Hot Yoga Pose Forums > Chapter: Salabhasana
Nice, Becky! THe other thing about the hands is not to press down and flatten them as the legs go up - no need to stress the wrists! Try keeping the hands natural - flat - that is, without pressing them flat - and let your lower back do the lifting vs the wrists. As long as you keep the legs locked and light, you are not asking too much of your lower back!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
This is one pose where I do feel tremendous pain in my arms when I try to touch my forearms together under my body. When I keep my fingers together and pull my shoulders apart, I can lift both of my legs much higher. I like what is said above about keeping my hands natural flat rather than pushing into my palms. It is very true about keeping the legs locked because they feel so much lighter. When I keep my arms out a tad (when I have them under my body), I can keep my legs locked and light and lift up much higher.
Another thing that I think is cool about this pose is that it was the same motion that my chiropractor used to make me go through to assess where my back was jammed up. I would lift each left separately, and he could see where I was shifting my weight to. I almost use this as a self assessment, so on the second set I can breathe in deeper and get more release.
Brittany Yard
I would encourage students to be patient in this pose and focus on the instructions. I experienced tremendous discomfort of my arms under my body with palms down when first coming to hot yoga. I could not get my arms under my body, only my hands. As I progressed the twisting of the arm and shoulder became more comfortable and I focused on keeping my shoulders down, back and away from my neck. Pressing down and away with the shoulders allows me to really focus on locking the legs and lifting more easily. I really love the rush of blood back into the arms coming into Savasana.
Lisa O'Rourke
I'm surprised more people haven't said anything about getting the arms underneath the body! For me, this is the most challenging part of this pose, and the most discomfort I feel (probably throughout the entire class). The blades of my pinky fingers aren't matched; it almost feels like my hands are an inch apart. Is there a trick to getting your arms further underneath your body? I'm wondering if I need to lift up my chest to get my arms further underneath before the pose starts?
Chrissy Graziano
What Lisa said lol! Yes it is a work in progress and discomfort is another way of saying "working it out."
Chrissy, if your pinkies dont touch, you may have "long arms" (lucky devil!) This may also mean that walking the fingers towards the knees makes the shoulders buckle. Find your place of arms underneath and chest flat (pull your collarbones apart so the shoulders dont shrug inward) and its OK to keep that inch of space between the blades of the pinkies. As long as what you feel is discomfort vs pain, keep pushing your edge here.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Brittany thats cool about your chiropractor!
Of course you need to back away from pain - but its not your forearms that need to squeeze together, its the blades of your pinkies. These two things can be independent of each other
And yes to pulling the shoulders apart, thus creating a flat chest to take the weight of the body as you lift the legs - and yes to locking those legs which makes them feather-light and filled with a kind of electrical energy that moves through you rather than weighing you down!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I believe for me the key is locking the legs and pointing the toes. Once I feel this engaged I try to roll the weight to the shoulders but I haven’t been able to extend this far yet. I agree with Marguerite tighten and lighten.
I also feel that matching the blades of the pinky fingers is a great cue to emphasize to students to help them get the arms more underneath the body to help them move past being stuck with arms at the sides or other limitations.
maria
I have to agree with Lisa and Chrissy. It took me a while to be able to get my arms under my body and match the blades of my pinky fingers. Locking the arms is important but sometimes I find it brings my arms out a little. Now I am focusing on externally rotating my shoulders to open my chest. At the same time pushing into my hands. This will enable me to get my weight onto my shoulders and lift my legs up higher.
I love picturing my legs perpendicular to the floor. I’ll let you know how it feels!!
Jeanne
Jeanne, I do the same imagining. For me the biggest difference was when I broke through a lot of my emotional boundaries with opening my chest. I feel opening the chest is key to helping get the weight from the shoulders to the chest. However, I don’t like matching the blades of the pinky fingers togerher. I don’t feel comfortable my hip bones can’t balance correct and end up digging in and hurting me. I like leaving about an inch between my hands to allow a bit more comfort
Stephanie
Steph, this is also a bit uncomfortable, awkward pose for me to the point of hurting a bit or straining to stretch legs up. Perhaps I'll try imagining like you and Jeanne. Tightening legs is key part for me too as Maria said. However, my body weight feels drawn to the mat when I do this. Challenging to get it up!
amy
Interesting isnt it...that tightness in an asana can be physical (externally rotating the shoulders is a great tip, Jeanne) or it can create an awareness that there is an emotional block (opening the chest can be a vulnerable feeling one is not willing to risk yet, Steph). Awareness is a beautiful initial step to change....and this is one of the many ways that yoga differs from "exercise" - in the awareness of body/mind/spirit that has become such a buzzphrase but as you experience it yourself, you can see the validity of it.
I'd like to ask you all: what does it matter if the tightness/pain/inability comes from a physical or emotional basis, if YOU are in charge of your own vibration and can simply CHOOSE to move past it, or leave the old tightness behind, all in good time and being patient with yourself while you do?
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I don't think it matters where the tightness comes from;I think it is the letting go that counts. Little by little just easing along. For me double leg lift used to be a killer I could barely get my legs off the ground an inch for a few seconds and then it became easier, but still super uncomfortable. Doing Guru with Aimee she suggested I pull my weight back instead of forward because it made my breasts hurt going forward. I do that now and I still end up forward into my shoulders but with out completely squashing my chest under me. Removing that discomfort also means my legs go up easier, higher and longer.
Paula
I used to hate the feeling of my arms under my body, but now I actually like it because of how good it feels when they come back out into frontal savasana. For some reason I was keeping my head flat to the mat for the entire pose--now I will try looking in the mirror for the single leg lifts. And pressing into my upper body is a work in progress--I find it hard to do when you are flat on the mat.
irenem
I agree Rhonda and Paula, I don't think it matters where the tightness comes from either. I think, as Paula says, it is the letting go that counts. And I'd like to add that before that it is the awareness and acceptance of where you are now. E.g., "I am tight today--okay I got it." I've never been able to lift both of my legs high in double leg lift (at least I don't think--since I can't watch :)), but I'll get there.
Pamela
I had a lot of discoveries in the chapter on Salabasana. I was intrigued by the photo, where the model lifts her body in sort of plank on her toes and shoulders in order to get her arms under her body.Need to try that in the class. I always have a trouble getting arms under in one motion. I , like Irene, had a very hard time with my arms- it was almost excruciating pain. It does get better but I have ways to go. I wonder if rotating the arms , as suggested, will make it easier of more challenging. I did find it comforting that it is said to work out scar tissue and loosen the joints of the elbows.
Irina
Irina, you can lift your hips without going into that plank-like pose - just lift your hips straight up rather than wiggle them side to side - and you will have created a space to wiggle your arms under your body, then place the hips down! Dont do external rotation of the arms...instead just bring them under the body as far as you can without pain. Yes, Pamela I go through periods of being able to fly with my legs, and barely lifting them off the ground...and as to your comment Paula, I dont often care about why...it just OK I got it. Thats where I am today. Interestingly I have noticed the curious paradox that if you accept yourself where you are, you are almost instantly able to move deeper. Self acceptance is one of the deepest and most personal forms of letting go whcih as you noted, Paula, is powerful indeed. And here is another idea for painful breast Paula: pull your collarbones apart and keep them apart and balance the weight on the flat area you create just above the breasts, which take the weight off the breasts completely. Let us know how that goes.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I love the posses that have to do with leg and back strength, my 2 biggest strengths. I feel like my legs are quite high during the double leg lift. I can't wait until I can get onto my chest and shoulders.
Erica
I love this pose. I get my hands to meet at my pinkies in between my hip bones,. I extend each leg and they feel like they float up. When I do the double leg lift I don't feel like I can extend both at the same time and they want to pull apart. Bhujangadana has helped me with keeping legs together in this pose. When it comes to rolling the weight forward into my chest it feels like it stops at my ribs and my shoulders pull forward! Legs locked and extend one at a time,- kind of wiggle them to extend and lift, and and extend my collarbone to pull out shoulders- that's my next move
Lisa N
Lisa, roll your knees in when you do the double leg lift - it will help the legs feel stronger yet lighter. Also you dont roll the weight forward to the chest: you catapult yourself forward to the shoulders. So yes, the shoulders might indeed pull forward - just dont concave them in towards the chest, keep the collarbones wide and grounded.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
i find that 2 legs is easier as well, but the other thing i have changed in this pose is my hands. in the past i was taught that having the fingers spread wide is best but i do like the feelings of having them together, it actually feels easier to get them higher