Australian Yoga Journal — January 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1

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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