Dear yogis ! I offer you a series of articles devoted to the analysis of the core, in my opinion, asanas in Hatha yoga.
My partner PinkyYogi will help you visualize these poses :)
Description of poses will include :
1. All asanas are grouped according to the positions in which they are performed (standing, sitting, lying on your back, hand balances, forward bends, back bends, etc.). Each asana will have a separate article.
2. Each article will reflect:
- name of the pose in English/Sanskrit,
- performance and alignment of asana,
- typical errors,
- modifications,
- positive effects,
- contraindications.
Standing asanas
Virabhadrasana I
Performance and alignment of the asana:
Performance of the asana begin with Tadasana. Next you need to perform Utkatasana, while the hands can still be left on the waist. Put your left foot back about 1 meter. Try to keep your left foot parallel to your right foot (as if your feet are on rails). This way, your feet, knees, pelvis, and body look straight. In Ashtanga yoga, the back foot can be turned 45 degrees, but it must be pressed completely into the floor. You need to remember to engage quadriceps, which should tone your knees. The back leg is straight, the front leg is bent at an angle of about 90 degrees. Pay attention that the knee does not extend beyond the toes of the foot. Twist the pelvis forward and tone hips to remove the deflection in the lower back. Engage core. The upper body is stretched up. The chest is open and the arms are pointing up. Hands should be directed upward, and palms are joint above the head (do not form a "roof of the house"!) (if you can't join them, keep them spread up or to the sides.) Your shoulders should be strictly above your hips. Look either in front of you or up.
Check yourself: shoulders, body and hips are deployed to the beginning of the Mat. The bent knee does not extend beyond the toes, the front thigh is parallel to the floor. The back leg is straight.
Typical errors:
- twisted or bent knee of the back leg
- knee of the front leg goes beyond the toes of the foot
- deflection in the lumbar region
- no stretching of the muscles of the body and arms
- the entire foot of the back leg is not compressed
Modifications:
Performance the asana with a chair. You can put the hip of the front leg on a chair, the back leg is straight.
Positive effects:
- strengthening of quadriceps, core muscles, shoulder joints
- stretching arms and side muscles of the torso
- useful for balance and endurance
Contraindications:
- sore knees
- lower back problems
