Kapotasana

Yogasana to relieve nerve tension – Pigeon pose

Exercises and Yoga must be there in everyone’s life. These are getting maximum benefit in a very small investment. Yoga is a vast topic that holds many categories such as asanas, pranayama, meditation, and many more. Here we will be talking about a yogasana to relieve nerve tension – Pigeon pose. It has many more benefits but the discussed one is the most prompt one.

Many times you must be wondering why yogasanas are named by the prefix of some animals, birds, or insects. Just because, in the yoga pose your body tends to look the same. They are meant with numerous benefits and make your body flexible and healthy. Now let’s move to our concerned yoga pose called ‘Pigeon pose’. We will be providing you the full description of the pose which will help to make you understand it in full description.

What is Pigeon pose?

Pigeon pose is also called ‘Kapotasana‘. It is a Sanskrit term that is made of two words; Kapota which means a pigeon; and Asana which means pose or posture. In this very asana, your body looks like a sitting pigeon. Well, this has many more types. In each type, the asana gets much tougher and filled with benefits.

Now, let’s move to the steps for the Pigeon pose;

Steps for Pigeon pose

1. From downward facing dog, bring the right leg up into a downdog split.
2. Bend your right knee and bring that knee to the floor outside the right hand while releasing the front of the left leg to the floor.
3. The right shin may angle back towards the left hip or be more parallel to the front of your mat, depending on your flexibility.
4. Square your hips towards the front of your mat.
5. Take padding under the right side of the butt as necessary to make the pose more comfortable.
6. Bring your torso down into a forward bend over your right leg.
7. Let the weight of your body rest on your right leg.
8. Continue squaring your hips and breathing into the tightness.
9. Make sure the top of your left foot keeps pressing down into the mat and pointing straight back
10. Come back up, bringing your hands in line with your hips.
11. Repeat the pose for as much time you can.

Health Benefits of Pigeon Pose

Pigeon pose has numerous benefits, which are listed below.

• It strengthens your groin and back area.
• It also lengthens your hip flexors.
• May relieve sciatic nerve tension and ease chronic low back pain.
• Traditionally thought to control sexual desire, increase circulation to urinary, digestive, and reproductive systems.
• May relieve sciatic nerve tension and ease chronic low back pain.

Contradictions for Pigeon pose

Those suffering from the following difficulties should avoid the pose.

• History of shoulder dislocation – do not progress to holding the top of the foot behind the back (Advanced b below) and use caution reaching behind you for the foot.
• Sacroiliac joint injury – due to the opposing action of the legs in this pose which may increase strain across the joint.
• Knee injury, meniscus or ligament injury.

So, these were the benefits and descriptions of the Pigeon pose. It is one of the best poses to be done.