yoga

54

december 2018 / january 2019

yogajournal.com.sg

The

SAGITTAL PLANE

THIS PLANE DISSECTS THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES of the body, as if the edge of a pane

of glass were dropped down the center of your crown through your midline. Sagittal plane

movements take place where this imaginary pane of glass sits—or parallel to it—meaning any

time you’re in flexion (for example, forward folds) or extension (such as backbends), you’re

moving in the sagittal plane.

It is probably the most familiar, and most used, plane for all of us: When we drive, hunch our

heads over our smartphones, sit on the couch holding the remote control, ride a bike, and walk

down the street, we’re moving in the sagittal plane. In yoga, any time you take your arms forward

and reach them overhead—whether you’re doing Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Salute) or Adho

Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)—you’re moving in the sagittal plane.

Poses that move in the sagittal plane

her shoulders and hips are

in flexion, her wrists are in

extension and her ankles

er ankles, knees,

ips, and shoulders

re in flexion?

her wrists are

deeply extended,

shoulders are partially

flexed, and her

whole spine is in

deep flexion?

Directions

of movement in the

sagittal plane.

BAKASANA ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA UTKATASANA

Crane Pose Downward-Facing Dog Pose Chair Pose

Where’s the distortion?

If you’re a teacher and notice something’s off when a

student practices a pose but you’re not sure in which plane

the problem is occurring, communicating how to correct

what’s off may be challenging. Recognizing a distortion in

a specific plane is the secret to quickly and clearly helping

your students get into their fullest expression of a posture. To

practice seeing bodies this way, let’s look at Vrksasana (Tree

Pose) with a distortion in each of the three planes. Here are

two distortions in the sagittal plane:

HOW her pelvis

pped anteriorly

her spine is

rarched?

e fix She’ll want

ring her pelvis

spine to neutral,

gthen her tailbone,

draw her sternum

ward her navel.

OWher pelvis

ked and her

is flexed

ded)?

IXShe’ll want

ss the top of

anding thigh

and press her

der blades into

hest.

extension,and her ankles

arein flexion?

h

h

a

SEE

istip

and

ove

The

tob

and

leng

and

tow

SEEH

istuck

spine

(round

THEF

topre

her sta

backa

should

her ch