Before we dig into this week’s Pose of the Week, don’t miss these posts:
If you want to make a request for a pose to be covered, email my office or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.
The question:
What are the sacroiliac joint and spine doing in revolved triangle?
The answer:
Part 1
The first part of the answer to keeping the SIJ and spine safe AND making the pose effective in revolved triangle is to READ THIS POST FIRST.
After that, you will understand femoral version, hip impingement, triplanar alignment (which this pose does NOT use), and how to avoid injury by protecting the hip in triangle. All of these things are important because both Triangle and Revolved Triangle use a Warrior I lunge entry point, and both poses can be high risk for those with hypermobility and hip impingement or hip dysplasia.
Part 2
The second part of the answer includes following the guidelines outlined below and in the video to build a safe and effective Revolved Triangle Pose. This type of alignment is BEST for those who need improved:
- Thoracic mobility (aka for people who cannot easily check their blind spot)
- Balance
- Vestibular functioning
- Core strength, which includes the pelvic floor, respiratory diaphragm, and abdominals
- Hamstring, Achilles, and back line (think fascia) mobility
- Coordination
- Proprioception and interoception
- Breathing, since you have to breathe “uphill”
Building a Safe & Effective Revolved Triangle Pose
Now you are ready for Revolved Triangle!
Our goals for revolved triangle include:
- Stay safe in the pose and avoid hip impingement and sacroiliac torsion.
- Build strength in the pose rather than mistake it for a stretch or flexibility pose. Yes, you can gain flexibility in the pose, but stability should be first priority. The spine gets priority over the extremities.
- Improve balance in the pose. This pose requires a Warrior I stance, which is why you should master Warrior I first.
- Prevent injury in Revolved Triangle. This pose has unique qualities when it is aligned a particular way – benefits that NO OTHER YOGA POSE offers.
Do in Revolved Triangle Pose
✅ Do use a Warrior I stance to build the pose. This is NOT a triplanar pose like is used in Triangle Pose. This pose requires that the pelvis is squared to the front of the room. This prevents hip impingement, sacral torsion (both very important in women with hip dysplasia or general hypermobility) and actually puts the focus where it should be – on improving mid-back mobility and thoracic rotation and strengthening the lungs and core.
✅ Do bend both knees IF you have known hip impingement or if you have groin pain when you bring your knee to the chest using a hip telescope approach. If you are not familiar with that movement, you can sign up HERE for a complementary video library that explains the basic Medical Therapeutic Yoga postures.
✅ Do optimize length/tension relationship of the pelvic floor by practicing the Hip Lock. You learned how to do the Hip Lock in this post.
✅ Do focus on upper back rotation NOT sacroiliac torsion and lower back rotation. Twisting is MOST available in the upper back and is a motion nearly everyone is missing in this pose because they try to take spinal twisting where it isn’t as biomechanically available.
✅ Do screen your own hip joint before practicing any yoga posture. You can easily get hurt in this pose. It’s a big offender of aggravating pre-existing hypermobility and hip impingement or labral tears when done incorrectly. You can learn how to do this in this workshop.
✅ The Three P’s – Protection, Preservation, and Performance – The goal of all MTY-aligned postures is to Protect and Preserve the joints while optimizing biopsychosocial Performance.
✅ Progress slowly and expect to lose your balance. Just like we cannot get stronger without lifting weight, and we cannot improve our balance without challenging it with increasingly difficult exercises.
✅ Master this sequence first before attempting Revolved Triangle: TATD Breath, Locks System, Mountain, Chair, Warrior I and Triangle Pose. It will be much more effective and safe if you do.
Do Nots in Revolved Triangle Pose
❎ Revolved Triangle is NOT a spinal side bend. The spine and pelvis stay in a relative neutral. The focus is on core strength and restoring and maintaining mid-back (and eventually neck) mobility, which is something everyone will lose with age if they do not directly address it.
❎ Do not use or treat Revolved Triangle as a beginner pose. Please follow the sequence above and master those poses and breath techniques FIRST before starting this pose.
❎ Do not breath hold to go deeper into the pose. This pose is harder to breath in because you’ll be essentially breathing uphill at the end range of the pose. It’s an excellent way to build lung strength and resolve diaphragm issues by strengthening the respiratory diaphragm.
❎ Do not dump the front hip to the ground or put it in front of the other side of the pelvis. Doing this takes the vital upper back out of the equation (say goodbye to the therapeutic benefits for the thoracic spine) and distributes all the load on the front leg, which increases the incidence of hip impingement, sacroiliac joint torsion, and takes the Locks (read: pelvic floor, deep gluteal sling, and other vital support muscles) out of their active role in stabilization. It also takes emphasis off of creating posterior chain (hamstring, fascia) length and mobility.
Scaffolding: Building a Safer, More Effective Revolved Triangle
The Locks and Scaffolding Video are SNEAK PEEKS from the Premium MTY Video Library. If you’d like to have exclusive, lifetime access to all MTY Videos in one location, click here.
Note: Assessment and evaluation of the hip joint should be done by a licensed healthcare provider, preferably a physical therapist or orthopaedist.
Resources
- Protecting the Sacroiliac Joint in Yoga
- Protecting the Sacroiliac Joint in Yoga, Part II
- Live Practice! The New Warrior I & II (Hip Preservation, Not Hip Openers)
- All Courses
DISCLAIMER: YOU CAN DO ANY YOGA POSE however you feel is best for you. However, this particular Triangle pose is for protection and preservation, as well as maximizing, pelvic girdle function (hip, SIJ, low back, pelvic floor). This and any other videos I instruct do not constitute physical therapy or a patient-provider relationship. User assumes risk in performing this or any video. Please get the approval of your healthcare provider before doing this or any instructional movement video.