Bound Angle Pose - Yoga Journal Poses

Transcript

Bakonasana will stretch your inner thighs and improve circulation in your hips. Allow gravity to release your inner thighs towards the floor over time instead of pushing your knees downward. Begin the pose by sitting on the front edge of a folded blanket. Bend your knees and place the bottom of your feet together. Bring your heels close to your pubic bone so that your legs fold deeply and you feel a light stretch in your inner legs. Press your fingertips into the floor next to your hips and lengthen up from your hips to the crown of your head. If you notice that your pelvis slumps back and your lower back collapses, sit on another blanket. Now press your heels together and encourage the top of your thighs to release toward the floor. Separate the top edges of your feet like two halves of a book. Gently draw your abdominal muscles towards your spine to support the length of your torso. Initiate the forward bend by rocking your pelvis forward. Keep your spine long and walk your hands in front of you to support the weight of your upper body. Continue releasing into a forward bend until you feel a moderate stretch in the inner thigh and groin. Be sure that you don't compensate for tension in your legs by rounding your back. Once you are in your maximum forward bend without strain, repeat the fundamental actions of the pose. Press your outer heels together. Lengthen your inner knees away from your groins. Hollow your lower belly and move your chest forward. Breathe slowly and deeply into places where you feel tension. Relax your facial muscles and jaw as you draw your attention inward. To release the pose, inhale as you slowly lengthen and lift your torso back to vertical.