Struggle with pigeon? What about forward fold?? Why NOT to push it

"Brainy What-Why-How"

Your weekly nibble of brain-based tips to help you move and feel great!

🧠

What:

As a hypermobile person who's done yoga regularly for a decade, and years of gymnastics before that, you'd think I'd be able to do pigeon pose by now, right? 

But because of the structure of my hip joint, external hip rotation is going to be limited for me, always. 

Are you like me?

Or perhaps you're the opposite: where pigeon pose is easy but front splits and forward folding is a constant struggle. 

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Why:

I have what's known as anteversion of the pelvis, and it means internal hip rotation (kneecaps moving towards each other) and hip flexion (forward folding) is really easy for me. But I struggle with external hip rotation. 

On the other hand, retroversion of the pelvis presents the opposite strengths and weaknesses. 

How:

If one of these sounds like you, then these three things may help:

1️⃣  NEVER PUSH IT. Your Rommy-Lim* is due to structures that ain't gonna change -- bones! So forcing yourself into shapes is simply not the way to go

2️⃣ Train the muscles that tend to be weak, and look for NEUTRAL position of the leg (toes pointing forwards)

  • if you hate external rotation: train the glutes, especially gluteus medius 

  • if you hate internal rotation: train the inner thighs

3️⃣ (Here's where we get brainy 🧠): 

  • 🧠 if you hate external rotation: add complex movements, like taking your ankle through a slow-motion figure-8 while you do something like side-plank with the top leg lifted. This activates the cerebellum which aides in external rotation.

  • 🧠 if you hate internal rotation: bring an object (like your thumb) towards your nose a few times while keeping it in focus--So, yes, you'll cross your eyes!--either before or during a forward folding exercise such as a deadlift. This stimulates an area of the brainstem that helps with internal rotation.

Phew, this is a hefty one! If you prefer not to think so much and just let me guide you, consider trying the new flow on Move With Adell: ​a Gentle flow for Core Compression​

Stay balanced,

Adell xoxo

*Rommy-Lim: ROM (range of motion) Limitation 😜 Much like "Menty B" is a much more fun way of saying "Mental Breakdown" 😃 If we have to deal with the struggles, we can at least make them fun to say.

Want to go way deeper on all of this geeky brain stuff?​
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• Sign up to the ​waiting list​ for my next NeuroYoga TTC where I teach YOU how to blend yoga + neurology.
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