Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) is our pose of the week: Also known as ‘The King of Hip Openers’, Pigeon Pose works stiff hips from every angle.
HOW TO DO PIGEON POSE:
- Start from all fours in a squared table pose
- Slide the right knee forward toward your right hand. Angle your right knee at two o’clock.
- Slide your left leg back as far as your hips will allow.
- Keep your hips square to the floor. If your hips are not square, there will be an unnecessary force on your back, and you won’t be able to open the hips to their fullest.
- If you’re not feeling a deep stretch in your right glute, slide the right foot forward–little by little–toward your left hand. With practice, bring your foot parallel with the front edge of your mat
- Your right thigh should have an external rotation, and your left thigh should have a slight internal rotation. This keeps pressure off the kneecap.
- Depending on how you feel, you will be upright on your hands while sinking the hips forward and down. Level two will rest on their forearms, and level three will rest the chest on the floor with the arms fully extended in front of you.
- To get the full release in the hips, breathe and release the belly. Stay in this position anywhere from 10 breaths to five minutes.
BENEFITS OF PIGEON POSE:
- Opens the hip joints
- Uses core strength to keep your hips level
- Lengthens the hip flexor
- Stretches the thigh and gluteal muscles