Standing Poses Breakdown #1 Flashcards
What does Tadasana or Samasthitihi stand for?
Mountain Pose
What are the potential complications with alignment in Mountain Pose?
Scoliosis
Tight Hamstrings and/or Tight Pecs
Overly engaged trapezius and rhomboids
Collapsed Arches
What does Mountain Pose Strengthen?
Feet and Muscles of the Legs and Quads
Tones the buttocks and abs
Engages the Rhomboids
What does Mountain Pose Lengthen?
Mild stretch to the hip flexors
What are the cautions and contrainindications for Mountain Pose?
Some segments of the senior population may not be able to stand; Chair, Seated and Supine Poses may be more appropriate
Headache
Insomnia
What are the preparatory postures?
Supine Tadasana
Forward Fold
What is a standing side bend called?
Crescent Pose
What are the potential complications with alignment with a Standing Side Bend?
Try to keep the sides of the torso long as you bend to the side to avoid collapse
Firm up the outer hips to avoid “sinking” into the outer hip
A Standing Side Bend strengthens what?
Side Waist
Outer Hips
A Standing Side Bend lengthens what?
Side Waist
Outer Hips
Intercostal Muscles
What are the cautions and contrainindications for a Standing Side Bend?
Hip or Shoulder Injury
What are the preparatory poses for a Standing Side Bend?
Tadasana
Shoulder Joint Warm - Ups
What does Uttanasana stand for?
Standing Forward Fold
What are the potential complications for alingment with a Standing Forward Fold?
Tight hamstrings will not allow the pelvic tilt so you may not go as far down or bend the knees a bit
Shoulder shrugging up to the ears due to lack of engagement in the lower fibers of the traps
Over rounding in the spine and compression of the lungs may occur in students with limited anterior pelvic tilt as they try to force lower than their pelvis is ready to go.
A Standing Forward Fold strengthens what?
Quadriceps
Pelvic Floor Muscles
A Standing Forward Fold stretches what?
Hamstrings Adductor Magnus Calves Erector Spinae Glutes
What are some other benefits of a Standing Forward Fold?
Stretches the kidney and bladder meridians.
What are the cautions and contrianindications for a Standing Forward Fold?
Low back injury
Don’t overdo forward bends if you have a periosteal pull or strained hamstring
What does Utkatasana stand for?
Chair Pose
What are the potential complications for alignment with chair pose?
Over tucking of the tailbone will bring you into posterior tilt of the pelvis and make it nearly impossible to “sit” lower
Tightness in the lats can make it difficult to lift the arms at the shoulder joint into full flexion
What does Chair Pose strengthen?
Quadriceps (vasti group)
Erector Spinae, Transversospinalis Group, QL (Back Muscles)
Shoulders (Anterior Deltoids)
Legs (Tibilias Anterior and Fibularis Muscles)
What does Chair Pose stretch?
Quads (Eccentric Contraction)
Calves (Soleus)
What are some cautions and contrainindications for Chair Pose?
Knee or ankle injuries
Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure (do not lift the arms overhead)
What is a low lunge considered?
A kneeling posture, asymmetrical
Closed Hip
What are some potential complications with alignment for a low lunge?
The asymmetrical nature of the lunge may pull the hips towards one side, especially if there is hip or inner thigh tightness and/or quadriceps weakness
What does a low lunge strengthen?
Quadriceps
Core
Glutes
What does a low lunge stretch?
Hip flexors
What is a high lunge considered?
Standing Posture, Assymetrical
What are the potential complications with alignment for a high lunge?
Students may shrug the shoulder instead of engaging the arms
Students may back out of a lunge to make up for weak quads (front thigh) or tight hip flexors (back thigh)
Lack of activation in the feet may lead to a wobbly posture nd difficulty in balancing
A high lunge strengthens?
Quads
Leg Muscles
Back Muscles
A high lunge stretches?
Hip Flexors (Back Thigh) Abdominals LATS
What are the cautions and contrainindications for a high lunge?
Ankle injuries
What are some prepatory postures for a low lunge?
Low Lunge
Plank
Low Lunge or Anjaneyasana
Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
What is Virabhadrasana A?
Warrior 1
What are the potential complications for alignment?
Longer stance will pull the hip of the back leg more strongly to the posteior side
A very narrow stance will challenge tight inner thighs and balance
A shorter stance will not allow for a parallel front thigh bone
Pressing to strongly into the out edge of the back foot will pull the back thigh bone into lateral rotation which is the opposite action we are working towards often leading to an inner body fight at the thigh between medial and lateral rotation of the thigh at the hip joint
Sinking in the low back can occur if lower abs are not engaged.
What muscles does Warrior 1 strengthen?
Quads TFL Adductors Leg Muscles Back Muscles
What does Warrior 1 stretch?
Hip Flexors (back thigh) * not as effectively as High Lunge
Abdominals
LATS
Opens chest, shoulders, and belly
What is another benefit for Warrior 1?
It is therapeutic for Sciatica.
What are some cautions and contraindictations for Warrior 1?
- High blood pressure
- Heart Problems
- Do not over do the “squaring of the hips” and allow the back foot to turn in as needed to stay in line with the knee joint.
- The longer the stride the more the back thigh bone will pull the pelvis into anterior tilt. Balance the action of the abdominal contraction to keep from compressing the low back. Conversely you have to allow some tilt so as not to fight against the thigh bone. Keep it engaged but subtle.
- Students with shoulder problems should widen the arms or keep them down along their side.
What are some preparatory postures for Warrior 1?
Tree Pose
High Lunge
Downward Facing Dog
Triangle
What is Parsvottanasana?
Intense Stretch
It is a Standing Posture, Foward Bend, Asymmetrical
What are some potential complications with alignment for Parsvottanasana?
Tight Hamstrings and/or Adductor Magnus may restrict the ability to anteriorly tilt the pelvis at the hip joints.
What does Parsvottanasana strengthen?
Muscles of the legs
Inner thighs
What does Parsvottanasana stretch?
Adductor Magnus
Hamstrings
Spinal Muscles
What are some other benefits of Parsvottanasana?
Therauputic for fallen arches Calms the activity of the brain Stimulates the internal organs of the abdomen Improves elimination Improves balance and posture
What are some cautions and contrainindications for Parsvottanasana?
Low back injury
What are some preparatory postures for Parsvottanasana?
Uttanasana Tadasana High Lunge Warrior 1 Downward Facing Dog
What is Parivrtta Parsvakonasana?
Revolved Side Angle
What are some potential complications with alignment for Revolved Side Angle Posture?
- Beginners may have difficulty keeping the back heel grounded
- When students cross the arm over the thigh they will often collapse in the side waist making it difficult to twist
- If students do not engage the inner thighs the hip will jut out to the side and the pose will lack balance as well as potentially aggravating the hip joint
What does Revolved Side Angle Posture strengthen?
Legs
Knees
Ankles
What does Revolved Side Angle Posture stretch?
Groin
Spinal
Chest
Shoulders
What are some other benefits of Revolved Side Angle Posture?
Improves Balance Increases Stamina Stimulates the Internal Organs Releives Constipation Therapuetic for Sciatica Improves low back health Therapuetic for Osteoporosis
What are some cautions and contrainindications for Revolved Side Angle posture?
Neck issues SI Joint Injury Headaches Insomnia Uncontrolled or low blood pressure
What are some prepatory postures for Revolved Side Angle?
Fire Log
Side Angle
Revolved Triangle
Warrior 2
