Bhujapidasana yoga pose is taught in this lesson. Bhuja in Sanskrit means arm, more precisely shoulder. While pida is a word for pressure, this pose shows that the upper body is putting pressure on the shoulder area.
A Deeper Insight
Bhujapidasana belongs to the category of so-called lower balances or balances on the hands. In addition to being a balancing pose, Bhujapidasana is also a strengthening pose. If the exerciser does not have developed upper musculature, he will hardly be able to stay longer in this pose. In addition to a developed sense of balance and the necessary strength in the hands, it is necessary for the practitioner to have his whole body open to a good extent. First of all, the hips themselves.
Today, this pose is most often practiced in Ashtanga yoga, the creator of which is Pattabhi Jois. In addition to Ashtanga yoga, the most common application of this position is in Iyengar yoga, whose founder was B. K. S. Iyengar. Both of them took this pose from their teacher Krishnamacharya, who described this pose in detail in his book Yoga Makaranda, published back in 1935.
The application of this pose in Vinyasa yoga should certainly not be overlooked, especially since Vinyasa itself is very similar to Ashtanga yoga. It is safe to say that these two systems represent the face and the reverse of the same coin.
Ashtanga is characterized by its rigidity when it comes to the sequence of poses found in each of the six series. On the other hand, the Vinyasa system is characterized by the creativity of the teacher-instructor himself, which is manifested during the creation of the lesson itself. In the Ashtanga system, the poses are done in a specific order. In the Vinyasa system, there is no set order for the poses.
Of course, both systems fall into the category of dynamic, fluid yoga systems. These are systems where strength and endurance come to the fore. But the exerciser’s flexibility has a huge effect on whether or not a certain sequence will be done in its entirety.
Variations and Practice
For example, in the Ashtanga system, this pose is entered from the downward-facing dog pose. This transition implies the existence of a perfect sense of balance but also endurance and strength. The entry itself implies that it is achieved by a light jump from a downward-facing dog. The full pose implies that the chin is lowered very slowly onto the yoga mat. For easier support, one of the variations can be to lower the top of the head on the yoga mat.
Flexibility is key for this position. If you can’t get into this pose from a squat, then you definitely have a flexibility problem. In that case, it would be preferable to work on squats only, nothing more than that.
Therefore, the easiest way to enter this pose is from a squat. In this pose, the hips are raised. First, you can lift your left heel slightly and drop the sole of your left foot in front of your left shoulder. Do the same movement for the right leg. After this step, intertwine your toes, thus locking yourself into a pose. The toes are pointed to the side. The entire core is active while performing this pose, the thighs pressing into the upper arms. As far as the upper part of the body is concerned, the chest is open to the front, the shoulders are active all the time, the hips are lifted, and the back is also, at the same time, very slightly bent in the lower part, all in order to maintain balance.
Given that it is a lower-balance pose that implies support on the hands, more precisely on the palms, it is very important that the fingers of the hands are spread as far as possible to the side. In this way, a larger support surface is achieved. It is also important to use the mula and the uddiyana bandha during the execution of the pose. With their application, the practitioner will be able to stay in the same pose for much longer. Try to keep your palms shoulder-width apart. In this way, you will achieve greater stability, and the chest will open, which will ultimately be very important for staying in the right pose.
For example, if the ultimate goal is to do Bhujapidasana, I spend a lot of time with people who can’t do this pose yet and have trouble getting their hips to open. We do yin yoga, where I focus mostly on the hips.
On the other hand, with exercisers who do not have problems with the openness of the hips but with strength, I spend a lot of time doing so-called micro-movements that affect the strengthening of their upper musculature.
If you want to do other yoga poses to get ready for Bhujapidasana, I recommend the following: Garudasana, Malasana, Bakasana, Baddha Konasana, Halasana, Virasana, Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, Eka Hasta Bhujasana.
If you can practice all the poses listed, it would be fine to practice them in the order listed. Of course, if some poses are still challenging for you, feel free to skip them and continue with the next one in the sequence.
Benefits
If your goal is to strengthen your upper musculature, then Bhujapidasana is definitely the pose for you.
Practicing this pose will develop the strength of your shoulders, arms, and wrists. You will strengthen your back and open your shoulder blades and the entire space between them.
This pose is great for improving balance and strengthening the muscles in the upper body.
Bhujapidasana is recommended for practice if you have problems with digestion and with the functioning of the stomach. During the pose itself, there is a fine stretching of the stomach. It is also excellent for improving circulation, therefore, for the work of the heart and the functioning of the metabolism.
If you want to balance your nervous system, definitely practice this pose. If you are constantly exposed to stress and are prone to headaches, then Bhujapidasana is definitely the pose for you.
Conclusion
It is very important to become aware of which part of your body is challenging you in an effort to master this pose completely.
When you manage to become aware of it, focus all your attention on that part of the body, of course, through practice. Only through practice will you be able to progress further, not only in this pose but also in all future ones.
Always keep in mind that when you have managed to do a certain pose properly, you have also charted your path to success to the next poses that are currently challenging you.
