online yoga forum

I find it hard to put my heel on the ground in this pose, and my back leg is never straight. I also find it hard to have my arms straight above my head with my hands together. There just seems to be a lot going on in this pose and I can't get it together (it's not like I'm looking for perfection but somewhere close would be nice ). We have a mirror in my studio and every time I do this pose I just know I'm doing it wrong particularly when I compare what I see in the morror to books I have of people doing the pose. Is there an easy way to get this to happen or is this something that will take time to master?

Mummayoga hello,

If your heel doesn't touch the ground its ok, they do have heel wedges just for this purpose. Also, its important to square your hips, so if your back leg is your left leg internally rotate it by coming up on your toes, then bring your right hand into your right hip crease so you can draw the right hip back left hip forward. tailbone is down as pubis is lifting so your in nuetral pelvis. navel toward spine Make sure your stance is stable so you may have to adjust your feet. In this pose you are not on a tight rope. Take a deep inhale raise your arms up as you relax the shoulders exhale bend into the right knee, being mindful the knee is over the middle toe. It may not be in your body just yet to bring your hands together over your head, so its ok if your arms are apart. Give yourself a break, there is a lot going on in this pose. make sure too that you are breathing full even breaths. in time you will master this pose, thats why yoga is a practice.....good luck! I hope this helped some.

namaste~
Tracie

__________________
DaceYoga

I agree Dace - mumma have you also tried just moving your back leg out to the side a bit so you have a bit more space to get your hips squared to the front (that usually works for me )

I usually instruct this by asking my students to imagine like they are on train tracks with their feet. I agree with you Jen just move that back leg out to the side a bit more so that you can plant your heel and your hips are squared. Don't forget you don't need to do it exactly like in the book! All our bodies are different so we modify where we can!