Hand flat no the floor?

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yogalifer
Participant

June 4, 2009 at 2:32 am

Post count: 106

#1461

Gabrielle,
When I do the Ardha Matsyendrasana pose I have a hard time getting my hand flat on the floor behind me. I checked your Hot Yoga Master Class and realized that I have had my foot too far back instead of at the knee. That helped, but not altogether.

Basically, I find that I can keep my hand flat at the base of my spine. But, when I do this, I can’t twist nearly as far around and tend to tip back. If I push up onto the ball of my hand, then I can rotate my shoulder back and twist quite a bit further. Is it ok to do it that way? If not, how do I rotate my shoulder when my hand is flat?

Namaste,
Cindy

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

June 4, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Post count: 3048

#4961

Hi Cindy

When you say the ball of the hand do you mean the heel of the palm where your wrist attaches? Or do you mean where you fingers attach to the palm?

If I understand you correctly then I think what you are doing is just fine. You are trying to externally rotate your arms in this pose.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

yogalifer
Participant

June 5, 2009 at 3:27 am

Post count: 106

#4966

Hi Gabrielle,
I mean where my fingers attach to the palm. Let’s say that I have my left hand behind me on the floor. If the palm is flat, then I can twist back far enough to look straight behind me. If I then push up slightly onto the ball of my hand I can externally rotate my left shoulder and open up and twist a good bit further. In fact, I can see my profile in the mirror at that point.

I just wanted to be sure that this is ok.

thanks,
Cindy

Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)
Forum Owner

June 5, 2009 at 3:36 am

Post count: 3048

#4967

Hi Cindy

I thought so, but I just wanted to be sure. 😉

One of the main considerations is that when you push your hand into the floor your are still keeping your shoulder down, so yes I think you are fine doing that. In an effort to get the twisting or certain other circumstances many push into the floor and scrunch up through the neck. Another important barometer is hips firmly and squarely on the floor.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂
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