Lotus Pose Variations

by | Mar 2, 2023 | Main Page Display

Lotus Pose Variations

Is There a Safer Option?

padmasana

LOTUS POSE VARIATIONS

One of my favorite episodes of Three’s Company is when John Ritter’s character (Jack) laughs at Joyce Dewitt ( Janet) and Suzanne Somers (Chrissy) when they are doing Lotus Pose during a yoga practice. He eggs them on about how easy it is, so they dare him to give it a try. Could he use the Lotus Pose variations that Matt offers? Most definitely! It wouldn’t be as hilarious though. In the episode, Jack struggles to get into the posture, pulling at the tip of his sock to set the top leg in place. It’s even worse when he tries to get out. Janet and Chrissy leave him begging for help. Definitely a good laugh and worth a search online. In our real life practice, however, we must be more intentional in how we explore Lotus in order to discover the safest options.

lotus pose online yoga classes

LOTUS

  • Anatomy-informed classes
  • Increase hip mobility and range of motion
  • Balance flexibility and strength
  • Skillful techniques for Lotus variations and many other hip openers
  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Unlock your Lotus Pose
  • Learn the 4 Quadrants of the Hips
  • 8 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$128.00 $108.00

LEARN MORE!

IS LOTUS POSE FOR YOU?

First, how can you answer this question? The answer may be easy, or it may be quite layered. If you have room for exploration, Matt not only offers these Lotus pose variations to try but also reminds you to examine the sensations in your hips, knees, and ankles while practicing. Lotus pose is a deep hip opener, so there is a lot involved. Besides the hips, the state of your knees is one of the biggest considerations when it comes to deciding whether the posture is for you. And as much as you may associate the posture with extensive flexibility and mobility, it also requires stability. Generating stability in your knees, for example, is quite important and may be more accessible than you think.  The magic exists in the finer details, so paying attention to your knees and ankles may ultimately provide the answer you’re looking for.

WATCH THE VIDEO

LOTUS POSE VARIATIONS:  IS THERE A SAFER OPTION?

KNEES AND ANKLES

Now, your body can change at any time. A definitive answer for the safest option for Lotus Pose doesn’t really exist, but it’s through the exploration of these Lotus pose variations that you can always find the answer you need at any stage of your yoga practice.  

The angle of your knees is a great point of focus. The 2 variations Matt offers in today’s video are Lotus on Your Back and Lotus Seated Upright. In either variation, the angle of your knees is a factor in determining whether or not you will find the full posture. The more “closed” you are at the knee joint, the more stable your knees, which minimizes the chances of injury. Once you are in Lotus, a respectable amount of eversion of the ankles is imperative to reduce the pressure that may build from inversion—which is also required.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

THE HIP JOINT

This deep hip opener requires great attention to detail and a tremendous amount of preparation. Part and parcel of this preparation are patience and focus. From an anatomical point of view, you may tend to focus on the external rotators of the hip. This is not wrong, because the shape of the posture requires that they perform efficiently to open the hip. What is also vital, however, is preparing in a way that honors the integrity of the hip as a whole. If you’ve practiced with Matt before, you’ll be familiar with what he calls “the 4 quadrants of the hips.” To delve into this concept, I highly recommend the Hips & Hamstrings immersion. Loosely defined, the 4 quadrants include the adductors, abductors, hamstrings, and hip flexors & quadriceps. Activating these muscle groups helps to exhaust the muscular system until they are ready to stretch, lengthen, and open.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

LOTUS ON YOUR BACK VS. LOTUS SEATED UPRIGHT

Matt offers Lotus on Your Back as the safer option when comparing it directly to Lotus Seated Upright. In the video, Matt talks about the risk of straining the knees in the upright variation. Sometimes the use of props may minimize this risk, but again, it’s about exploring what works for you. There may be less risk on your back. In the video, Matt’s entry to Lotus on his back shows that in this variation, you have more time and room to consider the sensations in your knees, particularly the second leg. The floor under your legs is out of the equation, so you can roll to the side, and you can play with how much you press the first knee away from your body to see if it is accessible for you to place the second leg on top. This doesn’t mean that the variation is easy, but it does offer more room to play.

NAVIGATING THIS DEEP HIP OPENER

Attention to your body is paramount in this sophisticated posture. In both Lotus Pose variations, the hips are flexing and abducting while in external rotation, the knees are in flexion, and the feet are in plantar flexion. Add to this the key action of some eversion of the ankles, and the pose can be quite complicated to navigate.

Jack’s pursuit of the posture in the Three’s Company episode is hysterical, but definitely not the model to follow. Forcing ourselves into postures can only lead to unwanted outcomes like injuries. In the full class, Matt reminds us about what yoga truly is by saying, “Postures are something we can utilize in order to pursue the practice of yoga: the practice of self-inquiry and self awareness.”

Register for Matt’s March 2023 Immersion Lotus to safely navigate this beautiful and elaborate posture.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Hips & Hamstrings Immersion

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Pigeon Leg Lifts

by | Feb 23, 2023 | Main Page Display

Pigeon Leg Lifts

Ignite Your Core-Hip Connection

pigeon drill

PIGEON LEG LIFTS

Pigeon Leg Lifts are the perfect example of how you can flip a common yoga posture on its head. You may have explored several variations of Pigeon Pose, but this out-of-the-ordinary drill/variation requires something quite different. Pigeon Leg Lifts boost your ability to feel how much of a role the psoas plays in how you experience your core. In fact, the psoas is considered to be part of the core, but it is not always part of the conversation. Its location in the body, combined with the knowledge of how to highlight it in your yoga practice, helps to bridge the gap between your core and hips. Tapping into this results in greater strength and stability in your yoga practice.

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

THE PSOAS 

The iliopsoas (often referred to as the psoas) is actually a combination of two muscles, namely the iliacus and psoas major, but is often thought of as one. It’s unique in that it’s the only muscle in the body that crosses over between the upper and lower body. The psoas is a deep muscle that attaches to the lumbar spine and the inner thigh bone. Due to its location in the body, one of its main roles is to stabilize the lumbar spine. The psoas is both a hip flexor and external rotator of the hip, playing a significant role in how you move, on and off of the yoga mat. Contracting this muscle in Pigeon Leg Lifts promotes deeper range of motion and helps you connect more deeply with the abdominal muscles that are part of the core (i.e., rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques).

WATCH THE VIDEO

PIGEON LEG LIFTS:  IGNITE YOUR CORE-HIP CONNECTION

THE CORE-HIP CONNECTION

The psoas works in conjunction with the other core muscles. As mentioned, it’s both a hip flexor and hip external rotator, but it also creates flexion of the spine. Spinal flexion is an entry point to understanding the core-hip connection. In my previous blog, Rectus Abdominis Handstand Drill, I discussed how Matt very intentionally utilizes the activation of rectus abdominis in order to create spinal flexion. Both the psoas’s ability to create the same action and the placement of its attachment points reveal that the psoas is essentially a bridge between the core and the legs. Understanding the link between the core and the hips has the ability to transform your yoga practice.

Activation and strengthening of the psoas is not often illuminated in unique ways in yoga classes. Practicing Pigeon Leg Lifts offers the opportunity to heighten the sensations within the core and the hips.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

WAYS TO EXPLORE PIGEON LEG LIFTS

In today’s video, Matt demonstrates 2 ways to execute Pigeon Leg Lifts. In the 1st option, you’ll see that it’s almost like a “push-up” action with multiple repetitions. The pushing up, however, comes from driving your hips up as far away from your mat as possible. In both options, your arms stay straight, but the 2nd requires that after you lift your hips, you sustain and hold for a few breaths. If you’re looking to fire up the core, then Pigeon Leg Lifts will do it!  You can’t escape the intensity of what’s involved. As you lift your hips all the way up, you are simultaneously creating more spinal flexion while your front upper thigh is in external rotation to maintain the “Pigeon position.” If that’s not enough, the action of pressing down the ball mound of the back foot also ignites the psoas and the hip flexors of the back thigh.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

WHY IS THIS USEFUL?

The strengthening of the core, including the psoas, along with deeper spinal flexion is no doubt the “show stopper” of these Pigeon Leg Lifts. Doing this drill will promote greater stability and mobility for enhanced movement on and off of the mat. What’s incredible about the way Matt teaches is that he always provides a compassionate push. In the full class, he says that deliberately engaging muscles in your practice helps you understand what you struggle with the most. Once revealed, this understanding provides opportunities to work on those areas in order to achieve fuller body participation. Within all of this physical awareness, what ends up happening is an unfolding of the mind. Your ability to confront your perceived limitations also strengthens.

Join Matt’s Breath of Fire Immersion to experience the fullness of your practice.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Breath of Fire Immersion

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Rectus Abdominis Handstand Drill

by | Feb 16, 2023 | Main Page Display

Rectus Abdominis
Handstand Drill

The Key Component for Control

abdominals

RECTUS ABDOMINIS HANDSTAND DRILL

This rectus abdominis handstand drill takes the fear out of inversions. That may be a bold statement to make, but it’s true. If you don’t have prior experience and/or training in any inversions, fear can be one of the most common barriers. The drill that Matt presents in today’s video is about intention and focus. You may have done the drill before, but have you done it like this? Drills offer an opportunity to focus on an action in your body. However, this doesn’t mean that you no longer require focus, attention, and effort as regards the other areas of focus, and drills provide more than just the development of a certain skill. They offer the confidence to move forward and progress in other ways.

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THE RECTUS ABDOMINIS?

The rectus abdominis is a flat muscle and is the most superficial of the abdominal layers. It runs from the bottom of the sternum all the way down to the pubic bone. Its central role is to create spinal flexion. In your yoga practice, the use of the rectus abdominis shows up in forward folds. The muscle also supports your ability to stay stable in balancing and plank postures, although the deeper muscle layers take on more of that responsibility. This doesn’t mean that it’s not essential, and we are centering our focus today on the rectus abdominis handstand drill. As previously mentioned, it’s about intention and awareness and about the specific actions you take that bring the rectus abdominis more to the forefront. For example, the amount of engagement, or activation, of the rectus abdominis depends on what’s required in a specific movement or drill.

WATCH THE VIDEO

RECTUS ABDOMINIS HANDSTAND DRILL:  THE KEY COMPONENT FOR CONTROL

HANDSTANDS

You can think about what’s required in Handstand in a number of different ways. Handstands are referred to as both arm balances and inversions, and the list of what’s required may seem lengthier than for other arm balances. You can be sure, however, that Matt always has a phenomenal way of breaking things down into tiny bits so you can work through the process. Some of the areas of focus are your hands, which grip the ground; the wrist flexors; or “joint stacking.” In one of my previous articles, L Pose Handstand Training, I outline more details about the core and about how Matt shows you how to utilize your hip flexors. The conversation surrounding the rectus abdominis is another important one because it’s another opportunity to intelligently call upon a “simple” action in your body to get you closer to Handstand.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

UNDERSTANDING THE DRILL

The simple action in this rectus abdominis drill is to bring your ribs and pelvis closer to one another, but the action is more deliberate than simply leaning forward and allowing gravity to do the work. A level of activation is required to utilize the strength necessary for the inversion. You’ll see in the video that Matt encourages you to prioritize this action over stacking the hip and shoulder joints. This stacking can be quite intimidating at first, and the rectus abdominis drill removes this barrier. Executing this drill with a wall behind you offers even more encouragement and permission to explore kicking up into Handstand with more confidence and control. Keeping your front body shortened trains you to stay away from relying on the wall. The action may shorten your hops, but this simply means that you are successfully keeping your awareness on the rectus abdominis.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

Yes, going upside down is more than front-body awareness and activation; it’s also about connecting the dots. Taking an approach like this one helps clarify what’s required in Handstand as a whole posture. You are not only training your physical body but also creating an indelible mark on your nervous system that you’ll be able to call upon naturally and intuitively. In other words, the approach goes beyond being just a rectus abdominis Handstand drill. It is something you can rely on in your approach to other inversions and to how you go about putting the pieces together when exploring postures that are challenging for you.

Matt’s current Breath of Fire Immersion goes further into how to intelligently utilize your core within your yoga practice.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Breath Of Fire Immersion

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Strengthen Your Diaphragm

by | Feb 9, 2023 | Main Page Display

Strengthen Your Diaphragm

Resistance-Band Breath Technique

breathe

STRENGTHEN YOUR DIAPHRAGM

Strengthening your diaphragm. Is that a thing? It absolutely is, just like any other muscle you develop and strengthen in your body. The diaphragm is arguably one of the most important because it is one of the main muscles that helps you breathe. How do you strengthen the diaphragm? One way to work with this muscle is to engage it. This happens naturally when we inhale, of course, because of the natural movement that occurs: The diaphragm moves downward towards the lower vertebrae in order to create space, while the vacuum of pressure pulls air into the lungs. What Matt demonstrates today is not this natural engagement but instead a sustained engagement in order to work on the endurance and strengthening of the diaphragm.

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA

Maintaining the sustained engagement of the diaphragm may sound reasonably simple; however, it may be quite uncomfortable if it’s something you’ve never practiced before. In order to train your body and nervous system for the mechanics of each movement and/or drill ahead, Matt prepares you in his current immersion, Breath of Fire, with a breath technique at the beginning of each class. 

Bhastrika pranayama is the ideal pairing for the resistance-band technique that Matt demonstrates in today’s video. Bhastrika pranayama is referred to as Breath of Fire, or Bellows Breath. This breath technique involves emphasis and effort on both the inhale and the exhale. Practicing a few rounds with multiple repetitions gets the brain on board, particularly with the action of the inhale. The action of pushing your belly out on the inhale provides more force, focus, and movement of your diaphragm.

WATCH THE VIDEO

STRENGTHEN YOUR DIAPHRAGM: RESISTANCE BAND BREATH TECHNIQUE

HOW DOES BHASTRIKA COMPARE TO KAPALABHATI?

So, why not Kapalabhati pranayama as preparation for the resistance-band technique Matt explores today? It’s because the difference between Bhastrika and Kapalabhati is where the emphasis is placed in the breath. With Bhastrika, the inhale is quite active, whereas with Kapalabhati, the inhale is passive. This creates more emphasis on the exhale and the movement “in and up” of the transversus abdominis. Visually, the two breathing practices may appear very similar, but the sensation and experience are quite different.  

Matt advises you to build gradually. For example, you may start with 15 repetitions and then gradually move your way up to 30. The goal is to gradually become more familiar with pushing your belly out, thus moving the diaphragm down in order to train it for strength. What becomes apparent is that you actually affect more than the diaphragm. You tap into connections with other core muscles.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

MORE THAN YOUR ABDOMINALS

Your core is much more than just your abdominal muscles. The exercise Matt breaks down today requires quite a bit of work from your iliopsoas muscles, which are also part of your core. Creating strength in the diaphragm includes exploring sustained engagement outside of isolation, and activating the iliopsoas in conjunction with the diaphragm means that you are incorporating more of your core muscles and therefore creating more integrity within the whole “core system.” The act of pushing your belly down and out on both the inhale and the exhale also supports the connection with the core muscles in your back body (e.g., erector spinae and multifidus).

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

RESISTANCE-BAND BREATH TECHNIQUE

First of all, if you’re familiar with the core exercise called Dead Bug, you’ll be familiar with the basic mechanics of this exercise. What may be new for you is the consistent activation of your diaphragm while executing the core work.

What role does a resistance band play with this breath/core technique? Well, as Matt explains it, the band acts somewhat like the transverse abdominis and is there to entice you to pull your belly in and up. What you will actually do is push your belly down and out, into the band.

This action, in addition to the cross action of pressing your opposite hand into your thigh and the thigh into your hand, is what engages your iliopsoas muscles.

This is much harder than it appears. Of course the level of difficulty is increased due to the balance factor, but it’s really the engagement of your diaphragm that multiplies the sensations in this technique.

Expand on this experience in Matt’s current immersion, Breath Of Fire. Delve into deeper knowledge of your core muscles in order to both breathe and move better.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Breath Of Fire Immersion

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Breathwork & Chapasana

by | Feb 2, 2023 | Main Page Display

Breathwork and Chapasana

Deep Core Work for Greater Opening

heart opener

BREATHWORK AND CHAPASANA

It’s pretty well understood that the way we utilize our breath in our yoga practice will affect our experience. We also can’t escape the fact that this understanding leads to how we breathe off of our yoga mats. Quite frankly though, it doesn’t mean that it will be an improved experience. There may be an expectation that if we integrate various breathwork practices consistently, then we will see improvement. Even if we do see improvement, there’s always room to grow. We can learn more, and we can even take action, but how much of a deep dive are we willing to take? This is why we are fortunate to have teachers like Matt who go deeper into the mechanics of breath. In today’s video, he demonstrates how to actually strengthen the deepest core layer of our abdominals (the transverse abdominis, or TVA) via breathwork and a pose called Chapasana.

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

WHAT IS BREATHWORK?

First, let’s gain a clearer understanding of breathwork. In simpler terms, breathwork encompasses a variety of breathing techniques that may involve pace, rhythm, and/or specific patterns where the inhales and exhales vary. We may also encounter the word pranayama, which is the Sanskrit term for breathwork. More deeply, pranayama is also one of the 8 limbs of yoga from Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Discussions surrounding pranayama may include energy flow and/or energy management for body and mind. As we go deeper, we begin to learn that it’s imperative to spend time on strengthening the muscles that are involved with the mechanics of breath to actualize the positive outcomes we desire. These positive outcomes may include more ease and greater capacity of breath.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BREATHWORK & CHAPASANA: DEEP CORE WORK FOR GREATER OPENING

THE MECHANICS OF BREATH

In a recent live video from Matt’s Instagram page, he thoroughly breaks down the mechanics of breathing. This is what I’m referring to when I say that Matt goes beyond simply teaching a technique. What we actually receive is why and how the mechanics of breath are vital to our yoga practice. Within the context of Chapasana, we not only learn how to strengthen the TVA with a “diaphragmatic breathing” technique, but we also gain insight into how to stretch the more superficial core muscles (rectus abdominis), allowing for increased space for breath capacity and opening within the backbend itself. All of this translates into how it also connects with our extremities (through its impact on the serratus anterior and scapulae) for greater shoulder mobility in the posture. Examining breathwork and Chapasana as a unit helps us grasp the importance of breathwork in any posture.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

CORE CONNECTION THROUGH BREATH

In the video, Matt demonstrates a diaphragmatic breathing technique. The technique lays the foundation for Chapasana in that we need to have the ability to engage the TVA at specific points during the execution of the pose. Engaging the TVA within the context of breathwork means that we are pulling the belly back during a forceful exhale. In the live video I previously mentioned, Matt explains that during the exhalation process, a pressure is created within the torso by the squeezing in of the ribcage, intercostal muscles, and TVA. The air is forced out of the lungs in the process, which involves the diaphragm relaxing, expanding, and returning to its dome-like shape at the base of the ribcage.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

CHAPASANA

Practicing the breath technique from today’s video in repetitive rounds is what helps to strengthen the core and muscles involved in respiration.

How is this relevant in Chapasana? Even though there is less focus on the backbend today, it’s almost impossible not to achieve greater opening. First, Matt creates a softening on an inhale for greater expansion in the front body. What’s simply incredible though is that you’ll see that expansion multiplied with the exhale and action of engaging the TVA. He pulls his belly back and up, which drives the ribcage out to the sides and up towards his shoulders. That’s the link to the extremities. This expansion leads to further spreading of the serratus anterior, creating more movement in the scapula and ultimately a better reach to grab the foot. It’s unbelievable to witness the transformation, all from the catalyst of the breath. 

The Breath Of Fire Immersion starts this Friday.  You won’t want to miss this opportunity to deepen your relationship to your core and the impact it has on the rest of your body.

See you on the mat!  

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Strength Immersion

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Main Page Display

Learn to Fly in Side Crow

Get to the Core with 3 Variations

ARM BALANCE

LEARN TO FLY IN SIDE CROW

Getting to the core of this arm balance will awaken a potential in your body that you may not be aware is even present. Learning to fly in Side Crow actually goes deeper than going through the motions of different variations. If you’ve been practicing with Matt, then you know that he teaches and applies very specific techniques within a posture and/or its variations; these techniques show you how to intellectually approach the execution of a yoga posture. The 3 variations you’ll see in today’s video will show you how to properly activate the muscles (obliques, abductor group, adductors, and hip flexors) in order to tap into the potential that awaits you.

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

THE 2 MAIN ACTIONS

The clips from today’s video are taken from the Anatomy of Arm Balances immersion. In the full class, Matt invites you to step back from balancing in the posture so you can actually connect with your core muscles. How is this done? It’s the positioning of the arm that’s furthest away from your body that allows the core connection to take place. You’re left with no choice but to utilize the obliques to gain height. Action #1 then is to hike the top hip up towards the same-side shoulder (obliques and gluteus medius activation). Action #2 requires the activation of the hip flexors. Here, you’re pulling your knees towards your chest while energetically pulling your bottom knee (if it’s the right) towards your right shoulder. This common thread runs through all 3 variations in some form. Let’s examine the techniques involved.

WATCH THE VIDEO

LEARN TO FLY IN SIDE CROW: GET TO THE CORE WITH 3 VARIATIONS

SIDE CROW: NO PROPS

Starting with this variation provides a nice baseline for you to see where you may need to place more emphasis. You’ll see how wide the distance is between Matt’s hands. Spreading your hands far apart forces you to lift the hips up as high as possible, which turns on the upper obliques. Dropping the hips (which is common) significantly minimizes your use of the obliques. These 2 main actions, along with leaning more forward and of course gripping your fingers into the ground, are the keys. If you are challenged anywhere along the chain of events, dial it back and work on the sensations of the activations (e.g., hands wide while lifting and lowering the hips with a contraction in the obliques). Still unsure what to feel? Have a look at the variations with props.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

SIDE CROW WITH A STRAP

This Side Crow variation with a strap is a great option to explore if you require more awareness of the upper obliques. This particular variation also places weight on the activation of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL). The TFL is both a hip flexor and internal rotator. The internal rotation helps to fire up the abductors of the bottom leg. Doing this creates more stability and provides greater access to the posture. Adding a strap doesn’t make it easier, but what you will receive is feedback. Pressing into the strap is like pressing into the guiding hand of a yoga teacher. You won’t be able to ignore the sensations here, I promise you. The abductor muscles will speak to you, and it will be quite the conversation!

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

SIDE CROW WITH A BLOCK

Lastly, Matt demonstrates Side Crow with a block. Placing a yoga block between your thighs or shins helps you to squeeze everything into the center. Here you’ll feel the adductors while you try to hold the block in place. This option is closer to the first variation as regards shape, so it’s a great one to incorporate into your practice to encourage the 2 main actions with your legs hugged in towards one another.

EXPLORE AND INTEGRATE

In conclusion, unlearning some of the habits you’ve patterned that don’t require you to focus on just how strong can become in Side Crow will pay off in the long run. When the effort is appropriate, it is what drives you forward—as Matt always teaches, “explore and integrate.” Thinking about the possibilities available to you is actually pretty exciting. When you focus on building strength, you can learn to fly in Side Crow. After strength, weightlessness and lightness in the posture follow. A challenging arm balance like Side Crow will then emanate more ease than effort.

Register for Matt’s February immersion, Breath of Fire. This immersion will go deeper into how you can access your core muscles in order to progress in the awareness of your body and your practice.

See you on the mat!  

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Anatomy Of Arm Balances

Yoga for Core and Breathwork

BREATH OF FIRE

  • Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
  • Core strengthening & integration
  • Master your breath with pranayama practices
  • Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
  • Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
  • Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
  • Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral 
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Create Fluency In Your Flows

by | Jan 19, 2023 | Main Page Display

Create Fluency in Your Flows

Workshop These Vinyasa Transitions

FLUIDITY

IS IT “FIND” OR “CREATE” FLUENCY IN YOUR FLOWS?

It’s most definitely possible to say “find” fluency in your flows when it comes to a Vinyasa-style yoga practice, but I believe “create” is a more appropriate word to use here because it implies that you have to take action to make fluency happen. It’s vital to be very intentional about your approach when you are integrating something into your life, and it’s no different with regard to your yoga practice on the mat. Matt teaches specific techniques and strategies to make it easier for you to be intentional. Sometimes you have the yearning, but you don’t know what steps to take. In today’s video, you’ll see how Matt workshops how to utilize strength, the creative use of props, and harmony between breath and movement for a perfect equation to create fluency in your flows.

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS

A Vinyasa-style practice is associated with almost seamless, flowing-type movements on your mat. The synchronicity of movement with breath elicits a certain pace and a “push” quality, since you are always looking ahead or moving towards the next posture. Doing this requires a degree of strength in order to flow with confidence.

It’s also important to understand that moving with control and elegance on your mat is so much more than the aesthetics. You can’t deny that watching someone gracefully move across their mat is beautiful, but what you’re actually witnessing is the time and effort that has gone into developing strength. Navigating your way through a sequence of postures requires not only focus in the moment but also anticipation of what is coming next.

The clips from today’s video are from Matt’s MOVE Immersion. In the clips, he teaches you, with explicit instruction, how to transition from Warrior II to Half Moon Pose and how to Jump Back into Chaturanga from Standing Splits. Woven into the instruction of both transitions is how to utilize strength and how the power of props helps to pattern the fluidity of these transitions into your nervous system.

WATCH THE VIDEO

CREATE FLUENCY IN YOUR FLOWS: WORKSHOP THESE YOGA TRANSITIONS

WARRIOR II TO HALF MOON

First, let’s look at Warrior II to Half Moon. I would say that this is a fairly common transition, but without a deeper understanding of how to utilize your strength for balance, it can easily fall apart. For you to learn how to find fluency, Matt first advises you to come to the long side of your mat. From here, you can root down into your mat with your front foot. Next, he instructs you to take your back foot off of the mat. Doing this will help with the glide that’s necessary to “push” forward into Half Moon. What’s the best way to glide? The prop that’s used here is a sock on your back foot to glide across a hardwood floor or similar surface. The way to home in on strength here is to activate your gluteus muscles. Rooting down through your front heel encourages the activation of the glutes in the front leg. This firming down supports your ability to neatly drag or glide your back foot towards the front in order to lift into Half Moon. What happens when you return to your mat? You’ll see how Matt progresses you to the point where you can eventually take the contact of the back foot away from the floor completely. The return to Warrior II is simply the reversal of all of the steps. What you’re left with is powerful yet free-flowing movement that appears weightless.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

JUMP BACK FROM STANDING SPLITS

This transition exhibits an explosive amount of power. One of the keys to unleashing the power for the lightness of the float in the jump back is to strengthen your hamstrings and glutes. You’ll see how Matt utilizes a block to maintain the activation in these muscle groups. To create the foundation, you’ll also use socks as a prop to learn to pattern a smooth sweep back into Chaturanga (the progression here happens without the block). The lift of the top leg in Standing Splits requires glute and hamstring strength. Maintaining this lift while jumping back is what contributes to the buoyancy. Of course, the upper-body strength required is not to be neglected, but breaking it down and layering each aspect will assist in finding the fluency required here. In the video, you’ll also want to pay attention to Matt’s hand placement when he’s setting up “Standing Splits preparation.” This detail is essential for preparing the upper body to harness more strength.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

LET IT ALL GO

Finding fluency in your flows means that you’ve found this beautiful collision, where strength meets softness. There is a level of push and action while giving over to the flow of momentum. Fluency is accessible and possible.  Cultivating strength is the foundation. The use of props can assist with strength and create ease. It’s true that your breath anchors it all, and it’s also what helps you to let go and flow freely.

There’s still time to register for MOVE, where Matt shares a plethora of techniques and tools to move with grace.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Clips Extracted From: Move Immersion

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Build Strength & Endurance

by | Jan 12, 2023 | Main Page Display

Build Strength and Endurance

Infuse Calisthenics Into Your Yoga Practice

resilience

STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE WITH CALISTHENICS

There are both simple and more complex ways of infusing calisthenics into your yoga practice, especially as you get stronger and build upon various skills. First of all, movements associated with “basic” calisthenic exercises are already woven in many ways into asana practices such as Vinyasa and Ashtanga styles of yoga. What we need to understand, however, is that alongside the more traditional approaches, there are creative and innovative ways of incorporating calisthenics into our physical practice. Ultimately, what we are building over time is strength and endurance.

Matt breaks down exactly how to do this in the clips that you’ll see in today’s video, from his current MOVE Immersion. What is the reason for wanting to increase strength and endurance? Well, key components of overall health include both. If you consistently practice calisthenic exercises and/or incorporate them into your yoga practice, it’s inevitable that you’ll develop increased strength and endurance both physically and mentally.  

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

WHAT ARE CALISTHENICS?

When you hear the term calisthenics, I wouldn’t be surprised if what comes to mind are some seriously strong folks doing pull-ups, chin-ups, a rude amount of push-ups or some “crazy” complicated movements requiring what may appears to be an obscene amount of coordination. You wouldn’t be wrong. The idea of incorporating calisthenics into your movement practice can be quite intimidating. The good news is that there are entry points, and they may be more accessible than you think.

Essentially, calisthenics are defined as a form of exercise where you’re using your own body weight for resistance. Exercises often associated with calisthenics are pull-ups, chin-ups, squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups, to name a few. How many times have you done chaturanga “yoga push-ups” in your practice?  How many times have you moved in and out of Malasana? Runner’s Lunge? Can you see the crossover? There is a great deal of benefit both physically and mentally. Let’s have a look.

WATCH THE VIDEO

BUILD STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE: INFUSE CALISTHENICS INTO YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

PHYSICAL STRENGTH & ENDURANCE

Without a doubt, calisthenics are going to help you to build a solid and strong foundation. Incorporating them into your asana practice means that your approach on your mat will be an intense one. To acquire the benefits of muscle  strength and/or cardiovascular endurance, there must be repetition and vigor in your output of each drill or exercise, with minimal rest in between.  

Although calisthenics have an impact on all muscle fibers, they are said to primarily work the slow-twitch fibers (type 1 fibers). These muscle fibers are associated with endurance. Because exercises like push-ups, lunges, and squats typically involve repetition, you can see how they are easily incorporated in the context of an asana practice. The physical demand and strain on your muscle tissues creates the stimulus for them to break down and therefore adapt and ultimately grow. In your yoga practice, the capacity at which you are working does not equate to muscular hypertrophy but to a remarkable amount of strength and integrity in your body.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

MENTAL STRENGTH & ENDURANCE

The attention to skill and technique requires a great deal of focus and concentration. Depending on the level of coordination and difficulty involved in a particular exercise, you’re also building resilience and mental toughness. The drive to complete and “push through” various calisthenic exercises means that you’re also fueling yourself with confidence. You’re actually proving to yourself that you can confront the opposition in your mind that may be telling you that you can’t possibly go any further. As long as you are free from injury and pain, taking action and pushing through is what actually allows you to experience benefits like increased focus, confidence, and tenacity. The resilience you build on your mat will ultimately lead to the same type of resilience in other areas of your life.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

FIVE WAYS TO INFUSE CALISTHENICS INTO YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

In today’s video, Matt outlines 5 ways to infuse calisthenics into your yoga practice. He includes both simplified and more complex options.  

First, Chaturanga Dandasana is great for strengthening your core, chest, triceps, shoulders, and the muscles in your lower body. In the clip, Matt demonstrates the transition from Downward-Facing Dog to Plank (on knees or on toes), then he doubles the Chaturanga before coming all the way down to the ground. This may be a “simpler” way to increase intensity and muscle strength, but if you are not used to using this transition, it will take some time to feel stronger and more confident in your execution.

Second, Matt demonstrates a Boat Pose to Chaturanga transition. He breaks this one down into stages in which you can slowly build your way up to a full jump back into Chaturanga. This exercise will undoubtedly challenge your cardiovascular system and build more heat in your body. It also requires more coordination and timing as you progress into the jump back.

Third are the Adductor Slides With Socks and Blocks. This one is particularly innovative: Not only do you get the cardiovascular benefit, but you also build strength in your adductors (a muscle group that can often be neglected). In the full class from which this clip is extracted, Matt repeats the drill with a timer. He encourages you to perform it quickly while paying attention to very precise articulations in the hips and feet.

The fourth calisthenic exercise involves Plank—you might call this one a Side Plank (Vasisthasana) Crunch. Here, the focus is on strengthening your oblique muscles. It requires a great deal of muscle strength to balance while holding up your body weight and performing the “crunch” in the side body with control. This exercise definitely creates fire in the body! You will feel the elevation of your heart rate. 

Lastly, Matt demonstrates another Plank variation. This one might be referred to as Side Plank (Vasisthasana) With Adductor Leg Lift. In this exercise, you are again strengthening your oblique muscles but adding in the strengthening of your adductor muscles. If you’re looking for a challenge, THIS—IS—THE—ONE! Again, the movements may appear to be quite innocent, but there is always more than meets the eye.

TRANSFORM YOUR PRACTICE

You can see that the intricacy of all of these exercises requires mindfulness, focus, and physical intensity on your part.

When you watch the video, you’ll see how Matt specifically outlines the techniques for each drill in order for you to gain the maximum benefit. This is important because what might appear to be a minor change in body positioning (e.g., the articulation of the feet as they move in and out in the Adductor Slides) can have a drastic impact on the experience within the exercises and the actual muscle groups you’re affecting.

All of the clips are from Matt’s MOVE Immersion. In each and every class, there are so many ways that Matt teaches how to incorporate calisthenics, for strength and endurance, into your yoga practice.   

If you want to practice with more strength and grace, then this is definitely the immersion to sign up for.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Clips Extracted From: Move Immersion

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

by | Jan 5, 2023 | Main Page Display

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Five Drills for Greater Access

flying splits

EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA 2: STRENGTH AND POISE

The elegant long lines of a posture like Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 require a great deal of strength and preparation. The pose also requires both ease and poise. Strength is required for more than holding the posture; it also contributes to the element of ease. There’s no doubt that this arm balance is a challenging one. If you believe that confidence is essential for a posture like this one, then you’re right! What’s appealing about working towards a posture like Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 is that you develop confidence through the preparation. How do you prepare? In today’s video, Matt demonstrates 5 drills that will help you develop the strength and poise that is expressed in the pose.  

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

GROUNDWORK WITH YOGA BLOCKS

Breaking up the actions between the upper and lower body can really help to refine the execution of Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2. In the first drill, Matt demonstrates an option with yoga blocks set up underneath your chest to relieve some of the effort in your arms. Doing this helps you focus on the techniques utilized in the hips and legs, which create the height and length required for balancing the posture.  

You’ll see that the first drill sets the foundation for all of the drills in the video. 

Here are the core steps in Drill #1:

(left leg forward)

  1. With hands wide and slightly behind either side of the blocks, place your left leg onto your upper left arm
  2. Lean forward and place your chest on a block or blocks (depending on the height required for your body)
  3. Create an anterior tilt of your pelvis while internally rotating the upper thigh of your left leg
  4. Take the option to straighten the front leg—your back knee may stay on the mat 

In the 2nd drill, you are repeating the same actions as above; however, you are adding on by straightening the back leg. Matt demonstrates this with socks on, making it easier to practice by gliding your back foot on the floor rather than on a yoga mat. This is the first step in creating those elegant lines.

WATCH THE VIDEO

EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA 2: FIVE DRILLS FOR GREATER ACCESS

STATIC ENTRY WITHOUT YOGA BLOCKS

Drill #3 invites you to attempt entry into Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 from a static position, without the use blocks. Matt reminds you that entering the posture from a static position is muscularly demanding and that without the help of the blocks, it’s vital to create more stability in your upper body. If you’ve practiced with Matt before, then you know that one of the essential elements of an arm balance is to grip the ground with your fingers. As you grip the ground in Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2, it’s imperative that you lean forward to offset the weight in your lower body. While executing the actions of the hips (anterior tilt of the pelvis and internal rotation of the upper thigh bone), another action will help to solidify the pose: squeezing your thigh into your arm. This will strengthen the adductors and create maximum stability. From there, you can start to lengthen the legs out in opposite directions.  

Practicing this posture in socks and on a hardwood floor can be extremely helpful in emphasizing a more graceful extension and easier access. Matt also offers the option of bending the knee of the back leg in order to gain a little more height before you straighten the leg out.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

STATIC ENTRY WITH YOGA BLOCKS

In this variation of Drill #3, the blocks support the back leg. The core actions remain the same, and you’ll see in the video that Matt stacks 2 yoga blocks on top of each other. Once you have both sent your weight forward into your hands and lengthened your front leg, you can take a deep bend of your back leg (while your back knee is resting on the blocks). You can experiment with either keeping the knee down or furthering the play with balance and lifting your back knee up away from the blocks.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

ENTRY WITH MOMENTUM

In Drill #4, you’ll explore coming into Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 with momentum. This allows you to practice a more dynamic way of entering the posture, which requires a great deal of coordination. Matt explains that less effort is required of the muscular system, but you’ll notice that you’ll require a slight pull back to keep yourself from falling. This means that the gripping of the fingers into the ground will also be key in maintaining balance.   

Here are the core steps for entry with momentum:

(left side)

  1. Begin in a short Downward-Facing Dog
  2. Lift your left leg up
  3. In one continuous motion, follow the steps to place your left leg on your left arm while creating the actions in your pelvis, upper thigh, and adductors

Drill #5 reintroduces the yoga blocks to get you started at a higher height. Matt places 2 blocks, stacked one on top of the other, underneath the foot of the leg that will extend behind you. This creates a “shelf” to help you gather greater height and momentum for the movement of your front leg. A tip is to place the blocks more directly behind the leg that will eventually come forward. You’ll see in the video how this really informs your ability to shift your weight more forward. 

ONCE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FLOW

Matt advises you to practice these drills and variations repeatedly. As you experiment with them, you’ll build strength and confidence in the posture itself, and you’ll also build confidence in how you move your body as a whole. Repeating these drills creates an imprint in your body and puts your body “in the know,” or creates muscle memory. Once your body knows, you can release a little bit of focus as regards technique and allow yourself to flow and move between postures with more grace and ease. It’s not that you leave technique behind, but you develop a trust in your body’s ability to move with a sense of assuredness. You’ll access Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 with more strength and poise, and you’ll reveal a seamlessness in your practice that helps you find your flow.

You’ll want to sign up for Matt’s Move Immersion to dive deeper into your movement potential.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Vinyasa Immersion

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

by | Dec 29, 2022 | Main Page Display

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Skillful Transition Techniques Simplified

movement

SEATED JUMP THROUGHS

It’s true that seated jump throughs are an example of how to seamlessly create a link between two yoga postures, but they also provide a lot of information about how you move. It’s easy to find yourself more focused on the alignment, shape, and/or position of your body within a specific asana. This is not without good reason, because there is definitely a lot going on in a given posture, especially when you are considering when and how to create the appropriate muscle engagements in order to maximize the posture’s benefits. How you move and transition between each posture, however, also carries a great deal of weight within your yoga practice. In other words, what happens between each posture is extremely important. Moreover, your ability to control your body in order to maintain balance and safely move on your mat translates to how you move when you are off of the mat.

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

HOW ARE TRANSITIONS IN YOGA CONNECTED TO HEALTH?

Seated jump throughs are often used in Vinyasa- and Ashtanga-style practices to enter into seated postures more smoothly. Given the nature of these practices, which are more dynamic, this comes as no surprise. The pairing of movement with breath requires you to move with more “flow.” More vigorous practices like these provide benefits like increased strength or coordination and may even offer cardiovascular benefit. The benefits are not limited to the physical; these practices also improve cognitive function. Learning how to execute seated jump throughs offers much more than graceful ease on the mat.

WATCH THE VIDEO

SMOOTH SEATED JUMP THROUGHS: SKILLFUL TRANSITION TECHNIQUES SIMPLIFIED

MOVEMENT & CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

Practicing a skill such as a seated jump through requires more sophisticated movement and repetition. Even if it is a “simple” transition for you, doing it repetitively throughout your practice will definitely build heat in your body and increase your heart rate. If seated jump through is a more ambitious endeavor, then practicing the skills Matt breaks down will both build heat and provide the cardiovascular benefit of this type of movement.

“It is widely accepted that regular physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Frequent exercise is robustly associated with a decrease in cardiovascular mortality as well as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”

Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018 Sep 28;5:135. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135. PMID: 30324108; PMCID: PMC6172294.

When you watch the video, you’ll see the layering within the drills Matt offers. The effort involved in practicing the drills for the transition, along with this style of  practice as a whole, will undoubtedly challenge you physically. Consistently practicing this way is the key to unlocking the benefits.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

MOVEMENT & COGNITIVE FUNCTION

The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is largely responsible for memory and learning. The researchers in this study “found the volume of the left hippocampus to be significantly greater among yoga-practitioners compared to age- and sex-matched controls with similar physical activity and fitness levels.”

Gothe, Neha P. et al. ‘Yoga Effects on Brain Health: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature’. 1 Jan. 2019 : 105 – 122.

The study finds that specifically asana has a significant impact in this area. Understanding this confirms the importance of movement and its impact on both the physical and the mental.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

SKILLFUL EXECUTION OF A SEATED JUMP THROUGH

As previously mentioned, Matt layers on each skill in order to make the practice of seated jump throughs more accessible.  

In the video, you’ll see that Matt advises you to start from a “shortened Downward Dog” position, with hands wider than usual. From there, you’ll place one leg in front in order to cross at your shins as you glide your feet forward and then gently drop to a seated position. You have the option to then send both legs forward in order to start imprinting the full pattern of movement into your nervous system. In order to take the drill to the next step, you have the option to jump into the cross-legged seated position (important to note that you should land on the tops of your feet). This undoubtedly makes it more active (increasing your heart rate and the cardiovascular component). What is more, when you come to the tops of your feet, you’ll see how Matt demonstrates a play of buoyancy in the hips. This balance on your hands is also a great preparation for arm balances and for the strength required in the seated jump through when you start sending your legs forward with more fluidity.

Repeatedly practicing the skills required for seated jump throughs will only refine your movement and help you tap into the physical and mental benefits. There is so much more to uncover, as this only skims the surface. 

Register for Matt’s next immersion, called Move, so that you may delve into your ability to move with ease and confidence on and off of the mat.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Vinyasa Immersion

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

by | Dec 22, 2022 | Main Page Display

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

Prepare for Seated Forward Fold

staff pose

SEATED VS. STANDING DANDASANA

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana (Staff Pose)—why compare the two? Not only are we going to examine how they differ, but we’re also going to dive in and really look at the parallels between these 2 yoga postures and how they inform one another. There is no way around the foundations of your yoga practice, and in today’s video, Matt demonstrates Seated versus Standing Dandasana. Not only are they substantial enough on their own, but they also serve as an important preparation for Seated Forward Fold. Matt also intricately demonstrates Seated Forward Fold at the end of the video, so that you’ll be able to see the direct correlation among all of these postures. Let’s take a look at how you can level up these foundational postures.

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

  • Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
  • Improve spinal mobility
  • Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
  • Strengthen your back and deep core
  • Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
  • Classes will bring you to a sweat and back down to a relaxed state
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00 $138.00

LEARN MORE!

PASSIVE VERSUS ACTIVE FLEXIBILITY

Unless you have been exposed to practicing asana in a way that offers a balance between active and passive flexibility, it’s likely that your body is widening the gap between the two. What is the difference between active and passive flexibility?  

Active flexibility happens when a particular joint moves through a range of motion without any external assistance (e.g., a yoga strap, wall, or chair). The opposite is true for passive flexibility, which occurs when you are utilizing an external force (including gravity) to explore a given range of motion.

For example, Standing Forward Fold, when approached more passively, is not necessarily the best preparation for Seated Forward Fold because a greater amount of muscle engagement is imperative to safely and successfully execute the postures.  

However, it’s not just about the postures. In his classes, Matt teaches us about the benefits of learning how to be more conscious of how and when to engage and release muscles. Being more conscious and intentional in this way means that the communication between your nervous system, brain, and body has become more intelligent and capable. Your ability both to move more dynamically and to hold postures/positions on and off the mat has multiplied because you are more proactive, rather than reactive. This also means that you have narrowed the gap between the two, and your body becomes more willing to surrender passively after you have spent time actively engaging muscles. This is where Seated versus Standing Dandasana comes in.

WATCH THE VIDEO

SEATED VERSUS STANDING DANDASANA: PREPARE FOR SEATED FORWARD FOLD

SEATED DANDASANA

As Matt demonstrates in the video, Seated Dandasana (Staff Pose) is a great precursor to Seated Forward Fold because of the muscle engagements involved. 

One of the first steps involved in Seated Dandasana is to sit more upright. This involves lifting your belly in and up to engage your transversus abdominis. Once you’re sitting more upright, you’re also getting your back muscles involved, muscles like the quadratus lumborum (QL), particularly as you bring your pelvis into more of an anterior tilt. This anterior tilt, in conjunction with maintaining a strong lift of your chest and belly while keeping your legs straight, really helps to fire up your hip flexors. When you watch the video, you’ll see that Matt outlines a couple of key actions that also contribute to this hip-flexor firing. Those actions are creating dorsiflexion in your feet and pulling your kneecaps up in order to support the action of drawing your femur bones in towards the hip sockets (this helps to sustain and deepen the engagement of the hip flexors). All of these actions within Seated Dandasana help to create strength in a part of the body, the hip flexors, that is neglected in many. That alone validates the importance of this posture as one to incorporate into your practice on a regular basis. It equally validates why it offers excellent preparation for Seated Forward Fold.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

STANDING DANDASANA

In Standing Dandasana, there are wonderful opportunities to work on a great deal of muscle engagement for the hip flexors; this may also allow time for a greater examination of how to engage the lower back muscles. In the video, you’ll see how Matt pushes his heels out isometrically in order to activate the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), which is a hip flexor. Additionally, the placement of your hands really informs how much sensation and strength you can create in the lower back. Lengthening your arms all the way out in front of you increases the effort and dance between keeping your sit bones lifted (which is the same anterior tilt required for Seated Dandasana and Forward Fold) while maintaining the lift of the chest. This is surely a recipe for the firing of the QL and erector spinae muscles.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

HIP FLEXORS & HIP FLEXION

As already explained, one of the most important actions for Seated Forward Fold is hip flexion (the thighs moving closer to the chest, closing the hip joint). We’ve also established that hip flexor strength is essential for Seated Forward Fold. When attempting to gain strength of the hip flexors when it comes to Seated Forward Fold, you need to apply your understanding of the difference between active and passive flexibility. Allowing gravity alone to create the shape of Seated Forward Fold would likely simply create frustration due to the length of time it takes to see the results of going deeper into the posture. With the development of hip flexor strength and the practice of the articulation of the pelvis in postures like Seated and Standing Dandasana, you simply can’t go wrong when it comes to Seated Forward Fold.

SEATED FORWARD FOLD

After exploring Seated and Standing Dandasana from the perspective Matt offers, your body will display its readiness. During the setup in the video, you’ll see where Matt marries the passive and active in this posture. You’ll tap into the strength of your lower back with the same lift of the belly and chest along with the anterior tilt of the pelvis. Just like in Standing Dandasana, you’ll push your heels out isometrically, which will internally rotate your upper thighs, switching on TFL.  Once you’ve performed the actions you practiced in Seated Dandasana, that is, plugging the femur bones into the hip joint and pulling the kneecaps up, you can lean more forward. This is the crucial point at which you may begin to relax your back muscles and transition to a more passive state in the posture. The negotiation that takes place in the body, however, is that while your back relaxes, you’re still maintaining the suctioning of the quadriceps and tensioning of the hip flexors. This creates an exciting conversation within your body. It creates a marriage between active and passive, which Matt describes as the nervous system more fully participating in the experience and improving the health and functionality of your muscular system overall.  

Practicing in this way unleashes the potential functionality of your body. Registering for this month’s immersion will take you on a journey of deeper understanding, and it will help bring new life to foundational postures like the ones examined here. 

You can register for Twists & Folds here.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Twists & Folds

MOVE

  • Access your movement potential
  • Sweat and raise your heart rate
  • Master your breath/movement coordination
  • Increase mobility at all major joints
  • Learn to gracefully transition between postures
  • Improve your flexibility
  • Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
  • Improve your balance
  • Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Transversus Abdominis

by | Dec 15, 2022 | Main Page Display

Transversus Abdominis

Connect to Your Core With This Twist Technique

spinal rotation

CONNECT TO YOUR CORE

Once you are exposed to transformational techniques for your yoga practice, there’s no turning back. In the context of asana, these techniques open you up to a whole new world and perspective as to what is possible on the mat. Techniques like the one Matt offers in today’s video provide an awakening within your body and help you truly connect to your core while exploring twisting postures. Connecting to some of your deeper core muscles may feel elusive, but it is indeed possible. The transversus abdominis (TVA) is at the deepest layer of the core; when active, it can create spinal rotation, and it also stabilizes the spine. How is it possible to transform your experience and more deeply connect to your core?

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

  • Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
  • Improve spinal mobility
  • Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
  • Strengthen your back and deep core
  • Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
  • Classes will bring you to a sweat and back down to a relaxed state
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00 $138.00

LEARN MORE!

UDDIYANA BANDHA AND TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS

The transversus abdominis can be activated on both the inhale and the exhale. Activation on an exhalation is called Uddiyana Bandha. Bandha means “lock” or “hold” and serves the body by stabilizing it during your practice. Uddiyana Bandha is the abdominal lock. Drawing the belly in and up is the necessary action to create the lock; this is exactly what engages the TVA. Contracting the transversus abdominis compresses the abdomen, and this is the first step in creating a deeper connection to your core. It’s still important to allow prana to flow! A deliberate mind-muscle connection must be established in order to feel and maintain stability while sustaining the flow of breath. As always, setting a foundation for the nervous system will enable you to direct your brain and body to respond to the action you desire—in this case, it’s spinal rotation. How can you continue to prepare your core for twisting postures?

WATCH THE VIDEO

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS:  CONNECT TO YOUR CORE WITH THIS TWIST TECHNIQUE

KAPALABHATI PRANAYAMA AND CONNECTING TO YOUR CORE

One of the most relatable cues to begin to understand Kapalabhati Pranayama is to compare it to coughing, which is also an appropriate cue in order to understand TVA activation. This does not mean that you have to cough in order to activate TVA, but it helps to feel how the belly pulls back and that it’s a quick, firm action.

Today’s clip is extracted from Matt’s current immersion, Twists & Folds. At the beginning of the class, Matt guides you through Kapalabhati, which is the practice of “forcefully” breathing in and out in a repetitive manner. The exhale happens via pulling your belly back. The purpose of starting the practice in this way is to begin to wake up and tone the TVA. It’s these more subtle energetic practices that lay the foundation for you to connect to your core. This connection to your core has the potential for you to increase spinal mobility and go deeper into twisting postures.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

TWISTING POSTURES

“The abdominal muscles are the core prime movers in the twisting postures.”

Long, Ray. The Key Muscles of Yoga, Vol. 1 . Bandha Yoga Publications LLC. 2005. Pg.126

Bringing TVA to the forefront of your awareness is important when utilizing the twist technique from today’s video. Connecting to your core, the TVA specifically, also requires an awareness of the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles. These muscles lift the torso and aid in creating an anterior tilt of the pelvis. Without this upright position, it’s impossible to truly access the lifting and pulling back of your belly. This awareness is key to being a full participant when engaging in twisting postures in your yoga practice. You’ll be guiding your body, rather than having your body guide you. For example, if there are vulnerable instabilities in the hips, utilizing the strength in your core muscles will offer a sense of steadiness and safety in any given twisting posture. How is this expressed in Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)?

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS (TVA) TWIST TECHNIQUE: ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA

A seated twist like Ardha Matsyendrasana is a great way to explore this technique, although it can be applied to multiple twist postures. A seated twist is a great option because it removes the added challenge of balancing in a standing twist posture. This offers more time to explore your breath within TVA activation.

Here are the steps:

  1. Find a tall spine (place blankets under your seat if it is difficult to find more spinal extension)
  2. Place hands at the low back and encourage the top of your pelvis to push forward to find more anterior tilt (low back muscles are active)
  3. Lift the belly in and up and spiral up as you twist
  4. Inhales are for preparation and length, exhales for twisting (spinal rotation)
  5. Your back arm can be placed down for support
  6. Your front arm can gently grab the thigh as you continue to rotate (minimize usage of front arm as much as possible in order to maintain core connection)
  7.  Continue to rotate your belly button
  8. “Wring out a towel”—right belly towards left side of spine creates the transversus rotation

TRANSFORM THE CONNECTION TO YOUR CORE

If you’ve practiced with Matt before, then you know that strengthening muscles on your mat promotes increased mobility. Contacting your TVA means that you are cultivating strength. Connecting to the TVA, the deepest layer of your core, is going to transform how you experience twisting postures. You will find greater mobility while feeling more stable in your body.

Maya Angelou said, “When you know better, you do better,” and this is so very true on the mat. The education you come away with from Matt’s classes helps you to do exactly that. You will know better and in fact do better beyond your expectations.

You can sign up here for Matt’s Twists & Folds immersion.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Twists & Folds

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Hip Flexor Strength

by | Dec 10, 2022 | Main Page Display

Hip Flexor Strength

Access Deeper Forward Folds

uttanasana

HIP FLEXOR STRENGTH OVER HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY?

Hip flexor strength for deeper forward folds over hamstring flexibility? It’s not a matter of one or the other; it’s about how one can inform the other. It’s also about how, through the process of connecting with developing strength in your hip flexors, you not only learn and discover more about your body, but you also build a deeper, more intimate connection with your body’s potential. In today’s video, you’ll get a glimpse into one of the formulas Matt utilizes to gain access to a deeper forward fold. The method is very specific and intentional. You’ll learn to execute how you have the potential to strengthen and articulate specific movements of the pelvis and spine. Within specific techniques that Matt breaks down, you’ll witness the evolution of your new approach to accessing deeper forward folds.

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

  • Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
  • Improve spinal mobility
  • Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
  • Strengthen your back and deep core
  • Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
  • Classes will bring you to a sweat and back down to a relaxed state
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00 $138.00

LEARN MORE!

REVERSE YOUR BACKBEND

Coming into a forward fold position, whether seated or standing, can be an almost “effortless” action if that’s your intention. This may be all that is necessary in a specific scenario, but there is so much more available to you. It’s funny how you would never take this “effortless” approach going backwards into a backbend. It’s easy to conceive and appreciate how calculated and thoughtful you must be to safely execute a backbend like Wheel, for example. Folding forward, however, presents opportunities to be just as deliberate. Matt compares the approach to a forward fold as almost the “reversal of a backbend.” If you’ve practiced with Matt before, then you’ll be familiar with the concept of bowing the spine (lifting the belly in and up while flaring the ribcage forward) in order to reduce spinal compression by creating increased length between each vertebra.

A similar approach is taken in a forward fold. In this case, it’s important to be aware of finding more of an anterior tilt of your pelvis—this may require sitting up on blankets—and then drawing the mid-section back to find more flexion of the spine. There is much more involved in the approach, but reversing a backbend is probably one of the most accessible visuals.

WATCH THE VIDEO

HIP FLEXOR STRENGTH:  ACCESS DEEPER FORWARD FOLDS

SPINAL FLEXION & DISC INJURIES

It’s extremely important to note that spinal flexion is not advisable if you’re experiencing any disc injuries—a herniated disc, for example. Aggravating this condition with spinal flexion may cause further compression of the nerves or spinal cord, causing more pain and/or dysfunction. When you practice with Matt, however, you’ll learn very quickly that there are always ways and opportunities to transform the experience in your body. Focusing on hip flexor strength for deeper forward folds might be the only aspect you work on, if that is all that’s possible in your body at a given time.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

THE ROLE OF THE HIP FLEXORS

Focusing on hip flexor strength for deeper forward folds is integral to your practice because it both informs the articulation of the pelvis and helps increase flexibility in the hamstrings. This happens via a technique called reciprocal inhibition: activating the muscles that oppose the muscles that are stretching. Yes, hamstring flexibility is necessary, but it can be challenging, and if that is an area of tension for you, it can be extremely vulnerable to injury.  

In today’s video, Matt demonstrates (from an Ardha Uttanasana, or Halfway Lift, position) that when you push your heels out (causing internal rotation of the upper thighs) and lift up through your sit bones, you will activate the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle. In addition, Matt explains that if you lift your kneecaps up, it will also activate the rectus femoris, a quadricep muscle that is also a hip flexor. A bonus effort is to pull your big toes towards one another to activate the pectineus, a deep adductor muscle; as mentioned, it will support bringing the pelvis into anterior tilt. Activating these muscle groups while the hamstrings are lengthening is in fact reciprocal inhibition. These steps offer an essential foundation to help you intelligently move into a forward fold, safely and deeply.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

THE FINAL STEPS

Once you’ve implemented the above steps, and if spinal flexion is a safe shape for you to explore, following these next steps will offer deeper access:

  1. Bow forward
  2. Lean more into your fingers and toes
  3. Pull your front ribs back to round the spine and create more spinal flexion (with a focus on the thoracic region)
  4. Think about the back of your skull reaching towards the ground
  5. Lean more into your toes and fingers once again to support your balance
  6. Pull your front ribs in and look towards your belly button

Finally, stay there to breathe and enjoy the new sensations and patterns you’re creating for your body and your nervous system.

Working on hip flexor strength for deeper forward folds will actually offer a gateway to a vast number of other yoga postures. You can continue to explore the possibilities in Matt’s current Twist & Folds immersion.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Spinal Freedom In Revolved Low Lunge

by | Dec 1, 2022 | Main Page Display

Spinal Freedom in Revolved Low Lunge

5-Part Twist Technique

anjaneyasana

REVOLVED LOW LUNGE TECHNIQUE

You’re going to multiply the benefits of twisting postures with this 5-part twist technique. There are already benefits you may knowingly and/or unknowingly receive from incorporating twist postures into your asana practice, but this is going to take it to a new level. This technique is going to show you how you can strengthen your body and be more intentional about how you execute twist postures. In today’s video, Matt breaks down this technique in Revolved Low Lunge. The technique can be applied to other twisting postures in your yoga practice, but Revolved Low Lunge is a great way to explore the technique with a solid base.

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

  • Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
  • Improve spinal mobility
  • Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
  • Strengthen your back and deep core
  • Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
  • Classes will bring you to a sweat and back down to a relaxed state
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00 $138.00

LEARN MORE!

THE BENEFITS OF TWIST POSTURES

So, what are some of the benefits of twist postures? At the most basic level, there’s nothing like the “feel good” sensation they provide. Twist postures are often a nice go-to when you are experiencing tension in your back. It’s almost an intuitive response of the body to twist when we want to “get the kinks out,” so to speak. Twists also play a role in increased circulation and mobility. “Twists do affect our mobility (movement of organs in relation to each other) and our motility (movement within an organ),” which also promotes increased circulation. This is not to say that no other factors are involved, but there is a contribution. Twists are an important part of creating a more balanced asana practice.

Kaminoff, Leslie & Matthews, Amy. Yoga Anatomy, Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL 2012

WATCH THE VIDEO

SPINAL FREEDOM: 5-PART TWIST TECHNIQUE

>

SPINAL HEALTH & FREEDOM

“The spine is literally the ‘core’ of the body. It is the deepest, most centrally located structure.” David Keil, in Functional Anatomy of Yoga, goes on to explain that there is a variety of structures in the body that are directly and indirectly attached to the spine. This delineates the importance and weight that the spine carries in your body.  

In order to experience “spinal freedom,” you must have a level of both strength and fluidity in the spine. Your experience on your yoga mat always depends on your intention regarding a particular pose and/or practice. It also depends on what you know about your body. In regard to twists and the 5-part technique he utilizes in Revolved Low Lunge, Matt talks about this approach to the technique. You’ll see in the video (and read in the breakdown) that there are several muscle activations that take place. These activations can be executed to suit your body’s individual needs. Matt details that if you are hypermobile, which he talks about in the full video from which today’s clip is extracted (see below), it may be more appropriate to hold onto each activation as you continue up the ladder of steps. This will help to create more stability. If the opposite is true, then you may perform the activations one at a time, because implementing the activations one at a time helps create more movement. Whether your intention is to stabilize or to create more movement, both are necessary in order to maintain spinal health. 

Keil, David. Functional Anatomy of Yoga: A Guide to Practitioners and Teachers, Lotus Publishing, Chichester, England. 2014

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

MOVEMENTS OF THE SPINE

Within this twist technique, there is so much more than rotation in order to increase your body’s potential. The technique, demonstrated in Revolved Low Lunge, shows you how to create movement with the strength of the rotators of the spine and the abdominal muscles. Instead of relying on a more passive execution, using the strength and push of the rear deltoids and triceps to deepen the twist, this technique provides an opportunity to create more strength and integrity so as to support spinal stability and freedom of movement. You’ll see in Matt’s demonstration that multiple movements of the spine are implemented in order to fulfill the technique. You’ll also see a degree of axial extension (lifting and lengthening in order to activate the transversus abdominis); spinal flexion (to initiate the twist); a degree of lateral flexion on each side of the body; and lastly, spinal extension in order to create the backbend within the twist. Exploring all of these movements of the spine supports the ambition to create stability, strength, flexibility, and mobility. Let’s break down the steps of this technique in Revolved Low Lunge.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

5-PART TWIST TECHNIQUE

In truth, the technique can probably be broken down into 4 parts, but there’s no getting stronger or going deeper in any yoga posture without setting a foundation and becoming more aware of your breath within each step.

In the video, Matt goes through the steps multiple times to offer a focus on the technique itself, the muscle activations taking place, and the breath-pairing alongside the technique.

Steps in Revolved Low Lunge

(Left foot forward)

  1. Set the foundation—pull your knees together and pull your belly up
  2. Round the upper back and twist
  3. Side bend up to the sky (left waistline shortens)
  4. *Pause and wait, breath in, then side bend back towards the thigh (close the gap—right waistline shortens)
  5. Backbend (with option to open the arms)

Breath-Pairing Steps

  1. Take a breath in and pull the belly in and up as in Cobra; as you exhale, round the upper back and initiate the twist
  2. Inhale, side bend the left ribs up to the sky (you can also hold the side bend for some of the twist)
  3. Inhale in the side bend; on the exhale, the right-side body gets short, so side bend towards the ground
  4. Inhale backbend
  5. Twist more on the exhale

REQUIRE MORE FROM YOUR TWISTS

Approaching twists in this way offers you the opportunity to be in more control of your body, both on the mat and in your everyday functional movement and activities. Moving in this way creates more confidence. It may be more challenging to ask more from your body, but the payoff is extraordinary. Not only will you experience a deeper twist, but the sensations you are left with also reveal the strength and integrity you are creating in your body. The advantage of exploring this twist technique in Revolved Low Lunge is that you can remain closer to the ground, which removes the added balance element. You can safely delve into the technique and then later apply it to more complex twisting postures. Take the opportunity to dive deeper into the possibility of twists in Matt’s December 2022 immersion, Twists & Folds.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Spinal Awakening

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

  • Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
  • Improve spinal mobility
  • Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
  • Strengthen your back and deep core
  • Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
  • Classes will bring you to a sweat and back down to a relaxed state
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00 $138.00

LEARN MORE!

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

King Pigeon Variations

by | Nov 17, 2022 | Main Page Display

King Pigeon Variations

Full Body Awareness for Your Shoulders

mobility

KING PIGEON

If you’ve practiced with Matt before, you’ll be aware of the domino effect or the ripple effect of how a yoga posture unfolds. Matt brilliantly breaks down every pose with care and intricate detail. This helps you not only to understand a pose intellectually but also to physically feel this unfolding take place in your body; it’s like the satisfaction you feel when you hear the snap of the correct puzzle piece connecting into the right place. King Pigeon is a perfect example of this unfolding. One action intimately informs the next.

SHOULDER MOBILITY

Access Your Active Range of Motions

  • 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

LEARN MORE!

SHOULDER ACTIONS

At first glance, it appears that a great deal of shoulder flexion is required for King Pigeon Pose. That’s not false, but there is more to that than meets the eye. The setup of King Pigeon additionally requires shoulder extension, elevation, a balance between internal and external rotation, and retraction of the scapulae. In other words, it can appear and/or even feel quite complex because there are a lot of muscle engagements and contracting actions taking place. More specifically, it’s how these actions are carried out.  

If you’re not familiar with how Matt teaches Downward-Facing Dog, you should check out my previous article, Downward-Facing Dog Shoulder Alignment. There are parallels that are extremely helpful. Once you are in King Pigeon, the key to safer alignment is the elevation of the shoulders and then the pulling of the armpits back (hollowing of the armpits). These 2 actions take place in Downward-Facing Dog to help minimize the possibility of shoulder impingement. In King Pigeon, these actions will also help to create greater shoulder mobility while reducing the potential for pain in the front of the shoulders and in the upper trapezius.

WATCH THE VIDEO

KING PIGEON: FULL BODY AWARENESS FOR YOUR SHOULDERS

MORE THAN THE SHOULDERS

In order to diminish potential strain or pain in the shoulders, there are other actions and muscle activations that also hold great importance. Understanding the rest of the posture will help you find more ease in your execution. For example, creating a more robust backbend (spinal extension) will help reduce the amount of pressure in the shoulders. This will of course require the activation and then stretching/opening of the chest.

One of the most valuable actions is actually the pressing forward of the inner elbow. This is the catalyst for the external rotation that brings the arms up into flexion. When the arms are here, the armpits lift and pull back, through which, with awareness and intention, you can actively create scapular retraction (activation of the rhomboids, upper and middle trapezius, and rear deltoid muscles). Let’s look at the ripple effect.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

KING PIGEON WITH A YOGA STRAP

(Right leg in front)

  1. Come into Pigeon Pose. A block underneath the right-side buttock is a great reminder and support to keep the hips more leveled. You can still stabilize and be intentional about activating the glute muscles.
  2. Loop a strap around your foot.
  3. Grab the strap with your left hand (palm facing up).
  4. Turn your chest towards your foot.
  5. Do a side bend by sending the right ribs forward.
  6. Use hamstrings to pull your foot closer.
  7. Pull your elbow in. 
  8. Rotate the arm so it is externally rotated.
  9. Elbow comes up.
  10. Once the elbow is by your face, you can close/turn the pelvis.
  11. Lift your hips up.
  12. Grab the strap with other hand.

It’s almost like a checklist—once you have completed one action, you will see how the others intuitively get checked off and naturally fall into place; in other words, once you maintain the side bend and pull your foot closer, your elbow will naturally pull in closer to your body.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

KING PIGEON WITHOUT A STRAP

(Left leg forward)

This variation will require deeper spinal extension and more shoulder mobility. Following Matt’s Chromatic formula—the layering of actions—helps you to move towards the reality of achieving the posture. In the video, you’ll see directly how with each step taken, the body reacts.

Here are the steps:

  1. With a block under the left buttock, come into Pigeon Pose.
  2. Turn towards your right foot to grab hold with the right hand (palm facing up with foot flexed and toes turned away from your midline).
  3. Turn the chest and lift the hips up.
  4. The elbow now comes in close to the body.
  5. Rotate the arm into external rotation.
  6. The chest goes forward significantly.
  7. Other hand also comes around to grab the foot.

King Pigeon is not a posture to jump into! It demands awareness, patience, and understanding. Full-body awareness is the key to unlocking access to this posture.

There is still time to join in on the Shoulder Mobility immersion. Practicing these classes will help close the gap, in more advanced postures like King Pigeon, between what can seem like overwhelm and a deeper understanding of your own body in these postures.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Shoulder Revelation

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Reverse Plank Pose

by | Nov 10, 2022 | Main Page Display

Reverse Plank Pose

Scapular Retraction for Back Strength

PURVOTTANASANA

REVERSE PLANK POSE

Asymmetry is a common issue when it comes to our asana practice. Opportunities to work on strengthening muscles in the back body are much less frequent than opportunities to strengthen our front body. Improving mobility and strength in the shoulders for a posture like Reverse Plank Pose has a direct influence on strengthening the back body. Reverse Plank Pose is easily neglected, but as Matt stresses in today’s video, it’s probably one of the most important postures we can include in our asana practice.  

It’s easy to spend a considerable amount of time in Plank Pose and/or use it as a transition in a given asana practice, but we don’t necessarily flip it very often. Flipping the pose upside down and incorporating Reverse Plank Pose into our practice can create extremely therapeutic effects.

SHOULDER MOBILITY

Access Your Active Range of Motions

  • 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

LEARN MORE!

THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES

If you spend a lot of time with a rounded spine, it’s easy to default into that shape on a regular basis. Even if you attempt to offset your body positioning to open up the chest and come into a more upright or even a backbend position, it can feel abnormal and/or hard to sustain. When this is the case, it can lead to things like chronic neck and back pain.

In the very first class from the Shoulder Mobility immersion, Matt explains how the muscles of the back body are commonly underused. We can see this not only in our yoga practice but also in everyday activities off the yoga mat. Increasing attention and action in this area of the body can help us reap the therapeutic benefits that are available. 

WATCH THE VIDEO: REVERSE PLANK POSE FOR BACK STRENGTH

WHY BACK STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT

Seems like common sense to know that any type of strength development in the body is not only important but essential. Unfortunately, we don’t always seek or develop balanced strength within our bodies when it comes to our asana practice. It’s human nature to resist things that bring challenge, and engaging the muscles in the back body can be tiring and difficult. The action of drawing the shoulder blades together feels good because it offsets forward shoulder-rounding and increases the stretch in the pectoral muscles. The pectoral muscles spend a lot of time in a shortened position, so retraction of the scapulae in poses like Reverse Plank Pose creates the desired length and stretch in the front body.

Retraction of the scapulae will help strengthen the rhomboid muscles and the middle fibers of the trapezius. This is important because it informs the quality of your daily posture.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

HAND VARIATIONS IN REVERSE PLANK POSE

In the video, Matt offers both Reverse Side Plank and Reverse Tabletop. In exploring these variations, you’ll find different ways to place your hands. The reason this is so important is that a specific hand position might be more suitable for your current state of shoulder mobility. It also provides opportunities for you to retract the scapulae from both internal and external rotation of the upper arm bones (humeri). This can help you better understand how to isolate the area of the rhomboids and trapezius. Specific actions, like pulling the hands towards one another and/or apart, can help activate the rear deltoids as well.  

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

REVERSE PLANK POSE SETUP

  1. Find a seated position, with legs stretched out ahead of you and fingers pointing towards heels (internal rotation of upper arm bone)
  2. Lift shoulders up to the ears 
  3. Pull shoulders back
  4. Move chest forward (increases activation of back muscles)
  5. Flex or point feet
  6. Press down through heels (using glute, back, and shoulder muscles to lift up into Plank)

You can see that Matt goes into great detail with each action, helping you maximize the benefit of generating strength in your back. If you’d like to actually see a difference in your posture and a reduction of pain, retraction of the scapulae is much more than just pulling your shoulder blades together.

Matt’s Shoulder Mobility immersion continues for the month of November. Register now and you’ll be able to practice live for the rest of the month, or else practice the classes in your own time. You’ll have lifetime access to all 12 classes once complete.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Shoulder Mobility

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Crow Pose On Blocks

by | Nov 3, 2022 | Main Page Display

Crow Pose on Blocks

Take Your Shoulder Stability to New Heights

STABILITY

CROW POSE 

It’s not unusual to have a healthy amount of fear and hesitation when it comes to finding balance in crow pose: Will I fall? Am I strong enough? Will I hurt myself? One of the most amazing things about an asana practice, however, is how we learn so much about our bodies. We learn through exploration. When you have a teacher like Matt, he not only provides inspiration to explore, but through his extensive knowledge of the body, he offers a myriad of specific actions for you to experiment with that allow you to move towards a desired result. In today’s video, Matt demonstrates the dual action for you to take for improved shoulder stability in Crow Pose. The use of yoga blocks in this variation of the pose serves as an excellent support to take your shoulder stability to new heights.

SHOULDER MOBILITY

Access Your Active Range of Motions

  • 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

LEARN MORE!

HYPERMOBILE VS. HYPOMOBILE

Whether you are hypermobile or hypomobile, working on stability in your yoga practice is a must. What’s the difference between the two?  “Joint hypermobility is a clinical condition in which the joints move beyond the expected physiological range of motion.” When this is the case, understanding your body and knowing your individual “end range” can help you know when to pull back in order to minimize instability and possible injury. On the other hand, hypomobility means that there is a decrease and a significant limitation in the range of motion that is actually possible within a specific joint. When it comes to the shoulders, both states are common, and both have the potential to result in pain. It may seem counterintuitive to work on stability when hypomobile, because you may associate the toughness or rigidity with stability. Stability is just part of the equation when developing healthy muscle tissue, but it is an important part of the equation.  

Atici A, Aktas I, Akpinar P, Ozkan FU. The relationship between joint hypermobility and subacromial impingement syndrome and adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. North Clin Istanb. 2018 Sep;5(3):232-237. doi: 10.14744/nci.2017.35119. PMID: 30688930; PMCID: PMC6323568.

WATCH THE VIDEO: CROW POSE ON BLOCKS

SHOULDER STABILITY

An essential part of shoulder stability happens when the muscles around the glenohumeral joint (rotator cuff muscles) have the ability to contract and help the head of the humerus (upper arm bone) stay centered and secure in the joint. Having the ability to contract means that these muscles actually have less rigidity; it means that there is a suppleness to the tissues which allows them to contract, expand, move, and glide as they should. An arm balance like Crow Pose requires a sizable amount of shoulder stability.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

THE 2 MAIN ACTIONS

The actions Matt demonstrates in the video for shoulder stability in Crow Pose are protraction and external rotation. He explains that in scapular protraction, the tendency will be to internally rotate the humerus; however, if you can externally rotate the arm bones while in protraction, it will create a vast amount of shoulder stability in your arm balances. There’s actually a counteraction taking place. The goal is to apply these two actions simultaneously. Matt teaches us that internal rotation is fine—it’s actually something we want—but in the context of this arm balance, if you counteract the protraction with external rotation, there will be a tremendous amount of muscle activation that surrounds the joints. This in turn translates into better stability and better balance.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

IMPLEMENT THESE KEY ACTIONS FOR CROW POSE ON BLOCKS

Executing Crow Pose on blocks is not as simple as only doing the 2 actions (protraction and external rotation) for the shoulders, but bringing your focus and attention here might just be what is missing from actually realizing your full potential in the posture.

Here are the steps:

  1. Stack 2 blocks horizontally on their first height
  2. Place your hands wide on the ground, just ahead of the blocks
  3. Step onto the blocks 
  4. Lower your hips down towards your heels
  5. Take your knees wide and out to the sides (*The height of the blocks allow you to have a better handle on allowing your shins the space to rest on the upper arms for better support)
  6. Squeeze legs into the chest
  7. Get your fingers active (grip the ground)
  8. Lean forward into fingers
  9. Rotate elbows in (external rotation of the humerus)
  10.  Squeeze knees in towards your midline (activating the adductor muscles)
  11. Push the floor away to protract the scapulae more (round your back more)

TAKEAWAYS

What you end up finding out about your body is whether or not your proprioception is accurate: Is your physical body able to respond to the cues so as to follow through with these actions? Do you require more strength? This helps you to map out your next steps and course of action.

A good step in the right direction is to sign up for Matt’s Shoulder Mobility immersion. In this immersion, you’ll learn more about how to strengthen key muscles of the shoulders. Matt also be teaches techniques that assist in increasing both active and passive range of motion.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Shoulder Revelation Immersion

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Side Angle Pose

by | Oct 27, 2022 | Main Page Display

Side Angle Pose

Shoulder Fix at the Wall

upward rotation

SIDE ANGLE POSE

Stop for a moment and think about how many times you lift your arms overhead in any given asana practice. There are plenty of opportunities, aren’t there? Side Angle Pose is a perfect example.  

Also think about how this action is an everyday occurrence off of your yoga mat. It doesn’t even have to be in another movement practice, or maybe reaching up to grab something out of a cupboard. It could simply be a natural bodily instinct when you feel like you need a little stretch after sitting at your work desk for most of the day. An action like this can be so easily taken for granted. Lifting your arms up over your head without pain is a privilege for so many, and it can be quite frustrating when you want to engage in such a “simple” movement/action but have difficulty doing so. The same thing rings true when you consider a foundational posture like Side Angle Pose. This pose seems  “innocent” enough but may not be so simple when there is pain that keeps you from lifting your top arm overhead.

Unfortunately, pain from this action is commonly rooted in the myth that it is better to draw your shoulders away from your ears even when your arms are overhead. This is often communicated in yoga classes, but let’s bust this myth with some anatomy of the shoulder.

SHOULDER MOBILITY

Access Your Active Range of Motions

  • 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

LEARN MORE!

SHOULDER ANATOMY

The acromion process is almost like a little bone that sticks out and is essentially the front part of the scapula. If you were to palpate and travel along the “spine of the scapula” (on the upper border of the scapula) and follow that along towards the top of the shoulder, you would feel a small flat surface underneath your fingers.

Underneath the scapula is the supraspinatus (a rotator cuff muscle), which exists underneath this acromioclavicular joint (AC joint). Within this space, you’ll also find soft tissue called the bursa. Bursae are like little liquid-filled sacs that help minimize friction between the moving parts of the joints throughout your body. Underneath the “shelf” of the AC joint, you’ll find the subacromial bursa and the subdeltoid bursa.  

The action of pulling your shoulders down while trying to lift your arms up may cause compression, pinching the soft tissues. This can lead to issues like bursitis (inflammation of the bursa), tendonitis, or, in some more extreme scenarios, the tearing of the supraspinatus. When these types of issues arise, they create what’s often referred to as shoulder impingement: “Patients with shoulder impingement syndrome suffer from painful entrapment of soft tissue whenever they elevate the arm.” In order to avoid this entrapment, Matt explains that it’s imperative that we learn how to upwardly rotate the shoulder blades.  

Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, Nadjar R, Brunner UH. Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017 Nov 10;114(45):765-776. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765. PMID: 29202926; PMCID: PMC5729225.

WATCH THE VIDEO: SIDE ANGLE POSE: SHOULDER FIX AT THE WALL

SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT

Once you understand the mechanics, it’s easier to understand why shoulder impingement may start to present itself in Side Angle Pose and other yoga postures where your arms go past shoulder height.  

In the following study, we learn that shoulder impingement is both common and can be more complex:

“Shoulder pain is the third most common musculoskeletal complaint in orthopedic practice, and impingement syndrome is one of the more common underlying diagnoses. On the pathophysiological level, it can have various functional, degenerative, and mechanical causes. The impingement hypothesis assumes a pathophysiological mechanism in which different structures of the shoulder joint come into mechanical conflict. The goal of treatment is to restore pain-free and powerful movement of the shoulder joint.”

Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, Nadjar R, Brunner UH. Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017 Nov 10;114(45):765-776. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765. PMID: 29202926; PMCID: PMC5729225.

Asana practice does not replace treatment where necessary, but you can be proactive in trying to avoid shoulder impingement by moving with more intention and understanding. An asana practice may also serve as support to medical treatment.

So how can you move with more intention and understanding in Side Angle Pose?

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

MOVE WITH INTENTION

Part of the intention in Side Angle Pose and other postures that require the action of lifting your arms overhead is to protect the subacromial space underneath the acromion process. You can reduce collision and obstruction by accentuating the movement of the angle of the joint. This happens by lifting the collar bone up and tilting the scapulae upward. As your arm goes up, the angle of the glenohumeral joint changes because the bottom tip of the scapula rotates up and forward. This change in the articulation of the joint helps reduce or possibly remove any pinching in the area, thus preventing pain.

When your arms go up, there are a number of muscle co-activations that are taking place to facilitate the bones’ movement (i.e., collar bone and scapulae). As the supraspinatus engages, it (hopefully) lifts the clavicle. The serratus anterior helps to pull the shoulder blade forward, and the co-activation of the lower and upper fibers of the trapezius will help with the rotation of the scapulae. In order to maintain the subacromial space, your shoulders need to lift up towards your ears. Setting yourself up at a wall for Side Angle Pose assists in the deeper understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the posture.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

SIDE ANGLE SHOULDER FIX AT THE WALL

(right foot forward)

In the video, you’ll see how Matt uses the wall to deepen the sensation of engagement/activation of muscles. A wall in Side Angle Pose is a great prop that reminds you to reach not only through your hand but also through the shoulder blade.

Here are the steps:

  1. Set up your mat perpendicular to a wall
  2. With your right toes facing the wall, place your right forearm on your thigh, with groins back
  3. Hand is by your side like in Tadasana 
  4. Externally rotate the upper arm bone (will retract scapula)
  5. Reach down and away (point the finger to emphasize the reach)
  6. As the arm comes up, make sure that outer line of the scapula is reaching; get your shoulder to touch your ear. In this way, you’ll find that you have a greater range of motion
  7. Touch the wall with your fingertips and push into the wall with the hand 
  8. Turn chest underneath. If your armpit goes forward here, suck the armpit back as you push

This is where a progression may be possible: The right forearm might leave the thigh, and you can place your hand next to the pinky side of your foot. If this is the case, your head may lower, creating more space between your shoulder and your ear. It is important to continue reaching through your hand and pulling your armpit back. 

It’s these seemingly tiny actions that create a huge impact on the experience in your body. Building in this kinesthetic awareness can help you to reduce the occurrence of injury and help you increase your range of motion in the shoulders. Shoulder Mobility starts Saturday November 5th.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Anatomy In Motion

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Open Splits

by | Oct 20, 2022 | Main Page Display

Open Splits

Follow This Flexibility Formula

SAMAKONASANA

OPEN SPLITS

Open Splits is one of those postures that may not always make it into your asana practice, but there are a number of good reasons for it to start showing up more often. It does require a considerable amount of flexibility, and Matt lays out the perfect flexibility formula in order to safely execute the posture. What it does is offer much more than the result: It takes you on a path toward greater balance in your body, more specifically in the hips. The adductor muscles don’t often get as much of the limelight as some of the other muscles of the hips (e.g., glutes), so Open Splits (Samakonasana) is an opportunity to create more muscle integrity in the adductors, tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscles, hip flexors, and inner hamstrings.

 

Online Yoga for Hip Openers and Flexibility

HIP MOBILITY

October 2022 Immersion

  • Strengthen and lengthen your hips
  • Increase active and passive range of motion
  • Learn anatomical techniques to improve functionality
  • Access a wider range of seated postures and hip openers
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

MORE INFORMATION

✋ SIGN ME UP

MUSCLE INTEGRITY

What is muscle integrity? It’s essentially the health of a muscle or muscle group. This can still be vague—what is a healthy muscle? Part of having healthy muscle tissue means that you have the ability to control the contraction of a particular muscle or the amount of contraction and relaxation within a group of muscles, at any length. This is important in Open Splits, because even though your legs are out wide, you should have the ability to contract back inwards. One of the most important things to do to maintain safe execution is to never go to your full end range. Staying at approximately 70% of your range will help minimize the chance of injury.

WATCH THE VIDEO: OPEN SPLITS: FLEXIBILITY FORMULA

MORE THAN MUSCLE ACTIVATION

There are specific articulations in your body that are key components of the flexibility formula for Open Splits. These articulations will help you achieve the desired activation of muscle tissue and joint placement. For example, the anterior tilt of the pelvis assists in the activation of the TFL (an internal rotator). Once you bring your awareness to this sensation, you can layer on the additional and contrasting action of spiraling the thigh bones outwards in order to ignite the outer hips (abductors) as well.

The most important thing is to always take it step by step. Let’s examine from the beginning each action that Matt breaks down in the video.

200 Hour Online Teacher Training Certification

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

  • Deepen your yoga practice
  • Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
  • Learn foundational class structures and templates
  • Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
  • Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
  • Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program
LEARN MORE!

FOLLOW THIS FLEXIBILITY FORMULA

There are a number of actions and co-activations that need to happen in order to maintain safety and build upon muscle integrity in Open Splits. As mentioned before, once you get into a straddle position, it’s important to remain mindful and stay away from going to your complete end range. You should recognize a subtle sensation of stretch in the inner thighs and hamstrings. Staying within this range and then isometrically activating your adductors, hamstrings, and TFL is the formula to follow. The stars of the show, however, are patience and restraint. Staying behind your end range and having the patience to allow your muscles to adapt and continue to grow into new flexibility will promote increased healthy muscle tissue.

300 hour teacher training online

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

  • Get 500 hour certified
  • Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
  • Expand your teaching skills
  • Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
  • Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
  • Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang
LEARN MORE!

OPEN SPLITS EXECUTION

In the execution of open splits, remember to layer each action:

  1. Dorsiflex your toes and point both knees and toes to the sky
  2. Send inner groins down to the ground
  3. Micro bend your knees (to alleviate pressure here) and press your heels down into the earth (to light up the hamstrings)
  4. Push outward now while pushing toes out and pressing legs apart, so pelvis goes more into anterior tilt (legs stay as they are)
  5. Once you feel the stretch in the adductor muscles, start to press your heels down and micro tuck the tailbone (more posterior tilt of the pelvis), or suction the thigh bones into the hip sockets, so the TFL starts to ignite and pull feet towards each other. It is more about stability here, rather than straining. 

Playing with different articulations is helpful in deciphering what areas continue to require attention (i.e., what feels tight and/or what feels hypermobile). For example, if you want to continue bowing forward, you may return back to pressing legs apart and groins back or hips more forward. This will offer a deeper stretch in your adductors. Going back and forth between push and pull actions helps increase hip mobility.

Matt’s current Hip Mobility immersion offers a deep dive into the breakdown of specific asanas related to increased flexibility, strength, and mobility of the hips. More importantly, it puts hip health at center stage. Direct your experience and elevate your practice by registering today.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Hips & Hamstrings

UPCOMING TEACHER TRAININGS

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

Continue Learning

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering Bakasana

Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

read more
Tuck Jumps

Tuck Jumps

Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

read more
Counter Rotations

Counter Rotations

Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

read more
Bird Of Paradise

Bird Of Paradise

Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

read more
A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose Treatment

A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

read more
Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock Pose

Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

read more
All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

  • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
  • exclusive online course discounts
  • exclusive blogs and videos
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Leg Over Head Preparation

by | Oct 10, 2022 | Main Page Display

Leg Over Head Preparation

Access Deeper Hip Opening

FLEXIBILITY

LEG OVER HEAD PREPARATION

Looking at a posture like Leg Over Head Pose, you might think that this extreme hip opener is completely off the table in terms of incorporating it into your yoga practice. Don’t turn away from it just yet. As always, it’s the preparation you need to place on a pedestal. Leg Over Head preparation is potentially the key that will unlock your access to this and other hip-opening postures.

 

Online Yoga for Hip Openers and Flexibility

HIP MOBILITY

October 2022 Immersion

  • Strengthen and lengthen your hips
  • Increase active and passive range of motion
  • Learn anatomical techniques to improve functionality
  • Access a wider range of seated postures and hip openers
  • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
  • Lifetime unlimited access to all
  • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

MORE INFORMATION

✋ SIGN ME UP

CHASING THE POSTURE

Let’s be clear that accessing postures is a nice outcome, but it’s the journey of self discovery along the way that is the true gift. Leg Over Head Pose, even the preparation if you will, can look quite intimidating. It might be a pose you completely reject and turn away from, or it might become a posture you choose to pursue. If you choose the latter, it’s important to understand that “chasing” the posture is not the answer. It’s an extreme posture, so taking your time through the process, unfolding your individual needs, and allowing yourself to be patient with all that’s required is the best approach.

Relentlessly chasing the posture may take you further away from feeling the benefits it has to offer. A healthy amount of discernment regarding when to push forward and when to pull back will provide a more positive experience. 

WATCH THE VIDEO: LEG OVER HEAD PREPARATION

RESTRICTION OF THE HIPS

Because so many parts of the hip play an active role in its execution, Leg Over Head preparation is an excellent posture to include in your practice when restriction/tightness of the hips is an issue. The muscles that need to be lengthened are primarily the hamstrings, adductors, and outer hips. The pose also requires extreme hip flexion and rotation. 

“Restricted hip mobility has shown a strong correlation with various pathologies of the hip, lumbar spine, and lower extremities. Restricted mobility can consequently have deleterious effects not only at the involved joint but throughout the entire kinetic chain.”

Reiman MP, Matheson JW. Restricted hip mobility: clinical suggestions for self-mobilization and muscle re-education. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2013 Oct;8(5):729-40. PMID: 24175151; PMCID: PMC3811738.

Limited hip mobility leaves the door open for potential injury. This may be expressed as back pain, pelvic instability, everyday and/or athletic performance hindrance, and more. Focusing on benefits such as increased range of motion, better alignment, and increased flexibility will steer you in a positive direction.

NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
200 Hour Training
NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
300 HOUR TRAINING

LEG OVER HEAD PREPARATION STEP BY STEP

Level I Preparation

(on the left side)

  1. Get into Lizard position
  2. Place 1 or 2 block(s) under your left foot
  3. Move back and up with hips
  4. Take your left arm underneath your left leg and grab your ankle or the block with your hand
  5. Place your forehead on a block (try 3rd or highest height of the block)

Along with the setup of the posture, it’s the following 3 actions that promote increased flexibility and range of motion in hips:

  1. Pull your front heel down and back
  2. Widen left buttock out to the left
  3. Squeeze front shin in

Activating these muscles until you feel like there is no more stretch sensation left is the signal that it may be ok to explore going deeper into the posture. In these instances, going slowly in order to stay safe will increase compliance of the tissues, making the goal of increased hip mobility a reality.

Matt also suggests that you go several rounds on each side to really prepare. Adding in a little gentle movement within the posture, to become aware of the sensations, can also be extremely helpful.

ADDITIONAL ACTIONS FOR DEEPER HIP OPENING

In order to take your experience even further, Matt recommends some additional actions:

  1. Your back leg can maneuver around in order to accommodate the front leg; maybe the back knee more in line with the left knee will allow for movement back for a deeper hamstring stretch. It’s important to be aware of the sensations in the knee. If your front knee feels off, then back off of the straightening
  2. Pressing the front foot forward activates the quadriceps
  3. Pressing hamstrings and sit bones apart might give more range of motion (although pressing the heel down and back are the main actions) 

    Explore one action at a time so as not to be overwhelmed with all of the possibilities. This approach also allows you to come into a fuller understanding of how each action feels in your own body. 

    Sensations may be different within a given practice, which is why moving mindfully is essential.

    Online Classes to Increase Hip and Hamstring Flexibility

    HIPS & HAMSTRINGS

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    • 12 classes to increase flexibility of the hips and hamstrings
    • Maximize your strength through range of motion
    • Access your pose potential
    • Release tension of hips and back
    • Sensation-based practices
    • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
    • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
    • Improve mobility and stability
    • So much more!

    $148.00 $128.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    UNRAVEL YOUR POTENTIAL

    Leg Over Head preparation does not have to be intimidating. It’s a posture you can get excited about because there are so many techniques and variations to explore. Turn towards what you initially may have wanted to resist. You may surprise yourself with the breakthrough that’s on the other side.

    Register for Matt’s upcoming Hip Mobility immersion in order to unravel your potential.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Hips & Hamstrings

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Fire Hydrant Pose: Hip Technique

    by | Oct 6, 2022 | Main Page Display

    Fire Hydrant Pose: Hip Technique

    Stability & Mobility Unleashed

    hip mobility

    FIRE HYDRANT POSE: HIP TECHNIQUE

    Part of the equation for improved function and mobility of the hips is building and creating strength, but first you have to understand how to actually do so. It’s not just about knowing which postures to include in your physical yoga practice; it’s really about the execution. Understanding how to implement specific anatomical techniques will help you go beyond what you may believe your body is capable of. This Fire Hydrant Pose hip technique is the perfect example of how to more fully understand your body and know exactly how to unleash stability and mobility in your hips.

     

    Online Yoga for Hip Openers and Flexibility

    HIP MOBILITY

    October 2022 Immersion

    • Strengthen and lengthen your hips
    • Increase active and passive range of motion
    • Learn anatomical techniques to improve functionality
    • Access a wider range of seated postures and hip openers
    • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    $148.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    HIP ABDUCTION

    There are 4 main muscles that work together to create hip abduction, which is what creates the shape of Fire Hydrant Pose. These muscles are the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) and the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. It’s not as simple as just lifting your leg away from your midline. Lateral rotation of the hip also plays a significant role in unlocking the strength that creates increased stability and mobility in the hips. In order to more deeply grasp this, we must understand a few things.

    In the posture itself, we maximize its benefits by executing specific articulations. Knowing the anatomy is extremely helpful because you get a better mental picture of what is happening as you are engaging in these movements/articulations. This strengthens the neuromuscular connection.

    WATCH THE VIDEO: FIRE HYDRANT POSE: HIP TECHNIQUE

    CONCENTRIC VS. ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION

    The action of lifting one leg out to the side (abduction) in Fire Hydrant Pose creates a concentric contraction in the glute muscles. A concentric contraction causes muscles to shorten through movement. In a different way, this is also happening in the standing leg: In this case, it’s the lateral tilt of the pelvis. Although the standing leg is fixed, in order to get a greater range of motion in the lifted leg, the “hugging in” of the hip of the standing leg also creates a shortening of the glute muscles. Once you are fixed in your variation of the posture, maintaining the contractions/activations without movement is what creates an isometric contraction. This sets the foundation for stability, but how can you take it to the next level?

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    HIP STABILITY

    The gluteus maximus and TFL attach to the iliotibial band, and when they co-activate, they help to abduct the hip joint. This doesn’t discount the other muscles that contribute here; glute medius and minimus also play a major role. These muscles are known as the abductor group, but they also stabilize the pelvis. For stability to occur, there must be an equal or balanced amount of co-activation from the muscles that surround the hip.  

    You’ll see in today’s video the specific anatomical techniques and articulations that Matt takes you through so as to take this experience to the next level.

    FIRE HYDRANT POSE PREPARATION

    Here are the steps:

    1. Bend your knees like in Chair Pose and place your hands on your right knee
    2. Hips go back, and bum tilts up
    3. Left foot out to the side, turning thigh bone in (internal rotation)
    4. Keep internal rotation and lift up through the heel (more concentric contraction is occurring to lift the left leg; once static, you are in isometric contraction)
    5. Meanwhile, squeeze right hip in (the abductors of the right hip are activating to allow the pelvis to open up)

    It’s the internal rotation that helps to activate the TFL. When your upper thigh bone is internally rotated, you can more easily lift through your heels. This is how to execute the co-activation that’s so important in creating more integrity and health in your hip joint. You’re now recruiting more muscle groups that surround the hip in order to create more stability. Increased hip stability (along with flexibility) establishes increased hip mobility.

    12 Online Yoga classes to Learn Anatomy

    ANATOMY IN MOTION

    APRIL 2022 Immersion

    • Embody anatomy
    • Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
    • Visualize your movements internally
    • Improve proprioception
    • Sensation-based practices
    • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
    • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
    • Improve mobility and stability
    • Get VERY geeky

    $168.00

     

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    HIP MOBILITY

    This Fire Hydrant Pose hip technique gives you an opportunity to flex your “hip mobility muscles.” Mobility is the ability to find better range in the joint with more control and strength, and these techniques provide just that. Better hip mobility means better function in your everyday life. In the context of your yoga practice, this means greater confidence on your mat during transitions and the execution of specific postures.  

    In Matt’s Hip Mobility immersion, you’ll come away with a better understanding of your hips and of what you need to focus on specifically in your yoga practice to take you to new heights.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Anatomy In Motion Immersion

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Hip Rotations: Techniques For Increased Mobility

    by | Sep 29, 2022 | Main Page Display

    Hip Rotations

    Techniques for Increased Mobility

    range of motion

    Hip rotations for increased mobility

    Injury, pain, and tightness are unfortunately just a few of the things that are commonly associated with the hips. Making efforts to improve hip mobility can help you manage these conditions. What is mobility? Mobility is your ability to control a limb through a specific range of motion. This is why exploration is such an important aspect of a physical yoga practice. After all, exploration is how you get to know yourself: You come to more deeply understand your current physical state each time you step on the mat. More importantly though, you find the keys to unleashing your potential. Practicing hip rotations for increased hip mobility can take you on the path to increased stability, strength, and flexibility in the hips. Hip rotations for increased mobility can be explored in more unique ways than you might think.

     

    Online Yoga for Hip Openers and Flexibility

    HIP MOBILITY

    October 2022 Immersion

    • Strengthen and lengthen your hips
    • Increase active and passive range of motion
    • Learn anatomical techniques to improve functionality
    • Access a wider range of seated postures and hip openers
    • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    $148.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    ANATOMY OF THE HIP

    First, let’s talk about the anatomy of the hip. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, which means that the femur bone (upper thigh bone) has a little ball on the end and inserts into the side of the ilium (pelvis). This ball, or head of the femur, rotates around in that shallow opening of the pelvis, where ligaments keep the head of the femur bone in the socket (hip joint). Ligaments provide stability in the hip joint, while the muscles that surround the hip create movement. Activating muscles, particularly through range of motion, serves to support people who are hypermobile in the hips just as much as people who feel restrictions and/or tightness. Engaging muscles through range of motion helps to mobilize the thigh bone inside of your pelvis. 

    WATCH THE VIDEO: HIP ROTATIONS: TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASED MOBILITY

    ACTIVE VS. PASSIVE RANGE OF MOTION

    Understanding the difference between active and passive range of motion is essential to being able to understand the body. It’s possible to believe that you have the capacity for quite a large range of motion, but this may be due to either hyper-mobility or flexibility, or it’s because it’s available to you passively by using the support of someone or something to move the joint to a particular degree. Active range of motion means that you have the strength to move the joint to a particular degree without any assistance other than your own muscle strength.

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    HIP ROTATION TECHNIQUES

    In the video, you’ll see the unique techniques Matt offers for you to explore hip rotations within each option. The actions/techniques can be quite humbling. This is where patience is a must.

    Here are the steps:

    Option 1

    • Sit and take your feet wide, with toes forward
    • Bring your feet up to the sky
    • Externally rotate the right leg (like Happy Baby Pose) while internally rotating the left leg in as much as possible
    • Breathe as you alternate
    • To maintain better control and balance, you may leave hands or fingertips on the ground in front of you or behind you

    Option 2

    • Feet are on the ground and wide apart
    • As you externally rotate one thigh, the other internally rotates (creating a 90-degree angle with both legs)
    • It may be helpful to turn your torso towards the leg that is externally rotated
    • Lift the foot of the back leg (the thigh that is internally rotated) and then lower. Special note: Evert the ankle as you lift the lower leg away from the ground
    • Switch to the opposite leg (the thigh that is externally rotated) and lift the foot. Special note: Invert the ankle while lifting the lower leg away from the ground

    Option 3

    Matt also refers to this option as “Unhappy Boat Pose”:

    • Both feet are wide, with knees and toes turned out (external rotation)
    • Reach your arms forward for counterbalance
    • Add in hip flexion by alternating the lift of each leg (activating the adductor muscles and core)
    • Lift both legs up at the same time (Unhappy Boat Pose!) while continuing to turn your legs out as much as possible, as if to turn the toes down towards the ground
    • Finally, release and rest with a passive internal rotation (feet wide, hands back behind you, and knees folding in to rest towards one another)

    Online yoga to improve mobility

    MOBILITY

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    • Key techniques to increase flexibility
    • Strength development for mobility and range of motion
    • Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
    • Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
    • Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
    • Find greater ease in seated postures
    • Improve mobility and posture off the mat
    • When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

    $148.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    HOW DOES THIS HELP?

    With these techniques, you’re attempting to use the muscles of the hip to encourage active range of motion. If you take hold of your foot at any time to assist (passive range of motion), you will likely see a difference in what is available to you. By working on the active range of motion, you are essentially trying to decrease the gap between what is available to you passively versus actively. This will help to minimize injury and improve performance because you will have the strength and stability to control the way you move with less outside force.

    These techniques merely scratch the surface of how you can really tap into your potential. Register for Matt’s 12-class immersion called Hip Mobility.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    theyogimatt on deep rooted bliss podcast

    by | Sep 26, 2022 | Main Page Display

    DEEP ROOTED BLISS PODCAST INTERVIEW

    FINDING FULFILLMENT AS A YOGA TEACHER & ENTREPENEUR

    COURAGE

    DEEP ROOTED BLISS INTERVIEW

    OVERCOMING BURNOUT AND FINDING FULFILLMENT AS A YOGA TEACHER

    In 2014 Rebecca Doring, founder and host of the Deep Rooted Bliss Podcast, came to me seeking support. At that time, I had just launched what became my first online offer, called “The Mentorship Mastery Program.” My time mentoring Rebecca was as important to my growth as it was to hers. We were both on the path toward making huge shifts in our career, but of course we didn’t know that at the time. Rebecca went from full-time massage therapist to full-time yoga instructor to where she is today: meditation coach, podcast host, and online entrepreneur.

    As for me, in this time I went from teaching full-time in Manhattan to leading workshops and trainings around the US, Europe, and Asia to where I am now, leading online yoga immersions and 200-hour and 300-hour teacher trainings.

    Following your passion, your dreams and authentic expression is not as glorious as it seems.

    Today, business coaches, entrepreneurs, and yoga teachers alike will glorify self-employment, making it seem like the grass is always greener when you can work for yourself. And indeed I can’t disagree, but if you are thinking of making the leap, or if you already have done so, there are some things you should definitely consider. In this podcast, Rebecca and I discuss some of the struggles of being a yoga instructor and/or entrepreneur, and what you can do to to achieve success without burnout.

    I highly recommend subscribing to Rebecca’s podcast, Deep Rooted Bliss, on your favorite place to listen to podcasts. I personally listen in weekly to get inspired to live my life on purpose. She provides incredible insight for meditation, personal growth, and living a life filled with bliss.

    LISTEN TO THE PODCAST WITH REBECCA DORING AND MATT GIORDANO

    UPCOMING ONLINE EVENTS & TEACHER TRAININGS

    Online Yoga for Hip Openers and Flexibility

    HIP MOBILITY

    October 2022 Immersion

    • Strengthen and lengthen your hips
    • Increase active and passive range of motion
    • Learn anatomical techniques to improve functionality
    • Access a wider range of seated postures and hip openers
    • 12 Classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    $148.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    FREE VIDEO & BLOG TUTORIALS 

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    L Pose Handstand Training

    by | Sep 22, 2022 | Main Page Display

    L Pose Handstand Training

    Activate Core and Hip Flexors

    handstand prep

    L POSE HANDSTAND TRAINING

    We’re all aware of the importance of taking baby steps when we have a bigger goal we’d like to achieve. L Pose Handstand training falls under that category when it comes to taking steps towards Handstand. Matt refers to L Pose as the “first entrance to handstand.” Before you take flight, practicing L Pose in different planes is one of the best ways to really prepare and understand the biomechanics involved in the posture. Practicing L Pose on your back provides a more controlled opportunity to learn how to really engage the hip flexors and core muscles.

    Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

    HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

    • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
    • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
    • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
    • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
    • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    SALE PRICE: $168.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ? ADD TO CART

    THE MYTH OF THE CORE

    Core strength might be the first thing you believe you need to develop while preparing for Handstand. Matt explains that there’s no doubt that this is a necessary part of the equation, but if you’ve conquered the action of the “push” in the shoulders (shoulders up towards your ears), the use of the core is a refinement only when the shoulders are out of alignment. If this is the case, you’ll have to utilize your core a lot more to keep your back straight and possibly pull the legs from behind you.

    WATCH THE VIDEO: L POSE HANDSTAND TRAINING


    CORE MUSCLES & HIP FLEXOR ACTIVATION

    What is the core? The core muscles are a great deal more than the superficial muscles of the rectus abdominis. In terms of Handstand, a large part of the focus is the deeper core muscles (the psoas major and the iliacus, also referred to as the iliopsoas). These muscles are a key component when it comes to stabilizing the pelvis and thighs in a handstand. With L Pose as the first entrance to handstand, an awareness of the importance of the activation of the hip flexors is paramount.

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    IMPLEMENT THESE ACTIONS: L POSE ON YOUR BACK 

    Here are the cues for L Pose Handstand on your back:

    1. Take your arms overhead (be sure to actively lift your shoulders up towards your ears)
    2. Straighten your knee as you pull one leg closer to your chest. It’s the strength of the hip flexors that will help you bring this leg in as close as possible  
    3. The opposite leg stays close to the floor, with your heel only about 1 cm from the ground
    4. Pull your front ribs down (this will engage your abdominals)
    5. Continue to pull the top leg close to your chest without lifting the bottom leg up 

    The desired outcome is to maintain all of these actions simultaneously. L Pose Handstand training on your back lays the foundation for when you’re ready to explore the shape in other planes (including other postures, like Warrior III). It also helps you to feel the alignment in your body. Drawing your rib cage into the floor, for example, creates the pattern of the stacking required above your pelvis.

    STRENGTH

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    Yoga for Strength: Strengthen Your Weaknesses • Maximize Your Physical Potential

    • 12 classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
    • Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
    • Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice
    • Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
    • Joyful accountability to help you reach your practice goals

    SALE PRICE: $138.00 $128.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ? ADD TO CART

    THE GROUNDWORK

    Groundwork? In this case, the pun is intended. L Pose Handstand training literally has you on the ground in order to lay a solid foundation. Essentially, it can take the fear out of the equation—going upside down can be quite intimidating. Approaching the “bigger goal” of having a handstand practice by utilizing bite-size drills and techniques can give you the confidence to progress to the next level. You have to crawl before you can walk, and this is essentially the Chromatic way. When you take this approach, you gradually build upon each layer and strengthen the neuromuscular connection. Handstand training becomes more approachable when you prepare your body via time, patience, and effort. If you’d like to build on this foundation, take action by registering for Matt’s immersion Handstand & Meditation.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Handstand & Meditation Immersion

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Serratus Push Ups Tutorial

    by | Sep 15, 2022 | Main Page Display

    Serratus Push-Ups Tutorial

    Variations for Strength

    strength

    What Is The Importance of Serratus Anterior Push-Ups?

    When you hear the term “boxer muscles,” you most likely know that it’s referring to the serratus anterior. However you refer to it, it’s an important part of creating both stability and strength for your shoulders. A great way to strengthen the serratus anterior is by doing “serratus push-ups.” There is a variety of different ways in which to approach them. In today’s serratus push-ups tutorial video, Matt demonstrates 4 variations that help you tap into the strength required for greater access to postures that require the use of these “push” muscles. 

    Why Are They Relevant To Your Yoga Practice?

    Serratus push-ups are also commonly referred to as scapula push-ups. They are a wonderful and necessary part of your toolkit for both increased strength of your shoulders and mobility of the scapulae. The serratus anterior facilitates upward rotation of the scapulae whenever you take your arms into a position over your head. Upward rotation of the scapulae is necessary to take some of the work away from the trapezius. It also helps reduce the possibility of hypermobility in the glenohumeral joint.

    In your physical yoga practice, this is relevant in postures like Downward-Facing Dog, Chair Pose, Crescent Lunge, and Handstand (just to name a few). Upward rotation of the scapulae is also helpful in your everyday life. Having the awareness to utilize the movement of the shoulder blades when reaching for objects overhead, for example, offers the same result. You maintain greater health and movement of the shoulder because you are recruiting the use of the serratus anterior muscles to create movement of the scapula.

     

    Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

    HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

    • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
    • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
    • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
    • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
    • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    SALE PRICE: $168.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ? ADD TO CART

    SERRATUS ANTERIOR MUSCLES

    These muscles run underneath your scapulae, then around to the ribcage: “The serratus anterior is ‘multi-headed’ and forms the lateral part of the chest wall, giving it a ‘serrated’ appearance.” Contracting these muscles creates the movement of the scapulae around your ribs (protraction). 

    Long, Ray. The Key Muscles of Yoga. Bandha Yoga Publications, 2005. Pg. 162

    WATCH THE VIDEO: SERRATUS PUSH-UPS TUTORIAL

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    THE 2 MAIN ACTIONS

    In a serratus push-up, the 2 main actions are retraction and protraction of the scapulae.  

    Retraction of the Scapulae

    When you are performing one of the serratus push-up variations, it’s really your torso that moves towards the surface beneath you in order to create the retraction. In this case, the scapulae are not creating the movement. The focus here is the “push,” when you actually “push the floor away” in order to move into the next action in the movement (protraction).

    Protraction of the Scapulae

    Protraction creates a great deal of stability in your shoulder joint. When you take your arms overhead in your yoga practice, it’s likely that you will default into retraction (drawing your shoulder blades towards one another). If this is your intention, that’s fine, but let’s consider what that means in the context of Handstand. If the goal is to be straight up and down and stable in the posture, of course it requires a great deal of strength. It’s important then to be extremely intentional about creating protraction of the scapulae (pushing your shoulder blades away from one another). It’s in this “push” action that you recruit and rely on the serratus anterior muscles to support and align your body for the greatest amount of stability.

    STRENGTH

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    Yoga for Strength: Strengthen Your Weaknesses • Maximize Your Physical Potential

    • 12 classes: Each class targets a specific muscle group
    • Strengthen your core, back, hips, shoulders, wrists, ankles, legs, and arms
    • Learn creative ways to strength train within the context of a yoga practice
    • Increase mobility by balancing your strength with oppositional muscle groups
    • Joyful accountability to help you reach your practice goals

    SALE PRICE: $138.00 $128.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ? ADD TO CART

    SERRATUS PUSH-UPS: 4 VARIATIONS FOR STRENGTH

    There are specific cues for each scapular push-up variation that help you to maximize your potential to create strength.

    Variation (Level 1)

    1. Place the forearms on the floor with your knees stacked under your hips
    2. Let the chest sink into the retracted scapulae
    3. Push the elbows into the ground until scapulae push apart (creating the 2nd phase of the push-up)

    Variation (Level 2)

    1. Take your knees further away (more into a plank-like position)
    2. Execute the serratus push-ups 

    Variation (Level 3)

    1. Plank on forearms with toes tucked
    2. Execute serratus push-ups

    Variation (Level 4)

    1. Plank on forearms with toes pointed
    2. Round your back
    3. Bring ankle bones together
    4. Execute serratus push-ups

    A SIMPLE FORMULA FOR STRENGTH

    Consistency and progression are the winners here. It’s important to explore all 4 of these serratus push-up variations to find out what is most suitable for you. Matt suggests a conservative number of repetitions while you maintain integrity in your form. Once you feel like you are able to increase the number of repetitions, you may progress to the next level or variation (doing only a conservative amount) in order to become aware of whether or not you wish to return to the previous level, possibly increasing the number of repetitions. Exploring in this way over time is a recipe for increased strength in the serratus anterior and increased stability of the scapulae.

    There is still time to explore more of this in Matt’s current immersion, Handstand & Meditation.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Handstand & Meditation Immersion

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    SHORTEN TO LENGTHEN YOUR STANDING SPLITS

    by | Sep 9, 2022 | Main Page Display

    SHORTEN TO LENGTHEN YOUR STANDING SPLITS 

    INCREASE FLEXIBILITY WITH THIS TECHNIQUE

    HANUMANASANA

    SHORTEN TO LENGTHEN

    What does shorten to lengthen your standing splits even mean? Does that even make sense? At first thought it may seem counterintuitive that if you want to increase your flexibility, you need to shorten. What we’re talking about is shortening muscles in order to find greater length in your hamstrings for this posture. There is a specific technique that supports your ability to increase your flexibility, all while building strength and integrity in standing splits.

    PASSIVE VS. ACTIVE STRETCHING

    Any variation of splits requires a great deal of flexibility, and because lengthening muscles is non-negotiable to execute this posture, a common go-to strategy in your yoga practice may be to select postures and techniques that passively assist you in this endeavor. This passive assistance might involve using a yoga strap, a wall, and/or the floor to sink into the forces of gravity. These can be effective stretching methods at various times, but if you’re interested not only in lengthening but in the overall health of the muscles that are lengthening, then please introduce yourself to the concept of a Facilitated Stretch (more on this in a bit). This technique asks you to shorten in order to lengthen. A facilitated stretch requires you to be a more active participant in creating stronger and healthier flexibility in your body.

     

    Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

    HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

    • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
    • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
    • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
    • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
    • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
    • Lifetime unlimited access to all
    • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

    SALE PRICE: $168.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ? ADD TO CART

    FLEXIBILITY? STRENGTH? or BOTH?

    In order to achieve standing splits, there must be a level of flexibility in your hamstrings, adductor magnus, and the hip flexors. There must also be an awareness around the movement of your pelvis. However, an element that often gets overlooked is the fact that a great deal of strength is required for the posture. 

    When preparing for standing splits, Matt explains that the goal is to keep the hamstrings engaged through the entire range of motion. How is this possible? This is where the awareness of the articulation of your pelvis is key. In the video, Matt demonstrates the importance of slowing the tipping of the pelvis on the way down and also tucking the sit bone of the standing leg downwards (this will create more of a posterior tilt of the pelvis).

    The rest of the body should stay in one piece to ensure that the movement is occurring from the hamstrings of the standing leg—everywhere else is stable and immobile. This may take some time, due to the patterns you may have created in your body.

    WATCH THE VIDEO: SHORTEN TO LENGTHEN YOUR STANDING SPLITS

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    YOUR BODY’S TENDENCIES

    Our bodies just love the familiar, so it will take an incredible amount of focus and awareness in order to go into the places in your body that require more length and strength. This is in fact how you will unlock the posture. You will not only achieve the aesthetic of the posture but also move in the direction of better balance in your body. This also means a reduced risk of injury. Matt always encourages a more intelligent and methodical approach to your practice as a whole, but this method must also be applied as you approach each posture. 

    No matter your approach, Splits, Standing Splits, Hanumanasana are very demanding and deep postures that may put you at a higher risk, so the activation of muscles is key. This brings us back to the concept of a Facilitated Stretch. What is it, and how is it implemented?

    Online yoga to improve mobility

    MOBILITY

    ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

    • Key techniques to increase flexibility
    • Strength development for mobility and range of motion
    • Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
    • Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
    • Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
    • Find greater ease in seated postures
    • Improve mobility and posture off the mat
    • When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

    $148.00

    MORE INFORMATION

    ✋ SIGN ME UP

    FACILITATED STRETCH

    If you’re just starting your journey of practicing with Matt, please believe me when I say that you will become the best of pals with this concept. Is it challenging at times? YES, YES, and YES I said that multiple times, but is it effective? YES, YES, and YES again!

    A facilitated stretch is when a muscle is engaged while it is in a lengthened position. We have something called Golgi tendon organs which communicate muscle tension back to the brain. When a muscle is both engaged and lengthened, the brain will receive that information and will in turn send a signal back to the muscle that it is safe, therefore allowing it to lengthen more. This is in fact the key to the development of increased flexibility. This is also in fact extremely effective for those of you who may be hypermobile. It creates a sense of control and awareness around your end ranges in a particular posture. We have the ability to facilitate this tension by the articulations we might create with, for example, an action of the pelvis and/or the directional pull of a particular joint against a surface, prop, or other part of our body. Staying closer to a safer amount of activation usually means placing roughly about 20% of effort (or less) into the activation. At the root of it all is your breath, so keep this in mind as we look at the steps Matt provides in order to set up Standing Splits at the wall.  

    STANDING SPLITS AT THE WALL

    1. Use hands as a base of support
    2. Look towards the wall
    3. Lift right heel (shortens the back line)
    4. Turn pelvis closed and turn inner heel of the lifted leg to the sky
    5. Straighten through inner heel of the lifted leg to the sky
    6. Lower heel of the standing leg back down
    7. Lean more into fingers and toes as top leg is straightened

    *Here’s the opportunity to tap into the facilitated stretch of the standing leg:

    8.  Standing leg (in this case the right leg) is not passive—microtuck the sit bone down towards your heel so that the hamstrings are engaged

    If it feels like you’re strengthening rather than stretching, then you’re on the right track. This is in fact the sensation of a facilitated stretch and what actually increases your flexibility. Rather than causing alarm to your body, it will feel safe to release and lengthen.

    A DIRECT LINK TO HANDSTAND

    Safety breeds confidence, and the beautiful thing about incorporating techniques like a facilitated stretch into your yoga practice is that you feel both prepared and confident to explore a variety of postures. This exploration allows space for you to work towards postures that may feel “intimidating” or even “inaccessible.”  

    The specific techniques that Matt has demonstrated for Standing Splits create a direct link to Handstand. The direct link comes from what is required in regard to the setup. Getting into Handstand from the ground up requires a great deal of flexibility and strength. You can find out more about the crossover between these two postures in Matt’s current immersion, Handstand & Meditation.

    See you on the mat!

    The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

    Article by Trish Curling

    Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

    CHOOSE YOUR PATH

    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    200 Hour Training
    NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
    300 HOUR TRAINING

    Continue Learning

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering Bakasana

    Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

    read more
    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck Jumps

    Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

    read more
    Counter Rotations

    Counter Rotations

    Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

    read more
    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird Of Paradise

    Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

    read more
    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose Treatment

    A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

    read more
    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock Pose

    Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

    read more
    All Videos

    THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

    When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

    • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
    • exclusive online course discounts
    • exclusive blogs and videos
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

    Open Your Heart in Camel Pose

    by | Aug 31, 2022 | Main Page Display

    OPEN YOUR HEART IN

    CAMEL POSE 

    Layer These Techniques

    ustrasana

    OPEN YOUR HEART

    There’s such a majestic and robust quality when it comes to heart openers in a physical yoga practice. In order to open your heart and gain greater access to a backbend such as Camel Pose, there are specific techniques you can use. Even with their majestic qualities, your experience with heart openers can vary. They can be wonderfully satisfying or extremely difficult. It’s important to be aware of your individual circumstances at the time of moving in and/or out of any posture that calls for extension of the spine. In opening your heart in Camel Pose, there is potential to shift your experience with the posture. The techniques that Matt offers create this possibility to re-pattern what takes place in your body.  

      back bending online yoga and anatomy

      ANATOMY OF THE HEART

      JUNE 2022 Immersion

      • Technique to expand and deepen your backbends
      • Foundations and preparatory postures to set you up for success
      • Anatomy education to prime the nervous system
      • Themes to cultivate the appropriate mindset for heart opening
      • 12 Classes: 6 focused on anatomy, 6 themed for the heart
      • Unlock a wide range of postures including: Bow Pose, Camel, Full Wheel, King Dancer, King Cobra, King Pigeon, and more
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

      $168.00 $148.00

      MORE INFORMATION

       

      ✋ SIGN ME UP

      BOWING THE SPINE

      If you’ve practiced with Matt before, then you’re very familiar with the terminology “bowing the spine” when discussing backbends, or heart openers. Bowing the spine provides an immediate visual that most people can resonate with, and it is helpful in developing an awareness of the experience of what a backbend looks and feels like. You can just imagine the ease of flexibility in the spine, all while maintaining a strength and integrity of the spine during execution.

      Bowing the spine teaches you to move everything forward first, which leads to opening up.

      Matt explains that in a backbend, instead of just leaning back or arching the spine, you want to think about opening the front of the spine. When you learn how to do this accurately, the discs of the spine slide forward, which is really important. If they don’t slide forward, then you’re just pushing the discs down on the back side of the spine, which will put too much pressure on the discs. Adding this pressure can cause many problems, including pain due to the discs bulging and possibly hitting a nerve, which can radiate in multiple directions of the body and cause issues in other areas. Layering on techniques both provides a better awareness of what is actually taking place in your body and promotes safer execution in heart openers.

      WATCH THE VIDEO: CAMEL POSE: SHOULDER TECHNIQUE

      NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
      200 Hour Training
      NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
      300 HOUR TRAINING

      THE CHROMATIC WAY

      Matt’s development of the Chromatic approach in yoga involves not just the layering on of postures in a sequence but indeed the layering on of techniques within each posture in order to maximize benefit and to minimize injury and pain. When you start to approach your yoga practice with this methodical mindset, the body eventually becomes free and aware to create these actions with less thought.

      LAYERING POSTURES TO PREPARE

      Matt frequently uses postures like Cobra Pose, where he teaches the fundamentals of how to “bow the spine.” You will also find that he uses Chair Pose in this layering process.  

      Within these postures, we build the pattern in the body of actions such as retracting the shoulder blades while not only taking the chest/heart forward but also lifting the rib cage upwards. Getting comfortable with these actions activates muscles like the rhomboids (during the retraction) and the abdominals (when lifting the rib cage) and also develops the neuromuscular patterning in your body so that these actions feel more natural and become a more automatic response when preparing for and executing backbends.

      back bending online yoga and anatomy

      ANATOMY OF THE HEART

      JUNE 2022 Immersion

      • Technique to expand and deepen your backbends
      • Foundations and preparatory postures to set you up for success
      • Anatomy education to prime the nervous system
      • Themes to cultivate the appropriate mindset for heart opening
      • 12 Classes: 6 focused on anatomy, 6 themed for the heart
      • Unlock a wide range of postures including: Bow Pose, Camel, Full Wheel, King Dancer, King Cobra, King Pigeon, and more
      • Lifetime unlimited access to all
      • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

      $168.00 $148.00

      MORE INFORMATION

       

      ✋ SIGN ME UP

      KEY ACTIONS FOR CAMEL POSE ENTRY

      Even before considering the traditional execution of Camel Pose, Matt takes you through what he often refers to as “Camel Pose Preparation” or “Half Camel Pose.” When preparing, it’s not just about entry into the pose; the “exiting” of the posture is also extremely important.

      In today’s video, Matt provides the key steps and layering process when entering Camel Pose Preparation from the left side:

      1. Tuck your toes onto your mat with feet wider than your hips, so that when you sit back, you can access your heel with your left hand
      2. Retract your left shoulder (*Pay close attention here, as you will not just be drawing your left shoulder blade in towards your midline. You first lift your shoulder up, then draw it in towards the midline, and finally, send the bottom tip of your shoulder blade up towards the sky)
      3. Next in the layering process, after this action of retraction, place your left palm on your heel with the thumb facing out
      4. Push the right rib cage forward and up 
      5. Place your right hand behind your head. Alternatively, Matt advises using your right hand to pick up your right ribs (*this will encourage an arched position in your low back, which is the desired positioning)
      6. Layer on a push downward into your left heel with your hand, encouraging that lift of the right side rib cage further up to the sky
      7. Finally, look down towards your left foot

      A SAFE EXIT FROM CAMEL POSE

      As I mentioned before, Matt emphasizes the exit just as much as the entrance. It’s important to note that we don’t change anything. We try to maintain the arch in the spine for as long as possible in order the spine time to adjust to the new shape (relengthening once out of the posture).

      Here are the steps:

      1.  Your hips slowly go back towards your heels, all while keeping the chest lifted
      2.  As you sit back down onto your feet, you can slowly reduce the arch in your spine until it is in a more lengthened position
      3. Take the steps to enter into “Camel Pose Preparation” on the other side.

      Taking this Chromatic approach keeps you in the physical practice: You are steered more towards awareness of your individual experience within each posture. Exploring Camel Pose Preparation also allows you to experience what is happening on each side of your body. This helps you step closer to what your body actually needs. Do you need to draw more awareness to the retraction? The arch of the spine? Sending your rib cage forward and up? You are simultaneously the student and the teacher within your own body. Matt guides your yoga practice with the layering of actions so that you can be fully within the experience of your own body.

      Taking this approach means that you will broaden your knowledge, expand your practice, and most definitely open your heart!

      See you on the mat!

      The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

      The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

      Article by Trish Curling

      Video Extracted From: Heart Openers: Yoga Backbends Immersion

      CHOOSE YOUR PATH

      NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
      200 Hour Training
      NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
      300 HOUR TRAINING

      Continue Learning

      Mastering Bakasana

      Mastering Bakasana

      Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

      read more
      Tuck Jumps

      Tuck Jumps

      Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

      read more
      Counter Rotations

      Counter Rotations

      Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

      read more
      Bird Of Paradise

      Bird Of Paradise

      Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

      read more
      A Tree Pose Treatment

      A Tree Pose Treatment

      A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

      read more
      Practice Peacock Pose

      Practice Peacock Pose

      Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

      read more
      All Videos

      THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

      When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

      • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
      • exclusive online course discounts
      • exclusive blogs and videos
      • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

      Take Flight in Crow Pose

      by | Aug 25, 2022 | Main Page Display

      TAKE FLIGHT IN CROW POSE

      Strengthen Your Wrists

      KAKASANA

      WHAT IS THE SECRET TO TAKING FLIGHT IN CROW POSE?

      In order to take flight in Crow Pose, it may seem obvious that a great deal of emphasis needs to be placed on your hands, but what often happens is that a great deal of attention is placed elsewhere.

      When you think about Crow Pose—Bakasana—you may first think about what you need to do to either strengthen and/or activate the core. This is true, but how often do you think about what is necessary for your hands, wrists, and forearms? This part of your body plays a vital role not only in whether you will find enough strength to sustain the posture for any length of time but also in protecting your wrists overall.  

      A great deal of time is spent in wrist extension in yoga. Most commonly, you see varying degrees of this in postures like the following: 

      • Variations of Plank/Vasisthasana 
      • Chaturanga Dandasana 
      • Fallen Angel (Devaduuta Panna Asana)
      • Variations of Crow (Bakasana) 

      Matt talks a lot about starting postures from the ground up, and in Bakasana, this couldn’t be more true. You are balancing your entire body weight on your hands/wrists, so creating a solid foundation with your hands/wrists/forearms is non-negotiable. There are also actions in the hands that are mimicked/duplicated in the rest of your body as you layer on each action in the posture. You will see how everything is so closely related in Matt’s demonstration.

        Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

        HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

        ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

        BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

        • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
        • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
        • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
        • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
        • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
        • Lifetime unlimited access to all
        • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

        SALE PRICE: $168.00

        MORE INFORMATION

        ? ADD TO CART

        THE BALANCE BETWEEN WRIST FLEXORS AND EXTENSORS

        When you understand how your body is working in each posture, it becomes a lot easier to see exactly how much everything is connected and how that both influences and supports the rest of your body parts in activating and responding the way you would like and need them to for stronger execution.

        Because you spend a lot of time in wrist extension in yoga, the wrist extensors (which are located on the back side of the forearms) are often shortened, and the flexors of the wrist (located on the front of the forearms) are in a more lengthened position. It’s imperative that these muscles be strong enough to, as Matt puts it, “apply the brakes” in arm balances. 

        Sending your weight forward is required in Crow Pose, so the strength of the “opposing action,” or creating an eccentric contraction of the flexors of the wrist to almost pull you back (that “application of the brakes” if you will), is in essence doing the work of keeping you balanced in the pose. Without this opposition or strength of the wrist flexors, you would just continue to go forward and then downward with gravity and eventually fall.

        So how do you activate and strengthen the flexors of the wrist? If you’ve practiced with Matt before, you’ll know that he often refers to creating a “suction cupping” of space, or a Hasta Bandha in the hands (an energetic hollow-like quality in the center of the palms). 

        “Hasta Bandha (Hand Lock) assists energy up through the soft center of your palms to bring strength and stability to your arms and upper body.”

        Ekhar, Esther, The Bandha Approach You Haven’t Tried—That Could Change Everything, Yoga Journal, February 28, 2018

        FOCUS ON YOUR HANDS

        In Crow Pose and other arm balances like it, the more you lean forward, the more you are required to grip the fingers into the ground in order to achieve the appropriate activation.

        Let’s look at some of the anatomy first.

        Your carpals are all of the tiny bones at the wrist (base of the palm), and the carpal tunnels are the space for the nerves to go through.

        When it comes to the hands in Crow Pose and other arm balances, we want to be lighter in the carpals (with less pressure, pulled away from the ground, due to the nerve lines that are present). In opposition to this, we want to get stronger and push into the ground at the head of the metacarpals (this is the surface/place you might describe as the knuckles or where the fingers [phalanges] meet the upper portion of the palm.)

        You achieve this action by drawing the pinky and the thumb towards each other and down into the ground at the same time. This action can also be described as adduction (pulling in towards the midline of the palm). At the same time, the 3 fingers (pad of the index, middle, and pinky) are also pulling towards the palm of the hand.

        This is creating a generous amount of activation and therefore strengthening of the flexors of the wrist (flexor digitorum profundus and superficialis). Although there are many other muscles involved (both flexors and extensors) that are co-activating, these are 2 that are great to keep in mind because the flexor digitorum profundus attaches all the way down to the fingers. This muscle also works in conjunction with the flexor carpi radialis and the flexor digitorum superficialis (as previously mentioned).  

        This fact demonstrates how essential it is, for your practice, to get into deeper awareness and connection with your body in an anatomical sense. This reinforces that nothing works in isolation and that one part of the body, one action, creates a domino effect for other activations, movements, and strengthening to occur.

        WATCH THE VIDEO: STRENGTHEN YOUR WRISTS FOR CROW POSE

        NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
        200 Hour Training
        NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
        300 HOUR TRAINING

        STRENGTHEN YOUR WRISTS IN CROW POSE WITH BLOCKS

        Let’s now take the deeper awareness and solid foundation of the hands and create the domino effect with the rest of the body in Crow Pose. In today’s video, Matt demonstrates how helpful blocks are when it comes to strengthening the flexors of the wrist. If flying is not your thing, or it’s just not your thing within a specific practice, you can still work on strengthening the flexors of the wrist by using a set of yoga blocks under your feet and leaning your bodyweight for more extension in the wrists.

        Here are the steps Matt outlines in today’s video:

        1. Place your feet up on the blocks
        2. Take your hands out in front, grip the ground with fingers (using all of the actions previously outlined) 
        3. Place knees outside of the arms and squeeze into arms (mimicking the action of the pinky and thumb drawing towards one another)
        4. Lift bum up to sky
        5. Lean bodyweight forward (increased wrist extension and eccentric contraction of the flexors)
        6. *Now bring your awareness back to the hands; play with the fingers—grip the ground, press through metacarpals, lean forward, and keep strong in the flexors of the wrist 
        7. Bonus is to lift the heels of feet towards bum to fly
        Online yoga to improve mobility

        MOBILITY

        ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

        • Key techniques to increase flexibility
        • Strength development for mobility and range of motion
        • Learn postures: Hanumanasana (Splits), Extended Side Plank
        • Active and passive mobility for shoulders, hips, and spine
        • Improve spinal twists, heart openers, shoulder openers, and hip openers
        • Find greater ease in seated postures
        • Improve mobility and posture off the mat
        • When and how to do active, passive, and isometric stretching

        $148.00

        MORE INFORMATION

        ✋ SIGN ME UP

        THE BIG PICTURE—TAKE FLIGHT IN CROW POSE

        1.  Squeeze knees into the arms
        2.  Protract the shoulder blades 
        3.  Grip fingers into the ground

        Inviting in what may be some new actions to this posture, or to any other posture where the wrists are in extension in your physical yoga practice, helps to create a new muscular pattern. Repeating these actions will help your brain allow you to more easily default to these actions and therefore find the strength, ease, and lightness that’s desired in any arm balance.

          PARALLELS BETWEEN CROW POSE & HANDSTAND

          The beautiful thing about creating these patterns in your body and practicing the proper mechanics in Crow Pose is that these same mechanics translate quite well into other arm balances. 

          If you take a look at my previous article,  Kick Up Into Handstand, you’ll see exactly how Matt guides you through the same preparation for the wrists and forearms. You’ll see the importance of gripping the ground, the same alignment for the forearms, and the negotiation of the shift in weight required to balance (the balance of strength between the wrist flexors and extensors)—the same actions and techniques that help you to take flight in Crow Pose are the same fundamentals that help you see success and that assist with the crossover from one arm balance to another.

          Matt’s next Immersion, Handstand and Meditation, offers you an incredible opportunity to work on these fundamentals time and time again. You can also dive deeper into these teachings in his next 200 & 300 Hour Teacher Trainings.

            The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

            The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

            Article by Trish Curling

            Video Extracted From: Mobility Immersion

            CHOOSE YOUR PATH

            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            200 Hour Training
            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            300 HOUR TRAINING

            Continue Learning

            Mastering Bakasana

            Mastering Bakasana

            Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

            read more
            Tuck Jumps

            Tuck Jumps

            Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

            read more
            Counter Rotations

            Counter Rotations

            Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

            read more
            Bird Of Paradise

            Bird Of Paradise

            Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

            read more
            A Tree Pose Treatment

            A Tree Pose Treatment

            A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

            read more
            Practice Peacock Pose

            Practice Peacock Pose

            Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

            read more
            All Videos

            THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

            When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

            • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
            • exclusive online course discounts
            • exclusive blogs and videos
            • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

            KICK UP INTO HANDSTAND

            by | Aug 19, 2022 | Home Page, Main Page Display

            KICK UP INTO

            HANDSTAND 

            Master 3 Key Actions 

            alignment

            HANDSTAND—3 KEY ACTIONS

            “Squeeze in, turn in, tuck the tail.” These are the 3 key actions for handstands that Matt explains are a must. These may sound like simple cues, and they may even be easy to execute if you’ve already mastered kicking up into a handstand; however, if the pose is brand new and/or you’ve been working at it but still can’t “crack the code,” doing these 3 key actions in addition to all the other steps to prepare yourself may be what you’re missing. Layering on the specific techniques and muscle activations that Matt lays out for you is an essential part of your journey to kicking up into Handstand.  

            It’s impossible to skip the steps required when the intent is to kick up into a handstand position. This actually pertains to any posture, but if you’ve practiced with Matt before, you’ll know how much he stresses that it’s the foundations and the repetition of those foundations that really prepare the body for the desired outcomes. When you repeat these actions over and over again, you build the patterns into your body so that when it comes time for more robust movements and shapes, your body will respond.

             

            Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

            HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

            ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

            BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

            • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
            • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
            • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
            • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
            • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
            • Lifetime unlimited access to all
            • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

            SALE PRICE: $168.00

            MORE INFORMATION

            ? ADD TO CART

            HANDSTAND PREPARATION 1 & 2

            Here are the steps for Handstand Preparation 1: 

            1. Place your hands on the ground
            2. Set up your blocks behind your forearms
            3. Straighten your elbows 
            4. Elevate the scapulae (push the floor away and bring your shoulders up to your ears)
            5. Lift your heels as high as you can

            Handstand Preparation 2 is a continuation of the process and includes lifting one leg up.

            Here are the steps:

            1. Inner leg lifts up to the sky as high as you can
            2. Look up to the lifted leg; when you do this, it’s common for your weight to shift back. Your weight needs to go forward
            3. Lean forward into your fingers (or more specifically, into the metacarpals)
            4. Lift the bottom heel as high as you can 
            5. Push through the arms (lifting the shoulders up)

            What muscle engagements are happening? The gripping of the ground leads to activations in the muscles in the forearms. The elevation of the scapulae leads not only to the activation of the muscles of the shoulders (deltoids) but also to the contraction and use of the trapezius muscles. 

            This action of elevating the scapulae also helps you avoid shoulder impingement.

            As you lift the shoulders up, you are getting longer through the sides of your body, which creates length and stretch through the latissimus dorsi; however, it’s the upper fibers of the trapezius that you want to strengthen in order for you to rely on the strength there rather than on the stretch in the latissimus dorsi. Additionally, contracting the abdominals will assist in bringing the ribcage back and into better alignment, reducing excessive spinal extension. The action here is to contract the abdominals while expanding. You can do this by pulling your front ribs down as you continue to push strongly through your hands.

            WATCH THE VIDEO: KICK UP INTO HANDSTAND

            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            200 Hour Training
            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            300 HOUR TRAINING

            HANDSTAND PREPARATION 2 WITH A CHAIR

            Before we dive in, be sure to use a chair that is stable and steady on the ground. Matt can use a rolling chair due to his many years of experience in the posture. This is important, because once you set your hands on the ground, you place 1 foot on the chair prior to the required muscle engagements. The chair should be secure for you.

            Once you have 1 leg on the chair, Matt walks you through the same steps as in Handstand Preparation 1 & 2. However, there are some slight differences when you use the chair. Matt cues you to feel as though you are pulling the chair towards you, while the top leg stays away from the wall.

            online classes for anatomy of arm balances

            ANATOMY OF ARM BALANCES

            MAY 2022 Immersion

            • Anatomy of 12+ arm balances
            • Foundational and advanced arm balance techniques
            • Visualize your movements internally
            • Improve balance and proprioception
            • Sensation-based practices
            • Learn empowering modifications
            • Access appropriate variations for your level of practice
            • Active, passive, and isomentric Stretching
            • Improve wrist, core, and shoulder strength
            • ALL LEVELS APPROPRIATE

            $168.00

            MORE INFORMATION

             

            ✋ SIGN ME UP

            KICKING UP INTO L-POSE HANDSTAND

            When your foot returns to the ground, it’s easy to feel very heavy towards your foot, so leaning forward into the hands is imperative.

            Now, Matt stresses that the ability to balance in “L-Pose Handstand” is a must. This means keeping 1 leg low. If you can balance there, this can translate into sending both legs up to the sky. Remember those 3 Key Actions for Handstand from the beginning? 

            1. Squeeze in
            2. Turn in
            3. Tuck the tail

            What do these actions mean, and why are they important?

            Once you’re in a handstand position, you have to stop the movement of your hips; otherwise, you will be thrown off balance. In this stage of maintaining your balance, squeeze in means squeezing your legs together (activating the adductor and abductor muscles). Turn in means to internally rotate the thighs (activating TFL, pectineus, and hip flexors). Finally, tuck the tail (posterior tilt of the pelvis) helps to activate the hamstrings, the glute muscles, and hip extensors). Doing all of these things will help to stabilize the legs in Handstand.

            With all of this, there is still so much more to this posture. Matt’s next immersion, Handstand and Meditation, begins September 7th. Gain deeper insights into what is required of both mind and body by registering for the immersion.

            See you on the mat!

            The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

            The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

            Article by Trish Curling

            Video Extracted From: Anatomy Of Arm Balances

            CHOOSE YOUR PATH

            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            200 Hour Training
            NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
            300 HOUR TRAINING

            Continue Learning

            Mastering Bakasana

            Mastering Bakasana

            Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

            read more
            Tuck Jumps

            Tuck Jumps

            Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

            read more
            Counter Rotations

            Counter Rotations

            Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

            read more
            Bird Of Paradise

            Bird Of Paradise

            Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

            read more
            A Tree Pose Treatment

            A Tree Pose Treatment

            A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

            read more
            Practice Peacock Pose

            Practice Peacock Pose

            Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

            read more
            All Videos

            THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

            When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

            • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
            • exclusive online course discounts
            • exclusive blogs and videos
            • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

            EKA PADA BAKASANA II

            by | Aug 12, 2022 | Main Page Display

            EKA PADA BAKASANA II

            The Essence of Push & Pull

            THE GUNAS

            THE GUNAS—The essence of push & pull

            We’ve all experienced the essence of push and pull in one way or another. Its presence is evident all around and within us. We all experience the rise and fall, the movement of our thoughts in our minds (the vritti). These forces are present during our various emotions, when we’re making decisions, during conflict, when we are challenging ourselves physically and emotionally. Push and pull is undeniable in nature and the environment all around us… You get it. It’s really everywhere. We also experience it in our yoga practice. In the Yoga Sutras, these forces are explained as the Gunas. 

            To be more specific, Alan Finger, in Tantra of the Yoga Sutras, explains Yoga Sutra 1.16 (Tat param purusa khyater gunavaitrsnyam) in the following way: 

            “The three gunas are rajas, tamas, and sattva. They are considered to be the primary sources of nature that are responsible for all of the change and movement that we experience in life.” 

            Finger, Alan. Tantra of the Yoga Sutras, Shambhala Publications, 2018. (pg. 26)

            What’s incredible is that we will see how this also applies to our physical yoga practice. Matt breaks down the biomechanics of Eka Pada Bakasana II and shows us how the essence of push and pull exists in both the mind and the body.

              Handstand and meditation online yoga classes

              HANDSTAND & MEDITATION

              ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

              BREAK THROUGH MENTAL & PHYSICAL BLOCKS

              • Learn the most effective drills to safely build your Handstand
              • Practice essential meditation techniques to break through mental barriers and build confidence
              • Improve focus and breath support right side up and upside down
              • Build strength and the necessary skills for balancing Handstand
              • 12 classes: All levels appropriate
              • Lifetime unlimited access to all
              • Attend livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

              SALE PRICE: $168.00

              MORE INFORMATION

              ? ADD TO CART

              RAJAS, TAMAS, & SATTVA

              Finger explains how rajas is a more outward, vigorous force, while tamas is a more inward, softer, more restful force. While these 2 energies sit at opposite ends from one another, it’s sattva that sits in the middle and/or is considered the balance between the two. Alan Finger explains that sattva is where we find stillness.

              Being that these forces are ever present and that the circumstances of our lives are constantly shifting, it’s easy to find ourselves leaning more towards one side of the spectrum than the other. It’s our awareness that helps us to recognize when we have gone “too far” over to one side. Now, it’s super important to understand that if we adopt the more contemporary interpretation of the three gunas, then we understand that all of these forces are necessary and very human parts of life. It’s not “bad” to experience one or the other, but it’s your awareness and deeper connection, or knowing of yourself, that helps you experience these states of being without any attachment. 

              When in a more rajasic state, we are in a place of taking action; we are “handling our business,” so to speak. There is no struggle to get out of bed, we might engage in a regular asana practice, we eagerly run through tasks at home and/or at work, etc. On the other side, in a more tamasic state, we surrender to rest, and we tend to go more inward. In this state, we allow ourselves time to replenish and renew.

              If we adopt this more contemporary point of view, there seems to be a comfort and safety present. There is no need to reject what already exists within and around us. Noticing, without judgment, these forces of nature may help us move and flow more freely between each state when necessary. This may be viewed as actually being in a more sattvic state because we are actually experiencing flow, a steady mind, and therefore stillness and balance.  

              HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO YOUR PHYSICAL YOGA PRACTICE?

              Matt teaches a class in the Heart Module in his 300 Hr. Teacher Training called “Push & Pull: Rajas and Tamas. Crow/Half Crow Half Titibhasana” (Eka Bakasana II). There he says, “Sattva is how we feel when the push and pull of rajas and tamas come into a state of equanimity. This leads quite nicely into how we can understand the push and pull in our asana practice as well. In this sense, it’s the actions and activations we take in our bodies.”

              Before we explore this, it’s also essential to understand that even though the gunas are natural forces of nature, we can still find ourselves spending too much time on one end of the spectrum. In this class, Matt explains that when we are way out of balance, a more rajasic state can produce feelings of anger, impatience, even anxiety. If we’re spending too much time in a tamasic state, this is where we may not be attending to necessary tasks and there is loss of energy and lack of motivation.

              Just like our yoga practice, these emotions, actions, or lack of actions are not who we are; they are actually opportunities. They are messages telling us something. They’re sending us messages that something needs to shift. This can be recognized as the development of our discernment. Now this is key, this is actually the juicy part! This collision of philosophy and physical practice is where we really unleash both our emotional and physical potential.

              In today’s video, Matt demonstrates the required push and pull in Eka Pada Bakasana II (Half Crow / Half Titibhasana). We witness the importance of what Matt says: “harnessing the activity of the mind (rajas) to move toward sattva.” This is done with focus and intention. There can only be well-placed effort, continuous well-placed effort, in order to achieve this.

              WATCH THE VIDEO: EKA PADA BAKASANA II

              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              200 Hour Training
              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              300 HOUR TRAINING

              EKA PADA BAKASANA II (HALF CROW, HALF TITIBHASANA)

              When it comes to the execution of Eka Pada Bakasana II, the push comes from the upper body, while the pull is in the lower body. There must be equal effort within these opposite actions. This can be interpreted as a “sattvic state in the body.” What I mean by opportunities is that when we feel something “off”  in these actions, we must utilize our discernment. Maybe there is not enough pull/adduction of the legs and/or not enough rounding (protraction) of the upper back due to lack of push with the hands/upper body. Even neglecting the internal rotation of the extended leg can throw things off. This may lead to a loss of stability in the posture, taking us out of balance. 

              We can see more deeply how this is the practice; this is yoga. The process of harnessing the mind to focus and find balance and equanimity in Eka Pada Bakasana II (Half Crow/Half Titibhasana) is completely aligned with our process to move towards sattva in our emotional body. There can be moments of frustration, of uncertainty, but again, these are all beautiful messages for us to receive. They are exquisite opportunities for us to explore and experience without attachment.

              online classes for anatomy of arm balances

              ANATOMY OF ARM BALANCES

              MAY 2022 Immersion

              • Anatomy of 12+ arm balances
              • Foundational and advanced arm balance techniques
              • Visualize your movements internally
              • Improve balance and proprioception
              • Sensation-based practices
              • Learn empowering modifications
              • Access appropriate variations for your level of practice
              • Active, passive, and isomentric Stretching
              • Improve wrist, core, and shoulder strength
              • ALL LEVELS APPROPRIATE

              $168.00

              MORE INFORMATION

               

              ✋ SIGN ME UP
                Take the opportunity to dive deeper into these teachings and the potential of your physical body in Matt’s upcoming 200 & 300 Hr. Teacher Trainings.
                See you on the mat!

              The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

              The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

              Article by Trish Curling

              Video Extracted From: 300 Hr. Training

              CHOOSE YOUR PATH

              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              200 Hour Training
              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              300 HOUR TRAINING

              Continue Learning

              Mastering Bakasana

              Mastering Bakasana

              Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

              read more
              Tuck Jumps

              Tuck Jumps

              Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

              read more
              Counter Rotations

              Counter Rotations

              Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

              read more
              Bird Of Paradise

              Bird Of Paradise

              Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

              read more
              A Tree Pose Treatment

              A Tree Pose Treatment

              A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

              read more
              Practice Peacock Pose

              Practice Peacock Pose

              Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

              read more
              All Videos

              THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

              When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

              • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
              • exclusive online course discounts
              • exclusive blogs and videos
              • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

              Downward Dog Shoulder Alignment

              by | Jul 15, 2022 | Home Page, Main Page Display

              DOWNWARD DOG

              SHOULDER ALIGNMENT 

              How Yoga Props Enhance Your Downward Dog

              ADHO MUKHA

              ALIGNMENT QUESTIONS IN DOWNWARD-FACING DOG

              How many times have you done Downward-Facing Dog in your yoga practice? I can’t answer that either. It’s a posture that shows up in a yoga class quite often. It just becomes part of the foundation of a physical practice after a while. When you started your practice, you may have been told that it’s a resting posture, but it doesn’t always feel like that, does it? It takes some time for it to feel “right” or even “comfortable.” You’ve most likely navigated through things like the following:

              Should my heels touch the mat?

              How far apart should my hands be from one another?

              What about the direction of my hands?

              How far apart should my hands be from my feet?

              Should my wrists feel this way?

              Is it ok to bend my knees?

              This list goes on. 

              Over time, you start to develop a deeper understanding of the pose and to develop and integrate patterns in your body that feel “right.”

              As you continue to learn and grow in your practice, you may also reach a point where you begin to wonder if these patterns are actually serving you. This wondering may come from pain and/or injuries that arise, or simply from exposure to different practices and/or teachers. What often happens is that once you get comfortable with “the way you’ve always done it,” the challenge may be to consider a different way and/or to add on some new actions to actually improve not only the posture but also the health of your joint placement/alignment in the posture.  

              It is important, however, to be open to the process of “unlearning” and the process of developing new patterns. The important perspective to take when you encounter times like this in your yoga practice is to understand that it is all a part of growth and your specific journey to learn more about your own body. It’s actually an opportunity. Approaching your practice with an openness to opportunity often leads to the unraveling and to access to new breakthroughs in your practice. 

              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

              $198.00 $138.00

              LEARN MORE!

              WHAT IS SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT?

              “Shoulder impingement is a common condition believed to contribute to the development or progression of rotator cuff disease.” 

              Ludewig, Paula M, and Jonathan P Braman. “Shoulder impingement: biomechanical considerations in rehabilitation.” Manual therapy vol. 16,1 (2011): 33-9. doi:10.1016/j.math.2010.08.004

              Shoulder impingement and/or a pinching sensation in the shoulders is a common complaint when it comes to the execution of Downward-Facing Dog. You might feel this in early attempts to do the posture or after repeating patterns like drawing your shoulders away from your ears, which may cause pain or irritation in the posture.

              In the video, Matt explains quite nicely by saying that when you draw the scapulae (shoulder blades) away from your ears, the upper arm bone (humerus) collides with the acromion process. This action and collision is what creates the impingement, or “pinching.” This pinching can create pain or discomfort or may even lead to injury. From a visual standpoint, how do you know this is happening? Matt explains that you can see what looks like a “dimple” in the shoulder when the humerus is pulling down away from your ears. For further information for proper alignment in Downward Dog, you can also check out Matt’s blog 3 STEPS TO AVOID SHOULDER IMPINGEMENT IN DOWNWARD-FACING DOG.

              WATCH THE VIDEO: DOWNWARD-DOG SHOULDER ALIGNMENT

              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              200 Hour Training
              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              300 HOUR TRAINING

              USING A ROLLED UP YOGA MAT FOR DOWNWARD-FACING DOG

              Rolling up a yoga mat and using it as an additional prop provides excellent feedback and even assists you in the execution of the steps to set up Downward-Facing Dog. It helps to create new patterns in your body to avoid shoulder impingement in this foundational posture.

               Matt details exactly how to use your mat by following these steps:

              1. Place a rolled-up mat horizontally across the top of your mat.
              2. Place your hands in front of the rolled-up mat.
              3. Move backward into Downward Dog (bend your knees and send your tailbone to the sky).
              4. Lifting them up, move your armpits forward toward your hands. 

              What’s happening here is that this action will activate the rhomboids, and the upper trapezius will activate from the lift of the armpits. This will also support the movement of the top of the shoulder blades going inward while the bottom of the scapula are protracting.

              This step also provides a great opportunity to check in and get some feedback within your body. If you’re putting a lot of pressure into the yoga mat, then you know you’re dropping the armpits down and are causing the sub-acromion pinch. Matt offers the cue here of reaching through the outer lines of the arms so that the scapulae upwardly rotate.

               “During normal motion, the scapulae will upwardly rotate and posteriorly tilt on the thorax during elevation of the arm in flexion, abduction, scapular plane abduction, or unrestricted overhead reaching.”

               Ludewig, Paula M, and Jonathan P Braman. “Shoulder impingement: biomechanical considerations in rehabilitation.” Manual therapy vol. 16,1 (2011): 33-9. doi:10.1016/j.math.2010.08.004

              5. Externally rotate the humerus (biceps face forward, and pinky edge of the hand pulls bottom portion of scapula around).

              After these actions are put into place, you may feel like the inside edge of your hand is pulling up, so articulating the next step is important.

              6. Turn your palms down (the radioulnar joint pronates the forearm, and this is a separate action that happens specifically at the forearm, separately from the action of the external rotation of the humerus).

              7. Turn hands out a little more and wider (this also helps to create less chance of shoulder impingement).

              8. Heels of the hands are lifted (again, creating that lightness and less touch against the yoga mat). 

              Not only will this create less impingement, it will also strengthen the flexors of the wrist, which will feel better and allow you to feel more safe.

              12 Online Yoga classes to Learn Anatomy

              ANATOMY IN MOTION

              APRIL 2022 Immersion

              • Embody anatomy
              • Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
              • Visualize your movements internally
              • Improve proprioception
              • Sensation-based practices
              • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
              • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
              • Improve mobility and stability
              • Get VERY geeky

              $168.00

               

              ✋ SIGN ME UP

              SIMPLIFY THE STEPS FOR MASTERING DOWNWARD-DOG SHOULDER ALIGNMENT

              In the video, Matt offers what’s called a “Mock” or “Modified” Downward Dog on your knees. Here are the steps:

              1. Lift armpits 
              2. Lengthen — shoulders to the ears 
              3. Go up and back
              4. Externally rotate the arm bones (biceps face forward)
              5. Lift heels of the hands (carpal tunnels)

              Integrating these new actions may feel quite awkward once you start to gradually implement them. They may not feel quite “right.” This is that process of “unlearning” and creating new neuromuscular patterns in your body.  Eventually they will start to feel more “comfortable,” and you will notice the change in the development of your strength. Setting this foundation will help to support your journey in other postures in which it is necessary to utilize strength and balance from your shoulders, forearms, and hands.

              If you enjoy diving deeper into the potential of your body and of the yoga practice as a whole, you can deepen your studies in Matt’s 200 and 300 Hr. Trainings.  

              CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS.

              The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

              The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

              Article by Trish Curling

              Video Extracted From: 300 Hr. Training

              CHOOSE YOUR PATH

              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              200 Hour Training
              NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
              300 HOUR TRAINING

              Continue Learning

              Mastering Bakasana

              Mastering Bakasana

              Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

              read more
              Tuck Jumps

              Tuck Jumps

              Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

              read more
              Counter Rotations

              Counter Rotations

              Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

              read more
              Bird Of Paradise

              Bird Of Paradise

              Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

              read more
              A Tree Pose Treatment

              A Tree Pose Treatment

              A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

              read more
              Practice Peacock Pose

              Practice Peacock Pose

              Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

              read more
              All Videos

              THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

              When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

              • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
              • exclusive online course discounts
              • exclusive blogs and videos
              • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

              Calm The Mind with Meditation

              by | Jul 10, 2022 | Main Page Display

              CALM THE MIND 

              GO BENEATH THE SURFACE

              SUTRA 1.2

              CALM THE MIND

              “If restraint of the mental modifications is achieved, one has reached the goal of yoga.” This is taken directly from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (pg. 3).

              “Yoga is the experience we have when all vritti (fluctuations of the mind), the movement arising in our consciousness, is stilled.” This is the breakdown/interpretation from Tantra of The Yoga Sutras by Alan Finger (pg. 21).

              Both explanations of  Yoga Sutra 1.2 “Yoga citta vritti nirodhah” help us to understand what we seek in our practice and in our lives. What we seek is stillness, the decluttering and calming of the mind in order to exist and take action from a place of steadiness and discernment rather than from a place of reactivity, being steered by our emotions.

                YOGA AND THE YOGA SUTRAS

                YOGA & THE SUTRAS

                ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

                • Refine your yoga practice
                • Move, sweat, breathe, flow
                • Themes inspired by the Yoga Sutras
                • Full 75-min. practices
                • Full-spectrum immersion: All pose categories
                • Arm balances, heart openers, shoulder mobility
                • Hip openers, single-legged balances, strength building
                • Lifetime unlimited access to all

                $148.00 $118.00

                ✋ SIGN ME UP

                THE 5 LAYERS OF THE MIND

                The Tantric point of view seems to provide more space for the allowance of our natural human experience, which includes the 5 Layers of the Mind. These are explained in Tantra of the Yoga Sutras as follows:

                • Undistorted Knowledge occurs when the mind creates an image from direct perception; for example, what you experience from your senses and/or intuition, deductions form partial information, and/or credible testimony from text, a teacher, or parent
                • Misconception happens when the mind directly perceives something through the senses or intuition but creates a distorted image of what it is perceiving. 

                *This distortion may come from our samskaras, which are our underlying, deep-rooted patterns and beliefs, which are deeply connected to our ego and how we define ourselves by specific identities and experiences.

                • Imagination is when we hear about something, and the mind creates an image that is based on anything other than words.
                • Sleep—here, the mind experiences inertia. This is its own form of vritti, which helps the mind to reset and recharge. To calm the mind, mastering sleep habits is essential. 
                • Memory is when a previously perceived object, form, or idea comes back into consciousness.

                From the Tantric perspective, these are natural occurrences of which we are not trying to “rid ourselves” but simply (or not so simply) trying to harness. These layers exist, and they are valuable to our human experience in this life.  It is my opinion that whatever language we resonate with, both perspectives do offer us the ability to understand that we have the potential and competence to go beneath the surface of these fluctuations. “Going beneath the surface” can essentially be interpreted as calming the mind. When the fluctuations create chaos and/or anxiety, we become off balance, and the mind feels cluttered and busy. This is when and why we go to our yoga practice, meditation, and pranayama: in order to soften these layers.

                How is this achieved? This is achieved through focus with intention. This can also be interpreted as well-placed effort, or abhyasa, which means “making your best effort to focus all the vritti on one single point, whether it is an action, object, thought, or image.” Finger, Alan. Tantra of the Yoga Sutras. Pg. 26.

                 Matt has this ability to effortlessly weave this into every class. Each breath, transition, and biomechanical setup is methodical and very intentionally expressed so that we have no choice but to move in a way that harnesses our attention within. We are focused on not only the movements but the sensations we experience throughout. These are the “aha moments,” if you will. Matt explains that it is when we go deeper, to the level of awareness of the sensations, that we actually experience stillness. This is when we go below the layers of the fluctuations of the mind. This is when we find more calm and presence in the moment.

                At the end of today’s video, you’ll see how even what may appear to be a “simple movement” is executed with such precision and awareness that we have no choice but to surrender to the sensations and to the release of the “fluttering” of the mind.

                In this particular class, Matt is preparing us for Side Crow. He talks about this harnessing of the mind within the movement, and he explains how we focus the body and breath in order to go deeper within. He then proceeds to the next actions in the physical body that will lead us toward what is necessary for Side Crow, but in the moment, we are fully engrossed in the stillness of the mind in the present moment and present actions. Now, as our muscles activate, building heat and tension, the fluctuations may want to rise and fall with more intensity again, but please note that all vritti are motivated by either pain or pleasure; whether the experience is difficult and challenging or easy and delightful, we can still place our efforts in a way that helps us maintain a sense of tranquility. Maybe when the vritti intensify due to challenge, the tranquility can come from an understanding that any particular challenge is ultimately happening for us and not to us and that by letting go of the outcomes (vairagya), we will come to see just exactly how they serve us in the end. On the other hand, when there is excitement, joy, and happiness, and the mind is wild with elation, we can enjoy it for what it is and yet recognize that these are the energies of life—the ups and the downs don’t determine our value; they simply reveal an opportunity to stay present.

                WATCH THE VIDEO

                “Calm the Mind with Meditation”

                The 5 KOSHAS OF OUR EXISTENCE

                But, what are these deeper layers?  What lies beneath the surface of the vrittis?  Where do we actually find/experience stillness? How do we find more calm in the mind?

                In Eastern philosophy we come to understand the Koshas (or the energetic layers of our body that encapsulate one another).

                In the context of the yoga practice, the 5 Koshas are:

                1. Physical – Annamaya Kosha – This is our physical body. This is where we bring awareness to the biomechanics and techniques in our practice.  We become more skilled at the awareness of our bodies in space (proprioception).  Matt explains that we develop more discernment when it comes to knowing the difference between our mind being uncomfortable and our bodies being uncomfortable.  There is a difference between pain and discomfort.  We learn to decipher between the two in order to honour our bodies within our practice. 
                2. Energetic – Pranamaya Kosha – This is the vibrancy of our energy (i.e. when we wake up after a good night’s sleep, we feel rested and vibrant.  We feel the exact opposite after a poor night’s rest. Also, when we are working on this layer we are working on pranayama.
                3. Mind – Manamaya Kosha – Here we are getting closer to the awareness of who we are.  We are more self aware of our mental and emotional patterns by way of our physical practice.  We come to understand the lens through which we look and how we perceive life.
                4. Awareness – Vijnanamaya Kosha – This is our intuitive body and/or our insight.
                5. Bliss – Anandamaya Kosha – The inevitable result of becoming more self aware – strengthening connection to the 3 outer layers, our ability to become aware and then the inevitable bliss

                Surrendering to the sensations and awareness of the first 3 layers help to unlock the deeper inner layers of awareness and bliss.  Matt explains that bliss is the inevitable result of becoming more in tune with our ability to become aware.  This is actually the practice of svadhyaya (self-reflection/awareness).  

                In Chromatic yoga, Matt guides us to understand that this is exactly what is taking place.  He provides continued opportunities in our asana practice to become more aware within the first 3 layers and that this is how we access the stillness, we go beneath the fluctuations of the mind and more inward towards awareness and bliss. As described above, we do this by paying attention to techniques and the biomechanics of the body.  Matt shows us how to become more aware of how to engage and arrange our joints to feel better in our bodies on and off of the yoga mat. The goal is to become self aware in the asana practice. To then become in all areas of our lives.

                October Livestream Yoga Classes

                MOVE • BREATHE • RELEASE

                ONLINE YOGA IMMERSION

                 YOGA ASANA, BREATH WORK, & GUIDED MEDITATION

                • Invigorate Body & Mind
                • Increase Flexibility & Strength
                • Increase Focus and Clarity
                • Decrease Stress
                • Unwind physical & Emotional Tension
                • Move more freely
                • 12 All levels classes
                • Lifetime access to all 12 classes

                $128.00

                LEARN MORE!

                THE ROLE OF MEDITATION TO GO BENEATH THE SURFACE

                At the beginning of the Heart Module in Matt’s 300 Hr. Yoga Teacher Training, he describes Meditation as a way to help ourselves to “clean out the dirt and dust” within our minds.  Again, it is a process of self-inquiry that helps us understand where the dirt came from and why we didn’t clean it sooner. Meditation keeps the dirt from building, self inquiry inspires us to keep meditating.  We also come to understand that meditation is not the removal of our thoughts, but again where we place our attention.  This is exactly what the Tantric perspective provides for us.  There is the understanding that the 5 layers of the mind are not to be removed (they are natural), but where do we place our attention? Yes, you’re right…beneath the surface. 

                In the 2015 study, Meditation: Process & Effects, by: Hari Sharma, it explains that:

                “During the process of meditation, accumulated stresses are removed, energy is increased, and health is positively affected overall.”

                This directly reveals the value of meditation and its ability to settle the fluctuations of the mind.  It’s focused attention and the well placed effort (Abhyasa) of our awareness that supports the removal of certain stressors. This supports our ability to quiet and calm the mind.  With increased energy, we can go to our mats for asana in order to build on our awareness of the 3 outer layers of the koshas.  

                The study also says:

                “In ancient Vedic texts, it is said that the meditation process takes the mind from the outer realm of the objective world to the inner realm of the inner faculty (which includes the mind, intellect, ego, and Chitta – the storehouse of all memories and impressions of life), and finally goes beyond both the outer and inner realms to reach the deep inner Self.”

                Sharma, Hari. “Meditation: Process and effects.” Ayu vol. 36,3 (2015): 233-7. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.182756

                This is it, it describes the process of going from the external to the internal and finally going to the inner realm to the deeper self.  This is just another way of describing the shift from sitting within the crashing waves of the mind, to going beneath the surface and into the stillness.  

                There is clearly a lot to uncover and unpack here, but this is the beauty of stepping into our awareness.  All we have to do is take the first step. 

                “Yoga citta vritti nirodhah” can happen at any time you want.  You don’t just go to the yoga mat to find this.  You go to life to find this. Funneling attention into awareness itself at any time helps you to find more opportunities and moments to remain in the realm of stillness.

                The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

                The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See The Next Start Date

                Article by Trish Curling

                Video Extracted From: 300 Hr. Training

                12 Online Yoga classes to Learn Anatomy

                ANATOMY IN MOTION

                APRIL 2022 Immersion

                • Embody anatomy
                • Learn key muscles, bones, and joints
                • Visualize your movements internally
                • Improve proprioception
                • Sensation-based practices
                • Unlock and strengthen major muscle groups
                • Active, passive, and isometric stretching
                • Improve mobility and stability
                • Get VERY geeky

                $168.00

                 

                ✋ SIGN ME UP

                CHOOSE YOUR PATH

                NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
                200 Hour Training
                NEXT TRAINING BEGINS FEBRUARY 2024 ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN!
                300 HOUR TRAINING

                Continue Learning

                Mastering Bakasana

                Mastering Bakasana

                Mastering BakasanaCrow PoseMASTERING BAKASANA We may never truly master a posture, but as we go on a journey of exploration towards our greatest potential within our asana practice, we most definitely become masters of our own awareness—cultivating the ability to...

                read more
                Tuck Jumps

                Tuck Jumps

                Tuck JumpsHandstandTUCK JUMPS Tuck jumps can be a confidence booster when it comes to preparing for handstands. They're not the first step in the course of preparation, but they're definitely a way of identifying where strength and proprioception require attention.  ...

                read more
                Counter Rotations

                Counter Rotations

                Counter RotationsStabilityCOUNTER ROTATIONS The isolation of specific articulations in a yoga posture can be tricky to implement when we’re still learning how our bodies move. When we begin to explore counter rotations, this layer might feel confusing or even...

                read more
                Bird Of Paradise

                Bird Of Paradise

                Bird of ParadiseSvarga DvijasanaBIRD OF PARADISE In Bird of Paradise, we’re balancing while binding, which can be quite an undertaking. Preparation for this posture requires shoulder mobility, hip mobility, and a tremendous amount of strength. What we also need to be...

                read more
                A Tree Pose Treatment

                A Tree Pose Treatment

                A Tree Pose TreatmentVrksasanaA TREE POSE TREATMENT Tree Pose may appear to be a posture we can just “jump into” because of its “accessibility” from anywhere we might be standing, but it definitely requires more refinement than we might think. A treatment to revive...

                read more
                Practice Peacock Pose

                Practice Peacock Pose

                Practice Peacock PoseMayurasanaPRACTICE PEACOCK POSE We go to our yoga practice for many different reasons at any given time. In our asana practice, we are sometimes seeking softness and ease. At other times, we might be striving for vigour and strength. Peacock Pose...

                read more
                All Videos

                THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

                When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

                • the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
                • exclusive online course discounts
                • exclusive blogs and videos
                • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

                BLACK FRIDAY: 30% OFF ALL ONLINE IMMERSIONS & WORKSHOPS !
                0
                days
                0
                hours
                0
                minutes
                0
                seconds
                CLAIM MY DISCOUNT
                BLACK FRIDAY: 30% OFF ALL ONLINE IMMERSIONS & WORKSHOPS!
                0
                days
                0
                hours
                0
                minutes
                0
                seconds
                CLAIM MY DISCOUNT
                BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Congratulations, your 30% discount code has been applied and will be reflected at the very bottom of the checkout page. All Immersions & Immersion Bundles are included in this sale. To get more info on each immersion click on the photo. On Demand and Lifetime Access To all
                START SHOPPING NOW
                PRODUCT BUNDLES
                Overlay Image
                BLACK FRIDAY SALE! Congratulations, your 30% discount code has been applied and will be reflected at the very bottom of the checkout page. All Immersions & Immersion Bundles are included in this sale. To get more info on each immersion click on the photo. On Demand and Lifetime Access To all
                START SHOPPING NOW
                PRODUCT BUNDLES

                Thank you! your free videos will be delivered to your email Check there now! The first one will be there in a few moments and will land in your spam or promotions folder - please drag the email into your inbox so you receive the technique pack emails from me!

                Pin It on Pinterest