ANATOMY STUDIES FOR YOGA TEACHERS
  • HOME
  • ONLINE STUDY
  • ABOUT US
  • STUDENT RESOURCES
    • The ASFYT Series >
      • ASFYT-1 >
        • Orientation for Home-Study Students
        • S1 Intro to Kinesiology >
          • S1 Quiz
        • S2 Overview of the Skeletal System >
          • S2 Quiz
        • S3 Classification of Joints >
          • S3 Quiz
        • S4 Leg Ankle Foot >
          • S4 Quiz
        • S5 Hip Thigh Knee >
          • S5 Quiz
        • S6 Pelvis >
          • S6 Quiz
        • S7 Shoulder Girdle and Arm >
          • S7 Quiz
        • S8 Elbow Forearm Wrist Hand >
          • S8 Quiz
        • S9 Axial Skeleton (Bones) >
          • S9 Quiz
        • S10 Axial Skeleton (Joints) >
          • S10 Quiz
        • S11 Bone Lab
        • S12 Massage Moves for Yoga Teachers I (Shiatsu-Based)
        • Final Exam (ASFYT-1)
      • ASFYT-2 >
        • M1 Overview of Muscular System >
          • M1 Quiz
        • M2 Muscles of the Leg >
          • M2 Quiz
        • M3 Muscles of the Thigh >
          • M3 Quiz
        • M4 Muscles of the Pelvis >
          • M4 Quiz
        • M5 Muscles of the Shoulder and Arm (Part 1) >
          • M5 Quiz
        • M6 Muscles of the Shoulder and Arm (Part 2) >
          • M6 Quiz
        • M7 Muscles of the Forearm >
          • M7 Quiz
        • M8 Muscles of the Posterior Trunk and Neck >
          • M8 Quiz
        • M9 Muscles of the Anterior Trunk and Neck >
          • M9 Quiz
        • M10 Roles of Muscles >
          • M10 Quiz
        • M11 Neuromuscular System and PNF Stretching
        • M12 Massage Moves for Yoga Teachers (Myofascial-Based)
        • Final Exam (ASFYT-2)
      • ASFYT-3 >
        • K1 Seated Postures
        • K2 Sun Salutation Postures (Part 1)
        • K3 Sun Salutation Postures (Part 2)
        • K4 Side Facing Standing Poses
        • K5 Forward Facing Standing Poses
        • K6 Balancing Postures
        • K7 Prone Backbends
        • K8 Core Strengthening Postures
        • K9 Inversions
        • K10 Supine Backward Bends
        • K11 Hip Openers
        • K12 Seated Forward Bends
    • Short Course (for RYT200)
    • Printing and Saving Quiz Results

The ASFYT Blog

Yoga anatomy related articles and videos for yoga teachers and movement professionals seeking to learn more about functional anatomy, biomechanics, common injuries and the anatomy of yoga asana.

rethinking Props in Forearm Stand

9/6/2015

7 Comments

 
Picture
In Pincha Mayurasana ("feathered peacock", aka forearm stand), it is common for teachers to instruct new students to place a strap around the elbows and a block between the hands in order to keep the elbows from sliding wider than shoulder-width and the hands from sliding toward each other (see image, right).  However, this set-up significantly reduces the range of motion of the shoulders and necessarily forces more of a backbend into the posture, even for more advanced students.  This is all fine and good provided that the student has developed enough flexibility in their thoracic spine and the ability to stabilize their lumbar spine (by contracting the pelvic floor and the transversus abdominis). However, allowing the arms to turn inward slightly, which is a very natural action from a biomechanical perspective, will decrease stress at the shoulder joints, increase range of motion at the shoulder joints, and enable the posture to be more vertical with less backbend. Check out the video below for more of an explanation, as well as a demonstration from one of the ASFYT-3 classes.

7 Comments
Bhadra
9/7/2015 06:51:39 pm

Thanks Jason for this video clip! Much appreciation information.

Reply
Jason link
9/7/2015 09:37:31 pm

You're welcome, Bhadra. Glad that you appreciated the information ;-)

Reply
Eugenia
9/10/2015 06:11:44 am

bit why teach Pyncha Mayurasana to a beginner?

Reply
Jason link
9/10/2015 07:54:22 pm

Hi Eugenia - thanks for stopping by. I wouldn't teach this posture to a brand new beginner. However, when the student is ready to start working on it, I would make sure not to use the props in a way that severely restricts the range of motion at their shoulder joints (as illustrated in the video). Over time, as they developed strength in the posture, more flexibility in their shoulders and spine, and excellent core support I'd potentially introduce the option to work with their forearms parallel to each other.

Reply
liza link
9/18/2015 11:45:22 am

I LOVE this suggestion Jason for beginners...tho yes to Eugenia's point never saw this pose as a "beginner" pose, tho it was often tossed into a vinyasa flow when i studied at Jivamukti long ago, tho using the wall, and i liked it so i practiced it regularly until i gained the flexibility and strength to do without the wall. In my Iyengar period this propping you show is what would be done and it caused the pose to be very difficult for the reasons you state. Even my headstand (the one with forearms to earth vs. hands clasped behind head) was challenging too for the same reason...and i was always corrected about my creeping elbows toward the midline vs. parallel. Despite all the correcting I still practice the pose. I find it enlivening and energizing. But to this day indeed i put forearms to floor, then i bring fanned hands towards median line and press thumb tips together. For me that works as a "compromise", sort of like your block with your thumbs up on them, and doesn't overstrain my shoulders nor an over-arch in a backbend, unless i choose to do so. I was taught ages ago that the gaze for the pose is more forward vs. down to the floor and that becomes inevitable if you do bring feet towards head, right, to counter-balance? Feel free to share your thoughts/learnings Jason! and thank you for posting these good thoughtful videos!

Reply
Jason link
9/18/2015 12:30:38 pm

Hey Liza - thanks for you comments. With regard to the gaze, I like to cue students to look straight down at the floor, between the forearms, as I feel that there is a strong tendency to hyper extend the neck in this posture. I also cue the gaze toward the floor in low cobra for this reason, and ask students to emphasize looking forward with the chest instead, to encourage thoracic extension.

Reply
Johanna
9/18/2018 09:10:44 am

Thank you fo this great video, But I did not understand why the arms naturally medially rotate? And is it the same then inward rotation?
Sorry if my english is not correct I am from Germany :-)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Anatomical Terms
    Anatomy For Yoga
    Anatomy Of Asana
    Audio
    Bony Compression
    Coupled Movements
    Cross Training
    Cross-training
    Dhanurasana
    Downward Facing Dog
    Forearm Stand
    Group Discussion
    Hands On Assists
    Hands-On Assists
    Hip Opening
    Injuries
    Injury Prevention
    Interviews
    Knee Safety
    MUSCLES
    Quadriceps
    Revolved Chair
    Revolved Triangle
    Scapulocostal Joint
    Scapulohumeral Rhythm
    Shoulder Impingement Syndrome
    Shoulder Joint
    Triangle Pose
    Trikonasana
    Twisting
    Twists
    Upward Facing Dog
    Video
    Virasana
    Warrior 1
    Warrior 2

    Archives

    August 2017
    July 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    August 2010


NAVIGATION

About Us
Blog
Student Resources
Picture

Contact Us


REFUND POLICY
TERMS OF SERVICE
PRIVACY POLICY
  • HOME
  • ONLINE STUDY
  • ABOUT US
  • STUDENT RESOURCES
    • The ASFYT Series >
      • ASFYT-1 >
        • Orientation for Home-Study Students
        • S1 Intro to Kinesiology >
          • S1 Quiz
        • S2 Overview of the Skeletal System >
          • S2 Quiz
        • S3 Classification of Joints >
          • S3 Quiz
        • S4 Leg Ankle Foot >
          • S4 Quiz
        • S5 Hip Thigh Knee >
          • S5 Quiz
        • S6 Pelvis >
          • S6 Quiz
        • S7 Shoulder Girdle and Arm >
          • S7 Quiz
        • S8 Elbow Forearm Wrist Hand >
          • S8 Quiz
        • S9 Axial Skeleton (Bones) >
          • S9 Quiz
        • S10 Axial Skeleton (Joints) >
          • S10 Quiz
        • S11 Bone Lab
        • S12 Massage Moves for Yoga Teachers I (Shiatsu-Based)
        • Final Exam (ASFYT-1)
      • ASFYT-2 >
        • M1 Overview of Muscular System >
          • M1 Quiz
        • M2 Muscles of the Leg >
          • M2 Quiz
        • M3 Muscles of the Thigh >
          • M3 Quiz
        • M4 Muscles of the Pelvis >
          • M4 Quiz
        • M5 Muscles of the Shoulder and Arm (Part 1) >
          • M5 Quiz
        • M6 Muscles of the Shoulder and Arm (Part 2) >
          • M6 Quiz
        • M7 Muscles of the Forearm >
          • M7 Quiz
        • M8 Muscles of the Posterior Trunk and Neck >
          • M8 Quiz
        • M9 Muscles of the Anterior Trunk and Neck >
          • M9 Quiz
        • M10 Roles of Muscles >
          • M10 Quiz
        • M11 Neuromuscular System and PNF Stretching
        • M12 Massage Moves for Yoga Teachers (Myofascial-Based)
        • Final Exam (ASFYT-2)
      • ASFYT-3 >
        • K1 Seated Postures
        • K2 Sun Salutation Postures (Part 1)
        • K3 Sun Salutation Postures (Part 2)
        • K4 Side Facing Standing Poses
        • K5 Forward Facing Standing Poses
        • K6 Balancing Postures
        • K7 Prone Backbends
        • K8 Core Strengthening Postures
        • K9 Inversions
        • K10 Supine Backward Bends
        • K11 Hip Openers
        • K12 Seated Forward Bends
    • Short Course (for RYT200)
    • Printing and Saving Quiz Results
Live Chat Support ×

Connecting

You: ::content::
::agent_name:: ::content::
::content::
::content::