yoga - pigeon pose

[LisaS]

I've been recommended to try the pigeon pose to "open the hips" - obviously I'm tight in this area and cannot quite make the beginners pose (that is, straight rear leg) - and I'm not sure of what the best compromise position would be. This link http://yoga.about.com/od/yogaposes/a/pigeon.htm suggests it is important to keep the hips square and you can use a pad to bring this about. Is that a common practice? If I keep my hips square otherwise, the right hip isn't on the ground, so it would seem I either need a pad or need to "lean" if that makes sense - and with a lean, though the right hip gets a stretch, the front of the left does not.

[laughingW]

Here's an article that talks about that very thing. Ryan Hurst (Circular Strength Training coach) was working with elite gymnastic girls who have that tightness even at age 12 (!) because of their sport. There are details on Pigeon Pose as well as dynamic drills to open up that range of motion.

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/home/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=390

[LisaS]

that was great! thanks for the link. I've become so tight overall I cannot kneel/sit martial arts style anymore, except with a pronounced forward flexion. Dynamic stretching & mobility exercises are my new best friends.

[laughingW]

Yah, every training positive has a negative that "comes along for the ride." Specially the strength ones where "tighter is lighter" - doh! next thing you know, it's time to work on too much tight!

Good luck. I am working on similar challenges for the backbend- type stuff.