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#PowerPose Week 3 – Malasana

Posted by Suzanne on October 20, 2014 in Practice

This week our focus is on Malasana, known as garland pose.  In the full expression of the pose, the feet are together, the forehead reaches the mat and the hands reach around the knees to bind behind the back.  For our purposes, we will work on the a modified variation, where the spine is long and the hands are at the heart.

In this modified variation of the posture, squat with the feet hip distance apart with the toes and knees drawing foward.  To balance the apana or downward energy of this pose, a lift through the pelvic floor or activate mulabandha.  Hands come to the heart while lifting the spine long.  Malasana is great for opening the hips and achilles.  It can also strengthen and promote mobility in the knees and quads.

Here are a few options and variations that will cultivate openness and strength in Malasana.

MalasanaOption 1 – Football Squat.  With the feet about hip distance and the toes drawing forward, sit the hips back and rest the forearms on the thighs. Keep the knees behind the toes as you would in utkatasana.  Bear the weight evenly on all four corners of the feet, lightly gripping the mat with your toes.  Gently lift the pelvic floor.

Option 2 – Malasana with hands to the floor.  When you feel ready to go deeper, begin to drop the hips further towards the floor.  You can support the hips on a block or bolster if needed.  Keep the weight back and lift the pelvic floor.  Over time, work to drop the hips as far as you are comfortable.  Be mindful of how the achilles react and of how the knees feel with the compression.  If there are any concerns, back off and give the body time to be available to the deeper squat.

Option 3 – Malasana with heels on blanket.  This variation is especially useful if you have tight achilles or calves.  Roll a blanket or your mat, so there are a couple of inches of cushion, place your heels on the cushion.  Find any degree of the squat that feels right.

Option 4 – Malasana Variation.  Rest the hips in the fullest squat available with the heels on the ground.  Bring the hands to anjali mudra (prayer) at the heart and reach the sternum towards the thumbs.  The knees draw to the center, while the elbows counter that gentle pressure.  Keep the lift of the pelvic floor and if available activate uddiyana bandha.

Malasana is a great posture to open the hips.  It helps to counter the tightness we create when sitting in chairs and driving cars.  In everyday life, this is a great position to encourage healthy movements when picking up heavy objects or squirmy ones, like kids.

If you find that you can get deeper in this pose by turning the feet out, that’s an option, but do try to gently coax the feet more forward to continue to challenge the hips.  If you have any knee issues, be very mindful as you work in this posture.  The best option may be to stay with Option 1, the Football Squat.

Whatever variation or focus you work on this week, be sure to work where you feel challenged, but also where you can breath and relax around the work.  Follow this weekly challenge @suzannewrightyoga on Instagram or at Suzanne Wright Yoga on Facebook.  If you post your pictures or share about your experience be sure to tag #PowerPose and @suzannewrightyoga.

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First, Read the Book

Posted by Suzanne on October 19, 2014 in Life, Practice

photoThe other day, my youngest daughter, came home from school in a flurry of excitement about a book report assignment.  She went on in great detail about how there were ten options and she had to pick three.  She already knew which options she was going to do and had started to complete one of them.

She had just started the book, so I was surprised she was already thinking book report.  I asked if she had finished the book and her reply was, “Not yet, but I’ve read most of it.”  On the plus side, she’s excited about the book and the homework, those are both great things right?  Well, I think she’s getting ahead of herself.  She really needs to read the book first.

As yogis, we do this in our practice.  We fixate on the big assignment in the form of a really hard pose or a really challenging class, but don’t focus on the important content, the practice.  It’s the time and effort spent on building the practice: physical, mental, spiritual, that we should really be our focus of our energy.

So, treat your practice like a really good book.  Immerse yourself in it.  Re-read the really good parts or the parts you need more time to absorb.  Contemplate what you’ve read.  Discuss and share with those who are of like and different minds.  Go back and read the whole thing again.  Besides, the book report or the movie are never as satisfying as a losing yourself again and again in a really great book.

Enjoy the Journey,

Suzanne

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#PowerPose Week 2 – Utkatasana

Posted by Suzanne on October 13, 2014 in Practice

This week our focus is on Utkatasana, which is sometimes called chair pose, but I prefer the translation of fierce pose.  While the pose may look like sitting in a chair, it certainly does not feel like it!

In this posture, feet are together at the toes and heels, the knees are bent and the back is long.  The knees should not sneak in front of the toes, rather, the focus is on keeping the knees behind the toes.  Depending on the style of yoga you practice, the back might be on a diagonal or more vertical.  Hands can be anywhere from on the hips to clasped over head.

Utkatasana develops strength in the lower body and adds challenge to your practice.  The ankles, quads, and glutes all feel heat when the pose is held. Be sure to keep full breath moving when you are holding this pose.

Here are a few options and variations that will cultivate proper form and strength in Utkatasana.

utkatasana power poseOption 1 – Wall sits.  With the feet about hips distance, press the back against the wall, then walk the feet out as you bend your knees.  Go down until you find a good level of challenge, but no further than knees over ankles and the thighs parallel to the floor.  Press the feet into the floor and keep your back engaged on the wall.  To add challenge raise the arms over head.  Work up to spending 60-120 seconds in this posture.

Option 2 – Utkatasana with hands to the heart.  As you build strength in this pose work on deepening the bend in the knee and changing the arm position.  Arms closer to the body will reduce the heat and challenge, while arms extended will increase heat and challenge.

Option 3 – Utkatasana with arms extended parallel to the ground.  Use the extended arms to counter balance the body, this may allow you to sink deep into the pose.  Be mindful as you go deeper that your are taking care of your knees.

Option 4 – Utkatasana with arms extended over head.  Reach the arms parallel to one another at first, as if you are holding a block.  If the shoulders allow, clasp the hands, extending the pointer finger.  Arms can be extended at a diagonal or directly over head, depending on how open your shoulders feel while practicing.

Utkatasana is a great posture for cultivating uddiyana bandha, the energy flow upward from the belly to the crown of the head.  This restraint or lock starts as a muscular lift of the lower abdomen and can evolve into the harnessing of prana (upward) energy.  It’s the energy we tap into that gives our poses flight and lift, especially arm balancing postures which are favorites of the Monday Night Power Crew.  To begin to engage uddiyana bandha, concentrate on scooping or hollowing out the belly and then lifting the low belly upward towards the belly button or low ribs.  Keep the breath flowing as you find this lift and muscular engagement.

Whatever variation or focus you work on this week, be sure to work where you feel challenged, but also where you can breath and relax around the work.  Follow this weekly challenge @suzannewrightyoga on Instagram or at Suzanne Wright Yoga on Facebook.  If you post your pictures or share about your experience be sure to tag #PowerPose and @suzannewrightyoga.

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