he pigeon 🐦 pose is one of the most well-known stretches which targets the lower back, the hips (the psoas muscles), the piriformis and glutes ✔️
This exercise is a beautiful hip opener and eases a lot of tension and stress in the body as a whole❗️
For those of you spending a lot of time sitting at a desk 💻 , walking regularly 🚶🏼♀️, working out 🏋🏼♀️or running 🏃🏽- this stretch is PERFECT for you❗️
**When we sit for extended periods of time our hips can become particularly tight due to the hip flexor muscles being contracted in these positions**
❕All you need is a couple of minutes away from your screen (a great excuse for a mini break) and is the perfect way to release that build up of tension❕
✅ BENEFITS of the pigeon pose include:
• Stretching the psoas muscle
• Stretching the gluteal muscles (medium and small)
• Stretching the upper chest
• Opening up the shoulder blades
• Promoting improved posture
• Relieving stress and tension
However, it is very common to practice this stretch incorrectly, therefore it is super important to check that we have followed the below steps (which I also outline in the tutorial).
Lastly, this stretch benefits SO many areas of the body, so by falling out of alignment or directing the stretch elsewhere, you’re at risk of not getting the full benefits of the stretch ‼️
Here are the steps to follow:
1️⃣ The back leg should be parallel to the edges of the mat
2️⃣ The front leg should be pointed straight forward and aligned with the hip (regardless of the bend of the knee)
3️⃣ The front foot should be flexed and engaged
4️⃣ The back foot should be flexed and toes are resting on the ground
5️⃣ The outer hip should be placed on the floor, supporting the glute of the bent knee with a bolster or cushion to reduce the space between the muscle and the floor
6️⃣ The thigh on the back leg side should be on the ground
7️⃣ The hips should be straight, parallel to the ground, and pointing forward
8️⃣ The lower back should be elongated and the hips activated.
9️⃣ The shoulders should be pulled back
🔟 The eyes should be forward and chin parallel to the ground