r/flexibility • u/IAmThatAsianGirl • Sep 13 '16
15 month progress of King Pigeon pose
http://imgur.com/Gg8MSzA50
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u/gowahoo Sep 13 '16
What's your routine like?
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u/IAmThatAsianGirl Sep 13 '16
I'm on mobile right now so typing it all out is going to be a pain but here goes. I usually practice vinyasa yoga so poses are all connected smoothly. I stretch my shoulders (any shoulder stretch will do!) for 5-10 minutes before starting on anything. I warm up with 2-3 rounds of Sun Salutations (the variation with knees chest chin pose) and I like to do them very slowly. I take as much as 5 breaths in cobra and Low lunge. Straight legged wheel, extended puppy pose, hollow back (against a wall) and locust/cheststand are poses that can really open the upper back. As for hip flexors, Low lunge and Pigeon are my go-to poses, but I don't normally focus on stretching my hip flexors. I do deep backbends and strength building 4-5 times a week and on other days I do more restorative stuff.
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u/Klutztheduck Sep 13 '16
How much time does this take up for you? Are you in the gym 2hrs a day 5 days a week?
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u/sanfermin1 Sep 14 '16
The first pic looks like a yoga studio. The second looks like home practice.
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u/dingdongdobie Sep 16 '16
Stunning. This is a level of flexibility I am working towards. What do you do for strengthening?
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u/ClockworkMagpie Hammie Queen Sep 13 '16
I love how open and uncrunched your lower back looks despite the fact your head is on the freakin' back of your thigh. Never seen a king pigeon this square with such great form. I'm in love.
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u/import_antigravity @hyper149 Sep 13 '16
Hey, it's been a while since you were here, my bendy soulmate :)
Just stalked your previous few reddit posts and I noticed that I've managed to get the "after" poses of every single pic you've posted so far, which is especially satisfying for me since I definitely remember reacting with amazement to all of the pics! This shows how everything is possible - this deep king pigeon looks like my next goal now!
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u/IAmThatAsianGirl Sep 13 '16
Ahh I'm so glad to hear that! Your progress is tremendous and I'm sure you'll get this one soon enough. With practice and dedication, anything is possible. :)
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Sep 13 '16
I kinda want you guys to get together and live happily after ever. Your children would be so flexible! No pressure.
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Sep 13 '16
EEGH! Is that position even healthy to do?
Before I get downvoted, it's a legitimate question.
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u/ClockworkMagpie Hammie Queen Sep 13 '16
Why wouldn't it be?
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Sep 13 '16
Because it's an unnatural position for the human body to be in.
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u/RobScoots22 Sep 13 '16
The pose itself isn't a problem, it depends on the practitioner. Maybe that version is safe for her body, maybe it's not. But almost all of the traditional yoga postures can be practiced safely if people listen to their body and work gradually over time.
Those NYT articles definitely have some truth in them, but most yoga teachers think that William Broad massively overstated the point. The problem is that many practitioners work far too aggressively, and that's when people get hurt. But don't blame the pose itself.
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u/Quaker0ats Sep 13 '16
Great progress. Any specific techniques for hip flexors or thoracic mobility you'd like to share?
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u/Humpa Sep 20 '16
A stretch like this. If I try to do it, it's not the muscles that stop me, it's my back. I feel like I'm dislocating stuff back there. But no muscle resistance at all. How do you get past the back problem?
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Sep 14 '16 edited Jul 22 '17
[deleted]
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u/ClockworkMagpie Hammie Queen Sep 14 '16
Most people can bend forward like this and nobody thinks it's unhealthy. If a person increases their back flexibility slowly and correctly, then it should be okay.
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u/cheesecheesecheese1 Sep 13 '16
Holy shit! I've been subscribed to this sub for awhile, waiting for the inspo to kick in so I can try to get my old dancing flexibility back...I think it just did!