So how much of this posture is in the neck?

[emshilie]

#2270

Hi all,
so I understand that this is a compression posture… I’ve got my head on my knee and my stomach sucked in, but as I try to draw my head farther up my leg, it seems like it’s really straining the back of my neck. I know my neck/deltoid area isn’t super strong (my shoulders get sore after pranayama, and half-moon just about kills them!), so I’m not entirely sure if I’m overworking my neck or if I just need to gain a bit more strength there?

[bluewingspeaks]

#9296

Yes, I have a similar problem here. I always have to bend forward and roll my neck after this pose because my neck muscles are are strained. Recently, I’ve been trying to relax my neck during the pose.

[Andrea.*F.]

#9314

Hi Emily and Barry,

I am one of the graduates form Gabrielle’s teacher training, I hope you don’t mind if I reply to your posts! 🙂

Emily, if you are new to practising yoga, a little soreness in the shoulders can be absolutely normal. As you said, it takes a bit of getting used to it and gaining enough strength! (I suggest you have a look at the link below, to make sure that the soreness is not a sign of incorrect alignement)
Barry, the pain in your neck could be a result of many things, for example: stiff shoulders. To make sure that you don’t (unconsciously) hold poses with an incorrect alignement, I would recommend doing a bit of research on other poses too, not only on Standing Separate Leg Stretching Forehead to Knee pose! It is worth having a look around on this website. Gabrielle has some incredibly powerful tips that can help you understand the poses better and how to be safe in them. Teachers often don’t have the time to explain everything in a class so you could be missing out on some information.
https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/poses

My question to both of you about DBJ is: what you are aiming to achieve in this pose? Where are your arms and what are you doing with them? You can also describe the steps you follow to get into the pose. I know I am asking a lot of questions, but the more information I have the easier it is to make suggestions! 🙂

I am looking forward to hearing from both of you!

Enjoy your practice!

Namaste,

Andrea

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#9339

Hi Emily and Barry

My question to you both is this: Where EXACTLY are you placing your hands? Are they in front of your foot, next to your foot, or have you got them in front and in prayer position?

Please be as descriptive as you can be!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#9380

Yoo hoo, Emily and Barry! Please let me know the answer to the question when you get a chance

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Charlotte_]

#11051

I have the same problem. I’ve got my head on my knee and my stomach sucked, but the only place I feel a thing is in my neck. It is the same weather my hands are in front of my foot, next to my foot, or have if I got them in front and in prayer position. Don´t feel a thing.

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#11052

Hi Charlotte

My suggestion is to ask a friend of yours after class to watch you in the pose. What I want you to ask them to track for is the level of your hips. You are wanting your hips to be perfectly horizontal to the floor.

If the hips are tilted at all, then swivel the hips by changing the distribution of weight. Usually the weight is uneven, favouring the back foot. What most students have to do is to shift the weight to be even between the feet (and because of the favouring of the back leg initially, it’s likely to feel that you’re now favouring the front leg! But that’s just relative to how you felt before the shift. 😉 ).

Play around with that swiveling to see how it feels in your hips and legs. Determine from that flat-hips position if you need to bend or straighten the front leg to any degree. Don’t be concerned how bent your front leg is. Be more concerned that your hips are even.

If you are less than moderately flexible and your forehead is not on your knee then see just tuck your head inward and do what you can leaving your hip placement as your priority. Back leg stays locked out. Front leg, doesn’t matter. Forehead as class to the knee as you can with NO STRAIN in the neck.

You see, often people try hard to get the forehead on the knee and their hips are WAY off and this is contributing to their issues. I am pretty sure, that if you’ve read a bit around the forum you’ve noticed how I suggest you get more leverage off the floor with your hands in the best position for you. This may be at the foot or even between the feet. Can you tell me where that position is for you?

Let me know how that goes.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Charlotte_]

#11054

Thanks Gabrielle!

I will try that. My instructors always focus on having the forehead on the knee and if you have that, your supposed to do it wright. I will try to focus on my hips and feet instead! 🙂

Charlotte

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