In this Yoga Basics tutorial, you can see how to do Triang Muka Eka Pada Paschimottanasana in Sanskrit on our Youtube Channel. (Hey, have you subscribed to our channel yet? You totally should!) This is a basic yoga pose found in many different types of yoga classes and has many different ways you can practice. Here, Jennifer talks about “best practices” you can do to help keep your back safe and pain-free, based on the alignment you will find in most Ashtanga Yoga based studios.
Key points to remember when Practicing Triang Muka Eka Pada Paschimottanasana
- Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched.
- If you can’t sit up straight, try raising your hips up by sitting on a blanket, bolster or cushion.
- Draw your belly button to your spine (to engage your abdominal muscles)
- Bend one leg and bring the heel of that foot to the side of your hip. try not to let the toes splay out to the side. If you can’t get your heel close to your hips, try raising your hips up higher by sitting higher on a bolster, or block. If you find yourself leaning to the side, be sure to put a block or bolster under the side that is leaning (which can seem counter-intuitive)
- If this is intense, stay right here and wait for your quad to relax. This is intense for your knee. If you feel discomfort in your knee, try placing a rolled up sock in the space behind your knee before folding the heel back.
- Forward fold over your extended leg
- Try to reach your forehead for your shin, not looking up which can hurt your neck
- Hold your shoulders down and away from the ears.
- Don’t look up too much which will overly bend your neck. Remember, you want to keep your spine long, and looking up will cause a steep bend in the cervical.
- Hold this for several breaths. If your straightened leg knee doesn’t straighten, that’s ok.
Keep practicing!
This pose is a pose to build mobility in your knee as well as your hamstrings and low back. It can also be very calming.
Remember, always keep your stomach muscles engaged and try not to tilt that tail bone out. (this cue can reduce back pain)
Thrive Yoga and Wellness is Chattanooga’s Yoga and Wellness studio and school
If you would like to learn more about Jennifer or if you would like to practice with Jennifer in person and you’re in the Chattanooga, TN area, check out www.ThriveYogaandWellness.com. We offer almost 40 classes each week in a variety of modalities from beginners to advanced, to chair and seniors all the way to super physical HIT yoga. It’s a great studio in the suburbs with ample parking and the community vibe.
Or if you’re not in the area and still want to practice with me, you can totally do it for free, virtually inside the Thrive Online community. Check us out at www.thriveyogaandwellness.com/thrive-online
In the video, I was practicing on my Mantra Lux Pro mat. A Chattanooga Based Yoga and Lifestyle company. I have reviewed this mat here and we do offer it for sale inside the studio.
Thrive Yoga and Wellness 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training School
This post was written by Jennifer Dixon MBA ERYT 500 and Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher. She is the lead teacher in the Thrive Yoga and Wellness 200 hr Yoga For Every Body Teacher Training program: the Chattanooga area’s ONLY modular 200 hr Yoga Alliance approved Teacher Training program that allows you to train when YOUR schedule allows. With two semesters each year and plenty of opportunity to practice and train year-round, this is the BEST yoga teacher training program for busy folks. Gone are the stresses about missed training weekends, you don’t have to worry about exhaustion and tears from super long intense weekend training every month–with the Thrive Yoga Teacher Training program, you train when your schedule allows and live your best life now. Yoga Teacher Training should be fun, come practice with us and let us show you how! Another great perk of training at Thrive? You get an unlimited membership to the studio for one full year while you train! NO ONE ELSE offers this amazing deal (worth $1100!) and it’s the PERFECT way to get the training you want with the practice you need. Our next semester starts in August of 2019! See you on the mat soon!