WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.402 - Hey everybody, and welcome to Yoga With Adriene. 00:00:02.402 --> 00:00:04.872 I am Adriene, and today we are going to learn 00:00:04.872 --> 00:00:08.742 one of my favorite poses: Pigeon or One-Legged Pigeon. 00:00:08.742 --> 00:00:10.677 Super yummy posture, I know I say that a lot, 00:00:10.677 --> 00:00:13.947 but it really is a yummy posture. 00:00:13.947 --> 00:00:16.039 Sorry, I can't stop saying yummy. 00:00:16.039 --> 00:00:18.051 Let's hop on the mat, and learn Pigeon. 00:00:18.051 --> 00:00:21.487 (upbeat music) 00:00:29.229 --> 00:00:31.865 Okay so we're going to begin on all fours. 00:00:33.567 --> 00:00:36.703 And I'm going to take my left toes, 00:00:36.703 --> 00:00:39.339 extend through my left leg, take a deep breath in. 00:00:40.411 --> 00:00:41.638 Spreading through the toes, 00:00:41.638 --> 00:00:43.510 and on an exhale I'm going to carve a line 00:00:43.510 --> 00:00:47.114 with my left knee all the way up towards the front of the mat. 00:00:47.114 --> 00:00:48.248 You can also come into this posture 00:00:48.248 --> 00:00:49.716 from Downward Facing Dog, 00:00:49.716 --> 00:00:52.119 but today I'm gonna take it nice and slow. 00:00:52.119 --> 00:00:54.855 I'm gonna take my right toes now draw a line straight down 00:00:54.855 --> 00:00:57.090 towards the bottom edge of my mat. 00:00:57.090 --> 00:01:00.727 Now I'm kind of in a half-split here, One-Legged Pigeon. 00:01:00.727 --> 00:01:03.130 From here I'm gonna press up and out of my fingertips. 00:01:03.130 --> 00:01:05.565 So I'm already beginning to create a little bit of support 00:01:05.565 --> 00:01:07.768 in my spine so I'm not just collapsing into my hips 00:01:07.768 --> 00:01:10.003 or collapsing into my bones. No dead weight. 00:01:10.003 --> 00:01:14.780 But I'm maintaining that lift in the heart here, that open chest. 00:01:15.876 --> 00:01:20.204 Now, I'm gonna take my attention to my left heel, my left foot. 00:01:20.204 --> 00:01:23.350 I'm going to slowly walk my left foot 00:01:23.350 --> 00:01:26.320 towards the right edge of the mat, nice and slow. 00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:29.756 All the time in yoga, and in life, 00:01:29.756 --> 00:01:31.331 but really especially here, 00:01:31.331 --> 00:01:35.796 I advise you to go nice and slow and be mindful. 00:01:35.796 --> 00:01:40.500 So let the pose unfold, no dropping into anything here. 00:01:41.702 --> 00:01:44.338 Left toes are crawling towards the right edge, 00:01:44.338 --> 00:01:47.107 and it's here that I maybe come into my palms, 00:01:47.107 --> 00:01:49.509 and I bring my awareness now to the left hip. 00:01:49.509 --> 00:01:52.112 I'm not forgetting about this right leg, okay? 00:01:52.112 --> 00:01:53.647 In my opinion we often just kind of forget 00:01:53.647 --> 00:01:55.569 about this leg when we can really engage 00:01:55.569 --> 00:01:58.952 through the top of this right foot supporting. 00:01:59.553 --> 00:02:01.555 I'm opening up through the right hip crease 00:02:01.555 --> 00:02:03.611 and then I'm finding that external rotation 00:02:03.611 --> 00:02:04.891 in the left hip. 00:02:04.891 --> 00:02:08.428 So I have two things going on in each leg. 00:02:09.129 --> 00:02:12.065 I'm breathing, finding that lift in the heart. 00:02:12.065 --> 00:02:14.401 Now if you're nowhere near this, 00:02:14.401 --> 00:02:15.769 I wasn't always able to drop 00:02:15.769 --> 00:02:19.673 into this deep of a posture here, 00:02:19.673 --> 00:02:21.008 so a couple things: 00:02:21.008 --> 00:02:22.309 You can stay lifted. 00:02:22.309 --> 00:02:24.611 Again that's why I'm maintaining this 00:02:24.611 --> 00:02:28.048 space in the chest and this kind of integrity 00:02:28.048 --> 00:02:30.443 from the crown of the head to the tip of the tailbone 00:02:30.443 --> 00:02:32.352 is important so that we're not just dropping in, 00:02:32.352 --> 00:02:36.189 straining anything in the knee or in those hips. 00:02:36.189 --> 00:02:39.259 We can use a block here to stay up. 00:02:39.259 --> 00:02:41.895 This may be the pose for a long time for you, 00:02:41.895 --> 00:02:45.389 breathing slowly again, releasing into the posture, 00:02:45.389 --> 00:02:48.835 letting it unfold rather than driving it in. 00:02:48.835 --> 00:02:51.738 You can have the block at any level. 00:02:51.738 --> 00:02:54.374 Sometimes if you don't have a block you can use the wall. 00:02:54.374 --> 00:02:59.279 Just kind of a little steady support. 00:03:01.915 --> 00:03:03.250 I might just stay here. 00:03:03.250 --> 00:03:06.119 Breathing, softening on the exhale. 00:03:06.119 --> 00:03:08.955 Keeping the heart lifted on the inhale. 00:03:08.955 --> 00:03:10.957 To go a little further, again, I'm going to bring my awareness 00:03:10.957 --> 00:03:14.394 to the front of that right hip crease. 00:03:14.394 --> 00:03:15.529 Come onto my fingertips here. 00:03:15.529 --> 00:03:18.899 I can keep my block there for the next step. 00:03:18.899 --> 00:03:20.797 I'm gonna want to make sure that I don't roll 00:03:20.797 --> 00:03:23.670 onto my outer edge of the hips. So right now I'm letting you see 00:03:23.670 --> 00:03:25.572 the opening of the right hip crease, 00:03:25.572 --> 00:03:27.307 but in a second I'll switch and we'll look 00:03:27.307 --> 00:03:28.942 at this external rotation of the hip. 00:03:28.942 --> 00:03:32.923 But for now, I'm trying to stay centered here, pressing into the 00:03:32.923 --> 00:03:35.281 top of that back foot for a little stability. 00:03:36.657 --> 00:03:39.207 And then I believe, (laughs), I believe 00:03:39.207 --> 00:03:40.477 I believe! 00:03:41.721 --> 00:03:44.524 I'll begin, I don't know why I said believe, 00:03:44.524 --> 00:03:47.375 I'll begin to slowly melt the heart down. 00:03:48.947 --> 00:03:50.634 I can just bring the palms to the mat, 00:03:50.634 --> 00:03:52.799 again, using my arms to support, 00:03:52.799 --> 00:03:56.570 or maybe in time I come to the forearms. 00:03:56.570 --> 00:03:57.971 Voilà! 00:03:57.971 --> 00:04:02.109 Maybe in time I come to rest all the way on the forehead. 00:04:02.109 --> 00:04:05.712 Again, in time, letting the pose unfold, 00:04:05.712 --> 00:04:09.149 or use my block or any of those steps along the way. 00:04:09.416 --> 00:04:10.554 It's nice sometimes, a little restorative 00:04:10.554 --> 00:04:12.246 to rest the forehead. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:14.988 Couple of extra action points: 00:04:14.988 --> 00:04:16.756 We already talked about keeping 00:04:16.756 --> 00:04:19.826 that engaging quality in the back leg. 00:04:19.826 --> 00:04:21.294 Same thing with this foot here. 00:04:21.294 --> 00:04:23.530 Keep a little bit of a brightness. 00:04:23.530 --> 00:04:24.931 My buddy Chris Shea always asks me, 00:04:24.931 --> 00:04:26.399 "What do you mean by brightness?" 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:27.434 I mean the little bit of energy, 00:04:27.434 --> 00:04:31.438 a little bit of awareness in that left foot. 00:04:31.438 --> 00:04:34.217 This will protect the knee, keep everything engaged. 00:04:36.510 --> 00:04:40.407 Often you'll see, especially with the internet these days, 00:04:40.407 --> 00:04:42.983 you'll see people with a nice open 00:04:42.983 --> 00:04:44.785 leg here, kind of right angle. 00:04:44.785 --> 00:04:48.889 That's fabuloso if you're very flexible in your hips. 00:04:50.390 --> 00:04:51.825 Be mindful of where you're at. 00:04:51.825 --> 00:04:55.552 Maybe drawing this heel in as close as the groin 00:04:55.552 --> 00:04:59.900 to begin and then slowly, slowly in time, 00:04:59.900 --> 00:05:02.536 again, letting it unfold, walking it out. 00:05:02.536 --> 00:05:03.570 And just seeing where you're at. 00:05:03.570 --> 00:05:06.370 Keeping those shoulders drawing down and away from the ears. 00:05:06.370 --> 00:05:09.109 Shoulder blades in and together, 00:05:09.109 --> 00:05:11.978 and then finding your Pigeon Pose. 00:05:11.978 --> 00:05:14.214 I'm gonna press into the palms to come up. 00:05:14.214 --> 00:05:15.415 I'm going to curl my back toes under, 00:05:15.415 --> 00:05:16.449 come back to all fours. 00:05:16.449 --> 00:05:19.019 I can take a quick Downward Dog here if I like. 00:05:19.019 --> 00:05:20.821 I just wanna show the other side 00:05:20.821 --> 00:05:24.257 by extending the right toes out. 00:05:24.257 --> 00:05:26.524 And then carving a line with the right knee in. 00:05:28.328 --> 00:05:30.587 I'm staying on the center line here as I allow 00:05:30.587 --> 00:05:33.333 my left toes now to go towards the back edge of the mat. 00:05:34.201 --> 00:05:37.671 And again, breathing into that left hip crease, 00:05:37.671 --> 00:05:41.498 and then I slowly start to inch my right toes out 00:05:41.498 --> 00:05:43.443 towards the left edge of the mat. 00:05:43.443 --> 00:05:44.878 And then each side is different of course, 00:05:44.878 --> 00:05:46.513 so be mindful of that. 00:05:46.513 --> 00:05:48.475 Again, I can use the block here 00:05:48.475 --> 00:05:50.713 or the wall for a little support. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:54.754 Keeping the heart lifted here, long belly, 00:05:54.754 --> 00:05:56.623 shoulder blades in, together and down. 00:05:56.623 --> 00:06:00.431 If this hip starts to externally rotate over, 00:06:02.095 --> 00:06:06.290 maybe lift up a little bit so we can start to unfold that space. 00:06:06.900 --> 00:06:08.235 So if we're just kind of hanging on the hip 00:06:08.235 --> 00:06:09.970 we're kind of cheating ourselves a little bit 00:06:09.970 --> 00:06:12.639 of the stretch, of the opening. 00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:15.208 So maybe come up a little bit. 00:06:15.208 --> 00:06:17.777 Engage the belly, navel to spine. 00:06:17.777 --> 00:06:21.681 Opening the chest, drawing the shoulders down. 00:06:21.681 --> 00:06:25.252 We can also take a block and bring it to the hip here 00:06:25.252 --> 00:06:27.587 for a little support. Ooh that is great. 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:32.025 Long, smooth, deep breaths. 00:06:32.025 --> 00:06:34.261 Or I can keep my block here for stability 00:06:34.261 --> 00:06:37.931 and use a blankie to kind of support here, 00:06:37.931 --> 00:06:41.067 lifting the earth up to my hip, top my bum. 00:06:43.860 --> 00:06:46.973 And then same thing here, keeping the chest open, 00:06:46.973 --> 00:06:49.886 I can find what feels good, ding! 00:06:49.886 --> 00:06:52.746 Finding what feels good for your forehead on the block. 00:06:52.746 --> 00:06:56.483 Maybe coming to the forearms in due time. 00:06:57.217 --> 00:06:58.685 Maybe you're rockin' and rollin' today 00:06:58.685 --> 00:07:00.287 gonna bring the forehead all the way down 00:07:00.287 --> 00:07:02.022 and find a mudra. 00:07:02.422 --> 00:07:07.093 Just experimenting but being mindful no matter what. 00:07:09.362 --> 00:07:13.833 Same thing here, I press into the palms. 00:07:13.833 --> 00:07:16.503 Lift back to all fours to come out, 00:07:16.503 --> 00:07:20.073 and then send it back, Extended Child's Pose. 00:07:21.241 --> 00:07:23.977 Aww, perfect. 00:07:25.779 --> 00:07:30.083 That was One-Legged Pigeon or Pigeon Pose. 00:07:30.083 --> 00:07:33.253 Great hip opener, great heart opener. 00:07:33.253 --> 00:07:35.121 I love Pigeon. 00:07:35.121 --> 00:07:37.390 It's also the name of one of my favorite songs 00:07:37.390 --> 00:07:40.694 from one of my favorite bands, Tennis. 00:07:40.694 --> 00:07:42.762 "Pigeon", it's a good song, check it out. 00:07:42.762 --> 00:07:43.963 If you have any questions or comments 00:07:43.963 --> 00:07:46.266 please leave it below in the comment box. 00:07:46.266 --> 00:07:48.034 I love hearing your feedback. 00:07:48.535 --> 00:07:49.836 If you haven't subscribed to the channel, 00:07:49.836 --> 00:07:52.539 subscribe to the channel already! 00:07:52.539 --> 00:07:54.841 Hop on the newsletter bandwagon 00:07:54.841 --> 00:07:56.776 and Like us on Facebook if you haven't already 00:07:56.776 --> 00:07:58.211 so you don't miss anything. 00:07:58.211 --> 00:08:01.581 Thank you so much. Enjoy Pigeon, and Namaste. 00:08:02.444 --> 00:08:07.844 (upbeat music)