Printed in the Family Post: School Issue 2006
By Deborah Jordan
Modified Gate Pose (Parighasana), a lateral bend, stretches the torso from hip to shoulder. It stretches and strengthens the musculature of the shoulder girdle, hip joints, front of the pelvis and the inner thighs. It builds stability in the spine, rib cage, shoulders and pelvis.
Side bends help to maintain the elasticity of the rib cage by alternately stretching and compressing the intercostals muscles and the connective tissues of the ribs. Stretching the intercostals, the secondary muscles of the respiratory system, helps to increase breath capacity and in the case of a pregnant woman make space for a growing baby. It is also beneficial for those with respiratory conditions or lateral imbalances in the spine, hips, pelvis, or shoulders.
Modified Gate pose gets deeper into the hip than most seated side stretches. I consider it to be an essential part of the prenatal practice providing: increased breath capacity, and greater spinal and pelvic stabilization.
Cautions: If you have knee injury, practice with extra padding under the standing knee as long as sharp or electrical sensation is not present. If these sensations are present do not practice this pose. For those with shoulder injury, place hand on hip rather than reaching arm up and over. For those with loose hip joints or unstable pelvis, it is important to stabilize the outside hip by grounding the knee directly under it and being careful to engage abdominal muscles so that pelvis is not tilted back.
The Breath: Nostril breathing calms the nervous system. Practice three-part breath by allowing your diaphragm (upper belly) to expand on the inhalation; continue to inhale through the back of your nostrils as you expand the ribs to the sides and the lungs front and back until you are full of the breath to the collarbone. Pause slightly at the top of your inhale, then begin exhaling slowly. Breathe in this way as you practice.
To Practice: Find a wall or stationary piece of furniture to extend your left leg toward. Begin standing on your knees with your left side toward the wall. Align your right knee directly under your right hip as you extend the left leg to the wall with your heal resting on the floor near the wall. Inhale as you reach your right arm out and up then exhale as you bend laterally toward the wall opening the right side. Stay here for (2-3) complete three-part breaths noticing how bringing the breath into the right side helps the muscles to release into the stretch. Inhale as you lift straight up with head and right arm; exhale as you reach out and down with the right arm. Switch sides and repeat.
Reminders: Stabilize the standing leg hip by engaging the lower abdominal muscles and the muscles of the buttocks and aligning the upper body directly over the hips and straight leg. If you notice you are back or forward leaning decrease the depth of your bend for optimal benefits.
