The Garudasana leg position involves ‘binding’ of the ankles in an unusual way. In this session we prepare the ankles, and the hips for these actions: compacting the hips in standing asanas, and lubricating the ankle through simple movements. Garudasana is then attempted in standing and supine positions. these squeezing actions of the legs are beneficial to maintain the suppleness of the muscles, mobility in the joints, improving circulation in the legs, and therefore is beneficial for a whole host of leg imbalances from fallen arches, plantar fascitis, bone spurs, to varicose veins.
The ankle joint, like the wrist, is delicate, making possible a large range of movement. Unlike the wrist, it faces the challenge of balancing the weight of our body, and therefore needs firmness.
We have two ankle bones on each feet – the inner and the outer. Being close to the base of the body, the ankle bones honestly reflect the quality of how we stand. Imbalances in the feet are reflected in the ankles. Conversely, building resilience in the ankles improves our balance, prevents injuries, and improves deformities not just of the feet, but the entire leg.
This session may be done as a stand-alone session. In the Short Course, the complexity of binding is being introduced after the session on increasing ankle mobility, and weight-bearing actions on the ankles.
