Legs in Yoga Poses | Wellness Connection Yoga

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1 Boskykloof Road Hout Bay Cape Town
cell 072 290 9203
catherine@ wellnessconnection.co.za

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Fix the Pose!!!! On our 300hr Yoga Teacher Traini

Fix the Pose!!!!
On our 300hr Yoga Teacher Trainings (when they are live) we have a section called ‘Fix the Pose’. Trainees tell us about a seemingly easy pose that is really hard for them but they don’t know why! We get to be movement science detectives and try to work it out. Its huge fun and gets trainees to understand different bodies.

@spine_shine was one of our 300hr Trainees, an incredibly strong practitioner, handstands, long handstand wall holds, all arm balances with ease. But Claire couldn’t hold a Half Handstand on the wall for longer than about 5 seconds before sliding down the wall.

All the other trainees could hold for 20 fairly easily.

So we got them to hold a Half Handstand in the exact shape Claire was in and all slid down the wall immediately with huge moans.

For the same reason my Handstand is a Banana shape. Restricted shoulder flexion (arms over your head). In Half Handstand, most people use their shoulder and spine mobility to hold the pose.

People like Claire and I have to have our shoulders moving forwards so the shoulders, abs and quad are fighting to not shoot forward and fall off the wall.

As @jenn_pilotti says it’s fascinating how the slightest change in position can make a pose so much harder (or easier)
1. Video 1. Video yourself. Measure your leg. Place hands next to feet. Slide legs down the wall. See if you are backbending in half handstand or are you a bit restricted in shoulder mobility. If you are backbending move the shoulders forward just a bit and HOLD!

2. Video 2. For shoulder restricted people place your hands just in front of your feet. For backbenders place hands next to feet. Up you go. Now lean forward and push back up. Brutally hard 💪

3. Video 3. The only way I can backbend a tiny bit - wide legs. So yummy here.

4. @lauranorton_yoga Laura demonstrating the backbend version because I can’t! 🤣 I am very envious of Laura’s shoulder mobility 🤣

Be as strong as you need to be for your body to do the things you want to do. 💪

#shouldermobility
#shouldermobilityexercise
#realyogateachers

I had a great discussion about poses that look eas

I had a great discussion about poses that look easy but are hard with some amazing teachers @jenn_pilotti @happybody_happymind_yoga @allaboutyoga_sa and @jenni_rawlings on Jenni’s brilliant members forum on the best yoga movement science website out there - how cool is that.⁣
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⁣Handstand is seen as a challenging pose by most people. And if you can do a handstand balance you must be able to do most other poses right? But for me a middle of the room Handstand balance is way easier than Warrior 3, Half Handstand, L shaped Handstand - and don’t get me started about Wild thing.⁣
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⁣I can balance in Handstand for 60 seconds most times -video sped up - boring enough at 30 seconds long and yes I know its a Banana shaped handstand don’t shout at me!⁣
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⁣Warrior 3 is my nemesis. If I make 15 seconds thats a good Warrior 3 day. Ask me to move from Warrior 3 into Half moon or another standing one leg balance and I want to leave the class. ⁣
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⁣Half Handstand is brutal for me. I can hold a full Handstand at the wall for 2 minutes but Half Handstand - maybe 10-15 seconds. ⁣

⁣And trying to get off the wall in an L shape handstand - impossible. So much easier for me to do the scary take your leg right over your head into Banana Split Handstand. ⁣
⁣I have to fight really hard in all of these poses. Mostly for the same reason that my handstand is Banana shaped……slightly reduced shoulder flexion (arms up overhead). ⁣
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⁣I can’t lift my arms up in line with my ears in Warrior 3 so it feels like a load is pulling me down to the floor. (I also have to add that I am super lazy with one legged balances too so could be a bit better 🤣)⁣
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⁣In Half Handstand its a fight not to allow my shoulders to shoot forwards and face smash. ⁣
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⁣L Shaped handstand - not happening - Banana Split it has to be. ⁣🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌
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⁣Just wait till you see my Wild thing…..I will embarrass myself and show you all next week how I have to get into the pose. ⁣

As teachers we should know that our perception of a pose is not how others perceive a pose. Understand anatomy and movement science as best you can to help you to understand how you and your people move 💙
#bananahandstand
#movementscience

Jumping from Downward dog to Forward Fold at the f

Jumping from Downward dog to Forward Fold at the front of the mat is so scary for most Yoga practitioners. A lot of momentum is needed for jumping and this produces a real fear of falling. ⁣
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⁣There are arguments for and against using a bolster. ⁣
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⁣Some teachers think if you use a bolster you will never be able to do the movement without the bolster. ⁣
⁣I think that expecting people to just ‘get over’ their significant fear of falling and hurting themselves is unrealistic. As we know getting rid of a fear doesn’t happen that way. ⁣
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⁣We get rid of fear progressively. So all we need to do is apply the progressive loading principle to fear. That means starting where you feel ready to jump. Repeat until you build up confidence then do a harder version. Repeat…..⁣
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⁣The bolster also helps you to get up more easily as the slight pressure of your head on it helps you to lift the load of your legs. ⁣
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⁣Version 1: Feet do not come up. ⁣
⁣Shorten your Downward dog. Position your hands so that when you lean forward your head presses lightly into the bolster. Bend your knees and pull back and spring up without lifting your feet. Think hips up. Get used to the motion. ⁣
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⁣Version 2: Bent knee jumps⁣
⁣Position as in Version 1. Momentum. You have to jump! Quickly! Think 1, 2, 3 JUMP! Bend knees, pull back and spring up. Just a bit. Allow your head to press lightly into the bolster, it doesn’t hurt it. Think hips up. Think knees up. Squeeze your legs together. Land close to your hands⁣
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⁣Version 3: Straight leg jumps⁣
⁣Position as in Version 1. Remember you need more momentum here. As you spring up straighten your legs. Your head will probably press a little harder into the bolster, allow it as it will help you to lift your straight legs. ⁣
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⁣Gradually start to use the bolster less and less once you are feeling comfortable with these movements. ⁣
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⁣Have fun. ⁣😍

#downwardfacingdog
#downwarddog
#handstands
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⁣The topic of poses that look difficult but actu

⁣The topic of poses that look difficult but actually aren’t vs poses that look easy but are actually tough came up on @jenni_rawlings incredible forum for the members of her website. Lots of cool, intelligent exchanges of ideas as well as superb yoga anatomy education. Highly recommended. ⁣
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⁣Arm balances are an example. I find other poses like Warrior 3 (yes I promise - post to follow!) harder than arm balances. ⁣
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⁣Mayurasana (Peacock pose). When I do this pose, especially the one armed version, people often comment wow amazing that looks so hard/difficult/strong. ⁣
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⁣And sometimes I think Yoga Teachers don’t share the tips and tricks to help students do the pose preferring the pose to remain exclusive and elusive.⁣ I know I had to figure this pose out alone.
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⁣Check out the cushion tip I learned from @yogizain - what a difference it makes from the normal nausea producing pose that Mayuransa can be! ⁣
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⁣1. Arm Shelf - In Mayurasana my torso needs to balance on my shelf so I need draw my upper arms close together so I can lie my torso down without slipping off. Boobs get in the way - sorry if that offends anyone but this is a fact we need to consider. ⁣
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⁣2. Levers -(my legs and my torso) - think see-saw! In order for my legs to lift off the ground I need to shift my centre of mass forward and a bit down. A woman’s centre of mass is normally quite low down on the pelvis. Placing my ‘shelf’, my upper arms, low down on my stomach helps me to do this. ⁣
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⁣3. Lean - I now need to lean forward and a bit down to transfer the weight forward so that my legs will lift. The LONGER your legs the more you have to LEAN. Know your body!⁣
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⁣4. Load - your legs are the ‘load’ you need to lift. If you separate them there is less weight to lift up. Legs together is heavier. Keep your legs strong and straight - makes it easier to do the final lift. ⁣
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⁣5. In Mayurasana I turn my hands either backwards or slightly out to the side. ⁣
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⁣Doing Mayurasana on a box like this makes it really easy to position the shelf (your arms in the right place).

Go figure out your Mayurasana 💪
#yogagoals
#mayurasana

I saw this great post from @meghancallaway about f

I saw this great post from @meghancallaway about fitness things to do at home using the wall. ⁣
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⁣And I realised I aways do wacky handstand wall holds with my feet up on the wall, hands on the ground. And @meghancallaway post position was the other way around. Yay fun!⁣
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⁣It looked easy. Its not! Its super hard. Great front core and arm push strength work out. Some fear factor work too. All in all a great exercise for lots of yoga poses like arm balances and handstand.💪⁣
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⁣3 versions⁣
⁣1. Video sped up!! Start upright and gradually walk down the wall moving your feet back bit by bit as you go. You have to push hard into the wall as you move towards horizontal. There is actually a fear factor involved of falling on your face in the last wall plank - so don’t be surprised but its all good. And forces you to push into the wall and keep your body rigid. I need to do more work on this too.⁣
⁣2. This is @meghancallaway ‘s version 👏. Start in Plank and put one hand then the other on the wall. Push hard into the wall. ⁣
⁣3. Start in Plank then just touch the wall with your finger tips, place hand down, then the other hand. ⁣
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⁣I am constantly amazed how different movement practitioners share such great creative strength ideas that can help us so much in yoga - to be stronger, to aid our pose practice and to have more fun. @meghancallaway posts so many fun fitness ideas - go check out her page. ⁣
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Thinking a lot about division. How divided the US

Thinking a lot about division. How divided the US people have become. My adopted country, South Africa, too, a history steeped in severe division. Covid-19 adding more enforced separations in many different ways. Fake noise screwing with our minds. The world seems a very polarized place right now, people extremely intolerant of the other, and very angry.⁣
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⁣I went back to the Wellness Connection studio today, with 4 epic, strong, feisty, warm Wellness Connection Teachers, for the first time since lockdown in March. We all live in Cape Town but are from Ghana, Zimbabwe, the UK and South Africa. (An Irishman was there too 🤣).⁣
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⁣We made a huge amount of noise for 5 women, we laughed, we played, we talked Yoga and science and yoga and history and yoga and everything else, we chatted about so many exciting and innovative studio and education ideas for the future and how we can contribute. ⁣
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⁣Our different backgrounds and personalities make us better together. Together we are more creative, more energetic, more resourceful, more knowledgeable, more hopeful. ⁣
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⁣We are simply greater together than alone. Exciting things planned for 2021!
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⁣Thank you ⁣
@akosuakoranteng
@templeheartyoga
@lauranorton_yoga
@tarrynjames11
@yogasouthafrica
And the Irishman 🤣🤣
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A good post to save and share - lots of tips - Tip

A good post to save and share - lots of tips - Tippy Toes, Core and Wrist Tips. ⁣
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⁣Tippy Toe Press⁣
⁣Coming on to the very tops of your toes is key especially for those of us with longer leg to torso/arm proportions. This movement helps get our pelvis up higher and more in line with our shoulders which makes it a little easier to press up. Note I said a ‘little’ easier - 🤣 - not easy - pressing to handstand requires a lot of strength!!! ⁣
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⁣Core work (aka hip compression drills).⁣
⁣Bringing your thighs as close to your chest as possible makes us more compact, allowing us to move forward as a unit, requiring a little (just a little!) less strength. ⁣
⁣Check out @jenni_rawlings cool post on this movement that really works your core. Shared in my Stories too.
⁣You can also mimic this movement on your back.⁣
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Wrists⁣
⁣You can see how much I have to lean forward over my wrists especially when using a bolster - not so much in a free standing press. Initially this can be tough on your wrists - it took me a long time to build wrist resilience. A little trick is to turn your wrists out whilst you are practicing press. Because of our wrist joint structure we are able to lean further forward more easily with our hands slightly turned out. ⁣
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⁣But above all what is required is arm strength arm strength arm strength arm strength arm strength arm strength
💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪
#handstandtips
#nopressurepressmonday
#handstandtips
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What to do when you have no wall space? One of our

What to do when you have no wall space? One of our new teacher trainees @sustainably.sasha recently asked me this great question that affects so many people and I was reminded that not so long ago I had this problem too.⁣
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⁣Back then I said this very thing to a great Yogi I knew.... Gayle...I have no solid walls at home and my home is very very small.⁣
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⁣And Gayle replied - don’t you have a fridge? ⁣🤣🤣🤣
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⁣So here are a few ideas. Think out of the box (or off the wall 🤣).

#workouathome
#fitathome
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⁣Let me know what you use for your handstand practice.

Banana Handstanders kick up balance tips and trick

Banana Handstanders kick up balance tips and tricks ⁣
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⁣Often we are taught to kick up into Handstand stopping our top leg vertical to our shoulders aka straight line Handstand.⁣
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⁣BUT.....⁣
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⁣For us Banana people this is almost impossible because of our shoulder flexibility. If we stop the legs vertically we get pulled out of the handstand. So it’s much easier to find a balance by taking our first leg a little behind our shoulders to help us find a see saw type balance. ⁣
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⁣Video 1. ⁣
⁣See how my first leg goes a little behind my shoulder the my legs come together.⁣
⁣Video 2.⁣
⁣Often when we first start learning we kick up with both legs to the wall and then try to pull both legs off to try balance. But this brings the weight of our pelvis then legs too far forward and we fall out⁣
⁣Video 3.⁣
⁣Measure a short distance to the wall and kick up allowing only one leg to touch the wall. Find a short split and then slowly bring that foot off. Just a little!!! Tension legs. Hold here for as long as you can. ⁣
⁣Video 4. ⁣
⁣Scary longer leg distance kick up. Same instruction applies! ⁣
⁣Video 5. ⁣
⁣Mid range leg distance kick up. ⁣
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⁣You can also do these from standing ie you don’t have to place your hands down and kick up - you can do it all in one movement if that works better for you. Just know where you are going to place your hands ⁣
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⁣Please send me videos of you try these tips. I hope they help!

#handstandpractice
#handstandforbeginners

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