D ear Yogis:
The peak, the pinnacle, the summit of the standing series, it's Triangle, otherwise known in Sanskrit as Trikanasana. So you've gotten this far and your body is reaching its point of what may feel like no return, but fear not and DON'T GIVE UP! This is the pose that you will have a love and hate relationship with. This is the pose that will make you feel like you may pass out, if you haven't felt like that already. This is the pose that will push you to your last limit in the hot room. All that being said, this is the pose that you've been working towards and it's all down hill after this. :) So give it all you got!! Weather you are a newbie to Bikram or a long time practitioner, listed below are some tips and benefits to aid you in your path to being one bad ass, conscious kind of yogi.
 |
| This month's featured Yogi: Gordy Schils |
Tips On How To Perform Triangle Pose:
- Keep your arms in the 6 and 12 o'clock positions, (except when your arms are above your head in the beginning of the pose).
- Look at your leg that is straight and engage the quadriceps and lock your knee. This helps to protect your back, hips and knees. This also helps to give you a sense of continuous balance throughout the posture.
- Make sure that your feet are completely flat on the floor. If you are new to Birkam, you may be tempted to raise a portion of your foot off the ground to make things easier. Avoid doing that. This could cause not only an imbalance in your muscles, but could also cause unnecessary muscle strain. (Exception to the rule: If you have naturally occuring high arches in your feet, flex your toes up then slowly bring them back down to the floor.)
- When you are fully in Triangle, do not use your lower arm to support your own weight by pushing off the ground with your fingers. Do not support yourself by pushing off the knee with your elbow. If you are doing this, don't beat yourself up, with accumulated moments at a time, try to build up to the point where you can fully support yourself with your upper body. Eventually your upper body weight will be entirely supported by your pelvis, lower back and abdominal muscles. Ultimately helping you to feel stronger then ever before. Helpful hint: Imagine you are twisting your spine and opening up your chest towards the sky.
- While twisting the spine, if you feel that you are unable to reach the floor with your finger tips, place your hand on your shine, but never placing weight or pressure on your shine. Continue to reach up towards the ceiling.
- Don’t let your hips move up while performing the Triangle pose as it will reduce the stretch in the pelvic area and cause a potential strain on your lower back.
- If you have a tight neck or suffered from an injury in this area feel free to look in a neutral position.
- Benefits:
- This posture helps to improve the skeletal and muscular systems. Additionally, it can help to revitalize the internal organs, tissues and nervous systems in the body.
- Stretching the lower back can help to improve the flexibility of the last 5 vertebra of the lower spine. Aiding to alleviate your lower back pain.
- Triangle Pose works to condition and strengthen the entire cardiovascular system.
- Lastly,Assists you in being able to get through challenging real life situations due to training the mind to keep cool in a difficult position with patience and endurance, in what may feel like an unbearable environment and applying that mindset out of the hot room:)
