Yoga Journal USA — February 2018

YOGAJOURNAL.COM / 56 / FEBRUARY 2018

Where’s the

distortion?

Here’s Vrksasana (Tree Pose) with

distortions in the coronal plane:

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 Triangle Pose) or Parighasana (Gate Pose).

ANANTASANA

Side-Reclining Leg Lift Pose

TRIKONASANA

Triangle Pose

her spine is fl exed laterally; both

shoulders are abducted, and her

lifted leg is abducted?

her front hip is adducted

(and externally rotated in the

transverse plane), her back hip

is abducted, and her shoulders

are abducted?

CORONAL PLANE

The

« SEE HOW she is sitting

in her standing-leg hip?

THE FIX She needs to

hug her standing-leg thigh

in toward her midline.

« SEE HOW one hip is

higher than the other?

THE FIX She needs to

press her lifted thigh down

(adduction) to level her

pelvis side to side.

Simple Standing Side Bend

CRESCENT

her shoulders

are abducted

and her spine

is laterally

fl exed?

Directions
of movement
in the coronal
plane.