Get ready to open the side body and hamstrings in this week’s Intermediate practice centering on Svarga Dvidasana (Bird of Paradise). Students who struggle to connect a full bind outside the hip will benefit from the use of a yoga strap or hand towel in this practice.
We’re exploring Samakonasana—your middle splits—in this week’s Sunday School. Prepare to feel like a pancake.
Hamstrings play an important role in hip extension (straightening the hip) and knee flexion (bending the knee), which means they cast a long shadow over everyday activities—from standing up out of chair to walking or running. Balancing hamstring strength with (often-overdeveloped) quadricep strength is also essential to preventing injury. This practice requires the use of socks (or gliders or magazine for those practicing on carpet) and one or two blocks.