Pelvic Tilt made ALL the difference!

Thanks to Gab’s continued instructions and Robert’s mention of a STRONG core, and also having been shown that my pelvis was normally tilted too far back, I’ve been working on tilting it forward and up, whilst tightening my core and tucking my tailbone/butt under. Keeping my core muscles tight AT ALL TIMES when possible, when I’m awake, has made an AMAZING difference in my yoga!

I do my yoga right beside a side mirror now so I can keep checking in with my pelvis and core. I have to think of pulling up inside and in and up at the lower front of my belly, below the navel, pulling it in and up to my hip bones. The only pose I try not to hold it in, and I’m having trouble with that one, is the final breathing, Blowing in Firm Pose. If I let my lower belly go, my pelvis tips backwards right away. So it’s become a very difficult pose to hold at the moment.

I used to have a continual pain right above my left sacroiliac joint in the back, and now I know it’s because of the pelvic tilt, something was being pinched back there. I haven’t had that pain now in a few weeks. Now, I don’t mean that I overdo it and take away all the arch in lower back – for instance, in Fixed Firm, once down in the position I make sure my pelvis is facing skyward and it feels like my back must be straight, I take a peek in the side mirror and there’s a big arch in my lower back. I used to have way too much of an arch and when I came out of this pose my back would really pinch and hurt, so much so that I would roll over to sit up for the next one and not do the sit-up properly.

I also make sure I lift way up and out on any bend in any direction, to make sure there’s no pinching. Ah, what a difference it’s made!

HALF MOON: Suck that puppy in, tuck that butt under, hold it strong, lift up and out, and gently bend to each side. And don’t even consider that backbend without being tight and tucked!

AWKWARD: Keep it in tight, not just the lower belly, the core, the core, which lets me go down stronger into the postures.

EAGLE: In this one, having the core tight, makes me more balanced.

STANDING HEAD TO KNEE: I always thought one leg was shorter or who knows why I couldn’t balance on my left leg? Now I suck everything up and in and looking at my lower belly in the mirror with my left leg completely straight, butt tucked under just a little, I imagine a straight, strong line from my foot up to my belly button, I round forward and grab my right foot, and can hold it much better than I ever could.

STANDING BOW: What a difference! Same thing, tucking under and sucking everything up now I pick up my foot and imagine the same straight line, arm goes up and I start to kick back, never once letting go of my core. This pose used to pinch my right lower back – not any more! Now I’m much freer to kick, kick, kick and am much more balanced.

STANDING SEPARATE LEG: I actually put one hand in front on my belly, one behind, and make sure my pelvis is tucked and tight before I stretch out and downwards for this one.

TRIANGLE: Same thing, hands on my pelvis and TUCK. Now that’s a strong triangle base!

Once we’re on the floor I keep up the same thing and all these poses are stronger.

COBRA: Suck it up and tuck, tighten the butt, then push those hip bones into the floor, and arch forward and up gracefully. Ahhhhh…

Same thing for Locust, Full Locust, and particularly Bow – hip bones pushed into the floor, butt tight – and up go the legs.

FIXED FIRM: This one is amazing now! I spoke of this one before, my pelvis feels like it’s looking to the ceiling, but I’ve still got a lot of arch in my back. Everything else relaxes.

HALF TORTOISE: Butt tucked under, core tight, sloooooly down keeping my butt on my heels.

CAMEL: I go up on my knees, look in the side mirror, tuck my pelvis under, tuck and tighten, and lift up and go back. What a strong position to do Camel from!

RABBIT: Same thing, opposite way! When my pelvis was tipped backwards, I couldn’t really get my grip till I’d started down. I thought my butt was too big so I couldn’t reach. Now when I tilt my pelvis under, my butt’s out of the way and I can take my grip. I stretch up and drop my chin and curl inwards. This one is much easier now for me to feel a curl in the lower back.

It’s such a small movement, a couple of inches, really, but what a difference it’s made in almost every pose! I am in the middle of my 30-day challenge, so I look forward to trying these poses in this new and exciting way every day, and every day I’m getting better and better at them because of my new-found core strength!

Thanks again, Gab and Robert!