How To Sequence to Eka Pada Galavasana (Standing Pigeon Pose)

To do this pose well, you need open outer hips, coupled with hip buoyancy (from the core and back leg activation) coupled wtih a willingness to reach the chest forward to counterbalance the lifting of the back leg.  Component Parts:

• Core (spinal flexion) – strengthening
• Scapular stability – strengthening
• Hands/ wrist (education)
• External rotation of thigh – opening
• Reaching of the chest forward (education)
• Buoyancy through back hip/ thigh (education)
• Toe education and awakeness

 

Sequence:

Props needed: Strap, two blocks, chip foam block

• Sukhasana with forward fold (stretches outer hips)
• Cat/cow – focus on spinal flexion
• Surya A – break down and include section on effective chaturangas.  Chest remains wide, shoulders stabilized, and chest reaching far forward
• Vinayasa to downward dog and…
  • Virabhadrasana II with humble warrior and strap.  Place feet heel to heel for more room.
  • Parsvakonasana with hand into inner leg, upper arm moving towards bind
  • Vasisthasana with top leg in external rotation and foot placed halfway down the mat (this is often used to modify, here is it to stretch the outer hips as well as educate hands and shoulder stability)
• Vinyasas to front of mat.
  • Garudasana into…Vira 3 (focus on midline, extension of back leg as reach chest forward).  Step into..
  • Crescent and then lower to
  • Lizard – focus on lift of back hip as you reach chest forward
  • Return to top of mat, second side.
• Vinyasa to front of mat.
  • External hip stretch (standing ankle to knee pose to open outer hip. Chest forward, hips back).  Vira III into…
  • Crescent….lower to…
  • Awkward pigeon – focus on moving from the thigh to externally rotate the leg – not the foot.  Again, back leg buoyant as chest reaches forward. Play with balance by taking your hands off the flow if you wish.
• Navasana – Tolasana x3 – focus on core, shoulder stability, midline
• Seated ankle to knee pose (flexibility through outer hip, lift of chest)
• Seated toe stretch
• Eka pada galavasana ** peak
  • Put it all together.
• Cooldown
  • Anjaneyasana with thigh stretch
  • Upavista konasana
  • Baddha konasana
  • Savasana

Want more? Check out my continuing education courses in Yoga Sequencing and Teaching here.