FitSugar

Hit the Hay: Standing Pigeon

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:30:48 PDT

Your bed is not just for sleeping! It's great for stretching too. Some days the floor just seem too far away, so I use the edge of my bed to prop me up for Pigeon pose. It's a great stretch for the hips - perfect after a run or a ride.

For the finer details of the pose keep reading

Stretch It: Hugging Pigeon Hip Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:30:04 PDT

Blue skies and a warm breeze totally motivate me to exercise outdoors, so I've been doing lots of running, biking, and hiking. My muscles are becoming stronger, but they're also getting tighter, especially my hips. If you're in need of a good hip stretch, give this Pigeon variation a try. Bending your bottom knee next to your thigh intensifies this stretch so you also feel it in your quad, shin, and the top of your foot.

To learn an easier modification,

Stretch It: Twisting Double Pigeon

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:00:17 PST

Tight hips are a common complaint among active people, especially those who run, ski, or bike. Pigeon and Double Pigeon are two of my favorite stretches for opening up my hips and stretching my glutes. If you're looking for a new variation to add to your stretching routine, give this one a whirl.

Sit on the floor and bend your left knee so it is parallel with your tummy.
Bend your right knee and place it on top, so your ankles and knees are stacked, and your shins are parallel. You'll know you're doing it right when you gaze down and see that your legs make a little triangle.
You may find your top knee to be way high up toward the ceiling - it's OK, it just means that your hips are tight. Working on this stretch will help to open those tight hips.
Place your hands in front of your shins and walk them toward the right so both hands are beside your right thigh. If you're flexible, lower your forearms to the floor. To increase the twist, lift your right arm into the air and gaze at your palm while pressing your left elbow against your right knee.
After 30 seconds or so, place your right hand on the floor, walk your hands back to the center, and walk them all the way over to the left side. To increase the stretch, raise your left arm in the air and gaze upward.
Walk your hands back to center when you're ready and then sit up. Straighten both legs out in front of you. Then do Double Pigeon with the right leg on the bottom, and repeat walking your hands first to the left, and then to the right.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Pigeon Poses For Tight Hips

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:30:00 PDT

This sequence of Pigeon pose variations are sure to loosen up hips made tight from running or simply sitting all day. Begin with your right knee forward, and then repeat on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: One-Legged King Pigeon

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:00:00 PDT

If you loved Pigeon Twist and Pigeon Crescent, then you're ready to try One-legged King Pigeon. It's a little bit more challenging than the other two, but feels great in your spine, shoulders, and hips.

Sanskrit Name: Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana
English Translation: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose

Want to know how to get into it? Then

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Bring your right knee forward between your hands and come into Pigeon pose.
Rest your right hand on your right knee and bend your left knee.
Flex your left foot and bring your left hand under your foot and try to grab onto your toes.
This is the tricky part. You need to flip your left elbow up to the ceiling, so your toes are pointing straight up and your fingers are pointing down.
From here, you can arch your head back and reach your right hand over your head to hold onto your left toes. If it's easy, touch the top of your head to your foot.
Stay here for at least five breaths and then release your hands and place your palms on either side of your right knee.
Straighten out your left leg behind you and tuck your toes. Then press into your palms and step your right leg back, coming in Down Dog. Then bring your left knee forward and try this pose on the other side.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Pigeon Twist

FitSugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:00:00 PDT

Yoga keeps me running by restoring length to the overused and shortened muscles in my hips and legs. Hip-opening poses like Pigeon are essential if you run, bike, hike, or sit at a desk regularly – all of which apply to me, by the way. Plus, stretching out tight hips can also relieve lower-back pain. This Pigeon variation will not only open your hips, it will also stretch your quads while giving you nice spinal twist.

Sanskrit Name: Eka Pada Kapotasana (variation)
English Translation: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose (variation)
Also Called: Pigeon Twist

There's more to this pose than just sitting on the ground. To see what I mean,

Bird Brain Can't Find Bread

GiggleSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:00:00 PDT

Oh, give the bird a break. People are guilty of this oversight all the time. I know I've made a mess of my place while searching for the glasses sitting atop my head. Scatterbrain happens.

Stretch Those Tight Hips and Lower Back

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:00 PDT

Chances are if you are reading this, you have the ever popular "office job" that involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. This can wreak havoc on your precious body creating tight hips and lower back pain. Many stretches for your hips also stretch out your lower back, so these poses are like 2 for the price of 1.

If you can, try and take a break during work to do this hip and lower back stretch sequence. Go through the sequence on one side and then start from the beginning and do the other side. All these yoga poses have been explained previously, so if you want to know how to get into them, just click on the link.

1 - Sit on the floor, bend your knees, bring the soles of your feet together (take off your shoes) and come into Butterfly. This pose is great because it stretches both hips at the same time. Press your elbows against your legs to feel more of a stretch in your inner thighs.

To feel the stretch in your lower back, start to lean your chest out forward and walk your hands out in front of you. Stay here for 5 or more breaths.

Want to see the rest of the sequence? Then

2 - Now swing your left leg back behind you, keeping your right leg in front. This is called Pigeon and it's probably one of my favorite poses. It feels great on your lower back and you can really focus on working one side at a time. This is great considering one hip is usually much tighter than the other (usually your non-dominant leg).
This pose feels so amazing to me that I like to hang out for a few minutes on each side to really concentrate on deeply opening my right hip. If you don't have much time, then you can just do 5 breaths.

3 - Now ever so slowly and gently, swing your left leg in front of you, bringing your left inner thigh against the sole of your right foot. Lean your chest straight over your left leg, and walk your hands out towards your left foot, coming into Head to Knee pose.
Try and keep reaching your forehead out towards your left foot, elongating your spine. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and stay here and breathe for at least 5 breaths. This pose works your hips, lower back, and hamstring.

4 - For the last pose called Double Pigeon, keep you right knee where it is and bend your left knee. Stack your left ankle on top of your right knee, and your left knee on top of your right ankle. You want your shins to be parallel, with the left on top, and if you are doing it right, when you look down, you'll see a little triangular shape that your legs have made.
Try to keep your ankles and knees stacked one on top of the other and flex your feet. Stay seated and if it feels okay, bring your hands out in front of your shins and start to walk your hands out. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, relaxing your shoulders and the muscles in your face.

Now you're ready to do the other side. Come back into Butterfly once again and see if you can get a little deeper into the pose. Then keep your left leg where it is and swing your right leg back, coming into Pigeon. Then move into Head to Knee pose, and then Double Pigeon. After this sequence, your hips and lower back will thank you.

Work it Girl: Seated Pigeon

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day is a great way to work towards tight hips. Fight back with this desk hip opener stretch.

This is just like doing Pigeon pose but instead of lying down, you're sitting up.

Bend your left knee and place your lower leg flat on the desk (make sure to clear a spot).

Lean your upper body forward a little and try to keep your spine long. You'll really feel this stretch in your left hip and butt. I love it!

Hang here for a few breaths or more if you love it, and then carefully switch sides.

If you really love this stretch, you can work while you do it!

CAUTION: Again, make sure your chair doesn't have wheels!

Strike a Yoga Pose: Pigeon

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:34:09 PST

Everyone can benefit from opening their hips - whether you are a runner, biker, a mom-to-be, or someone who sits at their desk all day - stretching out your hips can help prevent lower back pain, or knee or hamstring injuries.

Our hips tend to be really tight because our everyday activities require hip strength, but not hip flexibility. Not only does it feel good physically to stretch them out, but it is said that people hold a lot of stress and tension in their hips, so it is emotionally opening as well.

There are tons of great poses and exercises that open your hips and hip flexors (the front of your legs, just below your hip bones). Wide Squat, Dancer, Camel, Airplane (when you're on the top), and Wide-Legged Split are just a few.

But Pigeon pose is my absolute favorite. You can stay in it for a while, and as your hips begin to open, you can adjust the level of intensity to open them even further - it's relaxing yet effective.

Want to know how to get into it? Then

From Downward Facing Dog, step both feet together and bring your right knee forward between your hands so your outer right leg is resting on the mat.
If your hips are more open, inch your right foot away from you. Make sure your left hip is always pointing down toward the mat. If it begins open up toward the ceiling, draw your right foot back in toward your body.
Stay here with your hands resting on your right leg or walk your hands out in front of you, allowing your torso to rest over your right knee.
Hold here, breathing into any areas of tightness and tension for at least five breaths.
Then place your hands on the mat in front of you, tuck your left toes and step your right foot back. Take a vinyasa, then step your left foot forward and repeat Pigeon on the left side.

Fit's Tips: I like to get into this pose and work each side separately for about five minutes each. Obviously adjust the time if it becomes too intense for you, but the longer you hang out in this pose, the more time you'll allow for your body to settle in and really open up. After doing both sides, you'll be walking differently. Try it and see what I mean.