Jimmy Barkan’s Tips of the Month

TRIANGLE POSE, (TRIKANASANA):

Introduction:

There are many versions of this posture (asana). Over millenniums the yogi’s interpreted proper alignment according to their region in India. Hence the different styles of Hatha yoga. The style of Hatha yoga I teach is nicknamed Hot Yoga and comes from the eastern part of the country; the state of Bengal, specifically the city of Calcutta. One difference in our Hot Yoga Triangle is bending one leg at a right angle, which helps to support the lower body.

• Triangle, bending the right leg: keeping the upper body high and the hips low so a triangular space is formed between upper thigh and under the arm. 
• Keep the weight on the outside of the left or extended leg's foot. 
• Tuck the right buttock cheek under as you push the right knee back with your right elbow.  At the same time twist your upper body, shoulder, left side of chest and upper torso to the back wall.  Bring your left hip forward slightly so you’re able to twist your upper body backward. If you bring your hip too far forward you won’t be able to isolate backward.
• Your left arm and shoulder should be directly above the right arm and shoulder forming a vertical line.
• Drawing an imaginary line from your right foot to the left foot forms a horizontal line. And from the left foot all the way up your leg, hip, upper torso, shoulder and extended left arm forms the diagonal line, completing the triangle shape. Hips down and chest up!
• The tourniquet effect; shifting the blood, oxygen and prana from the right side (Ha) to the left side (Tha). Hold for twenty-five counts. Repeat on the left side.

Beginners:

When you bend your right knee (assuming you’re practicing the right side), make sure the knee stays directly on top of your ankle, not on top of the heel and especially not on top of the toes. This supports the knee and helps prevent injury.
Many beginners have trouble lowering the extended leg hip down. One modification is to place your right forearm on top of your right thigh. This will act as a brace to help lower the hip. Then at the very end of the pose straighten your arm and touch the right big toe with your fingertips to start developing strength in your hips.

Intermediate:

Here’s your mantra; hip down and chest up! In order to properly position yourself in this posture you’ve got to lower the right hip (assuming you’re practicing the right side) by bending the right knee. At the same time lift your chest toward the ceiling in one combined motion. This will help exaggerate the triangular space between the right thigh and underneath the arm.
Lift the inside (medial) arch of the left foot to position your weight on the outside of the left foot, this will offer tremendous leverage and by pressing the outside of the left foot into the floor you can better lower the right hip into position.

Advanced:

If you’re neck hurts when touching the chin to your shoulder here’s a tip I picked up from Elise Browning Miller, a wonderful senior Iyengar teacher and good friend. Assuming you’re practicing the right side, gently turn your right ear down to the right shoulder and then slowly rotate your head and touch your chin to the left, extended shoulder. This will align the neck vertebra with the back vertebra and relieve any excess pressure.
This next tip is very effective and confronting. Turn your right buttocks cheek under as you press back against the right knee with your right elbow. This will prevent you from sinking into your hips.

In Spirit;
Jimmy Barkan

from tgoetel.com