This past week we worked on opening the chest and shoulders. Let’s look at the similarities in the following postures: Utkatasana, Virabhadrasana I and Urdhva Danurasana. All three of these poses have the arms overhead.
To warm up, I stretched my calves, quads and hip flexors, side body and shoulders.
Let’s build Virabhadrasana I. The front half of this pose is Utkatasana:
The back leg and trunk of Virabhadrasana I are basically in the same position as they are in Urdhva Mukha Svanasna. Here is the pose elevated on a chair to make the pelvis as elevated as it is in Virabhadrasana I. Like this:
Or, I could also do Urdhva Mukha Svanasana standing up with my pubic bone on the wall and my arms stretched out overhead, it would look like this:
I always like to say that there are only 12 yoga poses (that is not literally true) and you do them in different relationships to gravity. But check out this shape in other poses.
If you put Utkatasana and Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (the vertical version with the arms overhead as in the above photo) together you get Virabhadrasana I.
Now look at Utkatasana horizontally and see how it is related to Urdhva Danurasana:
If I stretch my legs out straight the pose looks like Urdhva Mukha Svanasana with my arms overhead or the same as the back leg, trunk and arms of Virabhadrasana I:
Next, I move on to Urdhva Danurasana over a chair, which is a deeper bend than the previous pose:
And, finally, Urdhva Danurasana full pose:
I love props!
Working with props has allowed me to keep working deeply in my poses as I get older.
They have also been a big help when I have been injured.
I could do backbends over my bench even when I had a broken wrist or a foot.
A modified practice is better than no practice at all.
If you are interested in working with me using the props to help you go deeper in your postures, schedule a private with me. I’d love to help you see what you are capable of. Contact me for more information.