Problem is that I can't get my back straight during wide angle forward bend. Even if I sit against a wall my back slowly bends itself. Same thing with the other exercises you present.
Would it be enough, instead of the stretches, do sit in half lotus every day, reversing the legs? # times a day, 10 mins each leg on top, for example?
that was some nice demonstration.. it really helped me a lot.. especially the part about how much the knees are actually involved in this pose.. i thought they count for much more than that...
and i'm no longer forcin myself to get to the pose.. i'm gonna work on my hip flexibility using this forward bend thing u advised..
Hi. I tried doing the wide angle forward bend, and I felt nothing in my hamstrings when doing it so I tried doing it standing up, which made me feel a whole lot but I think I overstretched so I won't be doing that again for a while. My question is, I feel basically nothing in my hamstrings while doing this pose (my back is bascially 90 degrees to the floor, very unflexible), but is it still working? And when you say 30 minutes a day, do you mean just this one pose,30 minutes or a combination?
Im on the same boat as FortuneGranted3000. I do however go to gym regulary, I'm curious to know if their any benifits to trying the wide angle forward bend after a work out while the body is warmed up.
Thanks for this video. My hips are my weakest point when doing my ashtanga practice and I really want to help open them more. This video has been very informative.
@trendpose Good luck with your lotus! For you it's going to be 2-3 years in coming but you will get there if you stretch intelligently and consistently.
Wow i just tried to do the wide angle forward bend. I sucked. I'm going to keep at it though forever. I'm 29 and I can't believe how much flexibility I've lost. I know I'm overweight but damn I was almost still upright when I tried to do the movement. And my legs weren't even that far apart. Going to practice this for at least 15 minutes, multiple times daily. What recommendations do you have for me in this case to regain my flexibility? Any "quick gains" knowledge on this topic?
@FortuneGranted3000 if you do wide angle 15-30 minutes daily you'll be surprised how quickly your body bounces back and you start getting results. Try it!
@FortuneGranted3000 Have you done as you said? and has it worked? I'm 30 and I feel the same way and just found this video, so I just wanted to check :)
@kcityrocker Unfortunately no. I have been through so many ups and downs in the past 8 months. I've been focusing on my strength as well as old injuries. Been working as a club bouncer since then. I think after last night I'll have a lot of time on my hands at least for the next 2 weeks lol. Sorry but now that you have brought this back to my attention I will proceed to practice this. I'm pretty confident in his words given to me as advice!
Hey man great video, very informative and just awesome all around, I'll definetly try the wide angle forward bend every day until i get it down. What music do you have playing in the backround?
Am I right in thinking that muscles which are to be stretched must be reasonably strong and toned first? I hear that Tom Kurz teaches this. Apart from anything else I imagine it would help joint stability. If so, can you recommend some exercises that would strengthen the relevant muscles? Or better, put out a video.
i can do last to lotus variation which u told are difficult coz i cn doo lotus using my hands.... cn u tel me some tips on how to do lotus after going to handstand
@dabbuful For a lotus handstand you have to make the lotus from a seated position, roll over the knees to a table position, and then lift the lower body, lotus and all into the air. Not many people can do this and if things go wrong you're looking at an injury, so be careful. You should only attempt if you can hold a walls free handstand for 60 seconds.
@yogagarden thnx for advidse but i ws toking about padmasan aftr goin to handstand..... many of bboys do is......pls tel me d technic or upload a tutorial ...plssssss.... ive searchd utube... bt im unable to find a tutorial......plsss .....need help
i was wondering if i can just do wide angle forward bends in a chair instead of on the floor...Mainly because the stretch is just my hamstrings right now...If i sit in a chair and spread my legs like a forward bend then i can feel it stretching my inner groin muscles, it bypasses the hamstrings..therefore i can cut the time to lotus in half...Ive seen people do perfect full lotuses(and i mean perfect) in front of me but they couldn't even touch their toes...any thoughts?
1. The chair thing doesn't work. We even tried it when someone else came up with that idea. It doesn't hit the right muscles.
2. If you're hamstrings are tight, you have to go THROUGH that barrier into the groins to get to lotus.
3. A certain subset of the population has an unusual femur to tibia length ratio that allows them to do this pose even with poor leg flexibility. Sadly, you are not one of those people. So wide angle forward bend it is! Will take you 3 years.
would it really take three years to gain that much flexibility? i guess it depends where you are currently...
also, i try to do this stretch every morning and night, but my i was always told to stretch for five minutes at a time. is it safe to do this for up to 45 minutes a day?
@PaulMichaelXD For most Western people whose legs have almost no experience in anything other than a chair position it literally takes years and years to get the hip flexibility shown in this video.
The 5 mins stretch rule is good for body maintenance but we're talking about body reconditioning here, which requires longer stretching times. 45 minutes should be worked up to, not done at first.
Thank You SO MUCH for this video. If I went on the advice of other ppl on the Internet I might hav destroyed my legs. I never realized it is all from the hip.
Another suggestion, you should mention strength exercises needed to build and maintain the lotus. Flexibility is strength in a greater range of motion. Stretcing alone can not get you a full splits or lotus but rather strength exercises paired with stretching is the secret most are unaware of. Read Scientifically Stretching by Tom Kurtz
@yogagarden Awesome man! Nice to hear you know whats up. If you could incorportate Mr. Kurtz's teaching to your yoga videos; your videos will truly be unique/super useful. Like you voice over and Goku in this vid lol. Thanks man and keep'em coming.
great clip thanks, but how long shuld i keep the stretch? i will try to stretch for 30 min or so but shuld i make it with small brakes or just hold the stretch for all that time?
Amazing!! This is the best explanation I have ever seen about the lotus pose. I will do wide angle forward bends everyday. It's so simple! I was trying to kill my knees before.
thank you very much this video.... I've been meditating in a chair cause i cant even sit cross legged comfortably, let alone 1/2 or full lotus. forward bend, forward bend, forward bend. I will get there!
As far as I know, when done correctly and without a pillow under the buttocks the upper leg will be off the floor in full lotus. To get stability you can place a thin folded blanket under that knee that is off the floor.
I have been meditating on this lovely young lady, and it has done nothing but increase my stiffness!
On a more serious note, thank you for the video while I can do the lotus it is painful and I have been challenging my knees rather than my hips, sorts out what stretching I have to do!
@MikhailBortsov I read this many times .. if you dont believe Patrick .. read "Light on Pranayama" by BKS Iyenger. Both knees touching down is not required.
Great video and the only useful advice on getting to Full Lotus that I’ve been able to find. I want to do Full Lotus for meditation. I’m wondering if I could not achieve the same hip rotation by sitting astride a chair, legs at a wide angle, knees bent at right-angles on either side of the chair, feet on the floor and then lean the torso forward onto a comfortable surface such as a bed. This would be easier to do. Would it get me to a safe, comfortable Full Lotus?
I've searched and searched and finally found it. I was looking for good instruction on how to "learn" to attain the full lotus position. I was focusing on the wrong things. Thank you. Great video.
@blumountainsage Yes, I was so dismayed by the wealth of misinformation about lotus that I felt compelled to make this. Glad you enjoyed it, pass it on to others who need it.
Could you recommend a pose to prepare for wide angled forward bend ? lol , I cant seem to get any action on the hips , it feels more like a hamstring stretch and i cant lean down to the floor .
@jambonsambo you have to get through that stage first. The hamstrings will be the first to feel it if you're very tight. Keep practicing and they'll ease up and you'll feel the stretch move to the groin. Don't worry about leaning forward that will come in time. This is a two year process jambon so don't despair!
Uhm, what if you just happen to be able to do this without long practice or practising the forward bends first o.O I saw this once, decided to try it because i thought it looked funny, and to my surprise it went really well :D
I've noticed this in a small subset of the population, and I think it has something to do with the relative length of the person's femur and tibia. Consider yourself lucky and go out and find a different pose that challenges you!
maybe you could help me, i really cant lean forward at all without hurting my back, even sitting upright with my legs straight means my back is bent so it hurts. what should i do? are there any other stretches i can do to work my hip flexibility to this level?
Do a standing leg stretch. Place your leg up on a chair or table at a reasonable height. Lean in a bit to add power. Then do a side version. A few months of this will get you ready for floor based poses.
Not to shamelessly plug here, but my Knowledge Worker's Survival Guide goes into all of this in great detail!
I was wondering, what is the more important aspect of the Wide angle forward bend? The forward bend or the wide angle? I know they are both important, but in the first few demos Takako doesn't seem to have the angle that wide. The hip rotation seems to come mainly from the forward bend at a moderate angle. Is that true?
You need to be playing near the edge of both, a forward bend done with a shallow wide angle won't be stretching the target muscles much.
Takako had to do that smaller version because we didn't want to intimidate people with her 180 degree splits. Her first size is kind of an approximation of what a regular person would look like.
So, max out the wide angle, and then add the forward bend. Even if it's just a few centimeters of bend, you'll get the stretch you're looking for.
Hi! I love your video! Friendly, funny and inspiring! I practise yoga (and glad I can do the lotus)... your instructions are gentle and effective. I hope you have more instructional videos, for other asanas too such as the inverted ones. Thanks! :-)
Hi! Your are a grate teacher. I also trying to sit in Lotus long duration. Now I know the hip rotation is most important. I will try it. I know Ill bound to be successful.
I want to do this wide angle forward bend!, but.. I cannot at this time keep my back straight? is the source of this my unstretched legs? With my legs in an wide angel or no space between them my back wants to "fall backwards".
Is there an appropriate stretch for this? focus on legs?
hehe, Ive been in japan for 3 weeks now.. in 2 days I will probably sit more in a chair , but I have a floor in sweden also ;)
Put some blankets or a small cushion under your hips to give your pelvis a headstart towards sitting squarely. As time goes on use fewer blankets until you can do it on the floor.
wow !! I had started the process of getting my knees damaged, thanks a million tonnes for your video.
even BKS in "Light on Yoga" just says "your knees will pain initially and slowly you will get adjusted to lotus" but not a single word about the hip joint.
wish my work required travel to Japan, I could have attended some classes in YogaGarden :(
Iyengar, for all his wisdom, seems to never truly understand the tightness of a westerners hip area. Growing up seated in chairs from a very early age will permanently reduce hip flexibility. When he says stuff like that in Light on Yoga I just assume he's thinking of an audience with a base of decent hip flexibility.
Okay then thanks anyway. This video has really helped. I'm finally able to do the lotus, but it hurts a lot. It's probably not good that i do that, so I'll just keep working on the stretches.
I asked my yoga teacher this evening about the full lotus position and he said that it is not unusual for one knee to be slightly up off the floor. I've been doing the butterfly pose (soles of feet touching while knees fall open to the floor) because I find it so restorative. Will this pose help with the full lotus? Is it unusual for the backs of the knees not to touch the floor in wide angle pose? Don't think I could hold that for 30 minutes...not yet anyway!
Butterfly pose is a slightly different groin action than what you need for lotus, it'll help but only a bit. What you need to gain is hip rotation, and that comes fastest from wide angle forward bend.
Knees not touching isn't a big deal as long as the legs are straight.
Thanks so much for the advice. I just love the explanations on the videos. When are you coming out with a DVD? Given the number of views per video, I think you've got the audience!
Hey, yeah actually beat you to it ;) I've been doing wide angle forward bends while watching Hunter x Hunter. Since doing so, I've noticed that getting into half lotus seems to be a bit easier and ofc I'm able to get down further in the bend itself. I suffer from the same problem as frenchdenis; my left knee is really high as compared to my right knee. As a result, when I meditate I can only do half lotus, and then only with right leg uppermost.
This is a really useful video. Thanks so much. I can manage a half lotus (right knee bent) quite well but my left knee sticks up in the air when I try bending the left...the same is true when I try the one leg stretch. Is this kind of imbalance typical? If I practice faithfully 2 or 3 times a day, how long will it take me to do the full lotus?
This kind of balance is typical in people who cross their legs when the sit. When you sit in a chair, do you cross with your right leg on top? My bet is yes.
The imbalance will work itself out over time, but not if you don't stop crossing your legs.
For someone in your situation to get a nice deep lotus will take 3 years. Don't get bummed out about that, enjoy the journey. 3 years isn't so long in the big scheme of things.
The 3 minute rule is more for general muscle maintenance, this kind of intense bodywork is a working with the nervous system to convince your body that new lengths are possible. It works for me and the people I have taught it to.
Don't do something just because some guy on YouTube said to however.
My friend, i find it difficult to meditate with one knee higher than the other.. also it seems that puts a tilt at the hip and the spine.. perhaps I simply am not skilled enough at it.. my father insists you can get both knees level on the ground.. oh hahaha the part with the cushion just came up :D in the vid.. i use a kneeling.. for i am simple and old :) this makes my body feel like its in a good posture and I can meditate
Oh dude & dudess that is a great help. Thanks for the creative and useful breakdown of this pose.
Gotta admit I was looking with envy ok hate at the variations of the move the lady in the vid was doing. Damn could only dream and imaginge to do that move with such grace and ease.
I'll be sure to try the forward bend for a half hour a day! I've been searching for some good excersises to get me to lotus someday. :) Thanks for the vid, it explains so much more clearly than a wordy article :)
Thanks alot man, I've been looking for a good tutorial and this is the best one. The other vids just show you how THEY do it, but not how one can do it. Respect.
I've been at this stretch a while and haven't really improved much mainly attributed to that fact that it seems to strain my lumbar spine quite a bit. I've never had any real back issues and actually have strong erector spinae muscles.
How would you suggest I modify the pose to redcue the strain on my back so I can progress with the hips?
Also you never mentioned breathing. What is best way to go about that?
Elevate the pelvis with a blanket or small pillow, and be sure not to confuse getting your chest low and your arms forward as progress. When you arch forward in an attempt to "deepen" the pose, you're just creating lumbar strain and not getting anything in the hips. Keep your back straight. Also, this pose takes time, you have to keep it at least 5 minutes and it's much better to go for 20-40 minutes. Keep going!
Excellent video! Much encouragement! But sorry, some will never do full Lotus, and should be encouraged accept this, so they don't think they have somehow failed. I have tried for years, am very fit, but am 50, have arthritis in my knee and hip, so I cannot even do half lotus. But I do my daily meditation with a seizo, and am grateful that I can that. You are helping many, but but telling all that they WILL eventually do full Lotus, is not helping those who physicaly never will.
A person of average fitness without any counter-indications such as you described, will, with consistent practice, attain the lotus position. A huge number of people give up after a few tries and that's the group I'm aiming at here.
The lotus pose has no special meaning and meditation can be successfully done in a chair or even standing. Much respect to you for sticking with it despite the setbacks of arthritis.
Thanks for watching and for your helpful comment.
the first thing you said about when looking at someone doing the lotus pose only really applies to women...i did this in P.E. class and other places and people said "thats weird" or "thats gross"
also, is it bad for the knees to walk on them when in the lotus pose?
Haha yeah it helps if you're a beautiful woman, but the Buddha looks pretty cool doing it too.
As for walking on the knees, I think it's probably ok for a few seconds at a time, but don't slam them down on the floor or anything. I balance on my knees in lotus and it's quite refreshing. But I've never walked anywhere. It's an interesting idea and I'll try it sometime.
Thank you, YogaGarden, for your useful video. Indeed, for those of us practicing forms of meditation that involve sitting it is necessary to approach this with care and vigilance. While nice to be able to view the teachers demonstrate this pose in its deeper realization, it may have been nice to also include demos of the pose being done in beginner stages and include common pitfalls that most of us who view this video might currently face now. With much gratitude, Sycil ( new york city)
Amazing! On what age did you guys start with this?
Bakura0Marik0Lover 3 weeks ago
I'm becoming more flexible. Lotus is my ultimate goal. I look forward to reaching deep levels of meditation when I finally master it.
Subatomic1000 3 weeks ago
Problem is that I can't get my back straight during wide angle forward bend. Even if I sit against a wall my back slowly bends itself. Same thing with the other exercises you present.
majs88 1 month ago
Great advice, will try!
gnostie 1 month ago
Isn't 30 minutes of hip stretching over stretching the muscles ?
mersylla 1 month ago
Would it be enough, instead of the stretches, do sit in half lotus every day, reversing the legs? # times a day, 10 mins each leg on top, for example?
TheBlunt011 1 month ago
that was some nice demonstration.. it really helped me a lot.. especially the part about how much the knees are actually involved in this pose.. i thought they count for much more than that...
and i'm no longer forcin myself to get to the pose.. i'm gonna work on my hip flexibility using this forward bend thing u advised..
thanx bro.. i really do appreciate ur effort
qqDOCTORqq 2 months ago
And once again Goku influenced my life in a positive way.
okodorifuto 4 months ago
love the vid bro good shit lol
tamachitaka 4 months ago
Hi. I tried doing the wide angle forward bend, and I felt nothing in my hamstrings when doing it so I tried doing it standing up, which made me feel a whole lot but I think I overstretched so I won't be doing that again for a while. My question is, I feel basically nothing in my hamstrings while doing this pose (my back is bascially 90 degrees to the floor, very unflexible), but is it still working? And when you say 30 minutes a day, do you mean just this one pose,30 minutes or a combination?
Profilific 5 months ago
Im on the same boat as FortuneGranted3000. I do however go to gym regulary, I'm curious to know if their any benifits to trying the wide angle forward bend after a work out while the body is warmed up.
Dihan22 5 months ago
Thanks for this video. My hips are my weakest point when doing my ashtanga practice and I really want to help open them more. This video has been very informative.
creepingminx 6 months ago
i have quite chunky legs. is this pose attainable still?
UGApplehead 7 months ago
@UGApplehead Yes, but you will have to gain that much more hip flexibility than a skinny person. I have the same problem.
yogagarden 7 months ago
My meditation pose currently consists of a clunky seiza on a bench or pillow. Lotus, I always thought, was beyond me.
I'm so glad I found this, today. Very helpful and encouraging for a thoroughly un-bendy shikantaza practitioner.
trendpose 7 months ago
@trendpose Good luck with your lotus! For you it's going to be 2-3 years in coming but you will get there if you stretch intelligently and consistently.
yogagarden 7 months ago
Wow i just tried to do the wide angle forward bend. I sucked. I'm going to keep at it though forever. I'm 29 and I can't believe how much flexibility I've lost. I know I'm overweight but damn I was almost still upright when I tried to do the movement. And my legs weren't even that far apart. Going to practice this for at least 15 minutes, multiple times daily. What recommendations do you have for me in this case to regain my flexibility? Any "quick gains" knowledge on this topic?
FortuneGranted3000 8 months ago
@FortuneGranted3000 if you do wide angle 15-30 minutes daily you'll be surprised how quickly your body bounces back and you start getting results. Try it!
yogagarden 8 months ago
@yogagarden Thanks man. I'm all on it.
FortuneGranted3000 8 months ago
@FortuneGranted3000 Have you done as you said? and has it worked? I'm 30 and I feel the same way and just found this video, so I just wanted to check :)
kcityrocker 1 week ago
@kcityrocker Unfortunately no. I have been through so many ups and downs in the past 8 months. I've been focusing on my strength as well as old injuries. Been working as a club bouncer since then. I think after last night I'll have a lot of time on my hands at least for the next 2 weeks lol. Sorry but now that you have brought this back to my attention I will proceed to practice this. I'm pretty confident in his words given to me as advice!
FortuneGranted3000 6 days ago
@FortuneGranted3000 I know the feeling, but I'm happy I reminded you :) Happy stretching
kcityrocker 5 days ago
@kcityrocker Yeah glad you did too man. Thanks and thanks. Same to you. I will keep the site posted about my progress in the next 90 days.
FortuneGranted3000 3 days ago
@FortuneGranted3000 Good stuff :)
kcityrocker 3 days ago
great video. Love the Goku action figure. Goku rocks the lotus every time he sits lol.
pmilleroly27 8 months ago
Hey man great video, very informative and just awesome all around, I'll definetly try the wide angle forward bend every day until i get it down. What music do you have playing in the backround?
peace
Grace from Canada
BasicGrace 9 months ago
it's easy for goku to do lotus, he is strongest in the universe
weisse007 10 months ago
I wish I could do this. It's beautiful and elegant.
gerleable 11 months ago
I love people that can explain something clearly....Thx.....greats mechanics of the body!!
MrJasonalcee 1 year ago
Am I right in thinking that muscles which are to be stretched must be reasonably strong and toned first? I hear that Tom Kurz teaches this. Apart from anything else I imagine it would help joint stability. If so, can you recommend some exercises that would strengthen the relevant muscles? Or better, put out a video.
amarillo275 1 year ago
i can do last to lotus variation which u told are difficult coz i cn doo lotus using my hands.... cn u tel me some tips on how to do lotus after going to handstand
btw nyc tutorial.... best in youtube till date
dabbuful 1 year ago
@dabbuful For a lotus handstand you have to make the lotus from a seated position, roll over the knees to a table position, and then lift the lower body, lotus and all into the air. Not many people can do this and if things go wrong you're looking at an injury, so be careful. You should only attempt if you can hold a walls free handstand for 60 seconds.
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden thnx for advidse but i ws toking about padmasan aftr goin to handstand..... many of bboys do is......pls tel me d technic or upload a tutorial ...plssssss.... ive searchd utube... bt im unable to find a tutorial......plsss .....need help
dabbuful 1 year ago
@yogagarden serch "lotus hops" in utube.... u vl understand wat i want 2 say
dabbuful 1 year ago
@dabbuful Ah, well, you'll have to be very skinny and flexible to pull that off. It's beyond my range of knowledge!
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden ur senior instructor luks very flexible.... il b very greatfulll if u ask her......
btw thnx 4 all ur replies..... i never thot dat u will ever reply ..... thnx alottt .... hope 2 get a positive rply nxt tym.... thnx
dabbuful 1 year ago
@yogagarden ur senior instructor luks very flexible.... il b very greatfulll if u ask her......
btw thnx 4 all ur replies..... i never thot dat u will ever reply ..... thnx alottt .... hope 2 get a positive rply nxt tym.... thnx....
an yaaa tell me how to do lotus shoulder stand..... even dat is almost same
dabbuful 1 year ago
thank you so much for the insight :)
TenTonTommy777 1 year ago
¡¡¡Fantastico!!! Just what I was looking for.
followyourideas 1 year ago
Lotus pose whit palms up give you energy , with palms down give you concentration sorry for bad english
Ionutzscn4 1 year ago
i was wondering if i can just do wide angle forward bends in a chair instead of on the floor...Mainly because the stretch is just my hamstrings right now...If i sit in a chair and spread my legs like a forward bend then i can feel it stretching my inner groin muscles, it bypasses the hamstrings..therefore i can cut the time to lotus in half...Ive seen people do perfect full lotuses(and i mean perfect) in front of me but they couldn't even touch their toes...any thoughts?
DGAF100 1 year ago
@DGAF100 Two things:
1. The chair thing doesn't work. We even tried it when someone else came up with that idea. It doesn't hit the right muscles.
2. If you're hamstrings are tight, you have to go THROUGH that barrier into the groins to get to lotus.
3. A certain subset of the population has an unusual femur to tibia length ratio that allows them to do this pose even with poor leg flexibility. Sadly, you are not one of those people. So wide angle forward bend it is! Will take you 3 years.
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden
would it really take three years to gain that much flexibility? i guess it depends where you are currently...
also, i try to do this stretch every morning and night, but my i was always told to stretch for five minutes at a time. is it safe to do this for up to 45 minutes a day?
PaulMichaelXD 1 year ago
@PaulMichaelXD For most Western people whose legs have almost no experience in anything other than a chair position it literally takes years and years to get the hip flexibility shown in this video.
The 5 mins stretch rule is good for body maintenance but we're talking about body reconditioning here, which requires longer stretching times. 45 minutes should be worked up to, not done at first.
yogagarden 1 year ago
Thank You SO MUCH for this video. If I went on the advice of other ppl on the Internet I might hav destroyed my legs. I never realized it is all from the hip.
Another suggestion, you should mention strength exercises needed to build and maintain the lotus. Flexibility is strength in a greater range of motion. Stretcing alone can not get you a full splits or lotus but rather strength exercises paired with stretching is the secret most are unaware of. Read Scientifically Stretching by Tom Kurtz
kombatmaster7 1 year ago
@kombatmaster7 I have a signed copy of Stretching Scientifically! I send people to Mr. Kurz all the time. Glad his knowledge is getting out there!
yogagarden 1 year ago 2
@yogagarden Awesome man! Nice to hear you know whats up. If you could incorportate Mr. Kurtz's teaching to your yoga videos; your videos will truly be unique/super useful. Like you voice over and Goku in this vid lol. Thanks man and keep'em coming.
kombatmaster7 1 year ago
It looks so easy, toobad it isnt. :(
nixonixo123 1 year ago
That woman is my new hero(ine).
crittoprrr 1 year ago
really cool vid, kept you engaged from start to finish
kish131 1 year ago
great clip thanks, but how long shuld i keep the stretch? i will try to stretch for 30 min or so but shuld i make it with small brakes or just hold the stretch for all that time?
posttillmikael 1 year ago
@posttillmikael hold it!
yogagarden 1 year ago
Lol, did NOT expect Goku to be here!
Kakarot21591 1 year ago
Amazing!! This is the best explanation I have ever seen about the lotus pose. I will do wide angle forward bends everyday. It's so simple! I was trying to kill my knees before.
mortal2k 1 year ago
@mortal2k Go forth and use this knowledge for good!
yogagarden 1 year ago
thank you very much this video.... I've been meditating in a chair cause i cant even sit cross legged comfortably, let alone 1/2 or full lotus. forward bend, forward bend, forward bend. I will get there!
loved the goku visual! haha..
mdobejr 1 year ago
thank you so much for this, exactly what i needed
i can do half-lotus, but i need the full one for meditation, hopefully i'll get there somehow :)
hunkydoris 1 year ago
As far as I know, when done correctly and without a pillow under the buttocks the upper leg will be off the floor in full lotus. To get stability you can place a thin folded blanket under that knee that is off the floor.
drbalalajka 1 year ago
Thank you for the light-hearted and informative video. It was very helpful for me.
McNuggetMaster 1 year ago
Whats the music from 2:26 it's really relaxing.
thrombox 1 year ago
I have been meditating on this lovely young lady, and it has done nothing but increase my stiffness!
On a more serious note, thank you for the video while I can do the lotus it is painful and I have been challenging my knees rather than my hips, sorts out what stretching I have to do!
thrombox 1 year ago
Just be aware that what you are showing IS NOT the full Lotus pose, because both knees should rest on the floor. This takes even more flexibility.
MikhailBortsov 1 year ago
@MikhailBortsov Nonsense.
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden What makes you think so?
MikhailBortsov 1 year ago
@yogagarden What Mikhail says is right ..this is not accurate position
illusion1987 1 year ago
@illusion1987 That's just not right dude.
yogagarden 1 year ago
@MikhailBortsov I read this many times .. if you dont believe Patrick .. read "Light on Pranayama" by BKS Iyenger. Both knees touching down is not required.
smahesh777 1 year ago
Clear and sensible, and a beautiful mistress of yoga.
I'm very casual with yoga, and find some of the "easier" stretches much harder than the full lotus -- I need to work harder and be less casual.
leegee23 1 year ago
thank you ever so much,YOU ARE A WONDERFUL TEACHER!! .. and I've seen my share of yoga teachers, so I mean it.
tatusha 1 year ago
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amarillo275 1 year ago
Great video and the only useful advice on getting to Full Lotus that I’ve been able to find. I want to do Full Lotus for meditation. I’m wondering if I could not achieve the same hip rotation by sitting astride a chair, legs at a wide angle, knees bent at right-angles on either side of the chair, feet on the floor and then lean the torso forward onto a comfortable surface such as a bed. This would be easier to do. Would it get me to a safe, comfortable Full Lotus?
amarillo275 1 year ago
@amarillo275 I think you'd need more leverage than the bent knees would offer. But hey, give it a try for a few weeks and tell me if it works!
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden You were right. It doesn't work.
amarillo275 1 year ago
@amarillo275 ah well good for you for trying. Keep practicing.
yogagarden 1 year ago
I've searched and searched and finally found it. I was looking for good instruction on how to "learn" to attain the full lotus position. I was focusing on the wrong things. Thank you. Great video.
The stiff old guy.
blumountainsage 1 year ago
@blumountainsage Yes, I was so dismayed by the wealth of misinformation about lotus that I felt compelled to make this. Glad you enjoyed it, pass it on to others who need it.
yogagarden 1 year ago
Hi patrick ,
Could you recommend a pose to prepare for wide angled forward bend ? lol , I cant seem to get any action on the hips , it feels more like a hamstring stretch and i cant lean down to the floor .
jambonsambo 1 year ago
@jambonsambo you have to get through that stage first. The hamstrings will be the first to feel it if you're very tight. Keep practicing and they'll ease up and you'll feel the stretch move to the groin. Don't worry about leaning forward that will come in time. This is a two year process jambon so don't despair!
yogagarden 1 year ago
you're videos are so informative, and so well made...! Keep up the good work...
My friend suggested your channel to me, and i'm loving it already!
arjunsajeev 1 year ago
THANK YOU . VERY EDUCATIONAL
kalin333 1 year ago
Inspiration! Thanks!!
zzdzzhzz 1 year ago
i find this quite impossible to do.
paranoia1337 1 year ago
Uhm, what if you just happen to be able to do this without long practice or practising the forward bends first o.O I saw this once, decided to try it because i thought it looked funny, and to my surprise it went really well :D
ikbenlijp2 1 year ago
I've noticed this in a small subset of the population, and I think it has something to do with the relative length of the person's femur and tibia. Consider yourself lucky and go out and find a different pose that challenges you!
yogagarden 1 year ago
patrick
maybe you could help me, i really cant lean forward at all without hurting my back, even sitting upright with my legs straight means my back is bent so it hurts. what should i do? are there any other stretches i can do to work my hip flexibility to this level?
kenwilson84 1 year ago
Do a standing leg stretch. Place your leg up on a chair or table at a reasonable height. Lean in a bit to add power. Then do a side version. A few months of this will get you ready for floor based poses.
Not to shamelessly plug here, but my Knowledge Worker's Survival Guide goes into all of this in great detail!
yogagarden 1 year ago
hola,, puedes dar instrucciones about the scorpion please?
gammamakeup 1 year ago
Scorpion is a boring pose. There's not much to learn from it!
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden no no,, i like,,is the best pose, what is the best pose four you and whay? my english is not god sorry
gammamakeup 1 year ago
Nice video man .Gona try to do it tommorow .
TheCac10 1 year ago
Always warm up the body before doing stretching poses. without it there is no progress.
use Suyra Namaskarya B for example.
Kalatiso 1 year ago
@Kalatiso Wrong. Myth.
shion255 1 year ago
Patrick,
I was wondering, what is the more important aspect of the Wide angle forward bend? The forward bend or the wide angle? I know they are both important, but in the first few demos Takako doesn't seem to have the angle that wide. The hip rotation seems to come mainly from the forward bend at a moderate angle. Is that true?
AC1978 1 year ago
You need to be playing near the edge of both, a forward bend done with a shallow wide angle won't be stretching the target muscles much.
Takako had to do that smaller version because we didn't want to intimidate people with her 180 degree splits. Her first size is kind of an approximation of what a regular person would look like.
So, max out the wide angle, and then add the forward bend. Even if it's just a few centimeters of bend, you'll get the stretch you're looking for.
yogagarden 1 year ago
@yogagarden
Thanks Patrick! I meant to ask, do you recommend a certain type of breathing besides breathing normally whilst doing this pose?
AC1978 1 year ago
Thank you so much I was waiting for a such good advise...
I agree with you comment about Iyengar....
After 2 years of daily practie I am now able to do the Lotus! youhouu!
thanks again
davidgrunig1 1 year ago
Hi Patrick,
There hasn't been a video from you for a long time .. could we expect the domant period to end quickly.
smahesh777 1 year ago
Hi! I love your video! Friendly, funny and inspiring! I practise yoga (and glad I can do the lotus)... your instructions are gentle and effective. I hope you have more instructional videos, for other asanas too such as the inverted ones. Thanks! :-)
nurperai 1 year ago
Hi! Your are a grate teacher. I also trying to sit in Lotus long duration. Now I know the hip rotation is most important. I will try it. I know Ill bound to be successful.
Thank you very much.
catmanti 1 year ago
I thought this fool was gay until he whipped at Goku.... now I know he is a baller
BaronUnderbite 1 year ago
I really want to start yoga. You're officially the MAN by the way.
Dragonball Z!
Djentsylum 2 years ago
Get up from the computer and do a wide angle forward bend. There! You've officially started yoga!
yogagarden 2 years ago
Hello!, thanks for this great video!
I want to do this wide angle forward bend!, but.. I cannot at this time keep my back straight? is the source of this my unstretched legs? With my legs in an wide angel or no space between them my back wants to "fall backwards".
Is there an appropriate stretch for this? focus on legs?
hehe, Ive been in japan for 3 weeks now.. in 2 days I will probably sit more in a chair , but I have a floor in sweden also ;)
pe1er1 2 years ago
Put some blankets or a small cushion under your hips to give your pelvis a headstart towards sitting squarely. As time goes on use fewer blankets until you can do it on the floor.
yogagarden 2 years ago
thanks alot!
Good luck to your yoga journey!
/ Peter
pe1er1 2 years ago
wow !! I had started the process of getting my knees damaged, thanks a million tonnes for your video.
even BKS in "Light on Yoga" just says "your knees will pain initially and slowly you will get adjusted to lotus" but not a single word about the hip joint.
wish my work required travel to Japan, I could have attended some classes in YogaGarden :(
Jai YogaGarden !1
smahesh777 2 years ago
Iyengar, for all his wisdom, seems to never truly understand the tightness of a westerners hip area. Growing up seated in chairs from a very early age will permanently reduce hip flexibility. When he says stuff like that in Light on Yoga I just assume he's thinking of an audience with a base of decent hip flexibility.
Just goes to show you, find your own way!
yogagarden 2 years ago
watching this just reminds how locked my hips are. someday.
mickeyprocon 2 years ago
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shion255 2 years ago
would doing just a forward bend also help too?
Johnfrooshlover 2 years ago
Nope. Not for lotus.
yogagarden 2 years ago
Okay then thanks anyway. This video has really helped. I'm finally able to do the lotus, but it hurts a lot. It's probably not good that i do that, so I'll just keep working on the stretches.
Johnfrooshlover 2 years ago
Yep just keep doing the preparatory stretches and check your lotus every week or so. It'll come.
yogagarden 2 years ago
everytime i get a half lotus my knee keeps coming up to high. how do i prevent this
bboybrok3nwing 2 years ago
Hip rotation hip rotation hip rotation.
yogagarden 2 years ago
does the hero pose also stretch the quadriceps as well?
thanks!
willyjones7 2 years ago
Yes, but if you want to stretch the quads there are much more effective poses than Hero.
yogagarden 2 years ago
Yes, step 2 is bamboo, and 3 is fish.
shion255 2 years ago
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shion255 2 years ago
I asked my yoga teacher this evening about the full lotus position and he said that it is not unusual for one knee to be slightly up off the floor. I've been doing the butterfly pose (soles of feet touching while knees fall open to the floor) because I find it so restorative. Will this pose help with the full lotus? Is it unusual for the backs of the knees not to touch the floor in wide angle pose? Don't think I could hold that for 30 minutes...not yet anyway!
frenchdenis 2 years ago
Butterfly pose is a slightly different groin action than what you need for lotus, it'll help but only a bit. What you need to gain is hip rotation, and that comes fastest from wide angle forward bend.
Knees not touching isn't a big deal as long as the legs are straight.
Keep practicing.
yogagarden 2 years ago
Thanks so much for the advice. I just love the explanations on the videos. When are you coming out with a DVD? Given the number of views per video, I think you've got the audience!
frenchdenis 2 years ago
Hey, yeah actually beat you to it ;) I've been doing wide angle forward bends while watching Hunter x Hunter. Since doing so, I've noticed that getting into half lotus seems to be a bit easier and ofc I'm able to get down further in the bend itself. I suffer from the same problem as frenchdenis; my left knee is really high as compared to my right knee. As a result, when I meditate I can only do half lotus, and then only with right leg uppermost.
MakyoAkuma 2 years ago
This is a really useful video. Thanks so much. I can manage a half lotus (right knee bent) quite well but my left knee sticks up in the air when I try bending the left...the same is true when I try the one leg stretch. Is this kind of imbalance typical? If I practice faithfully 2 or 3 times a day, how long will it take me to do the full lotus?
frenchdenis 2 years ago
This kind of balance is typical in people who cross their legs when the sit. When you sit in a chair, do you cross with your right leg on top? My bet is yes.
The imbalance will work itself out over time, but not if you don't stop crossing your legs.
For someone in your situation to get a nice deep lotus will take 3 years. Don't get bummed out about that, enjoy the journey. 3 years isn't so long in the big scheme of things.
yogagarden 2 years ago
really helpful, thanks.
river6969us 2 years ago
So, just to make sure: we hold the wide angle forward bend for 30 straight minutes? Seems a bit long--that's a whole DBZ episode!
MakyoAkuma 2 years ago
If you want to improve you gotta invest the time. Why not forward bend while watching DBZ?
yogagarden 2 years ago
when you say we should stretch for 30 minutes
do you want us to do wide angle forward bend for 30 minutes straight
i thought we were only suppose to hold a stretch for a maximum of 3 minutes?
GloryHolesRule 2 years ago
The 3 minute rule is more for general muscle maintenance, this kind of intense bodywork is a working with the nervous system to convince your body that new lengths are possible. It works for me and the people I have taught it to.
Don't do something just because some guy on YouTube said to however.
yogagarden 2 years ago
thanks a bunch, i actually use to stretch each muscle longer than 3 minutes but i thought it was bad for me so i stopped
sucks too cause i was getting pretty big gains,
but I'm glad you cleared that up for me :D
GloryHolesRule 2 years ago
Wonderful video! Thank you.
ninunaia 2 years ago
My friend, i find it difficult to meditate with one knee higher than the other.. also it seems that puts a tilt at the hip and the spine.. perhaps I simply am not skilled enough at it.. my father insists you can get both knees level on the ground.. oh hahaha the part with the cushion just came up :D in the vid.. i use a kneeling.. for i am simple and old :) this makes my body feel like its in a good posture and I can meditate
sloppymantis 2 years ago
Oh dude & dudess that is a great help. Thanks for the creative and useful breakdown of this pose.
Gotta admit I was looking with envy ok hate at the variations of the move the lady in the vid was doing. Damn could only dream and imaginge to do that move with such grace and ease.
Thanks again
SilentRio 2 years ago
Thank you so much for this video!
I've been doing yoga for years and could never attain full lotus. I never understood why until I saw this video tonight!
Of course, I tried it immediately and finally, for the first time, it worked!
I was so delighted, I couldn't stop laughing and ran off to share it with my roommates.
Perhaps a more appropriate response would have been to meditate ... :-P
Oh well, that comes next. First laughter. Then meditation. :-)
Thanks again!
virg0ddess 2 years ago
"Perhaps a more appropriate response would have been to meditate ... :-P"
LOL
thecamlayton 2 years ago
Takako is hot!
DjFixxxer01 2 years ago 13
i am so glad that i found you guys on here :)
stef5lt 2 years ago
yoga & dream´s tea, wake up
aazzuull912 2 years ago
The first part is really funny :D Seems me when I tried it for the first time! eheh
Thank you, great video!
Lotus8620 2 years ago
I'll be sure to try the forward bend for a half hour a day! I've been searching for some good excersises to get me to lotus someday. :) Thanks for the vid, it explains so much more clearly than a wordy article :)
SoniasUsername 2 years ago
you are sooo cute! come live in Australia!
tesstickle2 2 years ago
oh, the hips, been wondering bout that thanks man, great
MightySunTzu 2 years ago
What's the song at 4:38? its great! btw uve got great presence in ur vids! Kudos
17sundays 2 years ago
Thank you very much. This is extremely useful.
vmaniyt 2 years ago
Awesome video. Thank you! :)
hkygrl73 2 years ago
great, thanks... all your videos are very nicely explained
MalaliYoga 2 years ago
thank you for this wonderful video. now I could work it without hurting my knees.
xicatli 2 years ago
Thanks alot man, I've been looking for a good tutorial and this is the best one. The other vids just show you how THEY do it, but not how one can do it. Respect.
ZMorpheus 2 years ago
I noticed the exact same thing, that's why I made this. Glad you found it useful.
yogagarden 2 years ago
haha i have been stretching for the splits and now i can do the lotis instead lol
roxmysoxs 3 years ago
Exactly. Gaining flexibility in the groin is what makes lotus happen. Good luck with the splits, I'm working on them too!
yogagarden 3 years ago
lol groin...
Pwnatsf 3 years ago
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rokaspokus 3 years ago
Patrick,
I've been at this stretch a while and haven't really improved much mainly attributed to that fact that it seems to strain my lumbar spine quite a bit. I've never had any real back issues and actually have strong erector spinae muscles.
How would you suggest I modify the pose to redcue the strain on my back so I can progress with the hips?
Also you never mentioned breathing. What is best way to go about that?
AC1978 3 years ago
Elevate the pelvis with a blanket or small pillow, and be sure not to confuse getting your chest low and your arms forward as progress. When you arch forward in an attempt to "deepen" the pose, you're just creating lumbar strain and not getting anything in the hips. Keep your back straight. Also, this pose takes time, you have to keep it at least 5 minutes and it's much better to go for 20-40 minutes. Keep going!
yogagarden 3 years ago
After doing this stretch for a few mins(assuming I get into it a certain amount) I can get into full lotus...
Which is real progress.
Needs work though :)
shredicon86 3 years ago
This video is funny, and that woman is cute XD
TricksterBee 3 years ago
Ummm that was helpful. Thankyou son-goku and playing the japanese song in the background... priceless
siyndrome 3 years ago
Awesome! Thanks Yoga garden!
csabthehun 3 years ago
Big thanks =)
LukaszMrowka 3 years ago
Wide angle foward bend is hard but I'm going to practice. I need to become more flexible for my kung fu.
modeerfecaep 3 years ago
Your kung-fu is weak old man! :)
yogagarden 3 years ago
thanks for posting this. that was very informative.
templeofned 3 years ago
lol the lotus has become a common move in bboying now haha
slickback123 3 years ago 3
That's awesome. Much respect to those guys.
yogagarden 3 years ago
It looks like her shirt is glued to her body. Is that something I will develop over time with lots of practice?
foolraving 3 years ago
This is the ancient art of "tucking your shirt in." With practice you too can attain this skill
yogagarden 3 years ago
Ahhh...Thank you oh wise one.
foolraving 3 years ago
thank you
foleymt 3 years ago
Excellent video! Much encouragement! But sorry, some will never do full Lotus, and should be encouraged accept this, so they don't think they have somehow failed. I have tried for years, am very fit, but am 50, have arthritis in my knee and hip, so I cannot even do half lotus. But I do my daily meditation with a seizo, and am grateful that I can that. You are helping many, but but telling all that they WILL eventually do full Lotus, is not helping those who physicaly never will.
Peace to all.
Enographer 3 years ago
A person of average fitness without any counter-indications such as you described, will, with consistent practice, attain the lotus position. A huge number of people give up after a few tries and that's the group I'm aiming at here.
The lotus pose has no special meaning and meditation can be successfully done in a chair or even standing. Much respect to you for sticking with it despite the setbacks of arthritis.
Thanks for watching and for your helpful comment.
yogagarden 3 years ago
awesome videos
Tianshanwarrior 3 years ago
I'm doing the wide angle forward bend, but how good at it do I have to get before I can comfortably do full lotus? Should I be as low as Takako?
shredicon86 3 years ago
the first thing you said about when looking at someone doing the lotus pose only really applies to women...i did this in P.E. class and other places and people said "thats weird" or "thats gross"
also, is it bad for the knees to walk on them when in the lotus pose?
polyopulis 3 years ago
Haha yeah it helps if you're a beautiful woman, but the Buddha looks pretty cool doing it too.
As for walking on the knees, I think it's probably ok for a few seconds at a time, but don't slam them down on the floor or anything. I balance on my knees in lotus and it's quite refreshing. But I've never walked anywhere. It's an interesting idea and I'll try it sometime.
yogagarden 3 years ago
Pardon me, my comment a minute ago was referring to preparatory pose to Lotus: Wide Angle Forward Bend.
sycilmathai 3 years ago
Check out our video, "Stretching Hard or Hardly Stretching for more about how a basic version of this would look.
yogagarden 3 years ago
Thank you, YogaGarden, for your useful video. Indeed, for those of us practicing forms of meditation that involve sitting it is necessary to approach this with care and vigilance. While nice to be able to view the teachers demonstrate this pose in its deeper realization, it may have been nice to also include demos of the pose being done in beginner stages and include common pitfalls that most of us who view this video might currently face now. With much gratitude, Sycil ( new york city)
sycilmathai 3 years ago