Loosening Exercises for Padmasana (Lotus Pose) Preparation
>> Sunday, January 25, 2009 –
Yoga Pose
In the previous post "How to Prepare for Padmasana", I discussed the muscles and joints which need to be loosened for practicing Padmasana (Lotus Pose). In this post I will be discussing specific exercises which will loosen the joints and muscles which were discussed in the previous post. Practicing these exercise will gradually prepare you for Padmasana.
Base Position
Sit in the base position sit with your legs stretched out in front of you, near to each other and hands just behind your hips supporting your back. This position keeps you legs free for the exercises and supports the back.
Ankle Stretch
With exhalation stretch the toe of the feet as much as possible towards the floor, stay for few seconds and then with inhalation bring back the toes towards the knee. Stay there for 3-5 seconds and then again stretch the toe forward.
Repeat these 5-7 times slowly, with awareness on the ankle joints.
Ankle Rotation
While sitting in base position, Rotate both feet clockwise, slowly. Exhale, while the feet are going down and inhale while feet are coming up. It is important to keep the awareness on the joint and that is easier if we practice slowly.
Knee Flexing (Ardh Titli - Half Butterfly)
Sit in the base position. Now bring the right feet on top of the left knee. With the right hand, push the right knee towards the floor. If it pains stop there and bring it up. Now again push the knee down. Repeat this for 4-5 times slowly, and then start doing this faster and repeat for around 20 rounds.
Now practice with the left leg.
Repeat this with the right leg and this time you will feel that this time the knee is more flexibile and opening up. Now repeat around 30-40 round with both the legs.
Once knee joint become loose now put the right sole as much near to the groin of the left leg on the left thigh and again move the right knee up and down holding the right knee with the right hand. Repeat this for 30-40 times. Repeat the same with the left leg also.
Repeat with both legs for two rounds.
This exercise increases the flexibility of Vastus Lateralis, the muscle near the knee joint tremendously which gets streched during Padmasana, and this exercise is the most important out of all these mentioned here.
Butterfly Pose
Join both the feet and try to bring them towards the body as much as possible. Hold both the feet with the hands to keep them together and nearer to the body. Now try to create butterfly like movement with knees moving them up and down slowly. Do this for 50-60 times. Now increase the speed and do it for around 100 times, and again increase the speed to maximum possible and repeat for 50-60 times. Now slowly reduce the speed gradually and finally stop.
This will make the hip joints flexible and help bringing the kness towards the ground.
Practicing all these exercises daily will make your body ready for Ardh Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose) in few weeks and then for achieving Padmasana.
How to Prepare for Padmasana
Benefits of Sitting in Padmasana
Ardh Padmasana
Base Position
Sit in the base position sit with your legs stretched out in front of you, near to each other and hands just behind your hips supporting your back. This position keeps you legs free for the exercises and supports the back.
Ankle Stretch
With exhalation stretch the toe of the feet as much as possible towards the floor, stay for few seconds and then with inhalation bring back the toes towards the knee. Stay there for 3-5 seconds and then again stretch the toe forward.
Repeat these 5-7 times slowly, with awareness on the ankle joints.
Ankle Rotation
While sitting in base position, Rotate both feet clockwise, slowly. Exhale, while the feet are going down and inhale while feet are coming up. It is important to keep the awareness on the joint and that is easier if we practice slowly.
Knee Flexing (Ardh Titli - Half Butterfly)
Sit in the base position. Now bring the right feet on top of the left knee. With the right hand, push the right knee towards the floor. If it pains stop there and bring it up. Now again push the knee down. Repeat this for 4-5 times slowly, and then start doing this faster and repeat for around 20 rounds.
Now practice with the left leg.
Repeat this with the right leg and this time you will feel that this time the knee is more flexibile and opening up. Now repeat around 30-40 round with both the legs.
Once knee joint become loose now put the right sole as much near to the groin of the left leg on the left thigh and again move the right knee up and down holding the right knee with the right hand. Repeat this for 30-40 times. Repeat the same with the left leg also.
Repeat with both legs for two rounds.
This exercise increases the flexibility of Vastus Lateralis, the muscle near the knee joint tremendously which gets streched during Padmasana, and this exercise is the most important out of all these mentioned here.
Butterfly Pose
Join both the feet and try to bring them towards the body as much as possible. Hold both the feet with the hands to keep them together and nearer to the body. Now try to create butterfly like movement with knees moving them up and down slowly. Do this for 50-60 times. Now increase the speed and do it for around 100 times, and again increase the speed to maximum possible and repeat for 50-60 times. Now slowly reduce the speed gradually and finally stop.
This will make the hip joints flexible and help bringing the kness towards the ground.
Practicing all these exercises daily will make your body ready for Ardh Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose) in few weeks and then for achieving Padmasana.
Related Posts
How to Prepare for Padmasana
Benefits of Sitting in Padmasana
Ardh Padmasana
I have taken up the suggestions for lotus pose and have benefitted by them. Thank you.
Thanks a lot Venkata for commenting and sharing your experience.