Chin to the shoulder??

Hello Mammaren

That is a great question. It all boils down to the instruction and what is trying to lead you to. Many things commanded at a B Hot Yoga class are rote learned commands from a dialog. And in my opinion lots of things are said that just don’t make sense.

Here is why:
When you do this pose you are really trying to align your shoulders one behind the other. The intention is to stretch your body apart. If you are really going to get the traction in this pose then you are going to kick back and up with your leg (see other posts for detailed instructions). If you are just using your grip from the hand, the kick should pull your arm backward from the shoulder if you can also consciously release your shoulder. As for the front arm you extend it forward (and up to improve the backbend component) and this is how we try to get one shoulder behind the other.

If you are trying to get your chin to your shoulder then you are most likely introducing neck or shoulder tension. Your shoulder needs SURRENDER. Front arm traction occurs because you are using a very active arm to pull against the backward moving force of the kicking leg. You are going against this surrender if you have to move your shoulder up or move your chin down. Both are connected through a complex nexus of muscles in the head, neck and shoulders. For best results (for opening the body and resolving any muscle tension) keep the chin parallel to the floor the whole time.

Thanks for referencing the poses on our other site. Those photos (of me and Robert) were taken 7 years ago!!!!!!!! I know that at the time of the photos I did not have sufficient shoulder opening to lift my front arm higher, nor was I able to line them up – it was simply impossible! Robert actually does a better job here of aligning his shoulders. But these photos illustrate another point. If I couldn’t lift my arm higher, or if I couldn’t extend my arm further, then what am I going to do to get my chin to my shoulder. I would have had to shrug my shoulder upward or tuck my chin down and back. I have a very long neck and if I did that I would be looking at the floor. The risk of muscle damage to that area would be huge.

OK, I really hope that clears it up. Sometimes you just have to do YOUR practice! Part of being in the room is learning to take responsibility for your own actions. We learn to take on feedback and work out whether it resonates for us. Check into your own intuition.

And I have some good news for you, we are currently working on taking new photos! We will keep you posted.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello again Mammaren

You are doing exactly the right thing!!! :cheese: This is what I mean about dialog being recited and not instructing what is ACTUALLY intended.

You can find more precise directions at Balancing in Standing Bow where I go through the pose in point form. You will find it meshes well with what you are already doing.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Ugh. That is true that you should not try to shove your chin onto your shoulder. As the original poster now probably knows since she has been to training… that’s why the dialogue does NOT say chin to shoulder. It is shoulder to chin. Stretch forward to the mirror, try to touch the mirror, TRY to touch your SHOULDER to you CHIN. In other words, opening the shoulders. Pretty straightforward.

I really hate it when people throw away the entire dialogue thinking it is “incorrect” just because they haven’t ever bothered to learn it correctly. What is this? Laziness (not wanting to study the dialogue), ignorance (never being taught about the dialogue correctly), or just arrogance (thinking they can do it better)? It is all in there already. Bikram knew exactly what he was doing. I don’t understand why people throw it away.

Yes… I do have some very strong feelings about this.

Yup, Mr. Choudhury knows his biscuits alright!

Never mind, none of us are perfect, but we can only keep trying!