EKA PĀDA RĀJA KAPOTĀSANA (ONE LEGGED KING PIGEON POSE)

EKA PĀDA RĀJA KAPOTĀSANA (ONE LEGGED KING PIGEON POSE)

Eka Pāda Rāja Kapotāsana, also known as the One Legged King Pigeon Pose, is a wonderful hip opener which provides a deep stretch to the gluteus muscles. There are many variations of this pose, with basic to advanced options. We will explore a mid-level variation in detail.

Start by coming onto your hands and knees. Keeping the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Slide your right knee forward toward your right wrist and bring the foot out toward the left side. Your foot will be infant of the left knee, and the outside of your right shin will be rested on the floor. You should be able to let the right buttock lower down and sit on the floor. Depending on your level of flexibility, you can then bring the right foot as far forward or back as necessary. Slide the left leg back, keeping it straight. Turn the leg in slightly so that you are not leaning towards the right side. Walk your arms forward and rest your forehead on the floor. Stay there for a minimum of five breaths, and then lift up and bring your hands next to your hips. Extend your chest forward and out, with a slightly bend in the back. Look up. Keep lifting the sternum up and draw the shoulders back. Stay here for ten to fifteen breaths and then lower down. Come into downward facing dog and spend a couple of breaths there.Then lower down onto all fours again, and repeat the posture on the left side.

A deeper and more advanced variation of this posture can only be done by those practitioners who have great spinal flexibility. While you are in the basic pose, with the right knee in front, bend the left leg from behind. Grab hold of it with your right hand first, by lifting the right arm up over the head, bending the elbow back and grabbing the foot. Then bring your left arm over the head, bend the elbow and grab the foot with your left hand. Draw your head back so that your foot can rest on the back of your head.

One of the benefits of this posture is that it acts as a great hip opener. It stretches the groins, the psoas, the gluteus muscles. It helps to relieve sciatic pain as the sciatic nerve gets stretched. It also stretches the quadriceps, opens the chest, and extends the spine. It is a wonderful heart opener and practitioners can experience a release of emotions during the pose.

The counter indications for this pose are knee injuries, groin injuries and back injuries. It is recommended to keep a folded blanket under the buttock of the bent leg as a support. If you have back injuries then it is not recommended to bend back in this pose, rather, you can come forward and allow the body to lower down in front.