Super-Charge Your Pigeon Pose

Apparently this month’s theme is engaging in poses that you may normally relax in.

Pigeon pose is frequently offered at the end of class as a last, juicy hip stretch. Your body is warm and mobile, and you’re winding down practice. Ya know… “it hurts so good”.

BUT, have you tried to amp it up a bit and turn it into a strength pose? You’re basically doing the exact same thing as Active Lunge, but starting from Pigeon

Super-Charged Pigeon

Make your way into your pigeon pose. Use a prop under your hips if that makes the shape more accessible. Instead of folding forward, lift your torso up. Your torso does not need to be perpendicular to the ground. I like to put blocks underneath my hands, so I’m not hanging there awkwardly.

Now, just like you’re active lunge, we are zipping up the abdomen from pubic bone to sternum. Then we are pulling the front leg back and the back leg forward. This may raise your hips a lot or a little. You will likely feel this on the insides of your thighs, and probably some other places to. Just try it a few times. It can be a bit awkward at first.