Reverse Pigeon II

Sanskrit Name:	Upavishati Kapotasana
Similar Pose Names:	Sitting swan
Category:	Seated & Floor
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Category:	Yoga Lesson Planner
Sub Category:	Seated & Floor
Types:	Animal, Arm Balance, Balance, Chest Opener, Hip Opener, Seated, Seated & Floor, Stretch
Anatomy:	Arms & Shoulders, Biceps & Triceps, Core, Hips, Lower Back
Chakras:	Sacral Centre
Therapy:	Leg Congestion, Poor Posture, Sciatica
Drishti:	Up
Dosha:	Pitta

Sit with your legs straight in front of you. Lean back slightly on hands. Place right ankle over left knee. Bend left leg and bring heel in towards hip. Keep right foot flexed to support knee. Move hips closer to the left foot (deepen stretch). Slide hands further behind yourself and bring them as close together as possible. Gently drop head back to extend neck. After coming out, shake out arms. Repeat on other side.

Arms & shoulder stretch. Core. Hip opener. Chest opener. Balance.

Eye of the needle pose.

Knee injury

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The Reverse Pigeon Pose is also called the “Sitting Swan pose”. It is a gentle way to oil your hips if the Half Pigeon pose or King pigeon pose is too intense. It’s also a great alternative pose for a yoga teacher to give students for any hip-opening poses that the student struggles with.

Reverse Pigeon Pose Teaching Directions

To come into the Reverse Pigeon pose, take a sitting position where your legs are straight out in front of you, lean back slightly on your hands, place your right ankle over the left knee, bend the left leg and bring the heel in towards your leg hip. Keep the right foot flexed to support the knee. As you hold, you may find the intensity in your right hip diminishes. If so, move the hips closer to the left foot. Slowly move the hands away from you and lean into them. You may feel stress in the shoulders, elbows or wrists. When you have had enough come out. After coming out, shake out the arms to relax them. Repeat on the other side!

Reverse Pigeon Pose Modification

Hands Further Behind You (Reverse Pigeon II)
Slide the hands further behind you and bring the hands closer together. You can drop your head gently back if you want to. Try to get your hands to touch.

Eye Of The Needle Pose
The Eye Of The Needle Pose is a great modification for beginners. It’s exactly the same as Reverse Pigeon Pose except that it is in a supine position.

Reverse Pigeon Pose Against A Wall
The Reverse Pigeon Pose Against A Wall pose is a great modification and preparation for the Reverse Pigeon pose.

Reverse Pigeon II

Reverse Pigeon Pose Teaching Directions

Reverse Pigeon Pose Modification

Video

Follow Up Poses

Half Pigeon

Sage II

Sage III

Sage I

Preparation Poses

Knee To Chest

Cradle Baby

Seated Pigeon

Reverse Pigeon Wall

Counter Poses

Knee To Chest