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Pyramid Pose (parsvottanasana)

 

Again I would like to Thank Kru Nui for being the model for this pose. She has been one of the best yoga teachers I have had the pleasure to work with.

With this pose many things will happen. You will get an intense streach to the back of your legs, while lengthening and steaching your spine. With regular practice this pose can help relieve tension from your neck and shoulders, steangthen your legs, increase flexibility in your hips and imporove your balance.

NOTE: Your lower body from your waist down will form the foundation of this pose and you must make at as stable as you can before you begin the forward bend.

Also as you bend forward you may lift your back heel off the ground. Try to focus on keeeping your heel grounded to maintain stability in the pose.

As with all yoga poses breath evenly while performing the pose.

A resource for you that is very helpful in training this pose as well as others is Scientific Keys Vol 1 - The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga, It is an excellent book that details the muscle and bone alignments for this pose as well as many other postures. It has brought my training to a whole new level. (The ability to visualize what is happening inside the body can really make allot of the more difficult poses easier to do). They have a free first chapter on the site, I encourage you to check it out.

 

How to do this pose.

1. Begin in mountain pose (standing upright with feet together)

2. Breath in and exhale as you step your right foot forward. Aproximatly 3 feet.

3. Turn your left foot out 45 degrees and press the soles of your feel firmly to the floor.

4. If your stance does not feel stable adjust slightly untill it is.

5. Breath in and exhale as you bend forwardfrom your hips over your right leg. Keep your back flat and left heel on the floor

6. Allow your spine to legnthen as you relax your head and neck towards the floor.

7. Hold this pose for about 30 seconds.

8. To come out of this pose, press your right foot and then slowly raise your upper body up. Keep your left heel in touch with the floor. Then return to Mountain pose.

9. Repeat for the other side.

 

I hope you enjoy this pose. Another variation to this pose you can try is to clasp your elbows or wrist behind your back before bending forward.

I wish you all the best, and do not forget to sign up for our RSS feed to the left to be notified of new pages as they come.

 

 

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