slipping and sliding feet

[jrpower]

#1095

I’m now 10 classes into taking bikram yoga and the triangle pose gives me the most trouble and I don’t know what to do. My feet (and the dripping from my legs) are so sweaty that I can’t stay in place to get good form for the triangle pose. Any suggestions to stay in one place? Should I move so that my straight-legged foot is on my mat and not on the side of my mat. Or do I just keep doing it the way the instructor says until my inner thighs are strong enough to overcome slippage?

Thanks,

Jill

[jacquie]

#3148

Hi Jill. I often have the same problem. Strange how sometimes it’s an issue & sometimes not… We are told to push the outer edge of the foot (of the straight leg) into the floor…. Am sure it takes a while to develop inner thigh strength – I have only been practicing a few months but am still waiting 🙂 My understanding is that triangle is supposed to be the hardest pose, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Am sure someone more qualified will post to help you out…

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#3150

Hello Jill and Jacquie

Triangle is an amazing pose. It does indeed highlight your inner thigh or adductor strength. There are things you can do. Because thankfully it is not just about how strong your legs are. Body geometry, how you set it up makes a great difference.

As Jacquie says, you can feel successful some days and others not. My experience is that it takes sometimes very small differences in set-up to have you feel strong, or even collapse or slide.

Foot position. Weighting the feet. Hip position. Arm positions. All of these are going to determine your ability to stay up and feeling strong.

The feet:
Feet will determine how your legs work. Bent leg shin is vertical. And if you can, thigh is parallel to floor. Heels parallel to mirror. And TURN the foot of your straight leg in a little to make it a bit pigeon-toed. This definitely helps you plant the outside of your foot while also allowing you to ground the big toe. This will also allow you to lock that leg. AND if you can, see if you can squeeze your butt cheek on that side (magic).

Weighting feet:
You are trying to weight them evenly. When you are sliding you will probably notice that the bent leg is taking most of the weight and the extended one is moving away. You could have your elbow BELOW your knee (wrong) which is making you fall toward the floor. Or your straight leg hip is starting to rise.

Arm position:
Most people bring the upper arm to the knee instead of the elbow. This may be one of the biggest mistakes if not the biggest. Try the point of the elbow at the knee. PUSH the knee back. Recommit the locking of the straight leg (and butt cheek if you can).

Hip positions:
A big and common mistake is to roll the straight leg hip down toward the floor. How can this be a hip opening exercise if you are closing them? Moreover, when you recommit to seating your hips down, lock out the leg (and butt) and push the knee back with the elbow you will feel your weight even out between your feet toward your center. And you feel a pleasing opening sensation where it is needed.

I have not given you ALL the distinctions because I don’t have enough room here. AND I don’t want to bamboozle you.

First just do what you normally do (maybe out of class) and notice where the weight is. What you do with all these parts of the body. Then try the above adjustments.
And also take a look at the other Trikonasana post: What should I be trying to accomplish in Triangle pose?

I would love to hear how you go and if we need to we can delve even deeper…

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[jrpower]

#3154

So I went tonight to yoga and my triangle poses were definitely improved although I still struggled with my feet slipping. I tried to concentrate on grounding my straight-leg big toe and squeezing that same legs buttock muscle. I think that I will of course need to keep practicing those 2 things. I did have trouble evenly distributing my weight, but I did remember to make sure my elbow and not my upper arm was at my bent knee.

I am not quite getting my bent knee’s thighs parallel yet, the stretch to get there is too deep to be comfortable and hold the pose without being in a lot of discomfort so that may just take time for my inner thighs to become more flexible and stronger at the same time.

Gabrielle and Jacquie thank you for the information, and I will continue to read through your posts above before yoga class and concentrate on those points you made.

Thanks again,

Jill

[Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)]

#3155

Hi Jill

It sounds like you are on your way. With so many things to pay attention to, you will find little distinctions reveal themselves to you each time! Before you know it you will be feeling invincible in Triangle.

Thanks for reporting back. :cheese:

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

[Pam]

#3620

Hello and Thank you for this subject.
My first post and I am so glad that I am not alone with fear of my slipping feet. I thought it was just me or the studio I attended purchased poor carpet for what was suppose to happen in Bikram. Slipping is natural? It’s part of the mental process of gaining strength in the foot/leg not slipping? There is one person in my studio who uses a second matt perpendicular so he is doing triangle on a matt rather than carpet. What do you think? I’m alway a bit envious.
Thank you all for your support.
Pam

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