This entry was posted on Aug 20, 2024 by Charlotte Bell.
Chicken Canine Pose (Parsva Balasana) might not be 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 follow, I developed a vinyasa-type movement that begins with Chicken Canine Pose. As the inspiration of a Chicken Canine Movement, Parsva Balasana’s prospects are nearly limitless.
On this submit, I’ll embody images 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 ought to be part of your common asana routine:
- strengthens and stabilizes the core.
- stabilizes the low again.
- challenges, and subsequently will increase, your capacity to steadiness.
- could promote steadiness between the precise and left lobes of your mind by way of the contralateral relationships between the legs and arms.
- a core strengthener that’s simpler in your again than crunches or sit-ups.
Methods to Observe Chicken Canine Movement
- Start on fingers and knees in Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) on a Yoga Mat. You may need to place a folded Yoga Blanket beneath your knees. In Chicken Canine Movement, you’ll be spending plenty 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 secure, 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 clutch 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 precise so that you just’re dealing with 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 along 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 Raise
- 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 wrong 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 clutch 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.
- Calm down for just a few breaths in Baby’s Pose (Balasana) earlier than practising Chicken Canine Movement on the opposite facet.
About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe 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 people sextet Crimson Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.
