Overstepping Dragon pose

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Geronimo
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:38 pm

Overstepping Dragon pose

Post by Geronimo »

Hello
I was wondering about the dragon pose. When I look at your video or in the book there is also a version of an oversteping dragon. Normally the knee is right over your foot, in a 90 degree angle. Is it good for the knee if you push it over your foot, so that the knee is in front of your foot. Mhh, I hope you understand what I mean. English is not my mothertongue. :)
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Re: Overstepping Dragon pose

Post by Bernie »

Worrying about whether the knee should be or must be aligned over the ankle is focussing on aesthetics, not function. If the knee was not meant to go past the heel and over the toes, we would never be able to walk up or down stairs. (Try it! You can’t do it without allowing the knee to come forward.) If the knee could not safely go past the ankle, no yogis would ever do Chair Pose (Utkatasana). It is okay to let your knee come forward of your toes!

For the Overstepping Dragon, it is even less of a concern because this is a non-weight bearing position. Unlike climbing stairs or Chair Pose, there is very little stress on the knee in this Dragon. However, never is never right…there may be a student who is days away from having knee replacement surgery. She may be advised to not do this pose. But, just because one person should not or cannot do the pose is no reason to deny the pose to everyone else.

If you really want to get into it, I discuss this in a lot of detail in the book Your Body, Your Yoga.

Cheers!
Bernie
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