Intermediate Practice: Space and Spirals in the Legs and Pelvis (Forward Bends)

Intermediate practices are for those who have been attending classes regularly for two years or more, who have a consistent and regular home practice, and who have familiarity with the basic standing poses, floor poses and with supported shoulder stand. In these practices, the information becomes a little more technical as the poses become more challenging and other inversions are introduced. Always seek out the guidance of a qualified teacher before you attempt new poses, especially inversions and Head Stand, so that they may instruct you in the safest way to approach them. There is no substitute for instruction from a seasoned teacher.

This intermediate forward bend practice begins with standing poses to wake up the hips and legs and establish the relationship between the legs and the torso. Props are used to help define and open the front of the hip crease, creating separation between the legs and torso. Then come inversions, in which the legs are used to lift and support the torso, creating torso/leg separation in a different way. Single leg variations in Shoulder Stand are included to work with the relationship of the legs to the hips once again. Finally, simple seated forward bends are practiced, with and without props to explore the leg/hip relationship.

As you go through the practice, consider the following points:

• Balance your pubic bone evenly between your two inner thighs so that it is equidistant and from and has an even connection to both. This applies both to symmetrical and asymmetrical poses. In symmetrical poses, doing so will help balance out unevenness in your hips. In asymmetrical poses, you may well find that this takes your pelvis away from the “squared off” orientation. This is a good thing. Attempting to “square your hips off” when your legs are not doing the same thing pulls against the inherent spirals of the body, grinding the pelvis into one thigh bone while pulling it away from the other.
• Soften and widen across both the inner and outer surfaces of your pelvis.
• Create space between your pubic bone and sacrum, allowing the inner surface of your sacrum to move back away from the inner surface of your pubic bone.
• Find a spiral in your thighs that goes from your outer hip to your inner knee. Balance the movement along that spiral so that you are neither pulling back into your outer hip nor pushing into your inner knee, but moving ease fully in both directions at once.

Practice Sequence

Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose) blanket behind knees, bolster across ankles

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) at ropes if possible

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 2 (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose 2) foot on ledge, sandbag hanging by a belt lopped around root of thigh

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 2 (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose 2) foot on ledge, sandbag hanging by a belt lopped around root of thigh

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 1 (Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose 1) foot on ledge, with forward bend, sandbag hanging by a belt lopped around root of thigh

Child’s Pose

Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)

Parshvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose) torso long and lifted, back heel at wall, folded chair in hip crease

Parshvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose) folding forward, back heel at wall, folded chair in hip crease

Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose) chair in hip creases

Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide Spread Feet Pose) chair in hip creases

Salamba Shirshasana (Head Stand) preparation

• Place one block at its tallest height close to the wall and two blocks on top at their lowest height pointing lengthwise out and resting against the wall.
• Place your palms against the bottom block, your forearms on the floor and lift up into a headless head stand preparation, walking in to rest your upper back against the blocks.
• Hold for two or three minutes, allowing your neck to ease and lengthen evenly around its circumference, and your head to ease towards the floor as you press your forearms down and lift your upper arms.
• Widen your chest and upper back evenly.

Salamba Shirshasana 1 (Head Stand 1) with primary finger interlock [1 to 3 min]

Salamba Shirshasana 1 (Head Stand 1) with secondary finger interlock [1 to 3 min]

Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) high blocks under sacrum, knees bent, feet flat on floor

Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) Cycle:

1. Sarvangasana 1 (Shoulder Stand 1)
2. Halasana (Plough Pose)
3. Supta Konasana (Reclined Angle Pose)
4. Eka Pada Sarvangasana (Single Leg Shoulder Stand)
5. Parshvaikapada Sarvangasana (SIngle Leg to the Side Shoulder Stand)

Triang Mukhaikapada Pashchimottanasana (Three Limbs Facing Single Leg Intense West Stretch Pose) folded chair in hip crease

Triang Mukhaikapada Pashchimottanasana (Three Limbs Facing Single Leg Intense West Stretch Pose)

Janu Shirshasana (Head of the Knee Pose) folded chair in hip crease

Janu Shirshasana (Head of the Knee Pose)

Pashchimottanasana (Intense West Stretch Pose) folded chair in hip crease

Pashchimottanasana Pashchimottanasana (Intense West Stretch Pose)

Shalabhasana (Locust Pose) touched lightly to integrate the back

Shavasana (Corpse Pose) blanket under head, legs on chair