Yoga Journal Singapore — April-May 2017

28

april / may 2017

yogajournal.com.sg

Poses of the month

How to move from Virasana to

Krounchasana

By John Schumacher

DON’Tallow your feet to

sickle in or splay out, to

avoid injuring your knees.

DON’Thover or tolerate knee

pain. If you are unable to sit

all the way down, sit on a

block or blanket.

YOGAPEDIA

rti ll

PHOTOS: RICK CUMMINGS; MODEL: JOHN SCHUMACHER; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; GROOMING: BETH WALKER; TOP: PRANA; BOTTOMS: LULULEMON

Benefits

Instruction

Teacher and model John Schumacher is the founder and director of Unity Woods Yoga Center (unitywoods.com), serving the Washington, DC, area since 1979.

He studied with B.K.S. Iyengar for 33 years and was certified by him as an Advanced Teacher. In his 43 years of teaching, Schumacher has taught teachers and

students worldwide. His clear, precise teaching style and engaging sense of humor challenge and inspire students to move beyond their imagined limits.

Virasana Krounchasana

prep, pages 30-31

Virasana

modifications,

page 29

Krounchasana,

page 32

vira = hero ·

Hero

Virasana}

asana =pose

Pose

Increases flexibility in the knees and hips; tones the muscles in the

arches of the feet; increases circulation in the feet and legs

1 Kneel on your mat with your knees together

and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Separate

your feet slightly wider than hip width (if this

is painful on the tops of your feet or your

knees, kneel on a thin blanket). Point your

toes straight back and spread the balls of your

feet from the big-toe side to the little-toe side.

Ideally, all of your toenails will touch the floor.

2 Bend your knees a bit, lean forward, and

place your hands on your calves. Pull your calf

muscles back away from your knees and roll

them out. Lower your buttocks and sit on the

floor. The inner sides of your calves should

touch your outer thighs.

3 Place your hands on your knees, catch the

skin on your knees, and draw it up toward

your thighs—this will give your knees a more

spacious feeling. Sit in this posture for 1–5

minutes.

4 Extend your arms straight in front of you.

Bring your palms together and interlock

your fingers. Now, turn your palms forward

(away from you), inhale, and raise your arms

overhead. Use this extension along your arms

to lengthen your sides upward. Press your

shins and knees down and descend your inner

groins. Hold for 30–60 seconds. Lower your

arms, change the interlacing of your fingers,

and repeat.

5 To come out of the pose, lower your arms,

place your hands on the floor, and lift your

buttocks. Raise one knee at a time, sliding each

foot forward to straighten your leg.