You might have noticed I've been thinking a lot about King Pigeon Pose and Dancer Pose with the Master Reverse Grip Immersion beginning next Saturday and it made me want to dive into some old yoga photos. 

So, above you can see one of my first attempts in King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakopotanasana I) back in 2013. 

And, as I love to do, when I see younger Tori in a yoga picture, I thought I'd share with you, what I would tell her to help her get more out of the posture. 

Let's begin from the base of the posture... because if that is off, the whole posture will be affected by it. 

First off, I would have her move the front foot forward and the knee out to the side. 

Do you see how the hips are super imbalanced and one is higher than the other? Getting a better base with the legs, would greatly improve this. And, would get the ribs even on each side.

I'm okay with the back bend here, but it could also be better.

I would have her pull the ribs away from the hips even more. (I can see there is some space to do this across the front line.) And, allow some space from the back of the head to the shoulder blades (I am "dropping the head back" instead of properly bending through the cervical spine.)

This Reverse Grip? Not bad, but also as you can see, I have zero muscle and am all bend, so it was a bit easier back then. I would have her close the elbows together over her head (this would help facilitate a bit more strength within the posture). 

It's always good to see where I've been and how things have improved. 

And, I hope you also take pictures of your yoga practice now and then. 

It helps you to see how much your practice has evolved. 

I know the back bend isn't as deep today, but you know what? The back bending technique is so, SO much better. 

And, muscles. I have so much more muscle and have built so much strength into my practice. I'm proud of being both flexible AND strong nowadays. 

Seeing progress in your practice is a huge motivator to keep showing up and stepping on your yoga mat. 

If you haven't made much progress lately, it's time to shake things up. 

Join me for class soon! 

Big Hugs, 

Tori ♡