Скачать или смотреть Yoga Asana Lab: Compound Lunges (Low Lunge, Pyramid Pose, and Lizard)

Welcome to the Compound Lunge Series of Yogea Asana Lab. This section will feature three compound lunge poses: Low Lunge (Anjaneyanasana); Pyramid Pose Variation (Parsvottanasana) and Lizard (Utthan Pristhasana).
The first also known as Crescent Lunge Pose is the ultimate pose on the warm up menu. It is practiced in different modifications -- with the arms stretching over the head, and the chest opening, while lunging; or simply with the hands framing the outer edges of the feet, while the knee anchors or lifts. In either case, the most important alignment precaution is to keep the knee over the ankle and the hips as squared as possible. As you square the hips and keep the lower belly lifted you are creating a safe foundation to reach the arms overhead and arch back. If pressing the knee into the floor hurts place padding or lift the knee slightly off the floor, as you engage more through the back leg. The pose stretches the groin, hamstrings, psoas, the hip flexors, while strengthening the quads, and succeeded by pyramid pose makes the best warm up combo. When assuming it, it is ideal to keep the spine erect, even reaching forward into a flat back, so you can feel the long line from head to tail. As you get more limber in your hip flexors you can drop both hands down into the floor while arching into Crescent Lunge. It is also effectively combined with kneeling forward bend when you shift the hips back from low lunge, so you can target the hamstring deeper. It is best suited at the beginning of the class as an appetizer.
The second pose known as Pyramid, or Standing side stretch is a deep hamstring "elongator" with an extra emphasis on the Achilles tendon. It is important to square the hips and move the front hip back and the back hip front in order to ensure an even base from where to hinge forward at the hip creases and then bend over with a flat back. In the warm up series a great modification of Pyramid pose is when you move from lunge into forward bend, by bending the back knee and flexing the front foot while squeezing the inner thighs in. That can be accomplished only if the hamstrings are loose enough to allow you to square the hips, while coming into a front runner's stretch. If you want to go deeper you might attempt straightening both knees out while pulling the adductors in and stretching the spine long. Pyramid pose stretches the hamstrings and calves, and if practiced with a reverse Namaste mudra at the back opens up the shoulders. Like all standing poses it grounds you, helping you to find stability and focus, as well as resilience in trying times. The classical pose is suited for the middle section of a sequence, preferably after another pose that requires squared hips, but a counter flow, like Virabadrasana 1 (Warrior 1). On a subtle level it allows you to anchor into your divine embodiment and then surrender to what is to come.
The third pose known as Lizard is a versatile pose that simultaneously stretches the quads, psoas, hamstrings, groin and hips. It requires looser hips than Low Lunge in order to place the forearms on the floor and still keep the length in the spine. The key to the pose is to keep the knee over the ankle to lower the elbows to the inside of the planted foot, to lengthen the spine from the lower back and to release the shoulders away from the ears. Once you get into alignment, the icing on the cake is, to bring the knee of the leg that is bent into the midline and feel how the psoas, groin and hip flexor stretch simultaneously. If you wish to add another quad stretch you can lift the foot that was pressing into the floor up and reach for the top of the foot of with the opposite hand, twisting and revolving the torso up into the ceiling. In this variation the pose stimulates digestion and elimination, while detoxifying the liver and the kidneys. The best counter-pose to Lizard is when you shift the hips back and sit into the back heel as you fold over the front leg in order to feel the deep release in the hamstrings. Lizard is a favorite precursor to deep hip openers and is best suited after the middle section of the class, when the tendons and ligaments are warm.
Yogea Asana Lab is not a yoga routine and should be regarded solely as an educational platform to reinforce proper postural alignment and improve the quality of your practice. The approach is integrated as poses are grouped into different targeted categories. Each set of poses is demonstrated only on one side.