SLEEPING BIG-TOE POSE, REVOLVING VERSION
Two opposing stories take place simultaneously in the revolving variation of Supta Padangusthasana. The shoulders and chest turn in one direction, while the pelvis and lower body turn in another. Engage muscles that create this turning to enhance the twist in the pose. Note how drawing the shoulder blade on the free-hand side toward the midline turns the chest away from the pelvis. Similarly, adducting the thigh of the held leg draws the pelvis in an opposite direction to the shoulders. Finally, you can create a bandha by simultaneously pressing down on the foot with the hand and pressing against the hand with the foot. This activates the abductor muscles of the thigh and stabilizes the pelvis once the leg is revolved. Observe how straightening the elbow synergizes the action. Compare this to the cue that we gave in the standing pose Parivrtta Trikonasana, where we pressed the hand against the outer ankle and the foot against the hand. The effect is the same. In fact, one pose can be used to improve the other.
The lower body presents another story. We flex and internally rotate the upper leg while extending the lower leg. The upper leg adducts across the trunk in the opposite direction of the shoulder girdle, thereby rotating the spine. The vertebral column connects the shoulder girdle and pelvis and brings continuity to these two opposing stories. The breath is your soundtrack.
BASIC JOINT POSITIONS
Begin by using a belt to hold the foot, and draw the upper-side leg across the body. Use the opposite-side shoulder and arm to turn the upper body and chest away from the leg. As you gain flexibility, grasp the outer edge of the foot and press down with the palm of the hand to turn the hips. Then straighten and extend the leg that remains on the floor by engaging the buttocks muscles. Brace the body before you ease out of the asana. Use poses such as Marichyasana III to prepare the torso for the twist.
STEP 1 Activate the psoas and its synergists to flex the hip (synergists include the tensor fascia lata, pectineus, adductors longus and brevis, and gluteus minimus). Eccentrically contract the tensor fascia lata to press the side of the leg into the hand—this cue mimics abducting the femur, one action of this muscle; it also stabilizes and internally rotates the femur in the hip joint. Engage the quadriceps to straighten the knee. Extend the elbow and pronate the forearm (turn the palm to face down). Extend the shoulder to press the foot towards the floor, activating the posterior deltoid. Abduct the shoulder to draw the leg upward, contracting the lateral deltoid. This is an example of connecting the upper and lower extremities to dynamize the twist of the torso.
STEP 2 Straighten the lower-side leg by contracting the quadriceps. Draw the leg toward the midline to engage the adductor magnus. This muscle is also an extensor of the hip and synergizes the gluteus maximus in this action.
STEP 3 Create opposing actions between the upper and lower body. This image shows the muscles of the arm pressing down onto the foot. Turn the palm down by engaging the pronators teres and quadratus of the forearms. Straighten the elbow with the triceps. Press down onto the foot with the lateral and posterior portions of the deltoid. Draw the shoulder blade toward the midline by engaging the rhomboids.
The serratus anterior expands the chest, drawing the shoulder and arm in the direction of the foot. At the same time, extend the lower-side leg by activating the gluteus maximus. Note that this action has the side effect of turning the foot outward. Oppose this by pressing the heel into the floor and attempting to draw the foot away from the midline. Using this cue engages the tensor fascia lata and internally rotates the femur at the hip, opposing the external rotational force of the gluteus maximus.
STEP 4 Arch the back on the side away from the lifted leg. This contracts the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles. Tighten the external obliques on the held-leg side by turning the shoulder towards the opposite hip. These actions increase the twist and stabilize the spine. Draw the free-arm shoulder blade toward the midline by contracting the major and minor rhomboids. This action aids to turn the shoulder in the opposite direction of the lower body.
STEP 5 Abduct the shoulder with the lateral deltoid, and draw the hand toward the floor with the posterior deltoid. Contract the triceps. Engage the pronators teres and quadratus of the forearm to turn the palm to face downwards. Connect this with the rhomboids on this side to draw the scapula toward the midline, turning the shoulders and chest away from the pelvis.
STEP 6 Avoid shrugging the shoulders. Use the lower third of the trapezius to draw them away from the ears. Expand the chest and draw the scapulae toward the spine. Remember that in Step 3 we engaged the serratus anterior of the arm that holds the foot. Follow this action with contracting the rhomboids to stabilize the shoulder.
STEP 7 This image illustrates the role of the adductor muscles along the inner thighs. These muscles draw the upper leg across the body, stretching the antagonist muscles, including the gluteus medius and tensor fascia lata. On the lower-leg side, the adductors draw the femur toward the midline; the adductor magnus, which is located more posteriorly, helps the gluteus maximus to extend the hip.
STEP 8 Certain of the deep external rotators also act to adduct the femur. These include the quadratus femoris and piriformis. Use visualization to engage these muscles.
SUMMARY All of these actions culminate in an intense stretch of the muscles at the back and side of the raised leg. Flexing and adducting the hip stretches the muscles that oppose this action, including the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, tensor fascia lata, and hamstrings. Extending the knee stretches the hamstring and gastrocnemius muscles. Abducting the shoulders and opening the chest stretches the pectoralis major, and extending the elbows lengthens the biceps and brachialis muscles. Turning the torso stretches the abdominals and spinal rotators.