| Level
1 Difficulty. Leg Press helps you
begin getting your abs, lower back and hamstrings into shape. Whether
you've been inactive or are recovering from an injury, it's a good
place to start when other exercises are still too demanding. It can
be done by just about anybody. It mixes well with the Knee Over or
even Leg Over 1 to fully work your abs, lower back, sacrum, outer
hip and hamstrings. |
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Main Benefits:
Strengthens abdominals and lower back; loosens hips & hamstrings.
Good for These
Practice Goals: Core Strengthening; Arthritis; Clearing, Cleansing
& Energizing of Root & Belly Chakras; Morning Yoga; Building Strength
in Middle Back, Lower Back, Sacrum, Abdominals; General Flexibility of
Whole Leg & Hamstrings; Pregnancy Yoga; Seniors' Yoga; General Yoga for
Sports; Warm Up for Chanting from the Root or Belly.
Avoid
Under these Health Conditions: Fresh
injury or surgery of your hip or lower back; osteoporosis in you lower
back.
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Start
*
Lying on your back, legs outstretched, neck lined up with your spine,
chin pointing upward.
* Open
up your arms so that your body makes the little letter 't', (the
"airplane" position).
* Palms
touching the floor, (palms facing downward).
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| Next
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* Bend one knee
and bring it up toward your chest
*Then straighten
your leg, so your foot is aiming more directly toward the ceiling.
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| Safety
Tip Do not raise your leg without bending it first. If you keep
your leg straight while raising it up, you put too much strain on
your lower back. Bend it, then raise it. |
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Once your leg
is in place, have it as straight as possible without straining your
hamstring.
Also, your foot
does not have to be pointed. It's better to have it sitting loose
at the end of your leg.
Key
Have your leg aimed directly toward the ceiling, even
if this means bending your knee slightly. If you bend your knee,
only bend it as much as is necessarily to avoid straining your hamstring.
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Once your
leg is in place, press your leg and hip down deeply toward the floor.
This will flatten out your lower back. You'll feel your abdominals
working.
Hold for
6 or more breaths or until the muscles in your lower back and
abdominal area start to feel a little tired.
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| Key
Don't rush this pose. Hold is as long as you can while
still being able to release it with control. This will give you the
best chance of building up muscle strength, which is the purpose of
the pose. |
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| Release
the pose by reversing your movements, returning your leg to the floor. |
Safety
Tip Do not lower your leg without bending it first. If you keep
your leg straight while lowering it, you will put too much strain
on your lower back. Bend it, then lower it. |
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After the
repetition, feel your muscles letting go of the stretch, your
lower body sinking into the ground. Once you feel the tension from
the stretch is completely dissolved, you're ready to do the other
leg.
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Do
3 times to each side, alternating sides.
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| Breathing |
1.
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2.
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3.
Pause your movement and your breath. |
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| Breathe
in |
Still
breathing in. |
4.
Breathing out, press your hip and leg down toward the floor.
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| 5.
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6.
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7.
Hold for 6 or more breaths or until the muscles in your lower
back and abdominals begin to 'tire'. |
| Breathe
in bending your kneed back down to your chest. |
Breathe
out, lowering your leg back down to the floor. |
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Combining
Leg Press with Leg Overs
Leg Press adds a good additional step to
the Leg Over, providing extra benefits to the lower back and hips. Blend
them in this way: |
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Breathe
in
Bringing your knee up. |
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Still
breathing in,
straightening your leg for Leg Press |
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Breathe
out,
pressing your leg and hip down toward the floor. |
| Optional
Hold for 6 or more breaths in this position for several breaths
to build lower back and abdominal strength. |
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Breathing
in,
lifting your hip slightly to letting go of the Leg Press and fully
straightening your leg for Leg Over. |
| You
will need to have your leg & knee completely straight (but not tight)
for the Leg Over. This may mean lowering your leg a little in order
to straighten it completely. |
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Breathe
out
as you cross your leg over and lower it toward the floor. |
| Hold
for several breaths, until your body stretches no further even
while breathing out. |
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Reverse
your steps to release the pose(s). |
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| Common
Errors for Leg Press |
Common
Errors for Leg over |
- * Rushing
the pose. Insteady, try holding the pose for longer periods. This
will give your muscles the message to become stronger.
- * Tip
Focus on long slow breaths out and the pose will practically
take care of itself.
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- * Bending
the leg while in the upright position or in the 'leg over' position
or while moving it back and forth between the two positions.
- * Partially
lowering the leg while lifting it out of the 'leg over' position.
- * Letting
the shoulders leave the floor.
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Great
Combinations Using Leg Press
For a complete release of your entire hip area, try several rounds of Reclining
Butterfly & Thigh
Strengthener, followed by Leg
Press and Leg
Over. (Level 2 - 3 Difficulty).
Reclining
Butterfly
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Thigh
Strengthener
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First
do 3 - 5 rounds of Reclining Butterfly alternating with
Thigh Strengthener. |
Leg Press |
Leg
Over |
Then
Leg Press & Leg Over combination, 2 - 3 times to each
leg, alternating legs. |
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If you're
focusing on gaining flexibility, move into and out of each pose
in rhythm with your breath. The Yellow and Blue Level Breathing
Themes are very helpful for this.
If you're
focusing on strength (with a bonus of some flexibility), then
hold each movement for several breaths until your muscles begin
to feel tired of the pose. With each breath out, notice if your
body will naturally give you any more flexibility. The Red and Green
Level Breathing Themes are good for this.
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| Main Benefits:
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Strengthens abdominals
and lower back; loosens hips & hamstrings. |
| Body
Parts Used by This Posture: |
Lower
Back, Abdominals, Hamstrings |
| Combines Well
with: |
Leg Over 1, Happy
Baby, Reclining Butterfly, Knee Stretches, Knee Over, Side to Sides |
| Compensating
Pose (Follow Up with a Brief Repetition of): |
Leg Fold |
| Build Up to
This Pose with: |
Abdominal Lifts
1, 2; Pelvic Push |
| Warms You
Up for / Builds You Up for: |
Abdominal Lifts
1 & 2; Back Bends; Bow poses; Hip Openers like Butterfly poses, Happy
Baby & Dead Bug; Balancing poses like Balance Posture 1, 2 & 3 and
Standing Leg Stretch 1, 2 & 3; Cobra-like poses including Cobra, Camel,
Fish; Poses requiring core strength like Plank, Incline Plane, Shoulder
Stands, Plow; also Pelvic Lifts, Leg Overs, Side Raise, Spider poses;
Sun Salutations; and Breathing Exercises like Abdominal Breathing,
Core Breathing, The Wave, Sacral Breathing & Chants 1 & 2. |
| Good for These
Practice Goals: |
Core Strengthening;
Arthritis; Clearing, Cleansing & Energizing of Root & Belly Chakras;
Morning Yoga; Building Strength in Middle Back, Lower Back, Sacrum,
Abdominals; General Flexibility of Whole Leg & Hamstrings; Pregnancy
Yoga; Seniors' Yoga; General Yoga for Sports; Warm Up for Chanting
from the Root or Belly. |
| Recommended
for These Health Conditions: |
Chronic lower back injury, IBS menstruating (having your period) at
the moment of doing your routine, pregnancy yoga, sciatica. |
| Avoid Under
these Health Conditions: |
Fresh injury
or surgery of your hip or lower back; osteoporosis in you lower back. |
| Best
Breathing Theme Matches: |
Works
best with these Breathing Themes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 7b, 8, 9, 14,
15a, 15b, 17, 18, 20, 23 |
| Best for Flexibility
or Strength: |
Strength |
| Best if Movement
Oriented or Static: |
Static |
| Traditional
Pose Type: |
Forward Bend |
| Energy Center
Used: |
Root and Belly,
Solar Plexus (somewhat) |
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Postures by Body Area 
