This entry was posted on Aug 20, 2024 by Charlotte Bell.
Chicken Canine Pose (Parsva Balasana) is probably not one in all yoga’s hottest poses, however this humble asana confers a stunning variety of advantages. Simply guessing, however its English identify means that it was added to the asana canon someday throughout Britain’s occupation of India. It’s been a worthy addition. A number of years in the past, throughout my asana observe, I developed a vinyasa-type move that begins with Chicken Canine Pose. As the muse of a Chicken Canine Move, Parsva Balasana’s potentialities are nearly infinite.
On this submit, I’ll embrace photographs and temporary descriptions of every pose. There are already posts describing the primary two poses within the Hugger Mugger weblog. I’ll add hyperlinks to offer you extra element. There are normal directions for the final three poses. However first, a reminder of the advantages of Chicken Canine Pose.
Chicken Canine Advantages
Right here’s why Chicken Canine Pose needs to be part of your common asana routine:
- strengthens and stabilizes the core.
- stabilizes the low again.
- challenges, and due to this fact will increase, your capability to steadiness.
- could promote steadiness between the fitting and left lobes of your mind by means of the contralateral relationships between the legs and arms.
- a core strengthener that’s simpler in your again than crunches or sit-ups.
The right way to Apply Chicken Canine Move
- Start on arms and knees in Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) on a Yoga Mat. You would possibly wish to place a folded Yoga Blanket beneath your knees. In Chicken Canine Move, you’ll be spending lots of time on one knee!
- Take just a few breaths to settle into the pose.
Chicken Canine Pose (Picture at High)
- Stretch your left leg again behind you.
- In case your steadiness feels steady, stretch your proper arm ahead.
- Take 3 to five breaths right here.
Chicken Canine Variation
- Bend your left knee and attain your proper hand again towards your left foot.
- Both grasp your left foot, or in case your hand doesn’t attain, merely lengthen your proper hand and left foot towards each other.
- Take 3 to five breaths.
Facet Plank Variation (Parsva Phalakasana)
- Launch the maintain of your left foot and return to Chicken Canine Pose.
- Supported by your proper knee on the ground, rotate your physique to the fitting so that you simply’re going through straight forward, putting your proper hand on the ground. Now you’re supported by your proper hand and proper knee.
- Lengthen your left arm out together with your higher arm near your ear.
- Attain your left foot down into the ground to stretch your complete left facet.
- Take 3 to five breaths right here.
Facet Plank with Leg Elevate
- Now raise your left leg up in order that it’s roughly parallel to the ground.
- Proceed to stretch your left arm out as you stretch your leg in the other way.
- In case your steadiness feels shaky, flip your proper toes beneath. That may create a bit extra stability.
- Take 3 to five breaths right here.
Add a Backbend to Facet Plank Pose
- Bend your left knee.
- Attain your left hand again and grasp the left foot.
- Press your left foot into your hand to stretch the entrance of the shoulder and chest.
- Take 3 to five breaths right here.
- Return to Tabletop Pose.
- Chill out for just a few breaths in Baby’s Pose (Balasana) earlier than training Chicken Canine Move on the opposite facet.
About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and started instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Apply and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third guide is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Purple Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.
