Yoga Class by Katy Wright – Part 15

Butterfly

So we’ll begin sitting on our mats, where we can come into butterfly pose. For this, you need to bring both knees up, with your feet together on the mat. Now let your knees fall out to the sides, keeping the outer edges of the feet together as you do so.

For some people, this will be quite easy. But if you have tight hips – which is often the case for men, and also for people who do lots of running or cycling, for example – it can be difficult. If that’s you, there are a couple of things you can do.

The first option is to put a block under each thigh, so you can relax in the posture. If your hips aren’t very open, sitting in butterfly without any support will cause you to engage the muscles around the hips and upper legs, and we want to relax them.

The second option is to sit on a block, which will help you tilt the pelvis forward and release any tightness in the hip flexors.

Once you’ve got your foundation set up, check in with your spine. Bring your awareness to your lower back and if you’re slumping, draw the lower back through, to put your spine in a neutral position.

The chest is lifting, and you’re drawing up through the crown of your head. It should feel like your spine and everything above it is ‘growing’ out of your hips – like a flower growing out a pot. Your inhales are a good time to focus on this aspect of the posture.

Each time you exhale, feel your lower body sinking down into the mat.

These two actions – lifting on the inhale and sinking on the exhale – will create opposing forces that draw more and more length into the spine.

You can also use your exhales to release tension in the hip joint and inner thigh. When we become aware of tension, we’re able to consciously let go of it.

Shake out legs – ‘toes pose’

To come out of butterfly pose, take your hands to your knees and lift them back up to the centre, before stretching both legs out along the mat. You might want to gently bounce your knees here, or roll the legs inwards and outwards, to ‘reset’ your legs and hips.

When you’re ready, come onto all fours and tuck your toes under – this is where they’re going to stay for our next posture – ‘toes pose’. So come onto your knees and from here, slowly sit back on your heels.

If this is really not comfortable for you, you can stay in a high kneeling position (so you still have your toes tucked under, but you’re not putting your weight on your heels). Or, another option, you can put a block or blanket behind your knees and sit back on that.

Whichever way you’ve chosen to sit, you should feel a stretch through the balls and the arches of the feet, and across the heels and ankles.

Now, your feet will naturally try to resist this stretch, so you might find that your heels are moving outward. Don’t let them! Draw the heels together.

Another thing we tend to do in this pose, without realising, is lean forward (to take weight off the feet). Again, resist the temptation. Keep your chest high, facing forward, not facing the mat. Your shoulders should be over your hips.

At any point, you can take a momentary break by coming into a high kneeling position, and then sitting back down.

This is a good posture for anyone who crams their feet into tight shoes, or spends a lot of time walking or exercising in fitted shoes. It’s also great for improving your balance – a skill you can take into other balance postures.

Table top

Okay, lift your hips away from your heels and put your hands in front of you so you can come into table top. Flip onto the tops of your feet and you’ll get a delicious counter stretch to ‘toes pose’. You’ll probably want to wiggle your toes while you’re here, too, and work out a few pops and cracks.

Puppy pose

Okay, we’re ready to move into our next posture: puppy dog pose.

Starting where you are, on all fours, walk your hands out in front of you, without bringing your hips forward – your hips should be positioned directly above your knees throughout this pose.

Some people will be able to bring their chest down to the floor, and maybe even rest their chin along the mat. If you can do this, just be sure you’re still breathing easily – don’t compress the back of the neck so much that your breath becomes restricted.

For others, bringing the chest down won’t be possible. If you do a lot of strength-based exercise, working your chest muscles and shoulders, you might find this is the case. If it is, this is a great pose for you! You just need to use a block to rest your forehead on, or let your head hang between your arms, if the mat is still too far away.

Whichever option you’ve gone for, your upper body should feel a lot like it does when you’re in downward facing dog (hence the name puppy pose – it’s like a dog, just smaller!).

Your fingers should be spread out, with your thumb and forefinger pressing into the mat as you outwards rotate your upper arms – which should have the effect of drawing the shoulders away from the ears. You’ll also feel your shoulder blades moving down the back of your body.

And again, like in downward dog, you’re sending your hips up and back, drawing length into your spine.

Okay, we’re ready to come out of this posture now, so bend your elbows a little and walk your hands back towards you, and come into table top.

Pigeon – RIGHT

Keep your block close to you, as you might need it for pigeon pose – another great stretch for anyone with tight hips.

From table top, bring your right knee forward and lay your shin, or the outer edge of your calf, on the mat. Depending on the flexibility of your hips, you might be able to lay the shin across the mat, so it’s parallel with top end of your mat. If you can do this without it causing any pain in your knee, then flex the foot and work here.

If your hips are quite tight, having your shin like that is going to hurt – and it could cause lasting damage to the knee joint. To avoid this, all you need to do is put your shin at an angle, with the knee coming forward and the toes pointing back, or towards the left side of your mat.

Before going further, check in with your hips. We want them level and facing the front of the mat – but it’s possible that your right hip is moving forward. If this is happening draw it back.

Now we’re ready to start sliding the left knee back as you bring your hips towards the mat.

Some people will come all the way down here. But if that causes your hips to skew, just put a block under your right hip. You need to be able to relax in the pose.

You can stay on your hands with your chest up, or if it’s comfortable, you can bring your hands forward, maybe come onto your forearms, or even rest you forehead on the mat, or on a block with your arms stretched out in front.

This is a restorative pose, so allow yourself to melt into the posture. Inhale and bring your awareness to your hips – imagine the breath filling your hips, expanding them, opening them. And then as you exhale, feel the breath leaving your hips – and the surrounding muscles relaxing.

Coming out of pigeon… Inhale as you walk your hands back up towards you. Tuck your left toes under so you can lift your hips away from the mat, and step back to downward dog. You might want to bend your knees here, one at a time, to ease out any tension in the hip joints.

Table top

Come onto all fours again, so you can set up for pigeon pose on the left side.

Pigeon – LEFT

Like before, bring your knee forward and lay your shin, or the outer edge of your calf, on the mat – either parallel with the front of the mat or at an angle. Bear in mind that it might feel completely different on this side, and you might need to work differently from before.

Before sliding your right leg back and lowering into the pose, make sure your hips are aligned – facing the front of your mat. And if you’re using a block, now’s the time to put it under your left sit bone.

And now, slide your right leg back and lower yourself down. Enjoy the stretch across the front of the right hip and in the left buttock.

Walk your hands out in front of you and stay here, chest up, or move down to the mat, onto your forearms, or so you’re resting on your forehead with your arms stretched out in front.

While you rest in the pose, try to consciously relax any tight areas. And notice if you’re engaging any muscles that restrict you in the pose. Once we become aware of this, we’re able to release the effort.

Bring your awareness to your right leg. Are you rolling onto the outer edge of the thigh? If you are, draw your inner thigh down and press into the top of your foot.

Okay, we’re coming out of pigeon now, so inhale as you walk your hands back up towards you. Tuck your right toes under and step back to downward dog. Again, take some movement to release the hips if they’re feeling a bit sore.

And then come down to your knees and we’ll move into our final posture today.

Child’s pose

Bring your big toes together and separate your knees, so they’re as wide as the mat. Now lower your hips towards your heels.

Take your hands out in front of you, shoulder width apart with your fingers spread. And if it’s comfortable to do so, lower your forehead onto the mat – or use a block or stack your fists and rest your head there.

Take a few long, deep breaths in the posture, and feel the back of your body opening and expanding with each inhale, and then, as you exhale, release any tension that’s built up in your shoulders or hips.

Then when you’re ready, come up to a kneeling position. Inhale and lift your arms over head… And exhale as you bring your arms by your sides.

Good work! It’s not easy to hold postures for a long time – even if it’s not as aerobic as a dynamic sequence, it still tests our stamina! And it forces us to find ways of maintaining our focus – another yoga tool we can use in our day to day lives. Enjoy the rest of your day and see you next time.