Pigeon Pose is the marmite of yoga poses. Some love it and some hate it. Personally, I am firmly in the love it camp…. …however…. …as with most yoga poses there are loads of variations you can do depending on your experience and what you are looking for and knowing these is how you too can enjoy pigeon pose.
Often the reason we don’t enjoy a pose is because it feels uncomfortable. Due to the nature of pigeon pose it can be quite intense and some variations just aren’t accessible for everyone. But building up to more challenging poses and tailoring your pigeon pose to your body will open up the possibility for you to enjoy the pose while also keep your body safe. The names of the poses aren’t exactly encouraging, for example screaming pigeon, king pigeon or even flying pigeon might sound a little daunting but in reality if you pick the right ones for you then pigeon pose can be a great way to stretch or strengthen depending on your pick!
Below are some variations of pigeon pose, ranging from relaxing to invigorating.
And if you are still building up to pigeon pose then you can start with Sucirandhasana or Eye of the Needle which will help you to get used to externally rotating the hip but will put less pressure on the knees. Therefore, this is a great option if you like the hip stretch of pigeon pose but struggle with the intensity of have knee problems.
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