Fitness
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What you do on a yoga mat is a private matter between you and your muscles.
There are, however, a few yoga poses everyone does wrong and your body needs to know.
And that can sometimes lead to injury, she tells Bustle.
Doing yoga poses with good form also allows you to receive the maximum benefits from each move.
Having poor alignment, Stephanopoulos says, could be the difference between working your legs versus your glutes.
Low Lunge
When doing low lunge pose, its super easy to over-bend your front leg, says Stephanopoulos.
Heres how to do it right:
Start in downward dog with your hips high.
Exhale and step your right foot forward between your hands.
Find a 90-degree bend in your front leg.
Check that your front knee is stacked over your front ankle.
Drop your left knee to the mat.
Extend your back leg to feel a stretch in your hip.
Inhale and reach your arms high over your head.
Face forward and take several breaths.
- Go back into downward dog.
Most people do not find a flat back, Stephanopoulos notes.
- With feet hip-width apart, drop your head towards your mat into a forward fold.
Keep a gentle bend in your knees.
Inhale and bring your palms to your shins.
If you like, place yoga blocks on the ground instead.
Lift halfway up.
Bring your shoulders away from your ears as you find length in your back.
Imagine your back is flat like a table.
Keep your head in line with your spine.
Engage your core.
Pigeon Pose
Pigeon poseis a slightly trickier yoga posture, which is why things can easily go awry.
When you enter pigeon pose, ensure to keep your weight evenly distributed across both hips, Stephanopoulos says.
Start in downward dog with your hips pointing towards the ceiling.
Lift one leg into the air and step it forward.
Bend your leg so that your knee lands next to your wrist.
Extend your back leg straight behind you.
Untuck your toes.
Use props, like a yoga block, under your glute for support.
ensure both hips are pointed straight forward.
Reach your arms forward.
Stay upright or lower your head to your mat for a deeper stretch.
Hold for several breaths.
Lift back into downward dog and repeat on the other side.
Think of this pose as creating length in the spine versus the legs.
Also, verify you dont press too hard into your shoulders.
Place your hands shoulder-width apart in a quadruped position.
Step your feet back and place them hip-width apart.
Spread your fingers into your mat and press into your palms.
Lift your hips into the air.
Keep a slight bend in your knees.
Pedal your heels up and down.
Think about shifting your weight away from your shoulders.
Focus on lifting your hips to create length in your spine.
Feel free to move in this pose to loosen tight muscles.
Remain for several breaths.
Begin on your hands and knees.
Sit back onto your heels.
Fold forward over your knees, or let your knees widen.
Lower your forehead to the floor or turn your head to the side.
Its also common to let your knees fall forward, which places pressure on the joints.
Heres what to do instead:
Stand tall with your feet together or hip-width apart.
Inhale and reach your arms overhead, palms facing together.
Exhale and bend your knees.
Sit your hips back as if sitting in a chair.
Keep your knees parallel to the floor.
You should be able to see your toes when you look down.
Engage your core and tuck your tailbone under.
Relax your shoulders and look ahead.
Stay for several breaths.
Stand tall on your mat.
Hug one shin into your chest.
Turn your knee out.
Place the sole of your foot against your opposite inner thigh or shin.
Press into your standing foot.
Spread your toes for balance.
Focus your gaze on a wall.
Connect with your breath.
Take three to five breaths.
From downward dog, gently straighten your legs by pressing your heels towards the mat.
Position your hands shoulder-distance apart and feet hip-width apart.
Keep your neck neutral.
Inhale and lift right leg up.
Check that both hips are facing down towards the mat.
Place the lifted foot back on your mat and return to downward dog.
Repeat with the other leg.
J Sci Med Sport.
