Australian Yoga Journal - April 2018

70

april 2018

yogajournal.com.au

The

CORONAL PLANE

Poses that move in the corona

Where’s the distortion?

Here’s Vrksasana (Tree Pose) with

distortions in the coronal plane:

ee how...

is sitting

her standing-leg hi

E FIX She needs to

g her standing-leg

gh in toward her

dline.

ee how...

e hip is higher

an the other?

E FIX She needs

press her lifted

gh down

dduction) to level

r pelvis side to side.

THIS PLANE DISSECTS THE FRONT OF THE BODY FROM THE BACK. This time, imagine a

pane of glass dropping through your midline and dissecting your front body (anterior)

and back body (posterior). Coronal plane movements occur where this imaginary

pane of glass sits, meaning any time you abduct (move away from the midline) and

adduct (move toward the midline). You’re moving in the coronal plane when you step

one leg to the side, turn a cartwheel, or bust out your best “Stayin’ Alive” dance moves,

John Travolta style. In yoga, think of moving into Utthita Trikonasana (Extended

Directions Triangle Pose) or Parighasana (Gate Pose).

of movement

in the coronal

plane.

See how...

her shoulders are

abducted and her

spine is laterally

flexed?

ANANTASANA TRIKONASANA CRESCENT

Side-Reclining Leg Lift Pose Triangle Pose Simple Standing Side Bend

See how...

her spine is flexed laterally; both shoulders

are abducted, and her lifted leg is

abducted?

See how...

her front hip is adducted (and externally

rotated in the transverse plane),

her back hip is abducted, and her

shoulders are abducted?