Ask a Yoga Question is a series on YBC where I answer reader yoga questions. You can ask your question below in the comments, on youtube, or on the Yoga Forum.
Welcome to another day! Another opportunity to face our fears and tackle them head on.
It's been documented before that being videotaped talking is far from my favorite thing, but this week's questions were just easier to explain through a video, so I sucked it up and did it anyway. I'll be looking into getting a microphone within the next month, so the sound quality should improve soon, and I appreciate you sticking with me until then.
Ok let's rock and roll.
This week's questions are below, with the time next to them, in case you want to fast forward.
Question 1, 00:10: My biggest problem is "low to high lunge".
Instructors will always say, "use core strength," which is very disheartening, as I struggle to rise up. I typically take upwards of five to ten seconds, eventually I push my hand on my forward knee and wobble on the way up. I've been practicing at least five days a week (three months now), for a minimum of 40 minutes each session.
Are there any tips that can help me?
Question 2, 1:28: How do I get 'deeper' in pigeon pose? I can barely move my bent knee to be more parallel to the top of the mat. And I barely feel any stretch bending over in this pose now.
Question 3, 4:01: Malasana or Garland pose isn't too difficult for me however I wish I knew how to get the heels of my feet to touch the floor without me falling back. My heels are always raised by an inch or two.
Question 4, 4:57: I can twist pretty deep in 'Seated Spinal Twist' however I can't do the bind at all. Are there any prep poses I can do for this?
Question 5, 6:30: I have been doing yoga for a while now and shortly after discovering you I discovered the forearm headstand, I can successfully do it without any wall support. I am trying to figure out what other poses would be considered intermediate level? I'm trying to make some goals and it helps knowing what I am working towards and what's realistic at my level. I can do crow and forearm headstand but what other poses, like side crow, are challenging that could I be working on? Thank you!
Answer 5 links: 8 angle pose, flying baby pigeon