Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Eka - one
Pada - foot or leg
Raja - king
Kapota - pigeon or dove
English name: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose
Pada - foot or leg
Raja - king
Kapota - pigeon or dove
English name: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose
Critical Elements
How to get in and out of this asana:
Start on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor. Position the right heel just in front of the left hip. The right knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip, and rotated slightly inwardly, so its mid-line presses against the floor. Lay your torso down on the inner right thigh for a few breaths. Stretch your arms forward. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel, and lengthen the left front groin. Stay in this position for a minute. Then, with your hands on the floor, carefully slide the left knee forward, and lift up and back into downward facing dog. Take a few breaths, drop the knees to all-fours on another exhalation.
Actions and muscles involved:
This asana strengthens and stretches the muscles of the groin and hip joints. It affects the whole body by strengthening, stretching, and toning the spinal column and stretching the chest and rib cage. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana and it's variations stretches the hips and legs while relaxing the inner thigh (adductor) muscles.
Start on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor. Position the right heel just in front of the left hip. The right knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip, and rotated slightly inwardly, so its mid-line presses against the floor. Lay your torso down on the inner right thigh for a few breaths. Stretch your arms forward. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel, and lengthen the left front groin. Stay in this position for a minute. Then, with your hands on the floor, carefully slide the left knee forward, and lift up and back into downward facing dog. Take a few breaths, drop the knees to all-fours on another exhalation.
Actions and muscles involved:
This asana strengthens and stretches the muscles of the groin and hip joints. It affects the whole body by strengthening, stretching, and toning the spinal column and stretching the chest and rib cage. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana and it's variations stretches the hips and legs while relaxing the inner thigh (adductor) muscles.
Physical & Therapeutic Benefits
- stretches: thighs, groins, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and neck
- stimulates the abdominal organs
- opens the shoulders and chest
- helps with urinary disorders
Awareness
When in this asana, my hips feel a little tight. But, I also feel like I'm opening up and stretching my body, in a good way. It really helps to slowly release my hips so they aren't so tense.
References
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/863
http://www.yoga.com/ydc/enlighten/enlighten_document.asp?ID=334§ion=9&cat=144
picture (full pose) -
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.clusterflock.org/fullpigeon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.clusterflock.org/category/yoga&usg=__bWcxqGCkk0aJxKtHBM4cEkrVpWg=&h=388&w=400&sz=173&hl=en&start=0&sig2=nha_h6h5wI0OlrbHJFsFNQ&zoom=1&tbnid=kETjylRjnd67MM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=122&ei=u9PkTOK6GIy8sAPlxKWxCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Deka%2Bpada%2Brajakapotasana%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1135%26bih%3D525%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=236&vpy=62&dur=4767&hovh=221&hovw=228&tx=117&ty=150&oei=AtPkTP3cDYScsQPQ5sSwCw&esq=5&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0
http://www.yoga.com/ydc/enlighten/enlighten_document.asp?ID=334§ion=9&cat=144
picture (full pose) -
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.clusterflock.org/fullpigeon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.clusterflock.org/category/yoga&usg=__bWcxqGCkk0aJxKtHBM4cEkrVpWg=&h=388&w=400&sz=173&hl=en&start=0&sig2=nha_h6h5wI0OlrbHJFsFNQ&zoom=1&tbnid=kETjylRjnd67MM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=122&ei=u9PkTOK6GIy8sAPlxKWxCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Deka%2Bpada%2Brajakapotasana%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1135%26bih%3D525%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=236&vpy=62&dur=4767&hovh=221&hovw=228&tx=117&ty=150&oei=AtPkTP3cDYScsQPQ5sSwCw&esq=5&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)