Things You'll Need:
- yoga mat, yoga strap and lightweight foam yoga block
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Step 1
Create flexibility in the hips and hamstrings: Use two yoga poses as a preparation for Reclining Big Toe Pose. Start with Thread the Needle: Lie on the back with both knees bent and feet off the mat. Cross the right ankle over the left leg and flex the foot. Weave your right hand through the opening of the legs and place it on the back of the left thigh. Bring your left hand to that thigh and interlace your hands behind the thigh. Lie back down and left the back of the right hip drop away from the chest.
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Step 2
Execute a variation of the Bridge pose to create flexibility in the hip joints: Lie on the back with the knees bent and feet flat. The feet are hips-width distance apart. Lift your hips and bring the arms overhead so that the back of your hands are on the floor above your head. Press the feet so that the hips remain lifted up. Shrug the shoulder blades down towards the hips to create space around the neck. Lower the hips down on the mat to rest. Repeat two to three times.
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Step 3
Use your yoga strap for the next part. Lie back down and bend both knees and keep your feet on the floor, hip-width distance apart. Hook your strap over the sole of the right foot and hold both ends of the strap in the right hand. Keep your left foot on the mat, that knee bent. Place your left hand on the left hip. Now extend the right leg to straight, with the strap still looped around the foot. Keeping the left foot "glued" to your mat, lower your right leg towards your mat to the right. Keep the right knee micro-bent as you lift the leg back to the top. Repeat three to four times slowly. Repeat with the left leg.
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Step 4
Moving into the full pose, straighten out the left leg so that the left big toe faces the ceiling and the center of the heel is rooted into the mat. If your hamstrings are very open, you might grasp the right big toe with the index and middle fingers and thumb of the right hand. Bend the knee if needed. If this is not happening because of tight hamstrings, keep your strap hooked around the foot. Keeping your left hand on the left hip, lower the right leg towards your chest. Remain for five breaths. Next stage is to lower the right leg to the right as far as the hip will allow. Look to the left and remain for five breaths. To exit this side, lift the leg to center, bend the knee and release the yoga strap. Repeat on the left side.
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Step 5
If you are using the yoga strap but find that when you lower the leg to the side the pose is too intense for your hip, place a yoga block below that foot as your linger in the pose for several breaths. Repeat to the second side. Rest by removing the strap and blow and hugging both knees to the chest and rolling on the low back.
