Secrets of Performing Janu Sirsasana, Head-to-Knee Pose Technique in Yoga, Benefits of the Asana

Janu Sirsasana – is a rather simple yoga pose , useful for stretching the back, hips and hamstrings, opening the hip joints. As part of the first sequence of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga , Janu Sirsasana is performed in variations A, B, C (the position of the foot of the bent leg changes).

Execution Technique

Step 1:

Sit on the floor in Dandasana (Staff Pose) – with legs extended in front of you. Use your hands to move the buttock flesh back and free the sit bones.

Step 2:

Inhale, bend your right knee and pull the sole to the groin of your left thigh. Try to put your right knee on the floor, and place your foot as high as possible near the hip. Thus, an angle of at least 90 degrees should be formed between the hips. If your right knee does not reach the floor – put a folded blanket under it.

Step 3:

Inhale, straighten up. Your left leg is extended forward, firmly pressed to the floor; toes are pulled towards yourself. Pull the inside of your left leg towards the groin and inward so that the leg does not roll to the left. Exhale and slightly turn your body to the left, your navel should be approximately in the middle of your left thigh. Extend your body and back upwards, evenly lengthening your sides and the entire spine.

Step 4:

Inhale and reach your hands to the foot of your extended leg, grab the foot on the sides with both hands. When your hands are fully extended, bend forward, lengthening the front of your torso from the pubis to the top of your sternum.

Step 5:

On the exhale, lean your torso forward and go into a fold, starting from the groin, not from the waist. Do not round your back in an effort to bend lower, on the contrary – keep your back straight and lengthen the front of your body.

Step 6:

During the fold, pull your head and the whole body forward. First, the lower part of the abdomen should touch the thighs, then the chest, and last of all the head.

Step 7:

Stay in the pose for 1 to 3 minutes (5-10 breathing cycles).

Exiting the Pose

On the inhale, lift your torso and head, release your foot. Helping yourself with your hands, lift your leg, bent at the knee, and go to Dandasana. Repeat the asana on the other side.

Asana Adjustment / Control Points

1. do not round your spine. Do not try to forcefully pull your body towards your leg before your body is really ready.
2. strongly pull in your stomach during the fold;
3. actively press the foot of the bent leg into the groin and move the knee further to the side, opening the groin area;
4. watch your extended leg – do not bend your knee, lengthen your leg, pulling the inner surface of the thigh towards the groin;
5. actively press the thigh, shin and heel of your extended leg to the floor.

Benefits

Contraindications

Preparatory Yoga Exercises

• Adho Mukha Shvanasana ;
• Baddha Konasana;
• Balasana ;
• Supta Padangusthasana ;
• Uttanasana ;
• Vrksasana.

Deep Practice

You can deepen the asana by increasing the angle between your legs – it should be more than 90 degrees. For beginners, as a rule, the foot is placed on the inner thigh, due to this, the angle becomes 90 degrees or less. Increase the angle between your legs by pulling your foot as deep as possible into your groin. Follow this recommendation only if you have sufficient flexibility in your legs, hips and back, do not allow pain in the knee of the bent leg. Entering the maximum fold (torso and head rest on the leg), bring both hands behind the foot and grab the right wrist with the left hand (if the left leg is bent) and vice versa.

Variations

1. Simplified version. Place the foot of the bent leg perpendicularly on the inner side of the thigh of the straight leg. Make sure that the sole of the bent leg does not slip under the straight leg. Look down at the bent leg: you should see the sole completely. Keep the bent leg active and press the heel against the inner thigh of the straight leg. Also, at first, you may not reach for the foot of the extended leg with your hands, but place them palms on the floor. Use your hands as a lever to adjust the position of your body and adjust the depth of the forward bend.
2. Complicated version. Janu Sirsasana in variations A, B, C is performed sequentially as part of the first series of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Follow all the steps of the instructions described above, except for the placement of the foot of the bent leg.

Variation B.

In variation B, the foot of the bent leg is placed under the buttocks, the heel is closed by the anus / perineum area. To enter the pose, you need to perform several steps:

1. sit in Dandasana, bend your right knee and pull the sole to the groin of your left thigh. Place your hands on the sides of your hips.
2. leaning on your hands, lift your hips and sit on the heel of your bent leg with your anus or perineum. In some schools of yoga, it is recommended to turn the foot so that the toes are in the same direction as the straight leg (the foot of the bent leg is parallel to the straight thigh). The angle between the legs can be 90 degrees or less (the smaller the angle, the closer the knees to each other). Choose the angle between your legs so that you are sitting with your anus/perineum on your heel.
3. keep your knee straight, do not press it. Extend your spine. Focus on extending your head from your chest, lengthening your neck and opening your chest. Pull in your stomach.
4. then follow the general recommendations for performing the fold and staying in the pose.

Variation C.

In variation C, the foot is placed on the inner thigh, but the foot is directed downwards and rests on the arch of the foot (metatarsus) on the floor, the heel is raised. The task when entering this variation of the asana is to place the metatarsus of the foot on the floor while the knee is raised from the floor, and the leg is taken to ninety degrees. To enter the pose, you need to perform several steps:

1. sit in Dandasana, bend your right knee and pull the sole to the groin of your left thigh. Place your hands on the sides of your hips.
2. using your hands, place your foot on the metatarsus. Help yourself with your hands and place each toe with its pads on the floor (to avoid their “twisting”).
3. take your knee to the side, opening the hip joints, but do not allow pain in the knee. Actively press your heel against the thigh of your extended leg.
4. help hold the foot in the desired position with your hands – hold onto the raised heel and gradually enter the fold. In this variation, at first you can remain in an upright position until you get used to the position of the foot and knee.
5. then follow the general recommendations for performing the fold and staying in the pose.