Ep 60: The Complexities of Half Pigeon Pose

You either love Half Pigeon pose or you hate it!! Which is it for you or your students? It can be a powerful hip opener, but it’s also a pose that begs respect for the body’s limits. Understanding the pose on a deeper level (more than anatomy and general alignment) and adding in the biomechanics of the pose, helps us practice and teach it in a way that honors our students’ unique bodies and needs. 

As teachers, we must understand the complexity of Half Pigeon pose, because we are placing stress while we position the joints in extreme ranges while adding weight, gravity, force, and load onto the body. 

In this episode, I will deconstruct Half Pigeon pose and help you understand its many complexities - we’ll explore its anatomy, biomechanics, potential risks, and ways to teach it responsibly. 

YouTube: Half Pigeon Pose: How to Avoid Pain & Injury

Transcript

Monica: 0:00

I am not saying that half pigeon is a bad pose. And I want to be very clear about that. What I am saying is that as teachers, we must understand the complexity of this pose because we are putting stress, which is not a bad thing on the body while we place the joints in extreme positions and add weight, gravity. force, and load onto the body. In this episode, I will deconstruct half pigeon pose and help you understand its many complexities. We'll explore its anatomy, biomechanics, potential risks, and ways to teach it responsibly. Welcome to the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers podcast with me. I'm Monica Bright, and I've been teaching yoga and running my yoga business for over a decade. This is the podcast for you. If you're a yoga teacher, you're looking for support. You love to be in conversation and you're a lifelong student. In this podcast, I'll share with you. My life as a yoga teacher, the lessons I've learned, my process for building my business and helpful ideas, tools, strategies, and systems I use and you can use so that your business thrives. We'll cover a diverse range of topics that will help you whether you're just starting out or you've got years under your belt and you want to dive deep and set yourself up for success. I'm so glad you're here. Listen, I don't take myself too seriously, so expect to hear some laughs along the way. Now, let's do this. Together. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm Monica, and I am so glad you're here. I've shared with you that part of my own continuing education has included the study of biomechanics, injuries, and pain science. It is because of studying these areas that I look at yoga poses a little bit differently nowadays. Half Pigeon is one yoga pose that stands out as potentially injurious in the asana practice, Now I'm not saying that half pigeon is a bad pose and I want to be very clear about that. What I am saying is that as teachers, we must understand the complications of this pose because we are putting stress, which is not a bad thing, on the body while we place the joints in extreme positions and add weight, gravity. force and load onto the body. In this episode, I intend to deconstruct half pigeon pose and help you understand its complexities. We'll explore its anatomy, biomechanics, potential risks, and ways to teach it responsibly. Before we start, I want to be clear about how I define biomechanics, because there are a couple different ways that teachers use this term. It's commonly used to describe the alignment of a pose. For example, hip flexion, hip abduction, hip external rotation, and so on. The biomechanics I study and teach is force and load. So once we get past alignment, direction of movement, and even range of motion, there's biomechanics. How much force is being exerted and how much load is being placed on the body. Okay, now that I've been super clear about that, let's have a first look at the anatomy of half pigeon pose. This pose primarily targets the hip joint of the front leg, which is in a position of flexion, hip abduction, and hip external rotation. So let's try to imagine this. In hip flexion, the front hip is bent, bringing the thigh closer to the torso. This stretches the glutes and deep external rotators of the hip, like the piriform is. Then there's hip abduction, where the thigh moves away from the midline of the body, engaging the TFL, the tensor fascia latae, and gluteus medius. And then there's hip external rotation. The thigh bone, or the femur, rotates outward in the hip socket, and this is where the deep hip rotators come into play. At the same time, the back leg is in hip extension, which stretches the hip flexors, including the psoas major and the rectus femoris, one of the quadricep muscles. This combination of stretching and opening makes Half Pigeon a powerful pose for targeting the soft tissues that surround both hips. However, the pose also involves the knee joint of the front leg, which is in a position of flexion and extension. and lateral rotation. The knee is a hinge joint designed primarily for flexion and extension, not for twisting or lateral forces. This is why the knee is particularly vulnerable in half pigeon, especially if the hip is tight and the knee is bearing too much load or weight. Now let's explore the biomechanics of half pigeon pose in a little bit more. detail. Biomechanics is the study of how the body moves and tolerates force, and it's crucial for understanding why this pose can be both beneficial and potentially injurious. In half pigeon, the front knee is subjected to torsional twisting forces. When the shin is placed at an angle across the mat, the knee joint is forced to accommodate both flexion and lateral rotation. This can strain the medial collateral ligament, the MCL, and the joint capsule. Again, especially if the hip is tight, meaning limited range of motion, and the knee is bearing too much load. The hip joint, on the other hand, is a ball and socket joint designed for a wide range of motion. However, if your student's hips have limited range of motion, the load may shift to the knee or the lower back, which are less equipped to handle these kinds of forces. This is why alignment differs from student to student and modifications are so important. Additionally, the pelvis plays a key role in this pose. If the pelvis is not level, it can create an imbalance in the hips, which may lead to compression in the lower back or overstretching in the front hips. This is why it's important to keep the hips as level as possible and use props if needed. If you teach every student to aspire to the same alignment rules, it can lead to injuries. Here are some of the most common risks and how to avoid them. The first is knee pain. The knee is the most vulnerable joint in this pose. If the shin is placed at too steep an angle or if the hip is too tight, the knee can experience strain. To protect the knee, adjust the angle of the shin so that the heel is closer to the groin instead of parallel with the front of the mat. Use props like a block or a blanket to support the hip and reduce the load on the knee and avoid forcing the knee into a position that feels uncomfortable. Then there's hip If you feel a sharp or an intense sensation in the hip, it could mean that you're pushing too far in order to avoid hip strain, back out of the pose and use props to help reduce the intensity Teach students to focus on keeping their hips level, and if you teach them to keep their torso upright, also encourage them to walk their hands forward a little bit to reduce the compression in their lumbar spine. Third is, lower back compression. If your lower back feels compressed around the area of the lumbar spine, folding forward might feel too intense on the hip and knee, but it may relieve intense feelings in the low back. So talk about this. You can teach your students this. And then number four. ankle position. Many people think that they need to flex the front ankle and have pigeon, but this is not necessary. And it can actually increase stress on the knee, allowing the ankle to remain neutral or slightly planter flexed, which is toes pointed, is safer and more comfortable for most people. So why is it unnecessary to flex the front ankle? that's a great question because were you taught in your teacher training to flex the ankle to protect the knee? Yeah, a lot of us were taught that, but it's just not true. So let's talk about the front ankle in more detail. In half pigeon, the ankle is often placed in a neutral or slightly plantar flexed position. Some people believe that flexing the ankle or dorsiflexion is necessary, but from a biomechanical perspective, this isn't the case. Flexing the ankle engages anterior tibialis, which can create additional tension in the knee joint. Since the knee is already in a vulnerable position, adding dorsiflexion can increase the risk of strain. Allowing the ankle to remain neutral or slightly pointed respects the natural alignment of the leg and reduces stress on the knee. Also, flexing the ankle doesn't contribute to the primary purpose of the pose, which is to stretch the hip. The ankle position has little to no effect on the hip's range of motion in this context. By keeping the ankle neutral or slightly plantar flexed, we can focus on the hip stretch without compromising the knee. Okay, did you get that? If you want to rewind and listen to that again, please do. Flexing the front ankle engages the muscles on the anterior portion of the shin. Doing this can add additional force on the knee joint while it's flexed and in lateral rotation. For some students this is too much and when practiced again and again can contribute to repetitive use. injuries. It's our responsibility as yoga teachers to guide students safely and mindfully through poses like half pigeon. And I know that's what you want anyway, to keep your students safe as much as you possibly can. So here are some tips. First, emphasize that alignment is different for everybody. Teach students various ways to practice the pose and that they should honor their body instead of trying to look like a picture or another student. Teach the pose using a block or a blanket for support. Offer modifications. Not every student's body is the same. Offer options like reclined pigeon, which is a different orientation of the pose, or the benefits of using props, or adjusting the angle of the shin to make the pose feel different on the knee and the hip. Use your cues mindfully. Encourage students to listen to their bodies and avoid pushing into pain. Remind them that sensation is normal, but sharp or intense pain is a sign to back off. The era of go hard or go home is over. We're teaching from a more educated place where we want students to listen to their bodies and do what feels best for them. Educate your students on risks. Help them understand the potential risks of the pose, especially for the knees and the hips. Knowledge is power, and informed students are more likely to practice safely. Now, I don't use language like, flex your ankle to protect your knee, because, well, one, it's not true, and two, I don't want to fear monger poses and shapes either. I would use language like if you've experienced a hip or knee injury in the past, try this option. You see how that language speaks to specific students and guides them towards modifications that are appropriate for their body. Teach that props are not a sign of weakness. They're tools for creating a safe, effective, and sometimes a more difficult practice. Teach students to use blocks, blankets, or straps as needed. And teach alternatives. If a student has knee or hip issues, offer alternative poses such as figure four stretch or reclined pigeon, which provide similar benefits without the same. risks. When I teach these alternatives, I typically teach them to the entire class so that every student can experience this alternative rather than singling students out. Okay. Where are my visual learners? I'm totally a visual learner too. So I recorded a YouTube video on understanding Pidgin. pose, the movement of the knee joint. And I've added an additional variation for pigeon pose that I often teach in class. This additional variation eliminates gravity and body weight from the force and loads placed on the hips and the knee joint. I'll link the video in the show notes below. So, what are you thinking about Half Pigeon now that we've talked about the force and the load and the strain that students might be placing on their knees and their hips. I love Half Pigeon pose because it can be a powerful hip opener. But it's also a pose that begs respect for the body's limits. By having a deeper understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the pose, we can practice and teach it in a way that honors our students unique bodies and needs. Remember, yoga is never about achieving a perfect shape. It's about finding balance, ease, and connection in our practice. When you have a deep understanding of anatomy, biomechanics, and the effects yoga asana have on the body, you help students understand that the yoga practice is not a workout, but a tool to help them look inside themselves, to listen to themselves, and to realize that their bodies might benefit from slight adjustments in the alignment of their poses in order to suit their It's so important for us to have this conversation so that you remember that there are so many opportunities for you in the teaching world. You know that my goal is for you to love the yoga teaching life and allow it to be fulfilling and rewarding. And as always, it takes some work to get there. If you love this episode, let me know. I'll break down more poses for you. I've added a link in the show notes for you to send me a quick text message about your thoughts on this episode. I won't know your phone number. It's a neat addition to the platform I use that allows for this new and super easy way for you to communicate with me. Once you click on it, it will take you to your messages, but don't delete the code. That's how your message will get to me. And I would love to know your thoughts, subscribe to the podcast. So you're always in the know when a new episode drops and share it with another yoga teacher who you think would love to be in on these conversations. Thank you for helping to spread the word about this podcast. And if you've been taking notes in your journal, as you listen, I'm so glad you are, and I'd love to hear about it. Don't forget to download the ebook sequencing for different injuries. The link is in the show notes below. I promise you it will help form a foundation for teaching students with injuries and aging bodies. The information will also help you understand how to accommodate students of different accessibilities, and it'll be a great resource for you to return to again and again. When you download the ebook, you'll be joining my newsletter that's just for yoga teachers. I've got more exciting teachings coming soon, so I want to tell you all about them. The link is in the show notes below, and I would love for you to join it so we can always stay connected. All right, that's it for now. Bye. Mhm.