Hi,

I'd like to get some advice about Awkward 1 & 2. I have difficulty keeping my torso upright, especially in the second part. We're instructed to get our thighs parallel to the floor and to keep our chests lifted. But I don't seem to be hinged that way. My upper body hinges forward from the hips when I try to sit back farther into the pose. I'm wondering if this has anything to do with ankle flexibility since I don't have the same issue in the third part when I'm up on my toes? I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Linda

Hi Linda,

When I teach Awkward to newer students I encourage them to get the thighs parallel to the floor. The "Lifted Chest" is sometimes just an intention of movement as opposed to a gross movement that we can easily see. What I mean by this is that once your thighs are parallel to the floor and you work at lifting the chest, with the shoulders coming onto the back and opening up through the chest you will notice that the muscles on your back are now engaging. Pulling your navel toward your spine as well in order to keep the muscles on the front and back of the trunk engaged. Over time, your chest will actually lift as the muscles get stronger. First we have to make our body mind connection and start working toward it.

Hope that helps!

Hi Linda,

First let me say Awkward pose is a difficult pose to master, doing both Awkward 1 and 2 in Fire strengthens the back muscles and the legs. here some hints to help while in the pose:

Awkward1:

Before bending the knees, be sure to suck in the abdominals and work on keeping the chest lifted and shoulders down and back, gently move your arms back, until you can feel the muscles in the upper back contracting. Make sure your toes are spreading wide apart this will help in keeping the pelvis in a stable neutral position.

When bending the knees keep focused on contracting the muscles of the abdominals and keep the chest lifted the upper back muscles engaged. This will take time to learn how to activate the muscles, remember to keep the arms back, and shoulders stay down.

Do this now, Practice sitting on a chair with the feet flat on the floor, feet side by side, knees squeezing together, spread open your toes, sit up straight, suck in the stomach, lift the chest, raise your arms above your head, hands a little wider than shoulder width, lower the shoulders down keep the chest lifting, keep the stomach in, keep the knees squeezing and feet pressig down into the floor. Can you feel the muscles of the upper back working? Can you feel the abdominals engaged? Are your legs strong? Try to mimic this is a standing position. Don't worry about sitting down think about what muscles are working, keep your chest lifted and your pelvis in a neutral position.

Awkward 2

Try this against a wall at home.
Stand with your feet hip distant apart, stand about one foot away from the wall. Toes straight ahead. Before bending your knees, suck in your stomach strong!, start bending the knees, press your hips back behind you until the buttocks touch the wall, step further away from the wall if you cannot get down till the thighs are paralell to the floor, you can use your hands as a support against the wall as you sit down.

Once down look at the knees and make sure they are in the same line as the toes (straight ahead, keep the knees in the same line as your hip bones (ankles, knees and hips in one straight line). Press the lower back into the wall (sacrum), this will require you to suck the stomach in more. Lift the chest up as high as you can, you have a natural curve in the spine, your stomach is off the thighs all the muscles in the legs are engaged and abdominals are active, the higher you lift the chest the upper back muscles start to work harder. Do this for 15 seconds at a time, for 5 repetitons with a break in between (15 second break). You will notice quite a shift in your practice doing this at home every day.
Enjoy learning something new about your body.

Thanks Nicole! I'll give that a try.