Hot Yoga Pose Forums > Chapter; Tadasana and Padunghustasana
Any advice or thoughts on slippery heel syndrome?
AlexandriaS
Slippery heel? If you're not sitting on it, it shouldn't matter, right?
For me, this pose is a real brain teaser, much more so than garudasana. Talking it through, I really don't know my lefts from my rights! And after talking it through with Rhonda, especially the placement of the hands in the set up, I realized that the same arm as the the leg that's bending is on top! And then in class, I realized that I had a tendency to misplace my hands, which was probably why it was so hard in the first place!
Anyway, not a question, but a realization of where the stuff on paper meets the body in practice!
KristinaS
Sweet deal. I meant that my heel sometimes slips out when I got to put it on my "hip crease". I don't know my left from rights sometimes either. It's funny. I like how when you bring your hand to half prayer it brings the pose to full circle. Like.
AlexandriaS
My question has to do with how high up the heels goes in the hip crease. I make an extended effort to set up correctly and place it 'up there' but it seems to not ever be as high as I'd like it to do.
Also - in Toestand I've realized that a lot has to do with FOOT strength, calves and thighs, and figuring out that delicate balance to lean back versus hunching forward. It's definitely a challenge!
Melina
Melina, always start with the heel as high as possible in the hip crease - tug it up with your hands! - and yes, it may tend to slip as you begin the pose. If you tuck your tailbone down/push your hips forward/move your knee down and back til both knees align, your heel will "lock" into place and you'll be completely stable, with your heel nestled high up.
Yes, Toestand requires a strong foot too -because you are balancing your entire body weight on your big toe/inner edge of the ball of your foot! Sure you can meet the challenge: ballerinas dance on point all the time! This is easier.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
A woman in class was unable to keep her shoulders and hips square due to injury. I wasn't sure how or if there could be a correction for her since she was saying there was a physical limitation for her?
HeatherS
Heather while it's true that some students are dealing with temporary limitations, the body's ability to heal is nothing short of miraculous if the mind/belief in healing is there. Hold that belief up to the light for your students; understand what they describe as their injury and tell them to follow the instructions to the best of their ability today. We have specific care for spinal issues but with almost all else, following your cues will do nicely. They will be amazed as they watch themselves do what they thought they never could, one day soon.
Rhonda Uretzky
For me, toe stand on the right side is a little difficult. I tore the ligament in my ankle a year and a half ago and just don't have the stabilizing ability as I once had. Just need to "lift" higher.
GabbyL
Gabby, yes lift higher - and also lift your spirit: stop telling the story of the torn ligament as if thats the "reason" you "dont have the stabilizing ability you once had." This story is setting the scene for what will follow - and always does (more instability, just as you expected). Try this one: "what torn ligament?" If it happened in the past it has no place in the present - and your story keeps it stuck in the present for you each time you tell it, especially to yourself. This is a main reason why people dont heal....and why, when they let go, they finally do.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I keep working toward this pose. I used to always do a second set of tree. Then a (good) teacher used words to urge the class on. She would say "this is a beginner pose, they are all beginner poses. Everybody can do this. So I started trying. I was amazed that it wasnt as hard as I thought to bend down there! Hips are tighter some days than others and the balance well, it will come.
KimA
That;s right Kim: there really is no second set of Tree. You begin Toe Stand by putting both hands in prayer and...praying! As you gingerly lean forward, let your arms be your safety net: they dangle down reaching fingertips to the floor as you fall forward into their support. Go for it slowly but GO FOR IT! Otherwise staying stuck in a Tree becomes you new habit and you know: how you do anything is how you do everything!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I really tried to focus on anchoring myself, stretch and lift the spine. It is work in progress. I will get it :) The key is to smile when you hold this beautiful pose and then you feel relaxed and the hip opens just by itself. I love when it happens like that. The toe stand is my favorite. It is so awesome to do this pose and see where you are today. I love to get to the pose and find my balance then smile to myself with love :). Beautiful pose.
Alfia
Agree, Alfia! The key is to smile at yourself in this beautiful pose :)
I really love the time we have after setting up in 1st set to just stand there, making micro-adjustments until we feel as if we are trees! Looking at myself in the mirror, i level my shoulders, lift my upper body up, up, up, strong, stretched core, lifted chest, tailbone down, shoulders square, hips push forward and the bent knee pressed gently back. All the while straighten, stretch up, level shoulders, breathe, lift up!
This is a beautiful space in which to breathe.
Grace
i love seeing myself grow taller like a tree and ancoring yourself to the ground like roots. smiling allways brings me back to center when i feel like i might loose balance in toestand. toestand is a work in progress like other poses but i used to get stuck coming out of it. after rhonda explained how to push up and even listening better to the script and getting over the fear or thinking i couldnt do it, I stood up for the first time last sunday!
danielle bumber
Congratulations Danielle! Its always a good feeling to accomplish something you have been striving for and remember YOU CAN DO IT!
Since there is just one set of the standing series in the express classes, can we just go right into toe stand? The classes that i have been in everyone stays in tree. I dont mind staying in tree since i get such a great hip flexor stretch, but was just wondering if it was an option.
I have taken some hot yoga classes in Plainsboro. During toe stand the instructors would say bring the right hand to half prayer FIRST and then the left hand for full prayer. Is there a reason why the right hand is brought up first. In our script it says one hand, then the other.
I find toe stand much more comfortable when hoovering my hips slightly over my heels. I have tried a few times now to point the toes and move the knee down and back and i really feel this anchors me and makes me more stable.
TinaA
Congratulations, Danielle - on pushing up through Toestand and on noticing that yes, you can
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Ah Tina, when there is one set only it is Tree; Toestand is not for everyone. Yes indeed, hovering over the heel is easier than sitting on the heel which often feels like collapsing - it feels heavy - while hovering feels light, balanced, easy!
There is a reason for right hand first, then left hand; in meditation when you have the hands in your lap it is right on top of left. There is a reason for this but honestly I dont recall what it is! More importantly though is it press palm against palm until you feel equal pressure; this balances the left and right hemispheres of your brain
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Yes, Grace those micro-adjustments - shoulders, hips, breastbone, tailbone, collarbones, hips, knees - are so beautiful. Remember that small adjustments yield the biggest results. Add the slow grace of patience as you adjust, plus a handful of appreciation as you gaze in the mirror and notice your effort and joy
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
A smile is always helpful, Alfia, but there is more to the story of asana than that - otherwise our script would be stand and smile. Adjust the yin and yang moments of this pose and continue to feel it expand your hips - with you supplying the adjustments and effort in all the right places
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I love tree pose, So i have not tried Padunghustasana much... well this week I have. I Can go down smoothly and rest in the position w my hands on the floor, still working on bring the hands up to prayer and hovering... Any suggestions on how to make that smooth? Also, I would like to return to tree with the grace, can you lend any suggestions here as well
Becky
Becky, you might try bringing one hand into half prayer and enjoy the balance there; when you feel ready the other hand can come up to meet it. Keep your eyes on the floor, not the mirror, 4-6 feet in front of you - this spot becomes your Drishti, the energy balance of the pose using your gaze. When you're ready, try both hands in prayer keeping the steady on your Drishti. Relax the shoulders an enjoy the feeling. Coming back into Tree, also raise your Drishti gently and let that spot maintain your balance.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I too like tree pose, and I did no think that I should be going further because I did not have my bent knee in line with my standing knee. After the discussion last night on our call and reading the posts above, I now know that these are two separate poses. I will be trying toe stand because my knees do not need to line up for toe stand. They only need to line up for tree full prayer.
I too have slippery heel syndrome, so I am looking forward to trying the advice about lifting my heel higher than normal and feeling for the notch to let my heel slip into.
Brittany Yard
Glad you're ready to give toe stand a try, Brittany; picture yourself seated in the saddle when you hover over your heel in toe stand: seated but also held aloft. You got this
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I can hold my right leg in tree for a year with no problem, hands in prayer. My left leg immediately starts to fall down as soon as I try to put both hands in prayer. I'm curious to see in coming months how this resolves itself, I'm certain it will...not sure how, but can't wait to find out. Toe stand turns out to be the biggest hip opener for me, not the inside of the hip, but the outside, where the IT band begins. I'm loving this pose!
Dani
This one is everyone's favorite: who doesn't look gorgeous all poised in this stable pose? Most people sit on the heel in Toe Stand but the real lightness comes when you can hover slightly above. Questions about these two Sister poses?