Forward bends/ back arches/ twists – these are convenient ways to classify asanas. these classifications are not wrong, but they reduce the and beautiful complexities of asanas to a single dimension. They also do not convey that our limbs – arms and legs – are very important for reaching full control in asanas – whichever category they may be.
In this session, we refine forward extension asanas by focussing on what happens at the shoulders and shoulder blades. Do the arms just ‘pull’ the trunk forward in forward extensions, once they have a grip? As in all asanic actions, there is always an equal and opposite action at play which makes the asana wholistic and sustainable. If it were not so, our muscles and joints would wear out very soon. Shoulder blades in forward extensions provide one of the control points. They moderate the ‘pulling’ action of the arms. This action is important to reach a quieter state in forward extensions, and it is an important concept to make the shoulders firm and strong. This action is sought to be understood by breaking it down into simple steps, and then integrating it into a simplified Vasistasana
