Yoga Anatomy

Alternately, having the knees lower than the hips (by elevating the seat) prevents the pelvis from tipping backward and makes it ...

Dandasana Staff Pose dan-DAHS-anna danda = stick, staff E5267/Kaminoff/fig7.8a/417672/alw/pulled-r1 Gastrocnemius Hamstrings Spi ...

Notes While the legs are neutrally rotated in this position, against the pull of gravity most people need to actively use muscle ...

Paschimottanasana West (Back) Stretching POS-chee-moh-tan-AHS-anna pascha = behind, after, later, westward; uttana = intense str ...

Notes In this pose, gravity should do the work of moving you deeper into the forward bend; how- ever, as the extensors of the sp ...

134 Janu Sirsasana Head-to-Knee Pose JAH-new shear-SHAHS-anna janu = knee; shiras = to touch with the head E5267/Kaminoff/fig7.1 ...

Skeletal joint actions Spine Upper limbsLower limbs Extended legFlexed leg Mild flexion, rotation of chest toward extended leg S ...

Notes The asymmetry of this pose reveals how our preferences for habitually using one side of the body (our sidedness) is exhibi ...

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose par-ee-vrt-tah JAH-new shear-SHAHS-anna parivrtta = turning, rolling; janu = ...

Muscular joint actions Spine Concentric contraction Eccentric contraction To rotate chest to side: Internal oblique (flexed leg ...

Notes Although the legs in this pose are the same as in janu sirsasana (page 134), the action in the spine is very different: In ...

Mahamudra The Great Seal ma-ha-MOO-dra maha = great, mighty, strong; mudra = sealing, shutting, closing E5267/Kaminoff/fig7.13a/ ...

Notes The base of mahamudra is very similar to janu sirsasana (page 134), which it resembles, and the actions in the arms and le ...

142 Upavistha Konasana Seated Wide-Angle Pose oo-pah-VEESH-tah cone-AHS-anna upavistha = seated; kona = angle E5267/Kaminoff/fig ...

Notes Extensors of the spine are lengthening and active. As the pose deepens, the spine flattens to the floor and moves toward a ...

Baddha Konasana Bound Angle Pose BAH-dah cone-AHS-anna baddha = bound; kona = angle E5267/Kaminoff/fig7.15a/417687/alw/pulled-r1 ...

Notes Much as in paschimottanasana (page 132), if the focus is too much on getting the head down, the resulting action is more s ...

Baddha Konasana Variation Supta Baddha Konasana Reclining Bound Angle Pose supta = resting, lain down to sleep; baddha = bound; ...

Kurmasana Turtle Pose koor-MAHS-anna kurma = tortoise, turtle E5267/Kaminoff/fig7.17a/417690/alw/pulled-r2 Spinal extensors Hams ...

Notes To prepare for this pose, the spine flexes, the scapulae abduct, the hips flex and abduct, and the knees flex. Once the ar ...