Shoelace

There are several ways to enter shoelace pose. One is to get onto hands and knees. Now bring one knee behind the other and come sit in between your heels.

The other one is come into a seated position with your legs out in front. Keep the left leg extending while you place your right foot on the outside of the left knee. Now lean on to your left buttock while you bend your left knee and bring it backwards. Now wiggle the knees so they are paralel. 

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The closer the feet are to the groins to softer the pose. Try not to sit on the feet, you want your feet to move forwards. Both sit bones are pressing into the ground, if this isn't possible then sit on a block. Now either stay upright or gently roll forwards keeping your sit bones firmly rooted. Allowing the head, neck and shoulders to relax. 

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Walk your hands back to an upright position. Slowly extend the legs out in front and make some gentle movement ( windshield wipers can be amazing!) and come to stillness for a minute. Switch legs and repeat on the other side. 

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Benefits

• Delicious opening of the hips 

• Stretching the thighs, groins and buttocks 

• Stretching the lower spine when folding forwards 

• Compression of the stomach organs when folding forwards > aids digestion 

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Contra indications  / modifications and prop use

• Knee issues: make sure to keep your knees below the hips so sit on a block. Top knee pain: Use a blanket under the top knee if possible. Bottom knee pain: Try half shoelace, extending the bottom leg out in front. Be cautious of any sharp pains. remember we are making the turn from the hip joint, not the knees. To protect the knee keep the ankles paralel with the knees. 

• Lower spine issues: Do not roll forwards but stay in the upright version

• Hip stiffness: elevate the buttocks by sitting on a bolster or block 

Variations: ​

• Add some upper body yin: cow face arms or eagle arms​

• Take a twist

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Alternative pose

Square pose

Eye of the needle

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