If you're ready to take your practice to the next level, learning how to bind can be helpful. Binding is simply a way to take poses deeper. The above pose is trikonasana (heres how to do trikonasana). To bind from trikonasana, take the lower arm to the inside of the leg, and wrap it behind. Reach the top arm back behind you, intending to grab hold of the other hand. If necessary, use a yoga strap to assist.
Binding in triangle pose
Tips for binding in trikonasana
-keep the shoulder blades drawing toward one another to prevent the upper shoulder from rounding
-breathe into the side body, in between the ribs
-if it's ok for your neck, keep looking up. If you need a break, look straight down.
Pin it! Seated twist.
Binds can also be done in seated postures like this spinal twist shown above. For this pose, you want to keep the shoulder blade drawing toward each other for broad collarbones. Sit tall, and intend for the crossing leg knee to be straight up toward the sky.
Seated twist with a bind.
To bind, thread the arm through the hole between the crossing leg and lower leg. Reach the opposite arm back behind you and intend to grab hold. Use a yoga strap to help if necessary.
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