Hen Canine Circulation: Core, Steadiness and Extra

Hen Canine Pose (Parsva Balasana) is probably not one among yoga’s hottest poses, however this humble asana confers a stunning variety of advantages. Simply guessing, however its English identify means that it was added to the asana canon someday throughout Britain’s occupation of India. It’s been a worthy addition. A number of years in the past, throughout my asana apply, I developed a vinyasa-type movement that begins with Hen Canine Pose. As the muse of a Hen Canine Circulation, Parsva Balasana’s potentialities are virtually limitless.

On this publish, I’ll embrace pictures and temporary descriptions of every pose. There are already posts describing the primary two poses within the Hugger Mugger weblog. I’ll add hyperlinks to offer you extra element. There are common directions for the final three poses. However first, a reminder of the advantages of Hen Canine Pose.

Hen Canine Advantages

Right here’s why Hen Canine Pose needs to be part of your common asana routine:

• strengthens and stabilizes the core.
• stabilizes the low again.
• challenges, and due to this fact will increase, your skill to stability.
• might promote stability between the appropriate and left lobes of your mind by means of the contralateral relationships between the legs and arms.
• a core strengthener that’s simpler in your again than crunches or sit-ups.

The right way to Apply Hen Canine Circulation

• Start on fingers and knees in Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) on a Yoga Mat. You would possibly need to place a folded Yoga Blanket underneath your knees. In Hen Canine Circulation, you’ll be spending a variety of time on one knee!
• Take just a few breaths to settle into the pose.

Hen Canine Pose (Picture at High)

• Stretch your left leg again behind you.
• In case your stability feels secure, stretch your proper arm ahead.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Hen Canine Variation

• Bend your left knee and attain your proper hand again towards your left foot.
• Both grasp your left foot, or in case your hand doesn’t attain, merely lengthen your proper hand and left foot towards each other.
• Take 3 to five breaths.

Facet Plank Variation (Parsva Phalakasana)

• Launch the maintain of your left foot and return to Hen Canine Pose.
• Supported by your proper knee on the ground, rotate your physique to the appropriate so that you simply’re dealing with straight forward, inserting your proper hand on the ground. Now you’re supported by your proper hand and proper knee.
• Prolong your left arm out along with your higher arm near your ear.
• Attain your left foot down into the ground to stretch your whole left facet.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Facet Plank with Leg Elevate

• Now carry your left leg up in order that it’s roughly parallel to the ground.
• Proceed to stretch your left arm out as you stretch your leg in the wrong way.
• In case your stability feels shaky, flip your proper toes underneath. That may create a bit extra stability.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Add a Backbend to Facet Plank Pose

• Bend your left knee.
• Attain your left hand again and grasp the left foot.
• Press your left foot into your hand to stretch the entrance of the shoulder and chest.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.
• Return to Tabletop Pose.
• Calm down for just a few breaths in Little one’s Pose (Balasana) earlier than working towards Hen Canine Circulation on the opposite facet.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Apply and Yoga for Meditators, each revealed by Rodmell Press. Her third guide is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and people sextet Crimson Rock Rondo, whose DVD gained two Emmy awards.