I find it rather difficult learning to describe movements in anatomy terms, especially when it comes to instructing a class on the spot. So I wanted to use this blog post to analyse a few common asanas and how to instruct them using only anatomy terms.
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog)
- Spine: Neutral
- Arms: Scapular upward rotation, shoulder flexion, elbow extension, forearm pronation, wrist dorsiflexion
- Legs: Hip flexion, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion
- Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1)
- Spine: Slight extension
- Arms: Scapular upward rotation, shoulder abduction and external rotation, elbow extension
- Front leg: Knee flexion, hip flexion, ankle dorsiflexion.
- Back leg: Hip extension and adduction, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion
- Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2)
- Spine: Neutral, slight rotation of chest and rotation of the head to face the front leg
- Arms: Shoulder abduction and external rotation, forearm pronation
- Front leg: Hip flexion, knee flexion, ankle dorsiflexion
- Back leg: Hip extension and abduction, knee extension, ankle dorsiflexion
- Urhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog)
- Spine: Extension
- Arms: Shoulder extension and adduction, elbow extension, forearm pronation
- Legs: Hip extension, hip adduction, knee extension, ankle plantar flexion
- Utkatasana (Chair Pose)
- Spine: Extension
- Arms: Scapular upward rotation, abduction and elevation; shoulder flexion, elbow extension
- Legs: Hip flexion, knee flexion, ankle dorsiflexion
* All images are free stock images from Pexels
