Yoga JournalUSA-January-February_2017

37

february 2017

yogajournal.com

PHOTOS: RICK CUMMINGS; MODEL: JOHN SCHUMACHER; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; GROOMING: BETH WALKER; TOP: PRANA; BOTTOMS: LULULEMON

YOGAPEDIA

practice well

OUR PRO Teacher and model John Schumacher is the founder and director of Unity Woods Yoga Center (unitywoods.com), serving the Washington, DC, area

since 1979. He studied with B.K.S. Iyengar for 33 years and was certified by him as an Advanced Teacher. In his 43 years of teaching, Schumacher has taught teach-

ers and students worldwide. His clear, precise teaching style and engaging sense of humor challenge and inspire students to move beyond their imagined limits.

Virasana

modifi cations, page 38

Krounchasana

prep, pages 4o–41

Krounchasana,

Virasana pages 42–43

Benefits

Increases flexibility in the knees and hips; tones the muscles in

the arches of the feet; increases circulation in the feet and legs

Poses of the month

How to move from Virasana

to Krounchasana

By John Schumacher

Instruction

1 Kneel on your mat with your knees together and

thighs perpendicular to the floor. Separate your feet

slightly wider than hip width (if this is painful on the

tops of your feet or your knees, kneel on a thin blan-

ket). Point your toes straight back and spread the

balls of your feet from the big-toe side to the

little-toe side. Ideally, all of your toenails will

touch the floor.

2 Bend your knees a bit, lean forward,

and place your hands on your calves.

Pull your calf muscles back away from

your knees and roll them out. Lower

your buttocks and sit on the floor. The

inner sides of your calves should touch

your outer thighs.

3 Place your hands on your knees, catch the skin on

your knees, and draw it up toward your thighs—this

will give your knees a more spacious feeling. Sit in this

posture for 1–5 minutes.

4 Extend your arms straight in front of you. Bring your

palms together and interlock your fingers. Now, turn

your palms forward (away from you), inhale, and raise

your arms overhead. Use this extension along your

arms to lengthen your sides upward. Press your shins

and knees down and descend your inner groins. Hold

for 30–60 seconds. Lower your arms, change the inter-

lacing of your fingers, and repeat.

5 To come out of the pose, lower your arms, place

your hands on the floor, and lift your buttocks. Raise

one knee at a time, sliding each foot forward to

straighten your leg.

DON’T hover or tolerate

knee pain. If you are

unable to sit all the way

down, sit on a block

or blanket.

DON’T allow your feet to

sickle in or splay out, to

avoid injuring your knees.

vira = hero · asana = pose

Hero Pose

Virasana

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