The Problem with Pigeon

This was very useful for me ❤️ something like cobblers pose comes very easy for my body, but when I’m in pigeon I’ve always felt pressure to inch the front shin as close to parallel with the front edge of the mat AND to flex that foot! Double OUCH! I always revert back to the more tucked in, pointed toe version you demonstrate, and that’s my natural happy place. Now I know why! Thank so much for this 🙏🏻

Jenny so happy to hear that! Thanks for practicing with me:)

Super helpful, thank you so much. Very well explained 👍

Thanks Evita ! Glad you found it helpful!

I've learned so much from this 7 min tutorial! This is golden!

Amazing Christina thank you for watching!!

Hi Kristin, Caroline King here.  Wondering about advice against (for the most part) flexing ankle in seated pigeon, but recommending in supine pigeon?  Is this  difference just a function of  the body weight in seated vs. supine? 

Caroline Hi! I think because of the relationship of weight/pressure and the floor being in the way makes flexing the foot in the seated version troublesome for the front knee. The version on the back you can move the foot past the knee, see the relationship between the tibia and femur clearly and of course guide the stretch easier because of the relationship to gravity. Does this make sense?

It does make sense, thank you Kristin.  Its so interesting that when something is persistently difficult there is a tendency to assume its because of something we're doing (or not doing), instead of attributing it to the natural limitations (and from another point of view useful qualities) of the anatomy.