Download a guide to this pose. (PDF)
Bhujapidasana (pressure on the shoulders pose) bhuja means shoulder or arm pida means pressure, or to squeeze, so we are literally squeezing our shoulders with our legs, developing strength and heat for the upcoming poses with Bhujapidasana. Bhujapidasana prepares your body for Kurmasana (particularly your abdominals), Baddha Konasana and Upavishta Konasana.
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Method:
- From Downward facing dog, hop your feet outside your hands, trying to place your palms on the floor with your fingertips just behind your heels. NO BACKWARD THUMBS, make sure your thumb and fingers point forward—leaning your weight on to backward thumbs can hurt the thumb joint. Keep your feet just inside your yoga mat for the correct width in your stance.
- If your can not get your hands to the floor behind your feet then you need to work on your outer hip flexibility—do this by first placing your right hand on your heel and work your shoulder behind your thigh, keep your right shoulder there and do the same with your left side, then try to straighten your legs as much as your hamstrings permit. Stay here for 5 breaths and take vinyasa for the next pose.
- From sitting on your triceps shift your weight back a little further letting your feet come off the floor, OR begin to walk your feet together in front of you and try to lock your ankles, SQUEEZE YOUR SHOULDERS WITH YOUR LEGS / INNER THIGHS. Initially you will stay here for 5 breaths and then take your vinyasa.
- To progress, open your knees and slide them down your arms just a bit, point your toes and turn your feet so your toes aim backward, pull your feet up toward your groin, carefully bend your elbows and lower (do not tip forward) your forehead to the floor—squeezing with your thighs greatly increase the control of this descent (as your practice progresses your chin goes toward-but not touching the floor whilst you gaze at your nose). Take 5 breaths here.
- To exit from here, raise yourself up, inhaling extend your legs for tittibhasana, exhaling one at a time tuck your legs back to bakasana sucking your knees into your armpits and your heels to your buttocks, hold this position for an inhale, on your next exhale glide back to Chaturanga Dandasana for vinyasa.
As your practice advances:
- From Downward Dog, Inhale hopping your hips up high using bandha control, land with your inner thighs around your arms, lock your ankles and exhaling lower your chin toward the floor. Remain here for 5 breaths and exit as above.
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