The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Sasangasana › Am I doing Rabbit right?
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Sasangasana › Am I doing Rabbit right?
-
AuthorPosts
-
Hello Gabrielle
I just want to thank you and the others who have contributed to
making this website happen. It’s so informative and your knowledge is truly
amazing.In Sasangasana, the crown of my head is on the floor and I have my
forehead touching my knees, but I have heard some teachers tell students to
tuck their chin slightly. if i tuck my chin, I then roll a little onto the
back of my head. is this okay, or should i just not tuck my chin?Thanks
SusanI question this posture as well, while I’m in it!!
It seems as though it depends on how each person’s physique is built . . .long arms? short torso? etc.
I wish I could appreciate it, but in three years practice, it is still an uncomfortable position in a hot room.I am hoping Gabrielle will offer her wonderful insights here!!
Namaste.
hi
when i do the rabbit posture, i only feel the vertebraes of the back of my neck and sometimes the ones of my lower back when i lift my hips up towards the ceiling…i want to feel the vertebraes of the middle of the spine too and i don’t. am i doing something wrong. my forehead touches my knees, my elbows are locked, my heels touch each other….
help!
🙂Hi Edge
Ooopsy. Just found this post unanswered! I have another Rabbit question now so will do that later today – the family calls. :cheese:
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Edge
Now that I re-read your concerns I realize that I need more information from you.
Cos when you get this pose it is GREAT and extremely satisfying.
Let me help you! Tell me what you are feeling? Where? When?
At your service! 😉
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello yogini
There are definitely things you are doing right. I know that you are so close and we just need to tweak your technique a little. It may need a little to-ing and fro-ing. Let’s see!
If you are feeling the vertebrae on the back of your neck, that is usually a tell-tale sign that you have too much weight on the top of your head, OR the general movement of your body is forward and not UP! It could have something to do with your feet, the way you tuck your chin, the way you pull on your feet. Hmmmm….
Feeling that sensation in your neck along with feeling your lower back (the latter is generally a great sign) may be because you have some tightness or flatness there that is trying to open up (coupled with the problem above).
Hard to say without being there with you. And I have your words only.
I do wonder when you say your elbows are locked. I just want to make sure that your arms are actually relaxed. They are STRAIGHT yes. Locked out to me often indicates an activation of muscles which you actually don’t want or need here. The hands do the work to hold onto your feet. The shoulders are up away from the ears and so the shoulders do NOT pull either. There is definitely surrender in the arms.With arms relaxed and pulling against RELAXED feet, it is also important to TRY to bring the heels in together trying to get them to touch. You say your heels are together, that is very good. This has a very big effect on helping you create the right traction in the body allowing you to create the lift.
More important than forehead on knees is chin tucked. And try to push your knees and shins into the floor (because feet are relaxed). Also sucking in the stomach and lifting the chest as you try to compress everything in the front side of your body definitely works for me.
Get back to me and let me know if what I say resonates (and works) for you.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂there is no pose in which i can touch my head to my knee. in rabbit, i don’t even come close. once i get my head on the floor, i can’t lift my hips at all. i don’t feel a stretch anywhere in my back. i feel the stretch mostly in my upper arms/shoulders and i feel great pressure on my breastbone. after yoga, my breastbone used to be sore. i carry great tension in my neck and shoulders which has been causing anatomical changes in my body, i.e. dowager’s hump. do you have any tips on how i can improve this posture?
thanks
Hi Connie
Specifically for Rabbit: I need to ask you a couple of questions regarding your technique.
1 Can you describe your grip to me? As far as you know are you gripping correctly with your palms facing forward thumbs on the outside?
2 You can get your head to the floor, so please tell me what part of your head touches the floor exactly?
3 Please also tell me where your chin is: do you manage to keep it on your chest the whole time or because of the difficulties does it move away when your head gets to the ground?
4 What can you tell me about your arms?
5 How do your feet feel in this pose, tense or relaxed or somewhere in between?Looking forward to your reply
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂1 I am gripping my heel with the thumb on the outside and fingers on the inside of the heel.
2 The top of my head is touching the floor.
3 My chin is on my chest mashed against my breasts too. The position feels very claustrophobic and my ability to breath seems compromised. Since using some of your pointers, my sternum is not sore afterwards, although I still get cramps under my right breast sometimes.
4 I really don’t feel anything in my back but my arms feel stretched to the max — and I have long arms.
5 My feet feel almost as if they will lift off the floor. Since your advice to another forum member, I have tried to hold them together and press them down into the floor to lift my butt. It feels like i’m only lifting a half inch though.
6. When I’m doing this pose in the normal sequence, I sometimes feel tension releasing in the top of my arms and shoulders, but the discomfort in my neck (i feel a little choked) and in my diaphragm make this a very difficult pose for me.Hi Connie
The bit about your feet almost lifting off the floor rings the bells for me! I am wondering about the tension in your shoulders. Do you have a sense you could shift them away from your ears to lengthen the neck.
Also I am going to PM you about something else I would like you to try!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.