Triangle - I've come to love it!

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Yesterday morning it was a lovely Sunday morning Bikram class.  There were surprisingly few students at the studio.  It's usually one of the most crowded classes of the week.  I walked in and there was a spot front and center for me, so I took it.  I haven't been practicing quite as regularly as I should, so I knew that to work hard and hit my maxes I'd be taxing my system.  I made a note to watch the breath very carefully and work on lengthening the exhales, to move slowly, and with intent.  That always serves me well.

Lynn Whitlow came to Vermont in June and I learned a lot from her about how to teach triangle.  From the setup (warrior II) there is a nice way to go into the pose that seems to work well for students.  Let me just say that getting students into warrior II with a nice wide step and the bent leg thigh parallel to the ground is another thing altogether!  From a well-aligned warrior II, if you just move the arms, but stay upright, the upper body stays lifted.

From there, you reach the bottom hand down toward the toes and the upper hand up toward the ceiling.  The amazing thing is that when you raise your eyes up to the ceiling and turn chin to shoulder - THE SHOULDER IS RIGHT THERE WAITING FOR YOU!  The benefit for students to practicing this way is that they don't experience the upper body tipping over and dragging the body frame down.  Instead you enjoy a lifted upper body from the beginning.

It's so amazing, and I've been teaching it this way since I saw Lynn.  Yesterday in class, as a student, after the first set my teacher asked if I'd demonstrate.  I've come a long way with this pose.  It really used to be my nemesis and getting down into warrior II was something I thought I couldn't do.  Even at training, on the carpet, I could hardly hold both sides both sets more than a few times.

Now I demonstrate triangle.  Better yet - I LOVE IT!!!