more mobility along your spine in what I like to call Bug Walk— a standing variation of Tittibhasana. From Down Dog, walk your feet toward your hands, step the feet hip-width apart, and fold into Uttanasana. Bend your knees and take both arms between your legs, wrapping your arms around the outside of the shins and placing the palms on your feet, with the fingers and toes pointing in the same direction. If this is too intense, keep your hands behind your calves.

Once you’ve set up your torso and arms, start to gently extend the backs of the legs, moving them toward straight. Extend the sternum and gaze forward, keeping your neck soft. At this point, you’ll look like a turtle poking its head out into the world to see what’s going on. You may want to stay right where you are now and simply enjoy the opening in your lower back and hamstrings; or, if you feel relaxed and connected with your breath, you can take yourself for a little walk. Keeping everything in position and starting with your right foot, walk around in a circle. When you come back to your starting point, lift the left foot first and walk yourself around in the opposite direction. Then slowly release your arms and torso from between your legs and fold into Uttanasana for 8 to 10 breaths. From here, step back to Chaturanga and then move through Up Dog and Down Dog. Then step or hop to the top of your mat into Uttanasana.

Step 3:

Bend your knees, take the arms between your legs, like you did above, and then use your hands to push against one calf at a time, to move your shoulders behind your legs just like putting on the straps of a backpack. Fold here as deeply as possible while remaining comfortable. Place your palms back down on the mat, shoulder-width apart. Hug your shoulders with your inner thighs and bend your knees to slowly lower the hips.

Lift your right foot off the floor, keeping the knee bent as you hug your inner thighs toward the midline of your body. Then lift your left foot from the floor, keeping the knee bent and your gaze forward. Start to drop your hips as you work your arms towards straight. Take the gaze forward and continue to hug the thighs around your arms to keep you in place. Broaden your collarbone by pushing your shoulder heads back and firm your upper outer arms in. When you can’t lower your hips anymore without loosing balance, begin to straighten your legs. Keep the action of hugging inward as you expand your toes and legs sky high. Don’t worry about getting your legs completely straight, just work them toward what feels challenging but supported to you. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths then bend your knees and place your feet back onto the ground to release. Those of you who want a more advanced exit, try to bend your knees and pull back into Crow Pose.

Funky Headstand March 19, 2012

Ashtanga Yoga’s second series offers seven headstands where the yogi needs to find their balance and center to maintain the strength of Headstand while moving their arms into all sorts of interesting variations. These are the last group of poses in the series for a reason—they’re hard! This Funky Headstand is a hybrid pose inspired by the Ashtanga headstands.

It’s important to have a solid grasp on your Headstand practice before you spice it up, so if you’re new to Tripod Headstand or Forearm Balance, I highly recommend you click the links below to focus on those poses in your practice first. If you have a good grip on them—read on! The joy of yoga is that it is limitless and all we need is intelligence, awareness, and a sense of adventure. Funky Headstand is a great hybrid of Tripod Headstand and Forearm Balance. Dive into the practice below, and work with a wall behind you if you’ve never tried this (even if you balance in the middle of the room with each pose) until you’ve adjusted to your new foundation. Have fun!

Step One:

For a full breakdown of Tripod Headstand, visit my previous Challenge Pose post.

Start in Dophin Pose with your palms flat, shoulder-width apart and the crown of your head on the ground. Your elbows will create a 90-degree angle. Curl your toes under and walk your feet in creating straight legs and lifted hips. Place your right knee onto your right arm followed by the left to left. Lift the hips up as the thighs draw tight to the chest. Stay as compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up towards the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the knee caps and spread the toes. From here you can reverse the process back into Child’s Pose, or flex the feet, keep the body strong like Plank Pose, and drop into Chaturanga.

Step Two:

For a full breakdown on how to do Pincha Mayurasana, read this earlier Challenge Pose post.

Start in Dolphin Pose with both of your forearms parallel to each other and shoulder-width apart. Curl your toes under and straighten the legs as you walk your feet in toward your elbows making sure that the shoulder stay parked over the elbows. Take a leg up into a Standing Splits reach. Bend the bottom leg and take tiny hops up toward the pose. If this is not enough energy to get you all the way to the wall, use a bit more kick-off power. Remember to activate the lower leg the second it leaves the ground! This extra energy will help to pull it all the way up into the pose. Once the legs are at the wall try flexing the feet and dragging the heels up the wall to elongate the low back. The tailbone should reach toward the ceiling as the frontal ribs soften toward the spine to remove the “banana” in the back. Keep the gaze slightly forward to prevent strain in the neck and breath freely. Take one leg away from the wall back to the ground and drop to the knees into Child’s Pose.

Step Three:

The major key to this pose is the set up of the arms. Start on your hands and knees. Place the right forearm down as if preparing for Pincha Mayurasana. Take the left palm flat so that the fingertips are in line with the right elbow. The arms are shoulder-width apart. Bend the left elbow to a 90-degree angle just like in Chaturanga: elbow over wrist, shoulder head in line with elbow. Straighten one leg at a time until you are in (Funky) Plank. Keep the gaze forward to extend the chest, hug the left elbow in over the wrist as the right shoulder head continues to lift. Scoop the tailbone, lift the kneecaps, and extend through the heels. Take 8 breaths and then rest in Child’s Pose. Reverse the arm positioning and repeat these actions.

Step Four:

Time to make a hybrid, baby! Start on your knees and set up your funky arms—place your left forearm down on the ground and place your right palm flat so it is in line with your left elbow but shoulder-width apart. Tuck your chin and place the crown of your head down in the middle of the two arms roughly lined up with the center of your forearm. Curl your toes under and take a “funky Dolphin” variation as you walk the feet in and lift the hips. If you have the flexibility to pull both legs up at the same time, you can press up into your Headstand keeping the hips high, core in, and thighs squeezing to the midline (smart to practice with a wall behind you if this is new). Otherwise, lift one leg up like a standing split and practice small hops bending the bottom leg to pull both up to the wall. The key is to keep the forearm elbow rooting and the tripod shoulder lifting with the elbow squeezing in. If you

can keep your foundation solid, you’re set—just avoid the banana in the back by corseting your ribs in toward each other, lifting your tailbone, and keeping the legs engaged and reaching towards the ceiling. Try for 8 breaths then release into a nice, long Child’s Pose.

Visvamitrasana March 5, 2012

I just returned from an amazing week in Maui where I led a retreat at the Four Seasons Wailea. It happened to be prime humpback whale season, which meant they were everywhere. It was remarkable. I’d be sitting there eating lunch watching them spout water through their blowholes or witness a full body breaching.

I should mention that I love the ocean but am very uncomfortable when it comes to being IN it. While there, I worked to conquer my fear—I paddle boarded, learned how to row on a Hawaiian outrigger, and even kayaked. My kayak excursion lead me within 100 feet of these magnificent creatures (probably the most simultaneously amazing and terrifying experience I’ve ever had), with nothing but some water and a tiny boat between us. Once the whale activity slowed down, people decided to take a dip in the ocean right where the whales had been moments before. Jumping in the ocean where tons of school-bus-sized marine life are swimming below sounded to me like a waking nightmare. I stayed on board as others jumped in, and listened incredulously when they surfaced and said how amazing it was and that you could hear the whales singing underneath the water.

I peered over the edge of the kayak and thought of my yoga practice—I commit to choosing love over fear on a daily basis. I never say never to a yoga pose or challenge because I know I am completely capable of anything I put my mind to. I looked back at the water and knew it was time to jump in.

So I did.

I dunked my head just long enough to hear a few chords of the humpbacks singing their song and couldn’t help but smile. The yogis of the sea were singing their pranayama to me. When I finally climbed back aboard my kayak, I felt I did so with a huge extra heaping of love.

As you tackle this week’s Challenge Pose, remind yourself you can. We create our own limitations. So dip your toes in to this posture and enjoy the beauty available to us when we face our fears.

Step 1:

Before tackling Visvamitrasana, you’ll want to warm the body with a few Sun Salutations, twists, and shoulder openers. When you feel nice and warm, begin Downward-Facing Dog and step your right foot forward to meet your hands. Stay on the ball of your back foot and bring both of your arms to the inside of your front leg (you might need to wiggle your right foot a bit to the right to make additional space). Lower both of your forearms down onto the ground (if this is way too intense, you’ll practice placing your arms onto blocks until the hip opens up). Hold here for 8 breaths extending your chest forward and elongating your left heel back to create a straight, long leg. Next, grab your right ankle with your right hand and begin to work your shoulder behind your calf like you’re putting on a backpack. Once you can’t snuggle your shoulder in any deeper, extend your gaze and chest and take another 8 breaths.

Step 2:

Place your back knee onto the ground and pivot on it so that your back shin is parallel to the front of your mat (like a supportive kickstand). If you find you have a bit more snuggle room with your “backpack” leg, work your right shoulder back behind your calf again. Set your right palm down on the ground but walk it over several inches to the right (if you’re on a yoga mat you’ll probably take your hand off the mat onto the ground or near the edge). Keep

your right elbow bent and lean back and to the right. Keep leaning back, using the kickstand support of your back shin, until you can lift your right foot and left arm up off the ground. The right arm stays bent to create a shelf for your right leg to rest upon.

Step 3:

Grab the top or your right foot with your left hand. (Note: If you have tight shoulders you might want to use a yoga strap. Create a loop and place it over the ball of your right foot. You can pull down away from the buckle with your hand as much as you need to give your shoulder relief.) Tuck your chin and start to straighten your right leg as you revolve your chest open, allowing the arm to pass over your head. At first you’ll keep the right elbow bent (and your shoulder happily remaining in its socket). As your right leg straightens, however, begin to straighten your right arm to create stability. Firm your upper outer arm and right hip to help spin the chest open. If it doesn’t bother your neck, look up.

Step 4:

There’s a huge difference in balance between Step 3 and the full pose. I recommend practicing the Step 3 variation for quite some time before you move on so that you fully feel and understand the hip opening and revolving of the chest and shoulders. If, however, you’re ready to move on, here we go! Begin in Downward-Facing Dog and step the right foot forward to meet your hands as you spin the back foot flat like you’re preparing to stand into Warrior I. Instead of standing up, begin the same “backpack” work that you did in Step 1—grab your right calf with your right hand and dip your chest down to work your shoulder

behind your leg as much as you comfortably can. Keeping the shoulder where it is, walk your right palm out to the side by several inches while keeping the elbow bent (you need to walk it far enough out to the side so you have something to lean toward without losing balance). Start to lean your chest open toward the right until you can lift your left arm first followed by your right foot. Grab the top of your right foot with your left hand (holding the top of the foot connecting to the outer edge) and begin to straighten your leg forward as the top elbow bends to spin your chest open. As you open the chest, it’s important to create an anchor in the back leg. Root into the outer edge of your left foot so much that it feels like you’re creating a mini cave with the arch. If the pose is new to you—look down. This will be the easiest to balance. As you become more comfortable with it, look sideways or all the way up to find that full expression of the chest.

Note: If your hips are especially low, you should take more time in the “backpack” phase. You want to get the leg as far up the arm as possible to create the long line required of this pose. It may just be a matter of focusing on hip openers more often to get into this full pose.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MindBodyGreen, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD, co-founder of Poses for Paws and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Parsva Kukkutasana February 20, 2012

The funny thing about challenges is that there’s always something more challenging.

In the same way that you can see your glass half empty or half full, it’s our choice on how we face what challenges us. Advanced yoga poses will be always be hard, so it’s really up to us to shift our attitude or pack up our Lotus (or lack thereof) and go home. This week’s challenge pose is hard. Period. You can choose to look at this pose and go, “Oh, hell no!” Or you can put a sly smile on your face and say yes to the challenge, knowing that you’ll be growing and hitting all sorts of interesting bumps along the way.

I’ve provided plenty of links in this post, so you can twist this bad boy pose all the way up or use this time to brush up on getting into Lotus. No matter what level you’re at—challenge yourself. It might be more mental than physical, but allow yourself to enjoy this ride. Yoga practice is meant to be enjoyed, so laugh at your flops and shine during your successes and always allow yourself room to grow.

Step 1:

This might be painfully obvious, but you must have a comfortable Lotus practice before you decide to twist it! Lotus can take years to develop in a safe and thoughtful manner, so continue your hip-opening practice until you can sit here in ease. Click here to review getting into your Lotus Pose.

Step 2:

In 3rd Series Ashtanga, Parsva Kukkutasana, or Side Rooster, is traditionally entered from a Tripod Headstand, so as you can imagine, it’s time to get comfy with this pose as well! Come into Dolphin Pose with the crown of your head on the ground and your hands shoulder-width apart to form a 90-degree angle in the elbows. Walk your feet in and place your knees onto your upper arms. Hug yourself into a tiny little package. Lift your hips up as your thighs draw tight into your chest. Stay compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths, remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a Pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up toward the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the kneecaps, and spread the toes.

Step 3:

Doing Lotus on the ground is one thing; doing it while balancing in on your head is a completely different experience. Just like seated Lotus, the headstand version can take time to develop. It’s a good idea to practice hip openers in your Tripod to prepare—think Tree Pose, Bound Angle, or Flying Pigeon prep. Click here for a detailed breakdown on how to form Lotus in Headstand.

Step 4:

If you’ve made it this far, take a deep breath of accomplishment! This is like practicing a challenge pose inside of a challenge pose inside of a challenge pose! The next step is learning how to twist while keeping the base of your building solid. Once you have Lotus in your legs, recommit to your elbows staying over your wrists and your shoulders lifting away from your ears to create support. Begin to revolve your ribs toward the right arm by slightly dropping

your left knee down and on the diagonal. Your right knee will elevate as the left descends. Practice this twisting motion several times and then rest. We’re so accustomed to using our arms to help us twist and now we only have our core. You will get PLENTY of work by doing small twists side to side in the beginning. Be very aware of your shoulders—don’t let the twisting action bring excessive weight into one side of your neck or shoulder.

Step 5:

One you’re comfortable with twisting side to side and it gets deeper (think intense yet comfortable. You’ll feel your psoas muscle engage but there should be NO PAIN), then it’s time to land on your arm. Continue the twisting action from the previous step until you land your left knee onto your right arm. This will feel like a massive twist, but the goal is to land above your elbow. Don’t worry about getting to your armpit—right above the actual elbow will do the trick. When your knee lands, engage your core and re-assess your shoulder situation: elbows in, shoulders up.

Step 6:

Now here’s the fun part—time to lift if up! Start a huge rounding sensation in your upper back similar to what you feel in Crow Pose. Drop your hips as you lightly curl your fingertips into the mat to help pull your chest forward. Start to roll from the crown of your head toward your hairline. Once you can see the ground then it’s safe to lift your head up (otherwise you’ll feel major strain in your neck). Keep hugging all of your energy toward your midline keeping the forearms and elbows in. Once your head lifts off the ground give a mighty push of your hands and round of your back to lift your face entirely from the ground. Keep rounding the upper spine to help straighten the arms (don’t worry how straight they go in the beginning, just focus on picking the pose up). Take a breath or 8 here and then slowly bend your elbows as they draw toward one another. Tuck your chin and come back onto the crown of your head. Pull your Lotus back to center and either relax or go directly into the second side. Take a well deserved vinyasa and Child’s Pose when you’re done.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Charging Scorpion February 6, 2012

I’m pretty sure I was born with cement poured into my upper back.

For the longest time my tight upper back made me dread poses like Scorpion because no matter how hard I tried to ‘melt my chest’ it always felt like hitting a wall. Of course, this never stopped me from trying, but imagine my glee to discover that there was a hybrid scorpion pose called Charging Scorpion! I first saw Dharma Mittra do this pose and found myself cocking my head side to side with intrigue just like my dog does when I mention any words that have to do with calories. I immediately went to the wall to play around with this new Scorpion Pose and fell in love—my upper back moved! It not only moved, it felt divine. It has become one of the only poses where I can find movement and release in my upper back and I use the second step regularly to get my back ready and happy for deeper backbends.

Just like any Challenge Pose I post, this one can take some time! If you’re used to practicing regular scorpion this will throw you off as your gaze and chest is moving towards a hallow position as opposed to the curl we normally do. Give yourself time to adjust and remember the best way to go deeper is laugh and enjoy when you want to panic and grip. Work the Dolphin variation, when you’re ready go upside down into step two and then venture (or lightly charge) forward when you’re body gives you the green light!

Step 1:

Start on all fours preparing for Dolphin Pose with a slight variation! Interlace your fingers as if you were preparing for headstand and place your elbows shoulder width apart. Keep your head off the ground as you curl your toes under and work your legs towards straight (or as straight as they’ll go). Walk your feet in towards your elbows but instead of looking forward like you would in a traditional Dolphin, take your gaze towards your legs. Neutrally drop your neck without placing your head on the ground. Create a deep firming of the upper outer edges of your arms around the bone towards your face to gain stability. It will feel like you’re trying to shrink your arm pits into your sockets. Draw your face and chest through your arms back towards your legs until you feel a nice sensation bubbling up in your upper back. Hold for a good 8-10 breaths and repeat if wanted.

Step 2:

Create the same arm set up but this time at the wall—place your knuckles where the floor and base board meet. Take your gaze slightly forward and curl your legs back into Dolphin Pose. Lift one leg and lightly kick up bringing your feet to the wall (Note: Your head stays off the ground—it’s like a Headstand/Forearm Stand hybrid). Once your feet come to the wall, slowly take the entire length of your legs to the wall so that your feet, calves, hamstrings and hips are resting against the wall. Keep your belly engaged and tailbone lifting towards your heels to prevent any sitting in the lower back. Begin to firm the upper outer edges of your arms in and root down into your elbows. Neutrally drop your head so you’re gazing into the middle of the room and start to bring your head through your arms and chest away from the wall while the legs stay put. This should feel like a pretty amazing shoulder release, and if you feel any pain, make sure to put more effort into firming your outer arms in to protect the rotation of your shoulders.

Step 3:

Continuing on from Step 2, simply keep your hips at the wall and bend your knees with only your bottom and toes touching. Keep the core engaged, arms firming and chest/head reaching towards the middle of the room.

Step 4:

From Step 3, bring one foot away from the wall as you draw that knee in towards your chest. Start to take your gaze up towards the bent knee that’s pulling towards your heart. Take a few breaths and then switch legs. If you start to feel confident, keep one knee bent into your chest,

gaze towards your knees, arms firm and play with lightly tapping the second foot away from the wall.

As you get more and more comfortable with this balance you can keep the thighs and knees squeezing together as you come into full balance. If you get to the level where you’re kicking up at a wall, try kicking up into the forearm stand with your fingers interlaced and your head off the ground. Start with a medium bend in both knees and then work the action of the chest and head pulling through the arms. Once you feel the transition in your chest, draw the knees as deep to your chest as you comfortably can and look up. Oh yes, and have fun!

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Eka Pada Sirsasana January 23, 2012

I remember my budding days in the Mysore room watching 2nd and 3rd series Ashtanga yogis effortless slipping their legs behind their heads and looking serene while I struggled with Half Lotus with no knee pain. I often thought they came from a different planet where flexibility was the norm and I was their subservient inflexible minion. I watched in awe hoping that one day I could get dual citizenship into their crazy, beautiful world. I kept practicing. I made it through the first series and into the intermediate series. I practiced vinyasa flow on the weekends, held my externally rotated standing poses with strength, and spent plenty of time surrendering into my Pigeons. Keep in mind, I was never trying to put my foot behind my head. Honestly, it seemed like a silly idea to even try.

By the time I got up to the dreaded Eka Pada Sirsasana (Foot-Behind-the-Head Pose), I was shocked. It certainly wasn’t a walk in the park, but it also wasn’t pulling teeth. My hips responded, slowly working their way toward the mountain top. With patience and perseverance, I got there! My foot slid behind my head and I sat as tall as I could. The bummer was there were no angelic horns or gates of heaven opening—it just felt like a freaking foot behind my head, and it was heavy! The realization made me laugh. It’s so easy to get caught up in aesthetic of the practice and wanting what other advanced yogis do so seemingly effortlessly. The danger is we forget to enjoy all the little juicy tidbits that happen everyday on our mat: The strength and stability that Warrior II builds in the lower body and in the mind. The surrender and openness that Pigeon creates in the hips and heart. And the deep, deep gratitude toward our body for even being able to roll out of bed and stand up each day.

Sliding your foot behind your head then becomes a victory, but also a realization that you’ve been fabulous all along. You don’t need to have a deep contortion to feel accomplished—just a strong foundation and love for your everyday practice and the willingness to learn and expand.

*This sequence will help you get your foot behind your head, but I highly recommend spending some serious time in externally rotated standing poses to build heat in your hips before you dive into this pose.

Step 1:

Depending on the depth of your single Pigeon, have a few blankets handy. Start in Downward-Facing Dog and step your left shin bone to the front of your mat and drop your back leg and pelvis down. If your hips are nowhere near the ground, grab your blanket(s) and place them under your left hip to help level everything out. If you want a lighter hip opener, keep your front heel close to your body. If you want to intensify the external rotation, work the shin bone so it becomes parallel with the front of the mat, keeping your foot flexed. Roll your outer right thigh and right hip down toward the ground to help level your pelvis. Press down into the baby toe of your right foot and make a slight internal rotation of your upper inner right thigh. Inhale as you balance on your fingertips and lift your chest high. Exhale, walk your torso forward over your Pigeon leg and rest your head on the ground, blankets, or a block. Hold here for 8 breaths or up to 5 minutes.

*note: There should be NO knee pain in this pose. Strong hip sensation, yes, for sure. Knee pain is an indication that you’re going too deep into your hips. Either bring your heel closer to your body or prop yourself up on blankets for additional support.

Step 2:

This amped-up version of Thread the Needle is a fantastic prep pose for foot-behind-the-head on your back or seated upright (or for whenever you want a deeper hip opener). Start on your back in Thread the Needle: Bend both knees and cross your left ankle directly below your right knee. Lift the right foot off the ground and the leg in toward your chest. Reach your left arm through the gap in your legs and your right arm around the outside of your right thigh to

clasp your fingers behind your hamstring. Hold here for a few breaths (keep your head relaxed on the ground).

From here you have two options: cradle or forklift your shin. If you cradle (my preference), take your inner left elbow around your left kneecap and inner right elbow to the sole of your left foot and clasp your hands in front of your shin bone as you straigthen release your right foot down onto your mat, with your knee still bent. If you forklift, slide both arms under your shin so the elbows hook at the leg. Try both and see what feels best. Once you put your right foot on the floor, you can stay like this or extend it straight, which will considerably intensify the stretch.

After holding this variation for a good 8 breaths, hook your right elbow under your shin just above your ankle and reach your left arm straight back overhead. Bend your left elbow, take the arm behind your head, and try to clasp your hands together. Press your head back into your elbow like a pillow to deepen the opening (this mimics the feeling of a foot behind your head). Hold another 8 breaths and gently release to switch sides.

Step 3:

From sitting, bend your left knee and take the forklift or cradle option from Step 2 (I’m doing the cradle variation in the photo). Once you have your left leg, sit up as tall as you comfortably can. Keep the lower back lifting and the chest up. Flex your right foot to give you an anchor in the pose. If possible, lift your left foot to be in line with your left knee (this will deepen the rotation) as well as pulling the foot side in closer to the body. Hold for a good 30 seconds or so.

Step 4:

Continuing on from where we left off in Step 3, it’s time to put your backpack on! Imagine your left leg is like the strap of a backpack and you’re working it up your arm so it will sit comfortably on your back. Keep your left shinbone where it is, but grab your left foot with both hands. Gently press your knee and shin out and back to the side, then put your left hand under your calf to help boost it up your arm. Do this several times until you can’t take the leg any higher.

Step 5:

Remember before you go forward: If it feels like you’re forcing something, then you probably are. You want this pose to be as effortless as possible (considering the situation), so please make a promise to yourself that you will not try to cram your foot behind your head for a painful moment of glory. You’ll get there.

Once you’ve completed Step 4, place your right hand on top of your left foot and bow your head down. Give a nice boost of your shin up with your left hand (which is still under the shinbone) to help slide the shin behind your head. Once it’s there, you’ll start a wiggle process trying to get the left shoulder forward and the chest up. Don’t think of the shin being behind your head—try go get it to the base of your neck. This will prevent the head from being forced down into your chest. You will need to press your head back into your leg to prevent the chest from collapsing and in the beginning, you might need to hold onto your foot with your right hand the entire time so it doesn’t slip off off your head immediately. Once it’s

far enough down you neck, you can bring both hands to anjali mudra in front of your heart. Press your heart into your hands, sit up as tall as you can, and press back into your pillow. Keep the bottom leg active and engaged. Broaden through your collarbone and take a few breaths here. Grab the foot with your right hand, dip your chin, and lightly slide the leg back to the ground.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Eka Pada Urdvha Dhanurasana January 9, 2012

I wrote last week about my rocky relationship with backbends, specifically Urdhva Dhanurasana. It’s easily one of the most common backbends practiced in public classes and provides immense relief when done correctl—and deep frustration when misunderstood. I highly recommend hoping over to that post before venturing forward into this one to make sure your foundation is solid, because I’m about to shake it up.

This one-legged variation of Upward-Facing Bow Pose is hands down one of the most visually stunning backbends. It reminds me of my favorite motto “Aim True.” The body creates the shape of the bow and the lifted leg takes aim as an arrow pointing toward the sky, or in my opinion, toward infinite possibility. I’ve always liked the idea that our energy doesn’t stop at the end of our limbs but rather continues on beyond our body to wherever we want it to go. As you practice this pose, set an intention first. Dedicate this pose to a person or

thing that you love, and then take aim. Deliver this intention through the physical energy of your body straight into the bulls-eye of your dedication.

Step 1:

Bridge Pose is a nice way to test your comfort level in lifting one leg during a backbend. Begin on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips up and interlace your fingers beneath your back. Rock your shoulders and outer arms under your back to help arch the chest. Lift your hips without clenching your buns as you root into your heels. Keep a slight lift in your chin to keep the front of your throat long. Wiggle your right foot a few inches inward to your midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground and continue to extend the leg straight up into the air toward the ceiling. Keep the hips lifting along with the top leg. You can help this action by deepening the pressure under your right heel as you press your shinbone back toward your body. Press the tips of your shoulder blades in toward your heart and take 5 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Step 2:

Once you get comfy with lifting one leg at a time, make sure the base of this Challenge Pose is solid. Upward-Facing Bow Pose was last post’s Challenge Pose and forms the base of this one, so click the link above to fully understand your backbend before you add anything fancy to it.

Step 3:

Start on your back with your knees bent and feet flat hip-width apart. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders so they are flat and your fingertips point toward your feet. Lift your hips and head so you can lightly place the crown of your head onto the ground. Hug your elbows in over your wrists, plug the shoulders into their sockets while keeping the outer arm long, and begin to curl your chest by pressing the bottom tips of your shoulder blades toward your heart. Press into both palms to start lifting the head and straightening the arms.

Once your arms are straight (or as straight as they’ll comfortably be), walk your feet in a few inches. If you experience any lower back pain, lengthen your tailbone toward your knees to engage your lower belly or leave your feet where they are and don’t worry about shortening your stance.

Now, wiggle your right foot a few inches in toward the midline. Lift your left foot off of the ground (you might start here by lifting just a few inches and holding). Bend your left knee in toward your chest to activate your hip-flexor muscle, and hug in the outer hip. Roll the upper inner thigh down and keep even weight in your palms. Press the shin bone back to help open your chest. Stay here or . . .

Step 4:

Keep all the work from Step 3. Take the lifted bent knee and keep the location of the hip. Gently extend from your knee to your toes up toward the ceiling to help straighten the leg. Reach your tailbone forward and keep your upper outer arms rotating in to support your chest. Relax your neck and press deeper into your standing heel to encourage more space in the chest. Flair your toes toward the ceiling and relax the left thigh bone into its socket to keep the hips level. Take 5 breaths and then switch sides.

Kathryn Budig is jet-setting yoga teacher who teaches online at Yogaglo. She is the Contributing Yoga Expert for Women’s Health Magazine, Yogi-Foodie for MBG, creator of Gaiam’s Aim True Yoga DVD and is currently writing Rodale’s The Big Book of Yoga. Follow her on Twitter; Facebook; or on her website.

Urdhva Dhanurasana December 29, 2011

Ah, backbends. My one time arch enemy.

There was a time when we seriously didn’t get along. To be honest, I think I disliked them simply because I wasn’t good at them. They frustrated me. These gorgeous shapes looked like they should feel so good and yet when I attempted them I felt like I had just gotten back from a trip to the cement factory. I wanted my body to keep going but my spine wouldn’t budge. I’d look at the bendy spines around me and wonder how I missed out on the flexy-vertebra handouts.

So, I walked away defeated and kept working on everything else.

I eventually started practicing with Anusara teacher Noah Maze. This insanely talented (and flexible man) brought a new-found love to my backbend practice. He was so inspiring and diligent that I actually felt my heart opening up. I learned that you can’t “own” a backbend or “do” one—you surrender to it. These days, some of my favorite times on my mat are those where I set up my alignment and then fully let go into the pose and the moment. Don’t get me wrong—my backbends are certainly far from perfect. You’ll even see my poor little hips trying to lift in my final picture of Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow or Wheel Pose) above to no avail. But hey, the point is—I’m trying my best. Which is all I ask of you. Know your body, practice your alignment, and then give it your best shot. You’ll walk away stronger with a smile on your face (and in your heart). Have a a block and strap on hand for this practice.

Happy backbending.

Step 1:

It’s important to understand the work of the arms and shoulders before performing this large backbend, so go grab a block! Start in a seated with your bottom resting on your heels. Take your block the wide way in between your hands. Press your palms evenly into each edge like a sandwich. Extend your arms straight out in front of you. Extend the outer length of your arms as long as you can while pushing deeper into the pinky edge of your hand. Encourage the entire length of your arm to roll down and in to broaden your upper back. Relax the base of your neck as you lift your block up several inches. Keep the outer body long and the inner shoulders soft. Notice if your ribs are starting to puff out—draw them in and root your tailbone down toward the ground. Hold for several breaths then continue lifting the block up. Keep this pattern until you can’t go any higher without bending your elbows. You want to keep the arms straight, outer body extremely long and neck soft and happy. (I should mention this looks simple but your arms will be on fire by the time you’re done. Simple yet brutally effective work!)

Step 2:

Our elbows like to splay out during this transition so it’s best to train your arms using a strap. Make a lasso on your strap measuring it shoulder head to shoulder head (where the bone enters the socket). Place the strap around your arms just above the elbows. Lie on your mat with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Reverse your palms behind your shoulders,

shoulder-width apart and fingertips facing your heels. The strap will knock you in the forehead—it’s annoying, but you’ll get used to it. (Small price to pay for safe shoulders.)

Step 3:

Press into both feet evenly and elevate your hips like you’re lifting toward Bridge Pose. Next, press into your palms and lift your chest and head up just enough so you can open your throat and place the crown of your head onto the ground. Have minimal weight resting on the ground with your head. Hug your elbows in over your wrists (the strap will aid you there) and keep your shoulder heads plugged into their sockets (don’t reach your shoulders toward your elbows). Think “toes in, heels out” to keep your feet parallel and begin a curling action of your chest—it will feel like you’re slowly rolling toward your hairline and the bottom tips of your shoulder blades toward your heart.

Step 4:

Time to pick this bad boy up! If this is newer to you, getting onto the crown of your head will be WORK. Don’t be ashamed to hold there and then rest. Trust me, this pose will open up to you when the time is right—not when you force it. So, if everything is still going well, press both of your palms firmly into the ground keeping all the principles of Step 3. Lift your head up off of the ground several inches, keeping your elbows bent and hugging in (think of loosening the strap). Press your shinbones back toward your calves and lift your hips up.

Relax your neck completely as you spiral your upper inner thighs down to release your lower back (don’t squeeze your buns!).

Step 5:

If the last step felt good, it’s time to deepen the pose. Begin to straighten the arms without losing their rotation—outer arms back and in to broaden your upper back. Walk your feet in a few inches toward your hands as you bring your shoulders back so they get closer to stacking over your wrists (this will help relieve wrist pain in this pose). Come onto the balls of your feet to help lift the hips. Tilt your tailbone toward your knees to lengthen your lower back. Keep the hips this high, and without changing the height at all, slowly lower your heels, stretching through your Achilles back onto the ground. Relax your neck. Walk your feet back out, tuck your chin, and keep the elbows in as you bend and lower your body back onto the ground.

Urdhva Kukkutasana December 12, 2011

This pose used to send me into a total frenzy.

I had finally figured out how to do the transition from Tripod into Crow (or Crane) Pose and was ready to expand my horizons. I knew I could get into Lotus upside down and figured it couldn’t be that much harder to transfer Lotus legs than Crow.

Au contraire my petite flying bird!

I would spend what felt like lifetimes stuck on the crown of my head trying with every ounce of my being to get my body to budge. It was horribly frustrating. But, I never stopped trying. I started noticing what wasn’t working and would check that off the list. I eventually found the delicate transfer of weight needed to get into this pose, but to this day still find it challenging.

Urdhva Kukkutasana (Upward Cock Pose) is one of those poses that reminds us good things come to those who wait. If you don’t at first succeed—try, try again! You’ll get there and when you do, it will be well worth it!

Step 1:

Come into Dolphin Pose. Walk your feet in and place your knees onto your upper arms. Hug yourself into a tiny little package. Lift your hips up as your thighs draw tight into your chest. Stay compact as possible to help your center of gravity. Every few breaths, remind yourself to lift the shoulders and keep the elbows in. Once the hips stack over the shoulders, the weight of the legs will lessen and the core will connect. Hook through the lower belly to lightly pull the knees off the arms into a pike position in your chest. Keep the inner heels and big toes touching as the legs draw up toward the ceiling as if being sucked through a straw. Hug the inner thighs to the midline, expand through the backs of the knee caps, and spread the toes.

Step 2:

I covered Padmasana in Sirasana (Upside-Down Lotus), above, in my last post. Read it here!

Step 3:

Once you’ve gotten into a deep Lotus in your headstand, double check your foundation—make sure your elbows are in over the wrists and that the shoulders are lifting up to take pressure out of your neck. Start to fold your Lotus toward your body until you can rest both knees onto your arms. Once the knees land, start to walk them up the arms like a little ladder. Wiggle one leg toward the armpit, and then the next, until you can’t snuggle in any further. Reconnect to the lift in your shoulders and keep your core tight.

Step 4:

Start to press the weight of the knees into your arms as you drop the hips back and toward the ground. This will bring you into a deep fold and can feel VERY heavy (which means, take your time)! Push deeply into the heels of the hands as the fingers dig in lightly to help isometrically pull the chest forward. Once you feel a shift happening in the hips, start to roll from the crown of the head toward the hair line. When you’re eyes meet the floor, then you can start to push the ground away. Firm your upper outer arms in and round your upper back. Keep gazing forward as you elevate your pose. The round in the back will create straighter arms as you press the ground away. Keep the your Lotus as tight as you can to your torso and take 5 breaths. Either bend the elbows to come back up into headstand to release, or slide down your arms like a little fire pole and have a good laugh.

Padmasana in Sirsasana November 28, 2011

Some people like a quiet room with no distractions to get some serious thinking done. I’m pretty sure some of my finest epiphanies have come from Tripod Lotus. I know, call me crazy, but there is a sense of strength and security that evolves from being in this pose. Lotus is such a compact pose for the hips. It’s neatly tight up–it offers a sense of security while you can’t help but feel strong standing on your head supporting your own body weight. Practicing this pose reminds me that I can be strong and secure–that practicing poses outside of my comfort zone frees me from fear and that the more energy I give to my strength the more powerful I make myself. I wish the same for you in this challenge pose. Make sure you have a good grip on Tripod Headstand and Lotus before you decided to marry the two together here.

Step 1:

If you’re comfortable with your balance, set yourself up into Tripod Headstand in the middle of the room, or otherwise about 8 inches away from the wall. Every few breaths remind yourself to keep the elbows in over the wrists and the shoulders lifting up away from the ears. These two actions will keep the cervical spine safe and the shoulders supported. Once you’re in full Headstand, keep the left leg straight and externally rotate the right leg from the hip socket. This means the heel spins in and the toes spin out. Bend your right knee and drag the sole of the foot down the inner left leg until you land below your left inner kneecap. Aim to get the sole of your right food to the inner left thigh, like in Tree Pose. Keep the front ribs in (this will avoid the backbend fall-out) and tailbone lifting.

Step 2:

From your Tree, slide the right foot over the left quad so the heel of your right foot is below the left knee. Wiggle the right ankle to slowly climb the foot down away from the knee cap towards the hip. This will be a very loose version of Half Lotus. Don’t worry about achieving a full Half Lotus here, the tightening will come later! Just do a “lazy” version of the rotation for now!

Step 3:

It’s time to chop! Keep your right leg in the Half Lotus, then simply bend your left knee. The foot will land behind your Lotus leg. Continue this chopping action–lightly! Bend the left knee and use the chop to get the heel closer and closer to the left shin. The hips will continue to open and the knees will travel closer toward the ground (slight pitch in the lower back, just a touch!) until the chopping heel of your left leg reaches the right shin. Once the heel gets to the shin, it’s time to snuggle.

Step 4:

Once your left heel makes contact with the right shin, wiggle the ankle until the heel slips in front of the right shin. You’ll be in an extremely loose Lotus. Time to snuggle! Wiggle both ankles leading with your heels. The right heel will wiggle towards the left hip and vice versa. Continue this snuggle action until you can’t tighten your Lotus any further. Descend your knees until the Lotus is parallel to the ground. Keep the belly in, shoulders lifting, and elbows over the heels of your hands. Keep your feet flexed (this protects the knees) and your toes

wrapping around the thigh as if they were trying to hold on. Hold for 8 breaths then reverse your wiggle to unleash the Lotus. Lower into Child’s Pose and rest.

Padmasana November 14, 2011

Lotus is one of the most iconic postures in yoga. It embodies the serenity and beauty that we all strive to manifest from our practice. Some people walk into a yoga room with zero experience and whip their legs into Lotus without a second thought, while many seasoned yogis struggle with even Half Lotus. This posture requires deep external rotation in the hips, which provides quite the challenge considering most us us have tight hips from hours sitting at desks, in cars, or from years of running and sports. The best way to find Lotus is by a series of hip-opening forward folds that we’ll go over here. If Lotus is a goal, I recommend doing these on a regular basis. Try the seated sequence from the primary series in Ashtanga–this will help immensely as well. Be patient though–pushing for a deep hip opener can result in knee pain or even injury. Listen to your body. Sensation is great, opening wonderful, but pain is never OK. Lotus pose exemplifies yoga–when the yogi is ready, the pose will come. You can’t push or break the rules. You show up, do your practice, do your best and when the time is right, it appears.

Step 1:

Begin in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Bend your right knee and place the right ankle directly above the left kneecap so that the right foot hangs off the side of the left leg. Keep the right foot flexed and gently encourage the right knee toward the ground (never push on your knee). If this is a huge hip opener for you, stay here. Sit up tall and continue this pose until you can sit with ease. If you’re moving on, inhale, sit up tall, exhale and begin to lengthen out over the straight leg. If you can reach your left foot without rounding your spine, clasp the foot with both hands. Otherwise, use a strap wrapped over the ball of the foot. Root the hips, lift the belly, and reach your heart up. Keep any rounding out of the spine and don’t worry if the right knee doesn’t drop down–it’s takes time (and patience) to open the hip. Repeat on the second side.

Step 2:

Janu Sirasasana is a fantastic and accessible forward fold that opens our hips. Begin again in Dandasana (Staff Pose). Bend your right knee and bring the sole of the right foot to the upper inner left thigh. Root into the hips as you take a large inhale, and twist the torso toward the straight leg. Try to line up your naval with your left kneecap. Exhale, walk the hands toward the foot without rounding the spine. Feel free to pause along the way or use a strap. If you reach the foot, grab both sides. Rotate your torso to help square your body. Roll the right side of your waist down and extend the heart. Take 8 breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Step 3:

We’re starting to get into deep rotation territory! You may very well practice steps 1 and 2 for a long time. Don’t be disheartened by this. Hips take some love and time, as does Lotus! Start again in Dandasana and bend the right knee and grab the heel of the right foot. Draw it toward your belly button then spin the toes toward the ground so that they rest curled over the left thigh. Keep the heel flexed and digging in toward the navel (or where ever it lands) to protect the connection to your knee. You can use a block underneath the knee for support and practice sitting tall. Congratulations, you’ve reached Half Lotus. With time, deepen the pose by adding the forward fold–elongate the spin (no rounded spine) over the straight leg using your strap on the ball of the foot or holding both edges of the foot. Roll the right ribs down toward the ground and keep the heart extending. Repeat on the second side. Step 4:

Full Lotus time! Make sure that all the previous steps are accomplished with ease before attempting this pose. A regular forward-fold practice will get you on a strong path to this pose, so please practice patience! Repeat the beginning of step 3 but begin with the left leg in Half Lotus (this is traditional). Once the left leg is as snug as it can be while remaining comfortable, bend the right knee. Grab the right foot and, lifting the entire shin several inches off of the ground, lift the foot above the left knee onto the thigh. Drag the foot up toward the left hip flexor. Once the foot

arrives at the crease of the hip and thigh, re-flex each foot and sit tall. No worries if one knee lifts off the ground, it will go down eventually. Sit here for 8 breaths or as long as the knees and hips are comfortable.

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana October 31, 2011

I’ve had an uneasy relationship with backbends. My strengths had always been in inversions and arm balances because my spine is not the most flexible in the world. I used to get anxious anticipating backbends and would experience a sense of claustrophobia as my chest would open. It’s funny since the deeper the backbend, the deeper the release. I had such emotional baggage when it came to deep heart openers that my body would shut down even before it began.

With time, an open perspective and a dollup of patience, I’ve learned to love these poses. I especially adore Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana (Upward-Facing Two Foot Staff Pose). The shape of this posture breaks away at the years of cement I’ve buried in my back, leaving me in a state of goofy bliss.

Enter this pose without expectation and don’t forget to breathe. Take a deep inhale before you change positions. Let movement come from the exhale. Open your heart, open your chest, open your options.

*Note: This pose is extremely deep in the chest so I recommend a few Sun Salutations along with a Headstand and several Urdvha Dhanurasana’s before you go into this Challenge Pose.

Come onto all fours in front of a wall and interlace your fingers, tucking the bottom pinky finger in so it doesn’t get crushed. Place the knuckles against the wall and separate the elbows shoulder-width apart. Curl the toes under as the hips lift into Dolphin Pose. Keep your head off of the ground as the feet walk in towards the elbows. Outer edges of the arms wrap around the bone to stabilize the shoulders. Root into the elbows so there is no sliding or splaying. Keep the neck relaxed and the gaze slightly forward. Hold for 8 breaths and then rest.

Repeat Dolphin Pose. Lift your dominant leg and kick up against the wall. Once both of the feet are at the wall (the head is still lifting off of the mat), bring the entire length of the leg against the wall. The feet, calves, hamstrings and hips are now flush against the wall. Renew the wrapping of the triceps and rooting of the elbows. Do NOT let your elbows go wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep the legs resting against the wall with the tailbone reaching toward the heels. Draw the head and chest through the arms away from the wall. If the neck is not bothered, take the gaze towards the navel. Take 8 breaths. To release, lengthen the tailbone toward the ceiling to remove the legs from the wall. Kick back down and come into Child’s Pose to rest.

Step 2:

Lie on your back with the knees bent and the soles of the feet flat and hip-width apart. Reverse your palms and place them down shoulder-width apart directly above your shoulders. Lift the hips, press into the feet, and come onto the crown of your head. Pause here. Practice hugging the elbows in over the wrists, drawing the tips of the shoulder blades toward the heart, and curling the chest. Next, place one forearm down at a time so the fingers are pointing in the direction of the feet. Interlace your fingers behind your head like you were setting up for Headstand. Once the hands are set, press down into the forearms to lift the head off of the mat. Continue the mantra of “triceps in, elbows root.” Imagine shrinking your armpits and firming the upper outer edges of the arms in. Gently practice curling the chest through the arms to open the throat and heart. Use the strength of your legs to help transfer more opening into the chest vicinity.

Step 3:

Keep the curling of the upper chest and walk both feet several steps away from the upper body. Step the feet together so the inner edges touch. Push into the feet to work the legs toward straight or as far as they’ll comfortably go for you. Roll the upper inner thighs down and push powerfully into the big toes. Relax the neck and try to hold for 8 full breaths.

Ganda Bherundasana

October 21, 2011

This is such a “wow” pose when you first see it, like a yoga party drug. Ganda Bherundasana means Formidable Face Pose, which basically means it ends resting flat on your face with your feet on floor, straddling your head. You don’t see the full expression of this pose often (check out page 416 in Light on Yoga, by B.K.S. Iyengar, if you want to see a master perform this particular party trick). Suffice to say, we can practice prep variations of the pose and still derive some of the benefits, including toning of the spine and abdominal organs.

In the version presented here, we’ll focus more on the core-strengthening elements, and leave the face plant to the imagination. Still, students wonder how could it be possible to create even this shape in the body. Like any pose, it is very accessible when practiced regularly. I like to say that the impossible continues to be that way until one day it simply becomes possible. I’ve noticed students for from shy and coy to popping this pose in during transitions whenever they can. There’s a lot of joy that runs through the veins of this pose. My advice is to keep at this one. It WILL feel insane at first, but you’ll just end up insanely happy if you don’t give up.

Step One:

Grab two blocks and place them lengthwise on their medium height. The blocks should be shoulder-width apart. Come into Downward-Facing Dog with the fingertips directly behind the blocks.

Step Two:

Walk the feet several inches forward into a shorter Down Dog. Bend the elbows placing the shoulder heads in the middle of the blocks. Palms remain flat with the fingertips directly behind the blocks. Walk the feet in like Dolphin Pose, ensuring the lift of the hips. This action is absolutely crucial to achieve the full pose. Get the hips high and keep them there! You’ll need this height to have something to kick toward (hips low to the ground won’t give you the lift of the pose we’re going for).

Step Three:

Focusing on the height of the hips, lift one leg high into the air. Cultivate the energy of standing splits by keeping the hips square, back of the knee spreading, and the toes fanning wide. Reach the top leg like it’s cracked out on caffeine. You need to animate this top leg so the lower one has something to match–something to reach for.

Step Four:

Keep the top leg reaching like it’s just had five espresso shots. Bend the bottom leg and give a slight hop. Once the bottom leg has left the floor, draw it up from the pit of your belly to bring the legs together. Hug the thighs close and spread the toes as if they’re trying to grab something off of the ceiling. NOTE: Your chin may rest on the floor as long as you don’t sit on it. The shoulders continue to press into the blocks to help release the base of the neck. Keep the core engaged and the tailbone lifting to prevent pitching or sitting in the lower back. Thighs hug tight to suck the energy and weight of the legs to the sky.

Step Five:

Keep practicing this pose with blocks until it becomes second nature. Once you’re comfortable with the supported version you can play without the blocks. Start in a short stance Downward- Facing Dog. Lift one leg and reach intensely. Keep the gaze forward and bend the elbows taking the face toward the ground and past the fingertips. As you bend deeper, keep the hands shoulder-width apart but squeeze the elbows in toward each other. (I like to call this move Push-Up Bra pose–try to smush the ladies!) Rest the chest and ribs on the triceps, making sure that your bottom is still high in the air. Bend the bottom leg and give a slight hop or energetically pull the leg up to meet the top one by engaging the core and reaching almost obsessively towards the ceiling. Again, chin CAN rest on the floor (as you’ll often see in photos of this pose) as long as the shoulders don’t collapse. Though, I recommend keeping the chin off the ground to keep the neck happy and safe. This requires more squeeze through the arms and more lift through the legs.

Challenge Pose: Mayurasana October 3, 2011

When I first saw Peacock Pose it was not in the flesh. It was an insanely beautiful picture of Chuck Miller, which to this day will be the most amazing Peacock Pose I’ve ever seen. It’s funny how seeing graceful yogis execute advanced poses effortlessly makes them seem easier. I went to my mat thinking, “He looked so peaceful in that pose–must not be that hard!” What felt like a million times later and rolling off of my mat onto my neighbor until no one wanted to practice with me, I knew that Chuck was even more special than I thought–this pose was freakin’ hard! Peacock is the major road bump pose for Ashtangis who practice the 2nd series. It requires flexible and strong wrists and an entire body engagement similar to Plank. Except it’s Plank balancing on a toothpick. I guess the moral of the story is: Don’t rush this one. It is a gorgeous pose that will unravel its beautiful feathers when the right season rolls around. Until then, enjoy the process!

Step 1: Figure Out Your Rotation

The first thing to contemplate is the rotation of the wrists. Traditional Mayurasana is performed with the fingertips facing the body and the pinkies touching each other. Try this rotation by putting the palms flat on the floor and gently pulling back. If this causes sharp pain (some sensation is normal, pain is not), you’ll move into the second rotation: heels of the hands touching, fingertips spinning wide so they face away from each other. If this still doesn’t work, you’ll practice Peacock with the fingertips pointing forward and the hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.

Step 2:

This set up is slightly awkward, but I find it is the most useful in the long run. Start on your knees with the toes curled under. Feet touch but keep the knees a little more than hip-width apart. Reverse your palms (or choose the rotation that works best for you) and walk the hands in as close to the groins as possible. The key to balancing Mayurasana is getting the elbows BELOW the navel. Bend one elbow at a time, working it as far below your belly button as possible. Again, this will feel awkward, but hang in there! Once you can’t get the elbows in any further, join the pinky edges of the hands and inner elbows together.

Step 3:

Keep the gaze forward and step one foot at a time back into Plank so that you’re resting on the triceps and elbows. The back will round and there is a strong chance you’ll fall over. This is a slow and thoughtful transition, so remember to take your time. Once the feet are in Plank, try to either keep them at hip width or bring them together to touch.

Step 4:

Unlike most arm balances, there is no “picking up” in this pose. The action of Peacock is to roll forward. This is why it’s so important to get the elbows low in the belly. Keep the arms firming into the mid-line. Slowly push on the balls of the feet to roll the chest forward. Extend the heart forward until the toes cannot roll and further forward. Once the feet leave the ground, broaden through the collarbone (imagine smiling through your chest), lift the chin, and extend the gaze. Squeeze the thighs together and spread the toes. Take 5 breaths–or as many as you can before falling over.

Challenge Pose: Kurmasana August 22, 2011

Ever hear the joke about the snail and the tortoise? Q: What did the snail say when he took a ride on the turtle’s back? A: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Ah, get’s me every time (imagine a snail with a cowboy hat waving it happily in the wind). I digress. This week’s Challenge Pose is about Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose), and it is far from easy. But there is something to be said about the turtle’s laid-back demeanor.

This is an extremely deep forward fold (if you put this pose on its hands you’d be in the arm balance Titibhasana) and requires significant surrender in the hip flexors, hamstrings, and shoulders. If you get uptight in this pose, the body tenses and there is no chance of reaching the full expression. If you can trust that you’re going to get there exactly when you should (story of a turtle’s life), your body will relax and slowly melt into the deep folded shape. So, take a deep breath and take your time and dive into the beautiful world of Kurmasana.

Step One:

Beginning from standing gives us the leverage advantage for this deep forward fold. Start standing with the feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and fold forward with a small bend in the knees. Take the left hand to the left calf and begin to push into the muscle as to bring the shoulder deeper behind the leg. Imagine your legs are like straps on a backpack–you need to get that pack on! Repeat on the right side and then wiggle the feet closer together. Repeat this process until you can’t snuggle the straps (legs) any further up your arms. Step Two:

Maintain the depth of the forward fold from Step One. Rotate your palms away from you and bend both of the elbows so that the hands move toward your low back. Depending on your flexibility, you may be able to clasp the hands. If not, simply reach them toward the lower body and hold here for a good 5 breaths. Step Three:

Release the clasp or bend in the elbows but keep the depth of your forward fold. Place the hands flat onto the ground behind you, bending your knees and elbows. Lower your hips all the way to the ground to sit. Keep the inner thighs squeezing around the arms the entire time to prevent the legs from slipping away from their “backpack” position. Step Four:

Place the feet down onto the ground and extend the arms straight out to the sides. (You can take a moment once the feet are on the ground to gently work the thighs higher up the arms again before moving forward). Toe-heel the feet forward, gradually working the legs toward straight as you wiggle the hands wider, working toward straight arms. When you feel you can’t go any further, simply stop and breath. This pose can feel claustrophobic, so take your time and keep the mind easy. Step Five:

Once your body allows you to have straight legs and arms (this will require hamstring, hip flexor, and low-back opening) then you’re ready to poke your head out of your shell and squeeze! Hug the inner thighs tightly around the shoulders and engage the entire length of the leg. Lift the feet off the ground with this action, point-flexing the feet and spreading the toes. Firm all 5 fingers evenly into the floor and extend the sternum forward. Soften the eyes and take 5 breaths. Set the feet down, bend the knees and slowly draw the arms back in to release. Kathryn Budig is a yoga teacher, writer, philanthropist,Women’s Health expert, Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, MindBodyGreen + Yoga Journal blogger, foodie, and lover of her dog. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook or on her website. Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services44

Pick Up and Jump Back August 8, 2011

The last Challenge Pose post tackled how to Pick Up in a yoga pose. The Pick Up is eventually followed by the Jump Back, which is the traditional way to keep heat and fire in the body during the seated sequence in Ashtanga yoga. It is an intense power move and also one of the most fluid and graceful transitions in yoga. It isn’t frequently taught unless you practice Ashtanga, so I’m hoping to open a whole jar of “pick-up and jump-back” worms into the world.

PRACTICE THIS. Not only will this transition make you incredibly strong, it will make you deeply aware and confident. There is a grace to knowing you can lift your own body weight and decide where you’d like to transfer it. It makes for a great way to convince someone that you are indeed a Ninja.

Step one:

Place two yoga blocks on their lowest level slightly wider than your hips. Sit in between them with your palms pressing down into the center of each. Bend your knees and cross your right ankle over the left, keeping the feet loose. Hug the thighs tightly into your chest while thinking, “tiny little package.” Squeeze your inner thighs together and gaze upward. Take a deep inhalation. Exhale, press into the blocks and lift your hips off the ground keeping only your toes on the ground. Gaze up and release your shoulders down. Hug your arms into the sides of your body for additional support. Hold for 3 breaths and return to sitting or continue onto Step Two from this point.

Step Two:

From the Pick Up position, draw up from the pit of your belly (Mulabandha). Practice a swinging action here. Remember, in order for something to go up, something else must go down. Swing your legs through your arms and BEND your elbows. You’re going to get nowhere fast if you keep the arms straight. As soon as the feet pass through the gateway of the arms, bend. This will feel scary because you’re swinging your face toward the ground at a somewhat rapid speed. Trust me, you’ll get used to it. And even in a worst-case scenario, you are incredibly close to the ground; it won’t hurt much if you hit.

Keep practicing the swing element. Try to do it three times in a row keeping your thighs tucked tightly to your chest and your ankles tucked in toward your buns. Push your hands

deeply into the blocks to engage the rebound action of rounding your back. This will give you additional height to clear the Shoot Back. The gaze remains forward.

Once you become efficient at the swing part, see if you can lift, swing the legs through as you bend the elbows, and HOLD. The key here is to keep yourself in the tiny little package position. If you let your legs drop, everything else will collapse. Stay tiny, round the upper back, press into the blocks, and breathe.

Step Three:

You can Shoot Back into Chaturanga from the swing or hold. Obviously, if you’re new to this, momentum will make a huge difference. Practice the swing and once your elbows come into a full 90-degree angle and the feet have cleared your arms, continue to shoot them back like an arrow. I find the more you think about it the harder it gets. Commit to the action. Inhale, lift. Exhale, swing and shoot it back! Again, if you fall it’s just a mere belly flop.

Once you garner more control, practice the Pick Up with the hold in the bent elbow position. As slowly as possible, shoot it back from here. This means an extension of the heart, a deep press into the ground, a hug of the inner thighs, and a lift of the lower belly. Keep the elbows hugging in tightly to the midline to support the tunnel action of the transition. Always keep your eyes on the road.

A Note on Blocks:

It’s incredibly helpful to feel the actions of the Pick Up and Jump Back by using the blocks, but try not to get too attached to them. Once you feel the actions and the strength, start working on these things without the blocks; otherwise, you’ll get too used to them. You will have to press more, lift higher, and stay more compact, but it will become easier with time and dedication.

This transition takes serious dedication. Try not to mark your calendar on when this will happen. Just keep showing up to your practice and give it your best. It’s all coming.

Challenge Pose: Eka Pada Bakasana July 11, 2011

My life is so full I often think I might burst. I meet people from all over the world on my travels as a yoga teacher. Some of my dearest current friends were introduced “by chance” and live a plane ride away. One friend from Rhode Island friend, whom I bonded with at Kripalu, sent me a sweet token in the form of a ring that bares a small medallion reading “air,” for my element. Funny enough, a week later I decided to step directly into, or rather out of, my element and went skydiving. Yes, I jumped out of a perfectly good plane with a smile on my face and a rather handsome fellow strapped to my back. Honestly, not half bad until you face the moment peering over the edge of the plane 14,000 feet up in the air knowing you’re about to be flung into it. It was in those 5 seconds that I looked fear straight in the face. I realized I wasn’t afraid of dying, I was afraid of the unknown. As I took a deep breath, thanked God, spirit, and anyone or anything else looking out for me that I was with a professional, I knew that there was no turning back. I had to walk through my fear and not around it. Then we jumped. My fear instantly transformed into joy, and I was in love. Sound familiar? These are the same struggles we encounter on our yoga mats. The fear of the unknown–what will it feel like? Will it be uncomfortable? Will I fail? These thoughts bind us in a prison of our own making. We cry out for help when we have everything we need to find our own freedom. My instructor, Bob Crossman, put it best when asked what skydiving means to him: “My parachute feels like an extension of my body that allows me to soar. I know why birds sing.” So please, take a deep inhale, take a chance, believe in your abilities. Soar, sing, fly. It’s yours for the taking. Step 1: Throw on your jumpsuit. . .

Start in Downward-Facing Dog. Step the right foot forward to meet the hands, and drop the left knee to the ground. Take both forearms to the inside of the front leg and lower down (use blocks if you need them). Straighten the back leg and take 8 breaths. Next, grab the right calf with the right hand and snuggle the shoulder behind the muscle by dipping the chest down. Place both of the palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, and extend the gaze and chest forward as the rear heel pulls back to create traction. Step 2: Prepare your gear. . .

Keep everything from Step 1 and look forward. Lift the hips and hop the back foot in toward the right foot. This will feel awkward, but will basically take you into a Forward Standing Fold with your right shoulder behind your right leg. Fun. Keep the gaze slightly past the right toes so you don’t feel like somersaulting over. Step 3: Test your chute. . .

Place the left knee high up the left arm like a Crow leg. You can wrap the knee around the arm or place it directly onto your tricep–try both and see what works best for you. Keep the knee on the arm (right foot is still down) and lift the left foot off the ground and toward your bottom. Your left side stays nice and compact as the hips begin to drop. Look out in front of you as you continue to lower the hips. The right foot will get lighter and eventually come all the way off the ground. Try to hover here or with just the toes touching. Step 4: Soar and fly into Eka Pada Bakasana

Once the right foot leaves the ground, hug the inner thigh around the right arm. Drop your hips so you’re soon folding your left leg into a little yoga sandwich. Spread your collarbone and extend the right leg straight just as you would in Tittibhasana (Firefly Pose). Hug the outer arms in and press the palms to help the arms straighten. Take a good 5-8 breaths then set down and come into Standing Forward Fold to release.

Challenge Poses: Eka Pada Koundinyasana I June 20, 2011

You could call me a bit of a frequent flyer. I spend time in flight-oriented poses on my mat as well as on those big buses in the sky called airplanes. Airports and my yoga mat are my home-away-from-home and have both taught me endless lessons in patience. I had just finished a lovely weekend teaching at Kripalu in Western Massachusetts. I was en route to the Albany airport to fly home to Los Angeles for a day before hopping back on a flight to Boulder. During my ride to the airport, just after I finished a discussion with my driver about the importance of facing airports with finesse and ease, I found out my flight was canceled. Yes, Universe. . .you are SO funny sometimes. Forced to put speech into action, I calmly rescheduled my flight to later in the day and decided that this would be a great opportunity to write and catch up on some of my favorite magazines. A few hours later, my second flight was postponed to the point of missing my connecting flight home. I was stuck in Albany for the night. I managed to not have a meltdown as the counter assistant broke the news and wrote up a waiver to the nearest Best Western. I did my best to stay collected and arrived in my room sad and frustrated but determined to take the good with the bad. I love my life and adore my job. An unfortunate pitfall of this flight-filled career is the occasional unwanted night at the airport hotel. It’s similar to this week’s challenge pose: It’s gorgeous and empowering, but if you plan on doing plenty of flying, you better be prepared for the hiccups that accompany it. This posture is challenging and often full of turbulence, which means you may not land it every time. Just because you don’t nail the pose or get home on time doesn’t mean there isn’t a valuable lesson or fluffy pillow waiting for you on the other side. So keep your cool, keep on trying, and don’t forget that there’s always tomorrow. Step One: Stick a leg out.

Begin standing in Tadasana with your feet together. Bend both knees, bringing the weight into the heels while keeping the tailbone down and the front ribs in. Draw the hands to the heart and twist to the right, taking the left elbow onto the outer right thigh. Press the hands into Namaste or, if the armpit reached the thigh, drop the left hand down to the outside of the right foot and extend the right arm straight up. Even out the knees to come into full Revolved Chair Pose. Lift the left foot just a few inches up off of the ground keeping the twist alive. Begin to drive the left heel forward working the left leg towards straight so it extends forward. Hug the inner thighs and knees to glue the foundation together and maintain balance. Take 5 breaths (this should burn a bit) then place the foot back down. Come back to chair pose and press to stand. Switch sides. Step Two: Kick the feet up.

Come into a squat with the knees touching, balancing on the balls of the feet. Inhale, lift the left arm, extending upward through the heart, exhale, twist and reach the left elbow to the outside of the right thigh. Work the elbow down, getting closer to the armpit. Place the right hand in front of the right heel and bend the elbows toward

Chaturanga. As you lower, place the right hip onto the right elbow for extra shelf support if needed. Once you can’t lower anymore, sweep the feet up away from the ground, working toward being parallel with the mat. Hug the elbows in and find a small round in the upper back. You will feel compact, but just keep trusting. Take 5-8 breaths. Place the feet down and switch sides or continue into step three.

Step Three: Sassify your Side Crow.

Continue all the actions of Side Crow and keep your gaze on one spot for focus. Keep the top knee tightly bent as you start to straighten the bottom leg forward. The inner thighs hug each other and the shoulders remain level. Extend through the ball of the left foot and spread the toes. Highly caffeinate this bottom leg! Put as much extension into the left leg as possible, extending through the back of the kneecap and engaging the entire length of the leg. Step Four: Fly!

Continue to keep the bottom leg caffeinated from step three. Imagine something behind you that you really don’t want near you. Push through the ball of the right foot as if to push it away from you. Do your best to keep this top leg parallel to the ground. Once you can’t push any further, animate this back leg just as much as the front. Even

though the feet end somewhere, your line of energy doesn’t. Kept extending until tomorrow and keep the gaze soft, lower belly in. Eventually start to practice Side Crow and this pose only on the inner arm, leaving the right arm to fend for itself. This will feel heavy at first, but with time will become second nature.

Challenge Pose: Eka Pada Koundinyasana II June 6, 2011

This is one of the first “fancy” arm balances I learned to do back when I was chomping at the bit for new challenging poses. My teacher at the time used to teach Eka Pada Koundinyasana II (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II) so gracefully that I knew it had to be part of my practice. For what felt like a small eternity, I could get my leg onto my arm, painstakingly straighten it, then the hop dance would begin–I’d bounce my back leg like Tigger riding a prayer in hope that it would someday stay elevated in the air. This is when I was only thinking in terms of up and down. Remember as you practice this pose that, yes, the back leg will go up, but the heart offers itself forward to give the back leg leverage in contrast. The back leg once lifted doesn’t stay put on it’s own–it’s your commitment and energy that turns it into a wing as opposed to that dead fish it normally feels like. So expand your perspective–there is no such thing as just up and down–there is always an extension. Nothing just hangs out–it radiates, and frustration won’t get you further, but laughter mixed with commitment will take you wherever you need to go.

Step 1

Start in Downward-Facing Dog. Lift the right leg up into the air and externally rotate it open from the hip socket–the toes spin out, heel in. Flex the foot. This action will make the left hip want to jut out, so make an extra effort to firm the outer left him in to stabilize the pelvis. Keep the right leg straight and rotated as you start to cut the leg through the air parallel to the ground. For now, keep the shoulders in Down Dog, simply focusing on the hip movement. Return the leg to its starting position and repeat this action 5 times, inhaling as you rotate, exhaling as you extend the leg.

Step 2

If you need a break after the five rounds from Step 1, take one. Otherwise, march on! From the extension, bend your right knee and shift your shoulders directly over the heels of the hands. Keep the arms straight and the upper back rounding. Lightly place the bent knee above the right elbow and hold for one to five breaths. Be aware to keep the pelvis open. It’s easy to place just the front of the kneecap on the arm, neutralizing the hips. Since you want to keep the hips open, take the inner part of the knee to the right arm. (It will make sense by the time you get to Step 4.)

Step 3

From Step 2, keep the inner knee on the arm above the elbow and bend the elbows into a full Chaturanga–elbows above wrists, forearms hug in, shoulder heads lifted, and gaze slightly forward. Keep the ball of the back foot on the ground and stay calm. Take five strong breaths and step back to Child’s Pose. OR if you’re still feeling OK …

Step 4:

Keep the gaze extending, dig the fingertips into the ground and begin to isometrically pull through the hands. As the heart extends forward, the rear leg will begin to lighten and lift. Extend the front leg straight (this will require a ton of hip flexor and hamstring engagement–don’t say I didn’t warn you) and straighten the back leg with huge enthusiasm. Spread both sets of toes to keep the line of energy active. Be careful to not let left shoulder drop–keep the shoulder heads even and the gaze straight forward. Hold for a few breaths and step back or swing the front leg back to meet the left. Take a vinyasa and repeat the entire sequence on the left side.

Kathryn Budig is a yoga teacher, writer, philanthropist, Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, MindBodyGreen + Yoga Journal blogger, foodie, and lover of her dog. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook or on her website. Join Kathryn this June in Maui, Hawaii at Four Seasons Resort.

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Challenge Pose: Ashtavakrasana May 9, 2011

Ashtavakrasana hits the road in Sydney, New South Wales. I love Australia. I just got back from a week in beautiful Sydney teaching workshops at Power Living and soaking up all it’s amazing energy. It’s the beginning of their autumn, but just like Los Angeles, autumn there is gorgeous. I found myself lounging on Manly Beach watching Australians of all different ages, genders, and body shapes stride right into the water and into the waves. As a ground-loving Kansas girl, this completely astounded me–they were so ballsy! They felt no cold as the water hit their sweet spots, just determination to get into those waves and own them. Australians are tough. I had one particular Australian take me on a motorcycle tour of the city knowing that I wanted some great shots with the Opera House and Harbor Bridge in the background. We pulled up to a huge grassy knoll in the Botanical Gardens, which I thought was a perfect spot, but no–too simple. He pulled me over to the waters’ edge and pointed to a rather large fence followed by an extremely tall pole dangerously close to the water where big hungry Australia sharks like to lurk. I took a deep breath and channeled my inner Australian and went for it. Result? Possibly my favorite photo of all time. I chose Ashtavakrasana (Eight-Angle Pose) because it somehow worked in my precarious situation and I knew I had to cover the pose for Yoga Journal upon my return. Ashtavakrasana is just like being an Australian bulldozing your way into the ocean–own it. There are lots of steps to getting into the full expression but each one is powerful, expansive and will make you feel 100 percent alive. Oh, and please practice this on the floor. We’ll save the pole balancing for next week. Step 1:

Begin seated with both legs extended. Bend the left knee and lift the shin bone up externally rotating from the hip socket. From this position you’re going to cradle your shin: Take the inner left elbow around the left knee and the inner right elbow to the sole of the left foot. Sit tall staying on the tripod of your tailbone and sitz bones. Gently pull the foot in closer towards the right shoulder to further the rotation and opening of the hip. You can also focus on trying to make the foot level with the knee to deepen the sensation, but remember–be patient! No pushing in hip openers. Go for sensation, not pain. Step 2:

The next step is to further the hip opening through a nice snuggle process. Take the left hand under the left calf and the right hand to the sole of the foot. Carefully push the knee out towards the left then give it a little boost up the arm. Continue this process until your inner left leg has journeyed closer to your left shoulder. When you can further the process anymore, hug the left inner thigh around the shoulder and place both hands down to either side of the hips. Activate the toes and keep the chest lifting. If this is plenty intensity, hold her for 8 breaths and release. Step 3:

Maintain the hug of the inner left thigh around the shoulder and bend both knees. Lightly cross the right ankle over the left.

Now imagine that your left arm is a huge grapefruit and juice it! Hug both inner thighs around the left arm as the legs extend up and toward straight. Keep the heart lifting and the palms on the ground for balance. The good news is this IS Ashtavakrasana, we just need to tilt it forward! This is a great variation to work to strengthen the hip flexors and legs to prep for the full pose. Step 4:

Keep the enthusiasm in your legs and place the palms flat shoulder-width apart slightly forward of the hips. Extend the heart forward as the elbows bend and continue to hug inward

(elbows over wrists). Once the elbows are in full Chaturanga, draw the lower belly up, squeeze (juice!) the inner thighs and swing the hips up to the level of the shoulders. Be careful not to collapse in right shoulder–you want to maintain even shoulders to create a strong platform of balance. Keep the crossing of the ankles dainty and spread the toes. Take a few full breaths here and set the bottom back down to release.

Challenge Pose: King Dancer (Natarajasana) April 25, 2011

I recently attended a college basketball game where the cheerleaders ran rampant. Out they would come, tumbling and flipping with huge smiles on their faces, cheering on the home team and getting the crowd fired up. One spectacular moment involved a tiny cheerleader being propelled into the air by her male partner. She daintily balanced on one foot as she whipped her second leg into Natarajasana (King Dancer Pose) in 2 seconds flat. Not only did she manage to fling herself into this deep backbend, she did it smiling and then yelled, “GO TEAM!” My jaw was on the floor. All I could think about was the determination and breath work needed to execute the pose standing on solid ground, and here she was in the air, balancing on her partners hands. Granted, her alignment was awful and the yoga teacher in me winced at the external rotation of her hips. But overall, good show! King Dancer Pose is an absolutely gorgeous standing backbend with a very apropos name, as it shows off your dancing skills (or lack thereof). This posture requires balance (as demonstrated by the amazing cheerleader), and a really good attitude (ditto). You will wobble, but for the sake of today, we’ll just call dancing. The key is not to panic when you start to move, because it is a dance, so dance with the movement. Keep the breath steady and enjoy the fluctuations that arise, because that’s what it’s about: finding balance within chaos. Enjoy this dance. Keep practicing, and, when in need of inspiration, go to a basketball game! It’ll sure make you gasp, smile, and feel like the ground isn’t such a bad place to be. Step 1: Present Yourself

Make a small lasso with a yoga strap. Bend the right knee and place the loop over the ball of the right foot. Find a point to gaze at (this will help you balance. Look down and forward if it’s a struggle) and grab hold of the strap with your right hand, palm facing up. The closer down the strap you grab, the deeper the backbend, so you may need to play around to find the perfect distance for your body. Place your left hand on your left hip and weave the right elbow out and up until it points towards the ceiling. The right shoulder remains happily in its socket as the base of the neck relaxes. Hug the right bicep in toward your face and keep your tailbone slightly tucked. Step 2: Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Reach the left arm straight up with the palm facing inward. Outer shoulder extends long, inner shoulder relaxes down. Bend at the elbow and reach the left hand back to grab the strap

as well. Hug the triceps of both arms in and around the bone to help keep the shoulders down and neck easy. At this point your, right leg is not engaged, the work is all coming from the rotation of the shoulders. That is about to change. . . . Step 3: Open Your Heart

Keep the work of the arms. Begin the push the foot back and into the strap. This will engage the back leg and tempt you to lean forward. Avoid the temptation to do so (this becomes Warrior III with a chopasana) by keeping the heart lifted, outer arms in and gaze soft. Continue to energize the back leg by pushing the strap back. Once you have that juice in the leg walk one hand down a touch and then the second hand. Push the shinbone back again paying careful attention not to open the hips. The pelvis remains square, right knee hugs to the midline. Draw the elbows in tight around the head. Step 4: Now Dance!

Continue the actions of pushing the shinbone back, walking the hands down, and keeping the chest up, arms in. Eventually you’ll be able to keep all these actions and reach the foot. Once you have the foot with both hands, release the strap to come into full pose. Do your best to keep the hips squaring and drawing the right knee to the midline (it loves to splay out to the side . . . not so good for your sacrum). Draw the front hip bones up and soften your buns. Careful on the exit as it’s very easy to sling-shot out. If you still have the strap, soften your grip to slide out slowly, keeping the gaze forward and legs hugging to the midline.

Challenge Pose: Compass (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana) April 4, 2011

Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana is often referred to as Compass or Sundial Pose. I love the image of molding my body into a tool of guidance, especially one used when you’re lost and need to find your way back home. If I’ve learned anything at all from my years of practicing yoga, it’s that I already have my own built-in navigational system. My body and spirit knows exactly where I’m going. And when I find myself “lost,” I try to remember that when stumbling through the woods not knowing which way is which, it’ll just take some time before the path out becomes illuminated and I find my way back home. It’s a similar feeling to practicing advanced yoga postures–sometimes they feel so far fetched that you don’t even know where to begin. It’s like being lost in a sea of randomly placed limbs without a “how-to assemble” kit. When you reach that faraway place, don’t panic! We’ve all been there. Just remember the feeling isn’t permanent. In fact, perhaps there is something rather useful to learn in these shadowy places before we come back into the sunshine. Use this posture to practice finding a sense of home even when you’re far from it, comfort when it’s all foreign, and a guiding light even in the darkest places. Step One: Hook a Toe

Position yourself about one-leg-plus-some-change away from a wall. Bend your right knee and assist the sole of the foot onto the wall until the leg can wiggle straight. Rotate from deep within the hip socket, taking the heel forward and the toes back to open the leg. Draw the right hip down to even out through the waist. Stabilize your stance by keeping your left hand on your left hip. Hook your right big toe with your right index and middle fingers and thumb. Soften the base of the neck and slide the tips of the shoulder blades down. Take 8 full breaths. Bend the knee and give yourself a small kick to exit away from the wall or enter directly into step two. Step Two: You Dropped Your Keys

Continue on from step one by releasing the big toe but keeping the same stance in the legs. Lean the torso slightly forward, reaching the right arm down and to the inside of the right thigh. Extend energy through the arm as if you dropped your keys and they’re just out of reach. Reach the left arm straight up, rotate the palm in and extend the arm towards the right

foot. If you can reach the foot, grab hold of the pinky edge and use this leverage to revolve the chest open. Broaden the collarbone and keep the gaze down to protect the neck. Take 8 breaths. Release the top foot, micro-bend the top knee and slight kick to come away from the wall. Switch sides. Step Three: Wind Your Clock

Grab a belt and take a seat. Bend the left knee drawing the heel in towards the groin. Bend the right knee and externally rotate the hip open. Cradle your right shin by taking the crook of the right elbow around the right knee and the crook of the left elbow into the sole of the right foot. Work the shin as parallel to the ground as possible, bringing the foot toward the left shoulder to help open the hip. Stay here to further open the pelvis or begin the hook the leg behind the shoulder. Grabbing the sole of the right foot with both hands, gently push the right knee out to the side, then, with a boost from under the calf, lift the leg higher up the shoulder. Continue this process of pushing the hip out and then up until you can’t go any further. Create a foot-size loop in the belt and place it over the top of the right foot, and hold the strap with your left hand. Place the right fingertips onto the ground far enough away from the hips so that the arm can be straight. Hug the inner right thigh tight to the midline to avoid slipping as you simultaneously begin to straighten the right leg. Give yourself as much slack in the strap as needed in order for the shoulder to remain in its socket. Spin the chest open and take a few deep breaths. Step Four: Time to Shine!

Repeat the work of step three but lose the strap. Once you’ve managed to snuggle the right leg as far as it will comfortably go up the shoulder, place the right fingertips on the ground, creepy-crawling them out to the right so there is s slight tilt to the trunk of the body and the right arm is straight. Reach the left arm up, externally rotating with a bent elbow to grab the pinky edge of the right foot. Use some of the arm strength to draw the right leg toward straight, bobbing the head through the gateway of the arm so you can revolve the neck and gaze up past the left bicep. Revolve the rib cage open and soften the base of the neck. Smile! Shine! Don’t forget to breathe! Now, repeat on the other side … Kathryn Budig is a yoga teacher, writer, philanthropist, Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, MindBodyGreen + Yoga Journal blogger, foodie, and lover of her dog. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook or on her website. Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services27

Challenge Pose: Grasshopper March 22, 2011

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but here goes: I have Bieber Fever. Yup, I got bit by the Justin Bieber bug when one of my best friends forced “Somebody to Love,” the video Bieber did with Usher, on me. Now I can’t get the song out of my head, and find myself walking around, bobbing my head with a random smile on my face. It’s pure pop sugar, but it’s such a feel-good song–not to mention that it has some pretty amazing break-dance moves. People often tell me that I’d be a good break-dancer because of the asanas I work on regularly. One of best poses that come to mind for this is what we at YogaWorks call Grasshopper. There’s a lot of debate about the correct name of this pose, which is basically a Revolved Flying Pigeon, but it really does look like a grasshopper. When first seen, the pose is completely confusing. Limbs seem to be sticking out at all the wrong places. When broken down step by step, however, it all fits neatly. Like a puzzle of Justin Bieber. OK, I kid. Seriously, though, this pose will make any breakdancer green with envy. And if you can work this pose and sing “Somebody to Love” at the same time, I will be thoroughly proud and impressed. Step One: Take a seat with a twist!

This is such a great example of how the most challenging postures start from the simplest root. Take a seat with your legs straight out in front of you. Cross the left ankle over the right knee, keeping the left foot flexed (it will dangle slightly off the side of the right leg). Place both hands behind you to help lift out of the lower back and into the upper chest. Bend the right knee, drawing the externally rotated hip closer to the chest. You’ll notice that it’s easy to collapse into the lower back as you do this, so keep pushing into the hands to keep the chest buoyant. Keep bending the right knee until you reach a place where you can keep the chest upright and feel a nice amount of sensation in your left hip. Lift the left arm straight up into the air and begin to twist toward the right side. Depending on your body’s ability to twist, you might just place the left forearm to the sole of the left foot that’s resting on the right knee. If you can manage a deeper twist, begin to work above the elbow and, with time, the armpit, into the sole of the foot. Inhale, lift your heart. Exhale, push the left triceps muscle into the foot to help with the twist. Root into the right hand down to continue lifting the spine. Take 8 solid breaths here and then switch sides. Keep working this variation to open your hips and experience a great, deep twist. This IS the pose, just sitting on your buns! Step Two: Spice up your Chair Pose

We’ve all practiced Revolved Chair Pose hundreds of times, but now it’s time to step it up and add a hip opener to it! Begin standing with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Lift your left foot as you externally rotate the left hip open. Place the foot, at the ankle, onto your right leg, just above the knee. Keep the foot flexed and slightly sticking out past the right thigh. Find a gazing point for balance and bend the right leg, bringing the weight into your right heel. Bring your palms together in front of your heart and look down to the ground on the left. Slowly twist to the right from your upper ribs, reaching your left elbow to the sole of your left foot (use the forearm if the elbow is too intense). Push the elbow into the foot as you press the palms together to deepen the turn of the chest. Keep the left hip firming in as the right knee drops lower. With time, if you can get the armpit close to the sole of the foot, drop

the left hand down to the outside of the right foot, and extend the right arm straight up into the air. Take 5-8 breaths here and do your best to exit the pose with balance and grace. Step Three: Be stealthy like a grasshopper

Repeat step two, working as deeply into the twist as possible. The best way to know if you’re ready to try the arm balance is knowing that the sole of the foot must go above your elbow; otherwise you won’t have a shelf for your foot when you tip up into the pose. If you’re not there yet, keep working steps one and two until the body opens up. Trust me, it will happen, just be patient. If you are getting the foot above the elbow, continue on from here. Look down to the right side. Keep sinking deeper into your right leg until you’re close enough to place your hands, shoulder-width apart, on the ground to the right side. You may need to readjust the left foot, but keep the sole above the elbow.

Take the gaze past your fingertips and begin to lean into Chaturanga arms. The key is to create a shelf to stand on, which means you need to bend into a full 90-degree angle. (Imagine there is something delicious on the ground that you want to take a bite out of.) As you reach the full angle, keep the elbows squeezing in and take a nice stand on the back of your left arm. Keep looking forward and draw your right foot tight into your bottom. This may be a great place to stay, or you can extend the leg straight. Don’t try to move it around, all you need to do is straighten from the knee cap. At first you can rest the outer part of your right thigh on your left arm, but with time as you gain more core strength, the actual full pose calls for a straight back leg hovering right behind the elbow. Work all the variations first, and you’ll get there with time!

Kathryn Budig is a yoga teacher, writer, philanthropist, Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, MindBodyGreen + Yoga Journal blogger, foodie, and lover of her dog. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook or on her website. Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services72

Challenge Pose: Handstand March 7, 2011

I have memories as a little baby fledgling watching 3rd series Ashtanga practitioners float in and out of handstand as if it were as simple as standing on their feet. Simi Cruz in particular blew my mind as she would practice Viparita Chakrasana (Handstand to Backbend and back over– tick-tocks) with the weight of a feather. I knew I wanted to experience that mobility and defiance of gravity someday–I just had to start with how on earth do I get my lower body over my upper? I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t pretty. I was one of the only 2 students in my teacher training group full of 40 who couldn’t kick up to handstand at the wall. It was mortifying. Everyone kicked up and I was flailing around like a fish out of water knowing it’s time was almost up. The genius Chuck Miller sauntered over and slid between me and the wall using the least amount of energy to pull me up into the pose. I exhaled a sigh of gratitude and came out of the pose flushed from more than just the pose. He smiled knowingly at me and said, “You are physically more than capable of doing this pose. It’s simply when your mind is ready for it.” It struck me like a ton of bricks. I still think of his words today and echo them often with my students. All poses, regardless of the challenge, are accessible to us. We simply do the work, show up with an open mind free of expectation and do our practice. The physical body continues to grow and as the mind frees itself the pose arrives. A few months later you couldn’t peel me out of a handstand (at the wall) if you tried. It was my new favorite Saturday night activity. My social life crashed but my handstand blossomed. I hope it does for you as well, but do yourself a favor–take Saturday night off and go enjoy your life.

Step One: Firm the base!

Grab a block the wide way, placing your palms flat along the edges creating a block sandwich. Extend the arms straight out in front of you. Push deeper into the pinky edge of the hands firing up the triceps. Rotate the entire pinky edge of the arm down and in, wrapping the triceps. Plug the shoulders into the sockets and begin to lift the arms up. As the arms extend, lengthen the outer shoulders up–it’s the area of the side body along the ribs and arm pits. Release the inner shoulders down–the area at the base of your neck. Keep these two actions working together, draw your front ribs in to keep core connection, and lengthen through the inner elbows to create straight arms. Keep hugging the palms strong around the block until the arms go as high as they comfortably can keeping all actions engaged. Hold for 8 full breaths and release. Step Two: Alter your perspective. . .

Come into Downward Facing Dog with the heels pressing into where the floor and wall meet. You’ll be tempted to walk your hands in to a smaller Dog–don’t. Keep the full stance. Work the same rotation in your arms that you created in step one. Lift the right foot off of the ground and take the sole of the foot a solid several feet up the wall, so they line up with the hips. Push the sole firmly into the wall to aid the second foot in following suit. Keep the feet hip-width apart and push the feet into the wall until the legs become straight. Hips will shift over the shoulders, legs are now parallel with the ground. Work the Urdhva Hastasana arms

and keep the gaze slightly past the finger tips. Hold here or practice taking one leg up at a time to get that much closer to handstand! Step Three: Let your hands become your feet

Come into Downward Facing Dog with your hands shoulder-width apart about 8 inches away from the wall. Place the palms flat and stack the shoulders over the heels of the hands. Rotate the triceps in and broaden the upper back. Place the shoulders in the sockets as to not tighten the base of the neck. Keep the gaze slightly forward and walk the feet in a few steps. Lift the dominant leg keeping the hips as square as possible. Bend the bottom knee and practice small hops working on getting the hips over the shoulders and towards the wall. Don’t worry if the legs don’t go all the way up. . .this is the biggest part of the journey. Keep working the lift of the hips and I promise–the lift off will come!

Once the hips get all the way over the shoulders and both feet get to the wall, let the heels rest there and flex the feet. Drive the heels up the wall to help lengthen the tailbone towards the heels. Draw the frontal ribs in as you continue to hug the triceps. Firm the forearms in and keep the gaze slightly forward. Take a good 8 breaths and then take one leg away from the wall to come back into s tanding forward fold. Dangle and find your breath.

Step Four: Defy gravity

Once you get the hang of kicking up and find the strength to stay for 8 breaths or longer, you might be ready to move away from the wall a bit. Take yourself several inches further back, but still close enough that the foot will touch the wall if needed. The key is to pretend like the wall isn’t there anymore. Do the same set up as we did for handstand at the wall. This time reach the top leg with even more energy as if it were in standing splits. You’re going to not only try to get the hips to stack over the shoulders, but start to match the energy of the top leg with the bottom. Once the hips stack, draw energy from the base of the belly to slowly suck the lower leg towards the meeting place of the top leg. If you feel yourself falling towards the wall take your gaze forward. Encourage the front ribs in and tailbone up–this will help you feel your abs so you can steer the pose better with time.

Challenge Pose: Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana January 23, 2011

It always makes me laugh to think that such an absolutely gorgeous pose as Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana (One-footed King Pigeon Pose) is named after a street bird. I’ve watched these

bobble-heads poke around, waiting for them to drop into a spontaneous backbend to no avail. It must only happen at that exclusive late-night “pigeons only” club in SoHo. (I may not have garnered any pointers from my fine-feathered friends, but I did come away with a solid sense of humor!)

Backbends can cause tension and fear as we revolve our spine back into unchartered ground. One of the most helpful steps to remember when entering deeper backbends is our ability to breathe deep and smile. Also, that there is no rush at all. The more we surrender, the deeper we’ll go.

So, channel these feathered friends and open your enormous bird breast and reach your heart toward the sky. Offer your wings and let a slight breeze bring them back as your legs root down to lift your body. And hey, if you’re inspired, go ahead and bobble that head.

Have a strap on hand to help with the prep poses.

Step One: Open your Hips

First things first: We’ve got to open the hips. From Downward-Facing Dog, step the left shin to the front of the mat. The angle of the shin will differ depending on how deep you want to go into the rotation of the hip. The further the heel gets from the groin, the more intense the pose becomes. With time, work toward having your shin parallel with the front of the mat. Flex the front foot and extend through its heel to protect the knee. Gently draw the left thigh bone in as the outer right hip rolls toward the ground. Internally spiral the back inner thigh toward the ceiling and work the baby toe on the left foot down into the ground. As tempting as it is, don’t fold. Stay upright and lift the frontal hip bones and try to square the hips. Hold here for 30 seconds to 1 minute and switch sides. Step Two: Hitch-Hike

Come into Single Pigeon again with the left shin forward. This time, however, draw the left heel all the way into the groin while the left knee points toward the front left corner of the mat. Roll the upper right hip down to help square the hips, and lift the right foot off of the mat as you reach the right hand back to clasp it. If the foot is out of reach, use a strap. If you’re getting some strong sensation from making contact with the foot, just hold and breath. Otherwise, start to draw the foot in and down. If this is still going well, it’s time to get fancy–place the right palm on the top of the right foot. Spin the thumb in like you’re hitch-hiking until all 5 fingers point in the same direction as the toes. Push the heel of the hand into the toes as the toes resist. Roll the right shoulder forward and lift the kidneys and heart. Encourage the left shoulder to move backward and take a good 8 breaths. Softly release the rear foot and step back into Downward-Facing Dog and repeat on the second side. Step Three: Get Your Goddess on . . .

Now that the psoas is warmed up, it’s time to work the full rotation of the arm. There’s a very specific way I like to reach back, and it’s not with a straight arm that yanks the shoulder out of the socket. I lovingly refer to it as Goddess Arm. Grab your strap and make a lasso large enough for the ball of the foot to slip through. Place the strap over the foot and place the remaining length over your shoulder for accessibility. Beginning in the same position as in Step Two, bend the right knee and lift the right foot up off of the ground. Spin the right palm up and with a soft, bent elbow, reach back toward the foot (think of the shape of the arms giving an offering in Greek sculpture). Reach underneath the strap with the palm up and grab hold. Before you begin rotating of the arm, start the backbend in your chest. Roll the shoulder heads back and lift your heart toward the sky. Then pull the right elbow in and up until it

points up toward the ceiling. Brace your left side by placing your left hand on your upper thigh. If the hips are wobbling, try placing a block or blanket underneath the left hip before taking these steps. Take 8 breaths. Soften the grip on the strap to release and switch sides. Step Four: Channel Your Inner Pigeon Goddess!

Have your strap lassoed over the rear foot again in your tighter stance of Single Pigeon. Create the goddess arm as the back knee bends and the hand reaches underneath the strap to grab hold. If you’re ready to loose the strap, still begin with the goddess arm, but grab the pinky edge of the right foot. Crawl up the stairway of your toes until you can grab the big toe edge from underneath. Whether or not you have a strap, the next step is to simply open the heart–lift the kidneys, lift the heart, roll the shoulders back and let the head fall back in surrender. Keep this never-ending lift of the heart and roll the right elbow up and in to face the ceiling. Lift the left arm straight up, externally rotate, bend the elbow to grab the right foot on the big toe edge. If possible, walk down the strap or foot to thoughtfully deepen the pose. Draw the elbows in, touching if possible. Root the hips down, lift up through the crest of the pelvis and continue this lift into your heart. Try closing the eyes and enjoy 8 full, surrendered breaths. Soften the grip on the strap or foot and release. Step back to Downward-Facing Dog and drop into Child’s Pose.

http://blogs.yogajournal.com/challengepose/page/7