In this week’s Jock Yoga Tutorial, we will teach you how to effectively stretch the backs of the legs and wrists at the same time—all while building your balance! This forward-folding exercise is ideally done after a Jock Yoga Flow or similar warm-up that involves a lot of upward dog back-bending and wrist-flexion from chaturanga.
*You may want to have a block or a book to help with your balance
Step 1: Come to standing neutral at the front of your mat. *A block can be within reach if you think you may need some extra help with your balance.
Step 2: Bend your knees as much as you need to so that you are able to fold forward and tuck the entire left hand under your foot—all the way up to the wrist crease. Your right hand can be anywhere on the mat in front of you.
Step 3: Once your left hand is completely under your foot, walk your right hand forward on the mat as much as you need to so that you are able to balance and begin to transfer your weight into the left foot—adding pressure onto the hand underneath it.
Step 4: Slowly begin to lift your right leg up and back as much as you can. Breathe deeply through the nose. Keep your focus on one spot to help with your balance. Play with lifting your leg higher, folding deeper, straightening your standing leg a little more, and pressing your toes against the wrist. You should feel a deep stretch running up the back of the standing leg, as well as a massage on the hand and a stretch in the wrist. *Check in with your upper body and make sure you are not clenching the jaw or tightening up in the shoulders. Try to relax whatever muscles you don’t need to use for the exercise. Be sure to not overdo it—you know your body best. Never push yourself in a stretch to the point of even the mildest indication of ‘bad pain’. When you are finished, slowly lower your right leg down, remove your hand from under your foot and roll yourself up to standing. Repeat on the other side.
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For more information on Jock Yoga and Jock Yoga’s upcoming 40 Hour certification visit: www.jockyoga.com.
