This week’s pose of the week is Kurmasana, Tortoise Pose. This shape is not accessible to all bodies but we can adjust it to fit your unique body! Treat each “How to” step as a bus stop, get off at whichever step feels right in your body today.
Benefits:
Opens the hips, groin, and back of thighs.
How to:
- Start in a seated position with legs extended in front of you, dandasana.
- Open your legs into a V-position, about 90 degrees apart ensure that your knees and flexed feet stay pointing upwards towards the ceiling.
- Hinge at the hips into a forward fold with hands extended in front of you.
- Bend the knees enough to create space between the knee and the floor.
- Slowly reach one hand at a time under the knee to reach behind you with palms facing down.
- Continue to fold forward, sliding the shoulders under the knees or hands further behind you.
- Bring the forehead or chin towards the floor,
- Begin to straighten out through the legs and gently round the low back, as you lengthen your sternum away from the navel.
- Hold and breathe evenly for 5 breaths or more.
- To release, reach the hands back in front of you, lift the shoulder above the hips and draw the legs together back into, dandasana.
Modify it:
Be compassionate with yourself. Build one step at a time and stop at any point. Last week’s pose of the week, Wide-legged forward fold is a great alternative if this shape does not work for you.