Australian_Yoga_Journal-January_2018

YOGAPEDIA

your practice

86

january 2018

yogajournal.com.au

PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MODEL: JODI BLUMSTEIN; SHAIR/MAKEUP: LAURA DEE SHELLEY; TOP: MONTIE

Our Pro Model and teacher Jodi Blumstein has been a devoted student of Ashtanga Yoga since 1994. In 1998, she opened the first Ashtanga Yoga school in Chicago,

and for the past 11 years, she has been teaching the practice at YogaWorks Center for Yoga in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit jodiblumstein.com or check out her

classes at yogaglo.com.

How to move from High Lunge

to Dhanurasana

Poses of the month

DON’T bend your front knee

beyond a 90-degree angle—it

diverts energy from the gluteals

to the knee joint of your bent leg,

creating pressure there.

DON’T let your pelvis fall into

anterior (forward) tilt or allow your

ribs to protrude as you raise your

arms. Keeping your ribs down

will help you avoid moving into a

backbend, which can compress or

pinch your low back.

By Jodi Blumstein

Benefit

Lengthens your hip flexors; stabilises and

strengthens your gluteals

Instruction

1 From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), widen your

stance so that your feet are hip-width apart.

Take a few moments to cultivate a strong

awareness of your breath.

2 Place your hands on your hips, and step your

left foot forward a metre. The size of your step

may vary depending on your size and flexibility,

but be generous to start—you can always

adjust later if you feel any strain.

3 Bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle

with your knee directly above your heel. Press

into the ball of your right foot as you lift your

right heel off the ground.

4 Internally rotate your right leg by turning

your back hip forward and drawing your right

knee down and in. This will help keep your hips

square to the front of the mat, which is crucial

to maintai ing a deep stretch in the hi

and hip flexors (which tend to be tight

sitting too much and can contribute to

back pain). Keep the weight of your le

grounded in the heel. You should feel

gluteals waking up—you’ll likely notic

sensation—in the back of your front le

5 Begin straightening your right leg, w

will increase the stretch in your right h

Reach your right heel toward the wall

you. Engage your right quadriceps as

straighten and lift your kneecap; rema

of your breath as the intensity increase

your pelvis in a neutral position to pro

lower back.

6 Raise your arms overhead while slightly

dropping your ribs. Bring your hands to touch,

and lengthen through the back of your neck,

tilting your gaze toward your hands. Relax your

shoulders and draw your ribs down and in as

you reach through your fingertips. Hold for

8–10 breaths; repeat on the other side.

High Lunge

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