Today I want to talk about the ol' pelvis tilt. Side note: I'm cracking up every time I write pelvis tilt cuz I'm getting a visual of an Elvis-like pelvic thrust. Anyway!
Why is the pelvic tilt important?
For the tilt of the pelvis is really important in yoga postures mostly because it generally helps dictate where we'll feel a stretch. In certain postures we're looking for a forward pelvic tilt, and in other postures we want a backward tilt. (And in poses like warrior 2, we want an even pelvis.)
When should I tilt my pelvis forward?
When you're in poses like Marichiasana 1 and firelog pose (first picture here), where we want to feel the stretch in the hips/legs area.
Example of a backward tilt
Photo from 3 ways to use props for relaxation
When should I tilt the pelvis back?
There are certain instances when we want a backward tilt in the pelvis in seated positions. The restorative pose above is all about releasing tension in the upper back. We want the stretch in the back, therefore, we let the pelvis tip back so the back can round. This takes the focus of the stretch from the leg muscles to the back.
I'm not sure which way my pelvis is tilting
Remember, the pelvis and lower part of the spine don't have a ton of mobility, so if you can't tell whether you're tilting forward or backward, feel your hips and see which way the tops of the hips are pointing.
Wearing: FP leggings, Sweaty Betty tank.
Pelvic tilt in supine positions
Taking the focus now onto supine positions, let's look at the tilt of the pelvis.
For the majority of supine positions, we want the pelvis tilting back so the low back is glued to the mat and the core is engaged. This helps protect the low back.
Fish pose
Wearing: teeki moon pants, f21 tank. Using: manduka travel mat.
Exception to the rule
There are exceptions to every rule, though, and for poses like fish pose, shown above, you'll want to tilt the pelvis forward. Even though the pelvis is tilted forward, the pose shouldn't put any strain on the low back because the core is engaged, the chest is open and the head is bearing a little bit of weight.
Let's talk Was this helpful? Are there are poses you're not sure about when it comes to how the pelvis should be tilted?
PS- 5 yoga poses for upper back pain, plus a yoga sequence for better posture.