Restorative Pose: Reclining Hero
For the month of December we will focus on restorative poses. That doesn’t mean that we will turn our vinyasa classes into restorative classes. It just means that we will include restorative postures during every class. Some students have a hard time with restorative postures. They might not see their value. After all, you are not really “doing” anything in a restorative pose. But, restorative poses are deceptively effective if you give them a chance. Take Reclining Hero Pose, for example. Some students can lie down in this pose fairly easily, but can’t hold it for 2 minutes. That is an example of what I would call deceptive flexibility, when you can force your body into a position but you cannot maintain it because it is not comfortable. You are not really that flexible. That is an example of “doing the pose”. If you can cultivate a sense that you could be in a posture forever, then the pose can do you. Your body can reap the benefits of the pose and you can reset your resting muscle length. If you are willing to experiment with props and support your body in a pose, you can cultivate a sense of serenity and equipoise in a pose and you might feel that you could stay forever, or at least 2 to 3 minutes with ease. In modern exercise physiology we have learned that you need to hold a stretch for between 30 and 120 seconds in order to change the resting length of your muscles.
In class this month, we will start with Supta Virasana, Reclined Hero Pose, to prepare us for Pinca Mayurasana and various Back Bends. There are modifications for every ability. I will offer a choice of set-ups for the pose at the beginning of class. Learn what props you need to be able to hold the pose for at least 5 minutes. Please be precise with your props, they can make or break your ability to hold the pose. And, don’t worry; there are straight leg modifications for those of you with knee issues.