Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana aka: Pigeon



(aa-KAH pah-DAH rah-JAH-cop-poh-TAHS-anna)
eka = one
pada = foot or leg
raja = king
kapota = pigeon or dove

The full pose, which is suitable for intermediate students, will be described in the Full Pose section below. First we'll practice the leg position only, which should be accessible to most experienced beginners.

Exercise: With your elbow straight up, exhale and bring the right side of your torso and shoulder forward. Draw your shoulder blades into your back and lift your chest from behind your heart. Press your right foot back into the resistance of your hands to deepen the shoulder stretch. This pose requires a lot of flexibility so take your time and do what you can.

Physical Benefit: Opens the hip flexors.

The pigeon yoga pose


The pigeon yoga pose, or eka pada rajakapotasana, is a four-part posture. As you continue to expand your yoga practice, you can work through each stage with a continued focus of intention.

Advantages


The root of kapotasana, kapota, means, "pigeon" or "dove" in Sanskrit. The full name of this posture stands for one-legged king pigeon, and the final stage of the posture, yogis arc their extended leg up and clasp the foot behind the head, like this.

The benefits of practicing the pigeon yoga pose are:

* Revitalized internal organs
* Extended stretch for the thighs, hips, and groins

Advanced practice also opens the chest and releases shoulder tension.

Step Into the Pose


1. Begin on all fours
2. Pull right leg up, close to the back of the right hand.
3. Angle your foot to the left
4. Slowly extend your left leg back, and sink your pelvis downward
5. Straighten the back as you rise above the extended left leg
6. Support yourself with straight arms alongside the body, and sink even further down into the pose

Beginner Tips


Tight hips and thighs restrict movement in this pose. Use a bolster or rolled blanket under the reclining leg at the front of the pelvis as you increase flexibility.

Support yourself with your hands until you achieve balance.

Advanced Tips


As you melt into the floor, bring your arms overhead, palms together, shoulders down, like this. If comfortable, tilt your head back, but only for a short period of time, because even though the tilt elongates the chest and neck, it decreases blood flow to the head.
Anatomical Focus

* Thighs
* Knees
* Abdomen
* Hips
* Groins
* Chest
* Shoulders


Therapeutic Applications

* Urinary disorders


Benefits

* Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
* Stimulates the abdominal organs
* Opens the shoulders and chest


Contraindications and Cautions

* Sacroiliac injury
* Ankle injury
* Knee injury
* Tight hips or thighs


Beginner's Tip
At first many students who learn this pose aren't able to easily grasp the back foot directly with their hands. Take a strap with a buckle. Slip a small loop over the back foot--let's say the left foot is extended back--and tighten the strap around the ball of the foot. Make sure the buckle is against the sole of the foot. Perform the leg position, and lay the strap on the floor along side the left leg. Bend the left knee and grasp the strap with the left hand. Swing that arm up and over your head, then reach back with the right hand. Hold the strap in both hands, and carefully walk your hands down the strap toward the foot.

Modifications and Props
It's often difficult to descend the outside of the front-leg hip all the way to the floor. Place a thickly folded blanket underneath the hip for support.

Partnering
Your partner can help with the lift of the arms. Perform the pose to your capacity, whether your hands are grasping the foot or a strap. Have your partner stand behind you. He should press his hands against your outer upper arms, just above the shoulder, and lift the outer arms toward the elbows. Release your side ribs down, away from the arms. Keep the tops of your shoulders soft. The full pose, which is suitable for intermediate students, will be described in the Full Pose section below. First we'll practice the leg position only, which should be accessible to most experienced beginners.

Preparatory Poses

* Baddha Konasana
* Bhujangasana
* Gomukhasana
* Setu Bandha
* Supta Virasana
* Supta Baddha Konasana
* Utthita Parsvakonasana
* Utthita Trikonasana
* Virasana
* Vrksasana


Follow-Up Poses
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana is actually the first in a series of four, increasingly difficult Pigeon poses. In each of the three successive poses, the forward leg is placed in a slightly different position. In the second variation the forward foot is standing on the floor just in front of the same-side buttock, with the knee angled well forward of the heel. In the third variation the forward leg is in Ardha Virasana, while in the fourth the leg is stretched straight forward (as in Hanumanasana or Monkey Pose) of the pelvis.

Deepen The Pose
Your partner can help with the lift of the arms. Perform the pose to your capacity, whether your hands are grasping the foot or a strap. Have your partner stand behind you. He should press his hands against your outer upper arms, just above the shoulder, and lift the outer arms toward the elbows. Release your side ribs down, away from the arms. Keep the tops of your shoulders soft. The full pose, which is suitable for intermediate students, will be described in the Full Pose section below. First we'll practice the leg position only, which should be accessible to most experienced beginners.

Did You Know...
For the full pose, first perform the preliminary leg position. Then with your hands braced on the floor, bend the back knee and bring the foot as close to the top of your head as possible. Inhale, stretch the right arm upward; then exhale, bend the elbow, and reach back and grasp the inside of the left foot. After a few breaths, reach back with the left hand and grasp the outside of the foot. Draw the sole of the foot as close as possible to the crown of your head. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Then release the foot, lower the leg, perform step 5 to change the position of the legs and repeat on the second side for the same length of time.