April 2021 “Pause for a Pose” – the Seated Forward Straddle (with blocks) – upavistha konasana hasta…
Begin in easy pose or seated staff with the torso upright. Slide one foot out laterally as far as you can without experiencing pain. Repeat with the other foot. Relax here for a few moments, then wiggle the legs out slightly wider – one side and then the other, until you feel fully into straddle stretch/split to your limit today. Pain-free yoga!
Variation 1 – Having two to three comfortable yoga blocks available, place one of the blocks vertically on one end, about 24 inches in front of your groin. Adjust as desired. Walk or slide your hands out in front of your upper body past the corresponding sides of the block as you softly place your forehead on the block. Use a folded microfiber or face towel on the block for more comfort if needed. Leaving the forearms and elbows on the floor past the block, relax your body into forward fold being conscious of the neck being soft and unstressed. Your goal is to allow your chest and anterior deltoids to eventually rest on the floor between your stretched legs, also bringing a deeply opening stretch to the lower back. As you gain flexibility without stress to your back, vary by turning the yoga block on its wide side and placing your forehead there.
Variation 2 – use two yoga blocks turned as needed per your low back flexibility and place them under your forearms or elbows and hinge forward at the hips and relax into forward fold as low as you can in the moment.
Variation 3 – you may use three yoga blocks, sitting on the wide side of one, on the sitting bones while holding the other blocks with your hands and walking them out in front of your body with legs wide and relaxed. A pillow or folded blanket may be substituted for the sitting block. Always begin in the version which will allow you to stay in the position for two to five minutes. Let your body and mind relax incrementally from head to sacrum and then to toes to FEEL everything, including your breathing. Our ultimate goal is to go here flat without props and breathe slowly and deeply for several minutes, adjusting the position of your hips throughout if necessary.
Enjoy practicing this pose all month, come see us this week at Hot Yoga!
730 Fairview Avenue, Suite C-2,
Bowling Green, KY – 270-793-0011 – email: hotyogabowlinggreen@yahoo.com