Reclining Pigeon Pose (Supta Kapotanasana)

1. Even though this pose has "Reclining" in the title, we don't want everything to be relaxed! Your legs need to be actively engaged to feel the stretch in your hips. You can see in the "Before" photo that my legs aren't engaged and my feet aren't flexed. By flexing your feet, you can engage the stretch and also avoid long term knee damage!

2. I am grabbing my knee instead of the back of my hamstring. (ouch!) you never want to put pressure on your knee because over time you could create a stress fracture. If you are having trouble reaching your hamstring, use a belt around your foot!

3. I am lifting up through my back and neck, resulting in some serious straining in my upper body. Let your upper body do the reclining here. Keep your back glued to the ground and especially keep your neck lounged and neutral. You could really hurt your shoulders or neck by lifting from that region!

PROP MODIFICATION: BELT

Use a belt! This will help extend your reach and allow you to build flexibility in your hips. Or don't grab at all! Keep your hands on the ground and just engage your legs.