Hot Yoga Pose Forums > Sasanghasana: Rabbit pose
Lisa, isn't that one of the best things about hot yoga?! "I can't see how I could ever get my thighs perpendicular to the floor," but then one day... BAM your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. It's so crazy what our bodies can do that we used to think were impossible. I have always been able to get my forehead to my knees in this pose, but used to get stuck lifting my hips up. One class, Rhonda cued me to move the hands further down on my feet as I was pulling and pop! my hips popped right up. This pose actually makes me feel as lightheaded as camel does some days, so I always enjoy the savasana afterwards.
Chrissy Graziano
Chrissy I had I similar experience. I always wonder though is it better for my hips to be perpendicular to the ground or my hands on my toes with my hips not straight up and down ?
Stephanie
I have always been able to get my head to my knees but I agree that the cue of tucking your chin to your throat really gets the curl in. I liked reading the description of where the stretch could be felt. I have been focusing on this in class. I love the thoracic stretch since I feel this is a difficult spot to give a good stretch to.
Jeanne
The set up is absolutely key to getting the forehead to the knees. Somedays I get it there other days I don’t. The cue of inhale lift the chest up and exhale tuck the chin hard, roll the shoulders inward helps me set up as well as looking for the throat as Tina mentions and I know I’ve heard Rhonda cue. I think this curling in allows the rabbit appearance of a rounded back. Sometimes I feel I’m there but I don’t feel like my legs are ever perpendicular. This is a pose in progress for me
maria
Yes, the curling in and rounded back is what helps me get forehead to knees, like Maria mentions. But then sometimes I'm stuck and can't straighten my thighs. Hmmm. not sure about the "rabbit" look.
amy
Stephanie to answer your question: hips square is most important in a pose like Dandayamana Biphaktapada Janushiurasa. In Sasanghasana the most important thing is forehead to knees...then pulling on the heels to fet the hips up SQUARE. Once the hips lift rather easily, think about rounding your MIDDLE BACK and pushing it towards the front mirrors, without separating forehead from the knees. In every pose it is always a little bit of this, an adjustment to that, taking it further here, bringing it back into alignment there... you just keep working the edges little by little and it all falls into place...and you KNOW THAT feeling!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I also agree, ladies, that rounding the middle back deeply - which paradoxically often means relaxing it completely - is key to getting forehead to the knees. Like you, Maria, some days I do get there and some days I don't...I'm not in a hurry though, its all a work (plurk) in progress (expansion.) Here's another tip I find useful: once you tuck the chin/looking for the throat and curl the shoulders inward, lean back a little before starting your pulling-descent...this helps me a lot.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Rhonda I’ll definitely try your last tip about leaning back a little after tucking chin before descent and see how that feels. This used to be my least favorite pose but now it’s one of my faves and I always look forward to it. It’s sort of ironic because the curling inward and rolling into a ball sort of feels like hiding, yet the feeling j have after this pose is usually proud and empowered. I love the feeling of slowly uncurling and restacking my spine.
Pamela
Pamela, did you know that Sasangasana is a heart opening pose? At first it looks like a “hiding” pose but the strong thoracic spine lifting at the middle back actually draws on the heart chakra. One more reason this pose might feel so satisfying!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Getting the thoracic spine lifting, heart opening part of this pose only recently started to happen for me. My arms are a tiny bit on the short side so grabbing my heels and sitting up straight is kind of a challenge and my forehead ends up somewhere up my thigh more often than not. The game changer for me was a class where Rhonda told me to move my hands slightly down my feet. I was able to lift higher and pull way harder and get a huge, awesome stretch all the way across my upper back. It turned a boring or frustrating pose into something I really enjoy.
Paula
I still cannot get my forehead to my knees--so close. I can straighten my legs without putting pressure on the top of my head. I am going to try tucking a little more as some of the other teachers suggested--maybe that will help me to get a little further.
irenem
For some reason I find the pose somewhat easy. I do still work on getting my thighs perpendicular to the floor and focus on keeping my arms straight.
Irina
People always seem to have strong feelings about Camel and Rabbit (as heart openers that would make sense). I never know if my forehead will touch my knees on any given day but like you, Irene, I can lift my hips without having my head on the mat even if my forehead isnt to my knees...but I dont. On those days when it touches and I lift, it feels way stronger! So I am patient for those days... !
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
This pose is a great stretch. I love this pose. I'm patiently waiting to get my thighs perpendicular to the ground but in the mean time enjoying the stretch in my middle back.
Erica
Erica you’re I the best possible place with this pose: enjoying where you are and happily anticipating more. After 25 years of practice I still find that sometimes I can lift my hips and sometimes not! Getting the forehead to the knees is an on again/off again thing for me . I have found however that I often have the top of my head off found that I can lift my hips and continue getting the forehead to the knees as I lift; as long as you’re not pressing the top of the head to that mat you can try this too
Rhonda Uretzky
This pose has been a challenge for me: trying to keep for head to knees, straightening the arms and lifting! I straighten the arms and it creates a gap between forehead and knees, so then I hunch my shoulders!!! From what I have read it seems the gap is ok AS LONG AS my chin stays tucked into my throat, arms are straight creating constant tension by pulling on my heels, AND NO WEIGHT ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD. I think these adjustments will take me a long way in this pose. Pull on the heels and press down on shins -and up go the hips!
Lisa N
Lisa, I had exactly the same issue and you are correct: as long as there is no pressure atop the head you can lift the hips with the gap between forehead and knee...but I can also tell you that once you DO get forehead to knee and lift, the experience is quite different. Yes, keep hunching the shoulders, and keep searching for the inside back of your throat with the top back part of your head, if that makes sense. I like to think of a snail curling into the innermost chamber of their snail shell, leading inward with the head...
Rhonda Uretzky
I allowed the gap to happen and my hips defiantly went higher :). I am this point that my forehead starts off on my knees, then the gap has to occur and then I startf fighting with my shoulders hunch, tighten release. The tension in my hunched shoulders seems like work. I think that eventually i will be able to relax my hunched shoulders and my hips will go up more and my forehead will come back to the knees. Just thinking about it sounds like it is going to feel SOOO good! I will keep practicing…
Lisa N
Lisa, its good to try this and see what it feels like to lift the hips, but still it is always best to KEEP THE FOREHEAD TO THE KNEES to avoid pressing down on the top of the head and thus applying downward and dangerous pressure on the neck. If the forehead is not to the knees, the neck is not relaxed enough. Be patient and take this step by step~
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I've always s been able to curl up and reach my forward to my knees in this pose and I like the feeling of being rolled up like a ball. I lift my hips a little but don't see or feel how I could ever get my thighs perpendicular to the floor. I still love the rush and pounding of my heart once in Savasana.