Crow Pose Tutorial

THE ANATOMY OF CROW POSE

The scapula is a sturdy bone that is flat in shape. “Flat bones provide protection and a place for broad muscles to attach.” (Long, Raymond A. MD, FRSC, The Key Muscles of Yoga, Bandha Yoga Publications LLC, 2006, pg. 11)

This is where we find our rotator cuff muscles (subscapularis, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor). The rotator cuff muscles are responsible for stabilizing the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) within the shoulder (glenohumeral joint).

The shoulder, like the hip, is a ball-and-socket joint allowing for a great deal of range of motion. It allows for an even greater range of motion than the hip because of the upper arm bone’s shallow placement in the shoulder joint. This extra range of motion comes with a price — it leaves our shoulders vulnerable, with limited stability. That doesn’t mean “game over.” With awareness of this area and activation of the stability within other parts of the body, we can create a more balanced relationship between mobility and stability in the shoulder.

The scapula, on the other hand, is stabilized by the muscles of the serratus anterior and the rhomboids.

There are 4 main movements of the scapula:

Retraction — through the actions of trapezius, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi muscles
Protraction — through the actions of serratus anterior, pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor muscles
Elevation — through the trapezius, levator scapulae, and rhomboid muscles
Depression — through the force of gravity and actions of the latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, pectoralis major and minor, and trapezius muscles

Cowan PT, Mudreac A, Varacallo M. Anatomy, Back, Scapula. [Updated 2021 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531475/

(There are other movements of the scapula, but in this tutorial, we focus on protraction.)

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CROW POSE ACTIONS

As Matt is setting up Bakasana, we see how important it is to find this fullness when we go into protraction of the scapulae. This fullness extends beyond the shoulders, all the way into the arms and even into the fingers. Here, our breath body meets the actions of our physical body through the fullness and expansion at the back and into our fingers, strengthening not only the posture but the serratus anterior muscles and the shoulder girdle.

With increased stability and strength, we actually find a lightness that Matt talks about and demonstrates so that we can find the elevation required to sustain Crow Pose.

If you are yearning to broaden your understanding of the mechanics of the shoulder, you won’t want to miss out on Shoulder Revelation! Here, you’ll find 12 all-levels, technique-based yoga practices to develop great awareness, strength, range of motion and capability in the shoulder girdle. In these live practices with Matt, you will work through the mechanics of bound postures, heart openers, and arm balances as well as some imperative drills to maintain healthy muscles and joints.

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SHOULDER REVELATION

Strength•Mobility•Biomechanics

Increase strength and flexibility
Decrease risk of injury
Release shoulder tension
Learn anatomy and biomechanics
Access a wider range of postures
Stabilize the rotator cuff muscles
Learn binds, heart openers, and arm balances
12 all-levels, 75-minute online classes
Lifetime unlimited access to all

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full wheel shoulder alignment elbows in or out

by matt | Aug 23, 2021 | Home Page, Main Page Display

FULL WHEEL POSE

STOP HUGGING THE ELBOWS IN

SHOULDER ACTIONS FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY

FULL WHEEL

SHOULDER FLEXIBILITY IN FULL WHEEL POSE

You may have noticed that Full Wheel Pose is quite challenging, and you might think the issue is your back, core, or shoulder strength. Sure, each of these plays a role, but not nearly as much as the simple technique of retracting the shoulder blades and widening the elbows. For whatever reason, there is a myth that the elbows need to be hugged in for safety. This is simply not true. Have you ever seen a weight lifter press a tremendous amount of weight above their head? If yes, then you know their elbows are not tucked in, and considering the amount of weight they are lifting, it’s pretty obvious that there is nothing wrong with this biomechanically. In my opinion, it’s not only okay to widen the elbows; it’s a much better physiological decision.

WHY DOES MY TEACHER ALWAYS SAY TO HUG THEM IN?

This cue is coming from the basic understanding that the shoulder joint is more stable when the arms are externally rotated. However, hugging the elbows in is overly stabilizing, which is why everyone struggles with mobility when the elbows are tucked in for Wheel Pose. Furthermore, if we take a closer look, hugging the elbows in will likely trigger your pectoral muscles to engage, not your rotator cuff. Rather than bore or lose you with the anatomical details, I will tell you how to find out for yourself by trying out the difference while sitting up.

CONTROLLED TEST WITH A STRAP

OLD WAY:

Bring your arms in front like you’re going to do the Macarena, then bend your elbows, mimicking what most teachers have told you to do in full wheel.
Loop a strap around both elbows to keep them in — this is often used in alignment-based classes.
Without letting the elbows go wider than your shoulders, raise your arms up, straightening your elbows while keeping them tucked in, and see how vertical your arms can get.

Most likely, you won’t be able to go too high up without effort. IF you are hypermobile in the shoulders, you may be able to; if Full Wheel is working the way you are doing it, then continue that way. However, if you feel pinching in your shoulders, watch the tutorial below.

NEW WAY:

Widen your elbows out to the sides like you are making cactus arms.
Reach your arms up to the sky like you are celebrating a victory.

You will likely notice that this felt more natural and relatively easy. That’s because it IS NATURAL to lift your arms this way. The best way to approach Full Wheel Pose for maximum flexibility in the shoulder girdle is to allow the elbows to be out.

Shoulder Revelation

The September 2021 Immersion includes a full-length class to Wild Thing Pose as well as 11 additional classes emphasizing shoulder techniques and biomechanics! In this package, you get twelve 75-minute yoga classes to help you gain maximum strength, flexibility, and range of motion of the shoulders. You will also learn how to release neck tension and reduce risk of shoulder and neck injuries.

If you want to feel better in your shoulders, this is THE immersion to practice!

SALE PRICE: ~~$198.00~~ $138.00

DON’T HUG THE ELBOWS IN, AND ENJOY YOUR LOW BACK

Amazingly enough, when you allow the shoulders to move properly, you will notice that you can shift your weight into your hands and out of your feet, and this will take the pressure off of the low back! This is because the backbend will now be dispersed throughout the whole spine instead of targeted straight into one or two vertebrae in your lumbar spine (typically L4 and L5 for most people).

EASIER SAID THAN DONE?

Ok ok ok, after that demo you might visually or intellectually get it, and perhaps you want to give this a try. Doing the shoulder actions while seated is far easier than trying it upside down and on your head. This is partially because our body can propriocept (know where it is in space) much more easily when right side up, simply because that’s how we exist most of the day. But your nervous system needs to learn where your bones are and how to activate your muscles when everything is flipped upside down. This is just the way it is; the only thing you can do about it is put yourself upside down MORE OFTEN, AND watch this video repetitively to stimulate your “mirror neurons,” which allow you to mimic something more easily through repetitive viewing.

To get these shoulder actions fully integrated into your practice, sign up for the Shoulder Revelation Immersion — 12 classes designed to help you develop mastery of movement within the shoulder girdle.

Thank you for reading and watching! I look forward to sharing more with you in an upcoming training or monthly immersion!

Co-written and edited with 300-hour Chromatic teacher, Donna Morin

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Shoulder Revelation

The September 2021 Immersion includes a full-length class to Wild Thing Pose as well as 11 additional classes emphasizing shoulder techniques and biomechanics! In this package, you will get twelve 75-minute yoga classes to help you gain maximum strength, flexibility, and range of motion of the shoulders. You will also learn how to release neck tension and reduce risk of shoulder and neck injuries.

If you want to feel better in your shoulders, this is THE immersion to practice!

SALE PRICE: ~~$198.00~~ $138.00

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Hanumanasana Hints

Chin Stand

Postpone The Stretch Sensation

Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

Spinal Spaciousness

Steps To Scorpion Pose

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full side plank and modifications

by matt | Jul 23, 2021 | Main Page Display

FULL SIDE PLANK WITH MODIFICATIONS

STEP-BY-STEP VASHISTHASANA BREAKDOWN

FULL SIDE PLANK

FULL SIDE PLANK AND MODIFICATIONS: VASHISTHASANA

USING THE WALL AS A PROP

Full Side Plank (Vashisthasana) has many modification options and variations to help make it more accessible or more challenging. I love teaching this posture with a foot on the wall to increase stability and provide a frame of reference for shifting the weight out of the hand and into the foot.

Some people avoid props, thinking of them as a “crutch.” For sure, they can be used as a way to avoid challenges if that is your intention, but they can also be used to increase body awareness and help you develop technique. Props are neither good nor bad; it’s just a matter of how and why you are using them. Is it that you want to avoid challenge or that you want to face challenge intelligently and appropriately?

In the video tutorial below, I show how to modify side plank by placing your top foot on the wall. This reduces the required balance and will allow you to focus on the foundations of the posture, like the strength of your hand and wrist. Press your thumb and pinky fingers into the ground. Then focus on your bottom foot, pressing the instep of your foot into the wall. Eventually, you will be able to place the whole standing foot on the ground, which will give you strength and the power to lift the hips up. Lastly, keep your shoulder externally rotating, as indicated in the video.

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Full Side Plank & Modifications • Vashisthasana at the Wall

This Side Plank tutorial footage is taken from the July 2021 Immersion, titled BALANCE

Full Side Plank Setup

What I don’t discuss in this particular clip is how the setup of this posture is exactly like Wild Thing. This means your pelvis is more open toward the sky, while in standard Side Plank, your feet are stacked. The spine is in a backbend as well, unlike the standard variation, where the spine is neutral.

There are other alignments you could explore, but these will tend to give you the greatest access to the full Side Plank variation where you grab the top foot and extend the leg. If you want to practice the full class, be sure to check out Class #9 of the July 2021 Immersion, called Balance

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Three Full Side Plank Modifications and Variations

Foot on the Wall: Once you rise up into Wild Thing, place the back foot on the wall and push your weight toward the wall, even if it means both knees are bent. This is not only okay but an indication that you are doing it properly.
Tree Pose: The next step is infinitely more challenging because it requires greater balance and flexibility. Take the foot off the wall, similar to Tree Pose but without placing the foot on your inner thigh (though that is also another variation). I suggest pushing your knee into your hand to get your hip flexors active. Hip flexor strength becomes key when you attempt to straighten the leg. Often the tension of the hamstrings is too much and people have to let go of the foot. If your hip flexors are strong and used to engaging in this position, then they can help out by keeping the top leg closer to your upper body, lessening the chances that you’ll have to let go of the foot when extending the leg up to the sky.
Full Side Plank or “Extended Vashisthasana”: Pull your knee in as tight as possible in order to grab your foot. Either stay as a modification or begin to kick the foot to the sky, straightening the top leg. Pro tip: It’s helpful to keep the bottom, weight-bearing leg bent while extending the top leg upward.

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1. Balance Immersion: 12 Classes Focused on Balance (video above is taken from this immersion)

Can’t Straighten Your Legs?

This is normal and really shouldn’t be your focus. This is an incredibly physically demanding posture that requires extreme flexibility. Even with slightly bent knees, the posture is still visually stunning and, I would argue, even more biomechanically sound because bent knees typically trigger more muscle engagement.

Edited by 300-hour Chromatic yoga teacher, Donna Morin.

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Crow Pose, Side Crow, and variations
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Hanumanasana Hints

Chin Stand

Postpone The Stretch Sensation

Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

Spinal Spaciousness

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Eagle Pose technique how to double wrap the legs

by matt | Jun 10, 2021 | Home Page, Main Page Display

GARUDASANA – EAGLE POSE

How to Double Wrap the Legs

Eagle Pose

GARUDASANA – EAGLE POSE

Why is it hard to double wrap the leg?

Garudasana, known as Eagle Pose, is a challenging hip opener and hip strengthener. It’s useful in developing balance, but for many people, double wrapping the leg is not accessible. For sure, some people have no trouble at all, but others are completely perplexed.

There are three reasons why it would be challenging for you or your students to double wrap:

Lack of flexibility of the abductor muscles (outer hip muscles). These are the muscles that are lengthened when we cross our legs.
Lack of strength of the standing hip abductor muscles. This is a bit confusing unless you watch the video below. The standing hip abductors help to elevate the opposite side of the pelvis, making it more possible to cross the top leg over the bottom leg.
Lack of technique and timing. In most cases, if you are not applying deliberate technique while moving into a pose, you will be entering the pose the hard way, which means you will only be able to do the postures that match your set of physical muscular patterns. This is a disservice, not because you will miss out on the poses but because you will miss out on the opportunity to change your muscle patterns. In the video below, you will see the timing and techniques for getting into Eagle Pose with double-wrapped legs.

yoga backbend techniques: 12 classes [backbend technique to relieve back pain "bowing the spine']

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How to Increase Flexibility of the Abductors — Outer Hips

If flexibility is inhibiting you from accessing Garudasana and you want to find ways to access your greater range of motion of the outer hip muscles, there are a couple postures you can work with. Any posture that includes crisscrossed legs will be useful and effective in increasing abductor flexibility. Although there aren’t many traditional postures, aside from Eagle Pose itself, one that comes to mind is Gomukhasana, Cow-Faced Pose. However, I would say that Eagle Pose should usually precede Gomukhasana because Eagle Pose requires less flexibility. The posture that I use in the Hips and Hamstrings immersion to prepare for Eagle is a straight single-leg forward fold with crisscrossed legs.

How to Get into the Straight-Leg Crisscrossed Forward Fold

Start in Lunge Pose with your right foot forward.
Heel-toe (move) your right foot to the left side of the mat.
Step your back left foot to the right side of the mat so that both legs are crisscrossed.
I suggest using block under both hands prior to the last step.
Straighten your legs to a degree where you are stretching without strain.

IMPORTANT KEY ACTION: Wag your tail bone to the left to increase the stretch along the outer hip and IT band. If that’s too intense, wag your tail to the right to decrease the outer-hip stretch.

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WHY LACK OF ABDUCTOR STRENGTH HOLDS YOU BACK IN EAGLE POSE

Strength of the abductor group (outer hip muscles) is super important for two reasons. First, the standing hip abductors are what lift the opposite side of your pelvis, which allows you to cross your top leg over. Second, without outer hip strength on the standing leg, you would struggle to balance the pose! Outer hip muscles play a major role in balancing any single leg pose. If you find it challenging to balance Garudasana, then you will want to start with a strength-training routine for the abductors. We focus in on strengthening these muscles in the Hips and Hamstrings Immersion

FREE VIDEO TUTORIAL: HOW TO DOUBLE WRAP LEGS IN GARUDASANA, EAGLE POSE

This video clip was taken from Class #3 in the Hips and Hamstrings: 12 Class Immersion

HOW TO DOUBLE WRAP THE LEGS

Notice in the video that I am focused on squeezing the outer standing hip inward and lifting the opposite side of the pelvis upward as a result. This allows the thigh bone to more easily cross the midline of the body. You will also notice that my thighs are significantly rotated inward; this helps to access the wrapping of the legs as well. In the class leading up to this tutorial, we used a wall to eliminate the necessity to balance while working with these actions. In this video, I joke about the use of a wall, but I highly recommend you try it that way.

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HOW DO I INCREASE FLEXIBILITY OF MY HIPS FOR OTHER YOGA POSTURES?

The easy answer to this is to practice in such a way that you are deliberately strengthening each muscle group around the hips. To learn more about what muscle groups are involved in hip opening, check out the article I wrote on The 4 Quadrants of The Hips, where I share my methodology and approach for my personal practice and in my teaching. Once you understand which muscles surround the hip joints, the next step is to begin strengthening each muscle group. Strengthening one muscle group through range of motion will increase the flexibility of the opposing muscle group. This is the magic of an educated and deliberate practice — we take the guesswork out, and efforts are more effective in achieving intended results.

To increase your strength and flexibility of the hips, you can join the Hips and Hamstrings Immersion,which will take you through twelve 75-minute online yoga classes, each focused on a different pose and the relevant muscle group(s). I take you through creative ways of strengthening, then I provide you with effective techniques for stretching and accessing various yoga postures.

HIPS & HAMSTRINGS IMMERSION

Increase range of motion of your hips and hamstrings
Learn techniques such as facilitated stretching
Release stress patterns, discomfort, or pain in your hips, back, and knees
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Learn postures: Pigeon, Lizard Variations, Lotus, Eagle, Hanuman, Fire Log, Seated Straddle Splits, and more!
Lifetime unlimited access to all

← See Previous Blog See Next Blog →

Continue Learning

Hanumanasana Hints

Chin Stand

Postpone The Stretch Sensation

Wake Up Your Wheel Pose

Spinal Spaciousness

Steps To Scorpion Pose

All Videos

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hips and hamstring flexibility

by matt | Jun 2, 2021 | Home Page, Main Page Display

HIP AND HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY

“The 4 Quadrants of the Hips”

Hip & Hamstrings

Hip And Hamstring Flexibility

Why Is Hip Mobility Important?

If you practice yoga, you are sure to increase the flexibility of the hips and hamstrings. However, that doesn’t mean you will gain greater mobility and functionality, or even be able to access the myriad of hip opening postures, because most of us don’t realize how many muscles surround the hips. Since hips are ball-and-socket joints, there are ample available movements, yet most of us only utilize two daily — flexion and extension — when we walk, sit, and stand.

Because we only make use of two movements, we tend to be overdeveloped in one or two muscle groups and underdeveloped in the others. The problem with this is limited range of motion and, more importantly, imbalanced hip alignment that could lead to hip pain or increased friction in the hip joint over time, potentially damaging soft tissue. Bottom line: it’s important to work toward evenly balanced strength and flexibility in all the muscles that surround the hips.

Before we dive in, let me be clear: there is no magic place of health and balance where everything is perfect and no pain ever exists. We can, however, find a place where our body feels consistently good and we have the awareness to recognize when one muscle group is too tight, strong, weak, flexible, or inflexible. In other words, we can build a relationship with our body, learn what it needs, and be able to catch an issue before it becomes a long-term problem.

THE BENEFITS GO BEYOND PAIN RELIEF. Developing awareness of your hips can allow you to move better on a daily basis AND access more postures within the context of yoga.

HIPS AND HAMSTRINGS IMMERSION

Increase range of motion of your hips and hamstrings
Learn techniques such as facilitated stretching
Release stress patterns, discomfort, or pain in your hips, back, and knees
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Learn postures: Pigeon, Lizard Variations, Lotus, Eagle, Hanuman, Fire Log, Seated Straddle Splits, and more!
Lifetime unlimited access to all

The 4 Quadrants of the Hips

To simplify the development of your hip and hamstring flexibility, we can break down muscle groups into 4 basic categories: front, back, inside, outside. There are muscles in each of these areas that create movements.

Front: hip flexors and quadriceps
Back: buttock muscles such as gluteus maximus and piriformis
Inside: adductors such as longus, brevis, magnus
Outside: abductors such as gluteus minimus, medius, and TFL

This is, of course, a simplified way of looking at the hips. Some muscles cross over from the outside to the inside, such as the sartorius, or from the back side to the inside, such as the adductor magnus. But the simplification is helpful if you aren’t an anatomy nerd and just want to feel better in your hips.

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WHAT ARE “THE 4 QUADRANTS OF THE HIPS”?

THE #1 BACKBEND TECHNIQUE TO RELIEVE BACK PAIN AND INCREASE SPINAL FLEXIBILITY

“Bowing the Spine” is a technique that combines a few key elements that I go over in detail in the video below. The dominant action is sliding your intervertebral discs forward, which requires a deliberate shifting of your rib cage. The secondary action is lengthening the distance between the upper and lower body.

If you want to try this technique in your practice and learn how to develop greater strength, range of motion, and body awareness with backbends, join me for this 12-class immersion: Heart Openers: Discover the Joy of Backbending

FREE VIDEO PODCAST: STRATEGY FOR HIP AND HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY

To implement this technique and access your flexibility

WHAT ARE THE ACTIONS AT THE HIPS?

Each quadrant of muscle groups has actions, meaning movements that we are capable of when we engage one or more muscles.

Front: hip flexion & anterior tilt of the pelvis
Back: hip extension & posterior tilt of the pelvis
Inside: adduction — moving thighbones toward each other
Outside: abduction — moving thighbones away from one another

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How do we apply the “4 Quadrants” to develop greater hip and hamstring flexibility?

The easiest way to develop your flexibility is to strengthen each muscle group until it can perform to its potential. The rule of thumb is to pick a side that you want to increase flexibility on and strengthen the opposite. That means if you want to increase hamstring flexibility (back quadrant), you would strengthen the front quadrant (hip flexors and quads). It’s actually simple, but we make it super complicated. Instead of just trying to stretch a muscle, hoping that gravity will do the work for you, strengthen the muscle that does the action you are intending, and flexibility will be the inevitable result. In this way, you gain flexibility AND build strength. It’s a win-win!

In the video above, I also explain facilitated stretching as another technique. Be sure to watch the video for more details on this method, and if you want to develop flexibility, access more postures, and release nagging pain, then join me for the Hips and Hamstrings Immersion. I will see you on the mat!

Co-written and edited by 300-hour Chromatic yoga teacher, Donna Morin.

HIPS AND HAMSTRINGS IMMERSION

Increase range of motion of your hips and hamstrings
Learn techniques such as facilitated stretching
Release stress patterns, discomfort, or pain in your hips, back, and knees
Twelve 75-minute classes, all levels appropriate
Learn postures: Pigeon, Lizard Variations, Lotus, Eagle, Hanuman, Fire Log, Seated Straddle Splits, and more!
Lifetime unlimited access to all