Chicken Canine Pose (Parsva Balasana) might not be one among yoga’s hottest poses, however this humble asana confers a shocking variety of advantages. Simply guessing, however its English identify means that it was added to the asana canon someday throughout Britain’s occupation of India. It’s been a worthy addition. A number of years in the past, throughout my asana apply, I developed a vinyasa-type circulation that begins with Chicken Canine Pose. As the inspiration of a Chicken Canine Circulation, Parsva Balasana’s prospects are nearly infinite.

On this publish, I’ll embrace pictures and transient descriptions of every pose. There are already posts describing the primary two poses within the Hugger Mugger weblog. I’ll add hyperlinks to present you extra element. There are common directions for the final three poses. However first, a reminder of the advantages of Chicken Canine Pose.

Chicken Canine Advantages

Right here’s why Chicken Canine Pose ought to be part of your common asana routine:

• strengthens and stabilizes the core.
• stabilizes the low again.
• challenges, and subsequently will increase, your potential to steadiness.
• might promote steadiness between the correct and left lobes of your mind by means of the contralateral relationships between the legs and arms.
• a core strengthener that’s simpler in your again than crunches or sit-ups.

Find out how to Follow Chicken Canine Circulation

• Start on arms and knees in Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) on a Yoga Mat. You may need to place a folded Yoga Blanket underneath your knees. In Chicken Canine Circulation, you’ll be spending a number of time on one knee!
• Take just a few breaths to settle into the pose.

Chicken Canine Pose (Picture at Prime)

• Stretch your left leg again behind you.
• In case your steadiness feels steady, stretch your proper arm ahead.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Chicken Canine Variation

• Bend your left knee and attain your proper hand again towards your left foot.
• Both snatch your left foot, or in case your hand doesn’t attain, merely lengthen your proper hand and left foot towards each other.
• Take 3 to five breaths.

Aspect Plank Variation (Parsva Phalakasana)

• Launch the maintain of your left foot and return to Chicken Canine Pose.
• Supported by your proper knee on the ground, rotate your physique to the correct so that you just’re dealing with straight forward, putting your proper hand on the ground. Now you’re supported by your proper hand and proper knee.
• Prolong your left arm out together with your higher arm near your ear.
• Attain your left foot down into the ground to stretch your total left aspect.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Aspect Plank with Leg Elevate

• Now carry your left leg up in order that it’s roughly parallel to the ground.
• Proceed to stretch your left arm out as you stretch your leg in the other way.
• In case your steadiness feels shaky, flip your proper toes underneath. That may create a bit extra stability.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.

Add a Backbend to Aspect Plank Pose

• Bend your left knee.
• Attain your left hand again and snatch the left foot.
• Press your left foot into your hand to stretch the entrance of the shoulder and chest.
• Take 3 to five breaths right here.
• Return to Tabletop Pose.
• Loosen up for just a few breaths in Youngster’s Pose (Balasana) earlier than working towards Chicken Canine Circulation on the opposite aspect.

About Charlotte Bell

Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and commenced educating in 1986. Charlotte is the writer of Aware Yoga, Aware Life: A Information for On a regular basis Follow and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third guide is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Pink Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.