About this balancing stick posture

Hello Edge and Hannah

thanks for your question and response.

You are not alone Edge. Lots of people fall out and / or have some apprehension in this one.

As usual Hannah, you have given us some great observations. I would like to add a couple more distinctions.

What most people do to set up is step one foot forward. But what they tend to do is leave the back foot pretty much evenly weighted compared to the front. This places the center of gravity behind the front leg but not through it. Then when they enter the pose it really feels as though they are diving forward without any safety net. They have to find a stable axis, all while they are moving. This could partly explain the fear factor.

Pretty much people who have the greatest difficulty are those where the back foot rests on the ground while the body starts to launch forward – with the back foot being partly or mostly weighted.

Instead, for correct technique the front foot takes ALL the weight BEFORE entry. With one leg forming the foundation the rest of the body behaves just like a see-saw on its firm unmoving axis. If you have the weight (even partly) on the back foot then it throws everything out because you have no sure balance but are moving the see-saw over a shifting foundation.

The way to set this one up:
@ Arms up (and back) and steeple grip
@ Step forward
@ Pick up the back leg as if you were to take another step forward BUT then extend it backward long, strong and straight. The foundation of your pose has now been set, vertically down through the hip, knee, ankle, foot and into the ground.
@ It is at this moment that you square your hips to the mirror and floor. The toes will either just touch the floor or hover just above it. Taking this moment to align yourself is not taught in class, but will really help you create better alignment in the finished pose. You may have heard teachers ask you to roll a hip down mid-pose – this will help minimize this kind of adjustment.
@ Activate all your muscles through all 4 limbs and stand with a slight arch in your spine, chest lifted. It feels really strong.
@ Now enter the pose with activated body, arms and legs by simply hinging at the hip. Concentrate on preserving this straight line, and if you started with ALL the weight on your front foot then, as you lower your body, your leg raises.
@ If and when you notice any slackness in either the legs or arms or any collapse of the body then retreat a little, re-commit and recover the straight line in your body and limbs. Only go in as far as you can keep your straight line form. For some students they may only make it to 10-20 degrees. Others will get to 70 degrees. It simply doesn’t matter. In fact, it is better to be partway in and strong than body down parallel to the floor with bent limbs looking as if you are a ‘broken umbrella’. Visualize yourself as a see-saw.

Hannah is right about the breath. The exertion in this pose is quite strong and comes on quite quickly. Often students need to be reminded to breathe. Of course with the body stretched out like it is, the lungs and ribcage are also stretched and the belly is often sucked in. So breathing often either stops or becomes short and shallow. Feeding the muscles with oxygen will certainly help ;). Slow the breath down and take it away from the anxiety producing short breath up the top of the chest.

OK, so what do you do if you fall out at 6 seconds? Ideally you go back in as if you had the whole pose to do again. Pretend you have another 10 seconds and listen to the commands. That way you can be more present. Let go of judgment. And just do it. Don’t care if you have only stepped forward on your foot and you are told to release. I do think however that much of your problem will disappear with correct technique.

It is tricky to learn the right speed of entry. Go in fast enough to get there and work the pose but not so fast that you fall out.

Looking forward to hearing your results
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello

Amanda pretty much puts different words to the idea in my post, so thank you!

I don’t know if you meant it this way, but I would certainly be very careful to approach the yoga in a way that didn’t encourage too much pre-emptive thought. You are trying to be ‘in the moment’ while making observations about your body position and sensations. So go to the fullest expression of the pose that you can handle (which could either represent change in a ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ direction) make an assessment as to the activation of your muscles and your body position, make corrections and take each day as it comes. Generally we will move forward with progress and rather than being conscious about stopping at a certain point, make the movement come first by setting your parameters with respect to what the pose is asking of you. The prize is in the process.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Dear Gabrielle,

Thanks for your very insightful comments!
May I ask for a wee clarification on this one.

I can create a straight T, but then I tend to rotate
the hip on the side of the leg that is kicked back
upwards. So not a broken umbrella, but not quite correct
if I understood you well?
So, it is better to rotate over a smaller angle than 90
but keep the hips inline?

Thanks, Margot

AWESOME tips!!! I have always had a rough time w/ this one and will try these in class today and let you know

NAILED it !!! thanks so much for all your helpful tips. I can stay up in this pose now and feel the length and stretch (not to mention the muscle work needed … abs of steel or what!?) LOL thanks again and talk soon

This was my absolute horror pose for years. With tight shoulders and almost dead at this point of class. I did lots of shoulder stretches agains the wall and It became easier to manage the full 10 seconds. This days i love it. This is me now in Bikram Yoga Poses.

cheers

Nicklas

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by yogahabits.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor).