Swan
Featuring Suz
Graduated from Root to Rise Teacher Training Spring 2024
Swan is a grounding hip opener that can be practiced upright in a proud swan or relaxed folded forward in sleeping swan. Proud swan is more yang like in nature offering the addition of a nice backbend as you stay lifted while sleeping swan is more yin like as you fold forward to create a more relaxed sense of creating space in your hip flexors and quads.
Benefits
Strong external rotation of front hip
Provides the quadriceps and hip flexors a nice stretch for the side that has the leg back
A moderate to strong backbend, compressing the lower back
benefits from YinYoga.com
Directions
Start in downward facing dog or from tabletop (all fours).
Slide your right knee between your hands and check in with your knee. If your knee feels fine, flex your right foot and move it forward. If your knee feels stressed, bring your foot closer to your hip.
Center yourself so your weight is evenly distributed.
Draw your back leg straight back with the top of your foot down.
From here press your palms down into the mat to lift your chest forward. You can stay here for a few minutes and/or lower your toro to the ground with support from a bolster or block to keep your neck in alignment with your spine.
Release slowly back to downdog or all fours and repeat on the other side.
Modifications
Place a folded blanket under your hips to assist with alignment as you root down.
Variations
While in proud swan staying lifted place a strap around the foot of your extended leg and use the strap to gently pull your back forward forward for Trumpeting Swan.
Practice our pose of the month with us in your next Studio or Virtual class.
