Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero’s Pose) registers as 2* on the scale of difficulty.
Observing the two photos below, you’ll notice a big difference between Iyengar and me. Iyengar’s lower back is firmly pressed into the ground, while mine arches significantly. Because my groin muscles are much tighter than his, my hip points are reaching toward my knees and my back is arching to accommodate that tilt in my pelvis.
To me, Supta Virasana feels great this way, but it minimizes the restorative quality of the pose. If you, like me, have trouble lowering your lumbar spine toward the ground, first try tilting your pelvis in the opposite direction: toward your ribs. If this still prevents you from lowering your back to the ground, fold a blanket and place it directly behind your lumbar spine for added support.
Tags: alignment, asana, Iyengar, Light on Yoga, Supta Virasana
[...] Iyengar recommends approaching Kapotasana in Supta Virasana. Then, you place your hands directly over your shoulders, lift your head off the ground, then begin [...]