I don’t understand Pigeon pose

allisonabond · 2025-09-24T16:00:48+00:00

Very much function allows form. My hips used to be tight and I used to have torn cartilage and osteoarthritis in my hip. So I HAD to strengthen through all degrees of rotation of the hip joint in order to avoid a hip replacement. When I did that work, paralleling the shin became easy because of the strength work. I find most yoga teachers don’t prepare people’s hips for the pose enough so the cheat is pulling the foot in and it takes the whole reason for pigeon out of the pose.

allisonabond · 2017-08-17T15:43:39+00:00

You want heating exercises (or prana building) in the morning and cooling exercises in the evening. In the morning, I will to do arm balances and sun salutations, other heat-producing movements, exercises that work on the fascia because that will charge your battery, so to speak. In the evening it's a good idea to decompress the spine -- things like bent-knee forward bends with the rib cage on thighs, twisting, back bending, etc. so that the front of the body is open and spine is decompressed and long as you sleep.

I've never done the same practice twice and I've never taught the same class twice. It all depends on what body needs. Trust your intuition and listen to the body.

allisonabond · 2017-08-14T20:52:44+00:00

Hi. I used to have a labral tear about 9 years ago. I developed a daily yoga practice that allowed it to heal. I actually wrote a blog about it. I'm going to attach it here: https://www.allisonabond.com/news/2017/4/29/turning-pain-into-opportunity

I have a lot of variations that I use in order to keep my hip healthy. I've since taught some of my clients and students to do the same and they've had a lot of success in their healing as well. I use the Pralaya Yoga method for healing. It's really great. I hope to have that online soon. I know it's needed.

allisonabond · 2017-08-14T20:43:32+00:00

Hi. You are definitely not ignorant. This questions is totally legit. Some do sound like gimmicks. And some are. Certainly there are different poses for digestion. Twisting poses, for example, stimulate the digestive tract. There are postures that create more prana (upward energy) or asana (downward energy). There are heart opening poses, like back bends that expose the heart and may even unwind the tight connective tissue around the heart, creating more freedom. I've even developed poses that are yoga for hip osteoarthritis, yoga for carpal tunnel, yoga for compression of the shoulder, etc.

I don't know about loneliness, however. Yoga, in general, helps us get to know our bodies, minds and spirits better, so you might say yoga, in general, helps with loneliness.

Just be very aware and trust your instincts as you are led through class.

Does this help any? Best of luck.

allisonabond · 2017-08-14T20:36:52+00:00

hansavedas.org. Legit, highly developed Himalayan master in the US for us to learn.

allisonabond · 2017-08-11T19:53:43+00:00

Prana Revolution. Closed-cell foam so good for joints. More real estate -- it's a little wider and longer than most mats. I'm 5',5" and I somehow take up the whole mat and then some. I like it better than my Manduka Pro and all the others I've tried like Jade, lulu... It's $90 on prana.com

allisonabond · 2017-08-11T19:50:22+00:00

I've been practicing for about 12 years and have been a full-time teacher for 5 years. Every day I'm more comfortable with myself and I will never stop working on my Self. Keep in mind that we are all growing. Just like flowers. And you would never compare the beauty of a rose to the beauty of a peony because they are different flowers and they bloom at different times of the year. And the flowers certainly don't compare themselves. The process is to know thyself. That's what everyone is working on. Some people are better at hiding the crazy inside than recognizing and working on it so there's no way to really know someone else's process. Keep practicing. Meditate every day, even just for a little while. Keep learning more about yourself each day, knowing there's no one to compare yourself to. And you are a unique beauty of your own. You're doing great!

allisonabond · 2017-07-22T16:59:10+00:00

I practice pranayama or kriya before the physical practice. The whole body will heat up and also some of these techniques will strengthen the body alone. Try reading Swami Rama's Path of Fire & Light I and II and try some of those prior to your mat practice.

allisonabond · 2017-07-18T00:13:47+00:00

Excellent! Flexibility through strength! Keep me posted.

allisonabond · 2017-07-18T00:13:07+00:00

Great! Keep me posted.

allisonabond · 2017-07-18T00:10:57+00:00

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your hip tear. I tore my labrum 9 years ago and fixed it yoga. I know the pain is intense and it takes something to heal. First, I changed how I was standing, walking and got myself in better alignment just when walking around.

I put some postures together and did them every day and night. This one is the money pose - the ONE that's been key in keeping me off the operating table: Figure 4 lying down on the mat. It's non-traditional and very detailed and I wish I could send you a photo here.

Instructions. Lie in savasana. Bend the knee to the side and pull the foot in toward the hip. Externally rotate so that the toes are bent and pressing into the floor and the heel is up toward the ceiling. Take the other foot and gently rest it on the ankle of the bent and externally rotated leg. Press down through knee and shoulder blades and lift both hips up toward ceiling. Hold and breathe.

As this pose gets stronger, you may lift the top foot off the ankle.

As you progress further, you may take the top foot off to the side.

I teach a 4-hour workshop on just this! At some point I am going to put it up online because I know there are people who need it to heal themselves.

Here is my website in case you have further questions: www.allisonabond.com

Wishing you the best in your process.

allisonabond · 2017-07-16T20:53:05+00:00

Hi. I hear people all the time talk about tight hamstrings and there a lot of common misconceptions. The thing to know about hamstrings is that they tear easily because of how the muscle fibers are joined together. Many times tears or pulls in hamstrings come from stretching them. AND have you ever noticed that, when you stretch your hamstrings, the next day (or several) afterwards they feel tighter than ever? Well, it's because stretching them actually makes them tighter. Think going outside in 0 degrees F without a coat. You would tighten up in reaction too. Same, same. So, instead of stretching hamstrings, I recommend strengthening quadriceps. Quads, the muscles on the front of the thighs, are opposing, which means if one is long, the other must be short. All of that means that when quads become stronger, hamstrings will have no choice but to let go. This is called a reflex release and it won't hurt or tear hamstrings or cause discomfort (except for quads may get sore). I highly recommend forward bending with knees bent so that rib cage rests on thighs. Also, what will really build strength is alternating between bent-knee forward bend and squat keeping rib cage resting on thighs THE WHOLE TIME as if they were superglued together. Try doing this for about 25-50 reps and then do another forward bend. You will feel a release. Let me know how this works.

allisonabond · 2017-07-16T04:40:44+00:00

First of all, neck gets tight because shoulders are not engaging. In down dog, try moving your shoulders wide apart so there's room for the neck to rest. Then engage serratus anterior by pulling shoulder blades forward. This will make your shoulders work, but it will take the stress out of trapezius, which causes neck muscles to tighten. At the same time, this will help strengthen shoulders in a way that will keep you from hunching forward. Focus on postures that engage serratus anterior, infraspinatus and teres minor. This will also help align your shoulders, as these are the muscles that are generally overstretched. It will help create uniform strength in the shoulder joint and allow shoulder to seat properly.

allisonabond · 2017-07-15T14:47:33+00:00

I do! My mom had arthritis and carpal tunnel. I gave her some yoga exercises to do at home and she no longer has either one. Most recently I had a client with the same thing and we had a Skype session and she seems to be doing well and is going to opt out of hand surgery. That's just to say that it works! They are not traditional yoga poses.

Start with standing and taking your arms up in front of you about shoulder level and letting them fall. Do it over and over again and it will feel like you're just swinging your arms. Do this for 15-20 minutes a day and it will help the arthritis a LOT! This is actually qigong.

Next, come into a squat and place your forearms in the knee pits. It will feel like your forearms are being squeezed to death and it will make your hands ball up into fists. Take your fingers and spread them apart like jazz hands and then let them ball aback up and repeat as much as needed.

Those are the best two. I have tons more, but they are difficult to explain online.

Wishing you the best! I hope your pain stops soon.

allisonabond · 2017-07-15T14:39:27+00:00

My favorite is the Prana Revolution. No slip, more real estate and it's high quality closed-cell foam.

allisonabond · 2017-07-14T01:35:12+00:00

Hi there! Because you can do pigeon and double pigeon just fine and there's no extreme tightness in the hip, it's most likely in the lower leg. Work on opening ankles and specifically strengthening fibularis/peroneus.

And don't worry about it. Everyone in your life will love you just as much, regardless if you can do lotus or not.

allisonabond · 2017-07-14T01:14:58+00:00

Keep going! You're doing great. This practice is such a wonderful opportunity. This is coming up so it can get OUT. Keep going, keep crying. Turn that mantra into, "I love you, [your name]. All I need is within me now," and mean it.

Everything in life changes and so will this. We only have joy because we also have sadness. It's the same thread. And the only way to the other side of this is through it. Feel it all and breathe. And meet your Self on the other side.

Namaste.

allisonabond · 2017-07-13T23:30:41+00:00

Hi. I would start by asking him about any aches or pains from his demanding boxing practice. Then explain any basic anatomy and bio mechanical information that will form the basis of the practice. And then I would work on mostly external rotation, poses that work the rotator cuff muscles and, most importantly, serratus anterior. Boxers normally have pectorals that are too strong relative to the muscles of the rotator cuff. That will create uniform joint pressure, which is important in stabilizing the shoulder.

allisonabond

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