Hypermobility Tips & Tricks for Yoga
I don’t love Yoga as a choice for those with Hypermobility/hEDS because of the tendency to get too deep into poses due to the lax connective tissues, but I AM a fan of helping people feel more comfortable doing the things they love. Those with hypermobility often appear to be really ‘good’ at yoga when twisty bendy poses come easy to them, but it’s more than likely we are hanging off our joints rather than finding joint stability to strengthen muscles in those poses. But, because I love the mental health benefits of yoga and its potential to strengthen when done properly, I use the Foundations of Pilates to teach Yoga to those who love it- here are my tips!
***For poses like low lunge, Warrior 1, wide legged forward fold, & extended side angle, it’s easy to go super deep in the pose which can actually cause us to ‘hang’ off our joints. Instead, use blocks under your hands to be higher up, engage your inner and outer thighs (compact the hips) and try to feel as if you are lifting up and out of your pelvis rather than down and into it. This sense of the energy lifting can give a more supported pose throughout the hip joints rather than the hanging down that can happen when we try to touch the floor.
***For poses with arms in the air, try to find joint centering in the shoulders by paying attention to where the arms are in space. I like to say things like ‘draw your armbones into the shoulder socket like plugging your iphone into the charger’ or “keep your arms slightly in front of the body’ since that can be a more stable place for the shoulders. I often see arms behind us in poses like Extended Side Angle and Warrior 2, and I like to see them slightly in front for more stability.
Many of the foundational aspects of Pilates can be our teacher in Yoga. Save this post to come back to before your next Yoga class, or visit my homepage to find more ways to work with me. I also teach a ‘Pilates for Hypermobility’ course a few times a year where you can learn many tips and hacks that can be applied to Yoga or your sport of choice!
