Yoga
Lee Kennedy
This yoga pose, Supta virasana, also called (quite aptly) the ‘reclining hero’ pose, aims to remove pain and fatigue from legs, is beneficial for athletes and those who find themselves standing or walking for long periods of time. An added bonus is that it is one of those few poses that can be done after a meal or before heading to bed!
Stage 1
- Come to kneel on a folded blanket, aiming to keep the thighs parallel and the knees together.
- Keeping the shin bones apart and place the toes pointing straight back.
- Lowering the buttocks to sit between the feet ( if you cannot sit on the floor comfortably sit on a folded up blanket)
- The trunk is upright at this stage, rest the palms of the hands on the knees.
- Spend a few breaths here allowing the leg muscles to acclimatise and soften, allowing the buttocks drop towards the floor.
Stage 2
- Begin to recline the trunk back towards the floor, resting on bent elbows. (Watch out – the lumbar spine area may try to arch a little in protest!).
- Spend a couple more breaths here in this half-way position, tailbone curling in and pubis gently drawing towards the navel.
- Lower the buttocks, pelvis and release the back to the floor.
- Release the back of the head, drawing the chin in towards the sternum
- Traditionally, the arms are extended over the head with the back of the hands resting on the floor.
It is important to maintain a strong and supportive core area to sustain safety in the lumbar spine as well as the knees and ankles, yet to find a balance between the work and the ability to surrender into the experience of this strong pose.
The back of the body can be supported with different heights of pillows, blankets or cushions to help ease out any pain in the psoas area (were the top of the thigh meets the pelvis) lower back or quadriceps while still offering extension to all these areas. The knees are at their most extreme point of flexion in this pose, try using a cushion behind them, helps to gently open out this area while relieving any pressure built up.
Lee Kennedy qualified with The BKS Iyengar Yoga Association UK, the YTTC and Ana Forrest of Forrest Yoga. She specialises in pregnancy-related yoga and can be contacted at 086 3906343.
