Glad to share it. I have had a number of students get into lotus for their very first time after doing this prep. It seems to help most people. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and watching. Namaste, David
Great video! Much gratitude, you saved me a lot of pain! This is the best instruction that I've seen so far: - Laconic, effective, testable - Anatomy analysis - Suited for different levels of practice, with separate troubleshooting videos
Wow, this is amazing. Trying to get the knee pain out of the Lotus and watched different videos. This is the huge game changer. Thank you from my heart.
I have been practicing for 10 years and still this posture is a challenge for me. These stretches are wonderful, and if you use the blocks are very safe as well. Excellent, thank you.
This video is terrific. I have been able to do lotus pretty well with the left foot going first, but it has been really tight with the right foot going first. This made a large improvement quickly. Thank you very much for 'building temples' for us in you tube. David
I think the suggestion for many of us doing daily meditation practice is to switch positions: left on right, then right on left. This is especially true for those who meditate more than once a day, and especially on week long meditation retreats.
David you have explained it so well.. it has helped me a lot. I used to think that the kneen pains, but u explained the reason so well that a lay man can get u so easily. Thank you so much
I'm about to go try this. Regardless of whether this helps me or not (I think it will), just want to say thanks for making such a perfectly concise instructional video. I learned a lot. Really looking forward to checking out the rest.
I had to do this with the support of blocks but after the stretches I am amazed that I was able to do the lotus. Still need work but I am getting there thanks to your sequence. Blessings
Thank You David, I was in an accident where I broke my tibia and fibula in 5 places. I have been in rehab for 2 months but just can't seem to get my knee to bend past a certain point. Your videos have really helped me to move my knee further with less pain.
Thanks hope restored! I didn't know what to do about my practice and have been trying to modify, avoiding anything r/t to my knees.( was told by providers - Physiatrist, MD, ortho PA that knees are like glass: no bending, weight bearng, etc) Lotus is incorporated in so many of the asanas in my practice, but I can't "avoid knees" in yoga. I did injure my knee - 4 months to begin to heal: the medial aspect of the tibia and femur compressing. The towel is amazing! & so is having direction now.
Without an ACL the knee is usually destabilized. Lotus can put a lot of pressure into the knee so we want to be mindful that we're not exacerbating the instability. The other reason to let it go for a while is that you don't want to inflame the area (I'm not sure if it is still from the ACL tear or not) and you especially don't want it inflamed before having surgery. Just keep the focus on the hip.
This is wonderful, David! I could definitely feel a difference in my own lotus and will borrow this technique to better prepare my students as well. Namaste.
Stabilizing the femur increases the pressure in the hip joint. Yes, stack up the blankets and bolsters for your friends with the high knees so the knees are supported and the pressure goes into the hips.
@dkeil Thank you for the advice. It hasn't injured me so far, nor is there any indication that it's going to. My main problem is that after about 2 hours mind begins to be less focused and less contollable, so I was looking for ways, physical or mental, to address this. Thanks again for the advice and useful videos.
Even the pressure that you feel between your shins is still a result of the tension remaining in your hips. You can always put a small towel between for the moment.
It's true you can never isolate only one muscle, or in this case one group when there is more than one group that does the same action. When in butterfly, you get more of a stretch in the adductors, because your legs are more abducted than they are in the prep I suggest, or lotus. In the prep, you are less abducted and as a result more pressure is felt in the other rotators in the gluteals, which are both thicker, larger and restrict more than the adductors. This is why I chose to focus on them.
This is truly amazing, thank you for these great videos, I just discovered them and they are incredibly instructive and most of all it works !!! Thank you for sharing this David :)
This is a really well put together video. I'm teaching a hip opening workshop and I'll definitely be doing this one, it was beautifully explained. Looking forward to the next.
If you are having acute knee pain... don't do this at all. If you have knee pain setting this up then it could also be that your knee is too high. Sit up on top of a large pillow to see if raising your hips higher than your legs works. If when folding forward you feel more pressure in your knee, try folding away from the knee that is hurting. All of this is described in the video. It's also possible that this prep is NOT appropriate for you.
+David Keil Hey David, 1 quick question, I have been doing the Padmasana with taking the left foot first and the right on it. Do I need to change to right over left as you have mentioned it, or either way is fine.
In case you come to Amsterdam, I'd love to guide you around! I'm learning a lot through your precious work! Thank you so much. Maybe mentioning this gives a broader idea about my bone structure: I have never been able to achieve Baddha Konasana or Upavistha Konasana. No gym, ballet neither yoga teacher has ever told me that my bone structure didn't allow it, though I suspected that something was "wrong" (if have been working on it since 6 year old child, I'd love to achieve this openness ;-)
I am not sure where you're trying to purchase from. but if you go to the website listed in the description then to > shop > add each to cart > checkout.
Thanks bro feels really good! Also your previous video on why the knee hurts, personally i couldnt care kess for lotus pose but i want my hips and glutes looser and this feels like its helping.
Winde, If you feel it in the joint that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some people feel it more in the front/groin. Probably because their adductors are tighter than their glutes. It's also possible that your bone structure doesn't allow for this position well and because the bones are touching it doesn't actually stretch the tissue. It's hard to know for sure without seeing you.
Uhm, I don't want to be a party pooper for all you aspiring Yogis out there, but the Lotus position is universal to many practices, and the -proper- Lotus position for -men- is -Left Leg First- then right, so in essence, the person in the video is sitting in a -female- Lotus. :)
increase the pressure on the hip to open those tissues so the knee is more comfortable. "isn't it all about relaxation?" If this were true, why not just lay on a beach? why do any asana at all. Why do lotus? There is both effort and relaxation, not all about one or the other.
David, thank you for your very clear explanation! I have a special request: can you pls make a video on how to prepare for 'triang mukhaikapada paschimottanasana' ? The rotation of the hips is very unusal, as least for me, and when I am in that position I seat on one bottom cheek only, the other one doesn't reach the floor. It would be great to know on how to stretch those area. Thank you very much.
I'm 49 and I've had previous surgery on both my knees, don't think I'll ever get into a lotus position, badly hurt my hip flexor last time I even went near it. ☹️
hey David, thanks for the video, very impressed. I started to practice yoga after I ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament of one knee, I'm still waiting for a chance to take the surgery. Full-lotus is one of my favorite poses and I could do it (not so good) and feel okay but my yoga teacher suggested me should not do it because of my knee. Hope to get your advice. Thanks very much.
It's not really about pulling the skin away. It should be enough pressure that it helps stabilize your femur. The result is usually more sensation at the hip joint. So... Go deeper than just pulling the skin away. As I say in the video... "Press down and rotate"
@gnostie Understanding the anatomy may show you where your limits are and where you need to work, but things still need to be developed or evolve over time. There are no shortcuts, not with anatomy or any other tip or trick you may find on the web. be careful with your goals of siddhasana sitting for two plus hours... It could also injure you.
I got it, thanks so much. Is it important to take the surgery asap? My ACL rupture happened 2 years ago, I'm still delaying the surgery. It would be maybe half a year I can't practice after the surgery?
Namasthey. It was nice watching your video on preparation for lotus posture. I notice that while sitting in Lotus posture, my weight is on the left buttock and wanted to know if thats normal. If not can you please suggest some exercises to correct that.
Hy David, I did the whole sequence, with the help of many cushions.... and do not feel any pain in the gluts neither in the knees, but a lot in the hip joint (and more intense on the right side). Can you give me some advice on how to work on it? Looking forward to hear from you;)
Excellent videos, very clear and useful - thank you! I wonder if anatomy could help me sit it siddhasana for prolonged periods of time (2+hours) and stand in sirshasana for 20+ min. Is there something I can do anatomy-wise, or it's simply practicing? Thank you.
Hi David Keil, Thank you for the video! How long can you sit in Padmasana comfortably and enjoyably? I practiced what you guided in this video and some others such as: Surya Namaskara, Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Pavanamukt asana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Supta Virasana, Supta baddha konasana, Baddha Konsana, Janu sirsasana, Upavistha Konasana for 1 hour. After that, I can sit comfortably in Padmasana for 30 minutes. But after that, my leg turns to pink or red color, becoming painful. What should I do to sit comfortably in Padmasana for 1 - 2 hour?Many thanks!
@TheAstroChild - Hey thanks for pointing out that I'm doing lotus in the female position. I'm curious though what tradition you've gotten your information from. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika very clearly states that the right leg goes first. I also know that in Tibetan systems for meditation, the left leg goes first... so there is obviously some difference of opinion. What text are you referencing for the male/female aspect?
Very informative ! By doing these stretches will I be able to achieve the full lotus eventually .at the moment I can bring my other foot and leg over the other ..?
I don't have problems with putting myself in the lotus position with the one exception is that when I'm in that position, the shins are sitting on top of each other in such a way that it creates uncomfortable pressure. My hips and knees are totally fine. Do you have suggestion on what I can do?
oh i see, and what's the importance of stabilizing the femur? I'm learning a little bit more about yoga anatomy these days, and i'm just clueless about it. Also, I've got friends whose knees are just high up there, they can't get it down coz they're so stiff, they can't cross their legs so easily too, do we get them to stack as many blankets below the knee as possible?
I'm not here to give you medical advice about what you should and shouldn't do. That would be between you and your doctor. How long if you did have surgery? many variables, no one can say exactly.
Very informatibe, yet simple. Btw, I see u are doing lotus with left above right leg. But u are a male. It should be the other way around. Any particular reason why u do that?
@dkeil if you are curious about it, go to the official Falun Dafa website at falundafa . org and look at the exercise videos, specifically the Fifth Exercise, which is a sitting meditation, in the Lotus. Master shows the Full Lotus in Male form, which is left leg first then right. Any videos or images of female Falun Dafa practitioners will show you that their Lotus is reversed, right first then left. It makes complete sense, as there is of course a difference between Yin and Yang.
This is excellent, after doing the preparation I could do the full lotus for the first time. Thank you!
Glad to share it. I have had a number of students get into lotus for their very first time after doing this prep. It seems to help most people. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and watching.
Namaste,
David
David keil i am unable to do this since my childhood..can u help
instablaster
Great video! Much gratitude, you saved me a lot of pain! This is the best instruction that I've seen so far:
- Laconic, effective, testable
- Anatomy analysis
- Suited for different levels of practice, with separate troubleshooting videos
Although lateral hip rotators are not the problem. They actually help the necessary rotation. The problem might be in median rotators.
Wow, this is amazing. Trying to get the knee pain out of the Lotus and watched different videos. This is the huge game changer. Thank you from my heart.
Awesome video. Been trying all kinds of stretches for awhile to open me up. I think this may be the last key I need.
This helped a lot in just one night I noticed an immediate difference in my hip flexibility. will definitely keep doing much appreciated
I have been practicing for 10 years and still this posture is a challenge for me. These stretches are wonderful, and if you use the blocks are very safe as well. Excellent, thank you.
This video is terrific. I have been able to do lotus pretty well with the left foot going first, but it has been really tight with the right foot going first. This made a large improvement quickly. Thank you very much for 'building temples' for us in you tube.
David
thank you! this is extremely helpful! I achieved my full lotus for the first time after watching your video.
I think the suggestion for many of us doing daily meditation practice is to switch positions: left on right, then right on left. This is especially true for those who meditate more than once a day, and especially on week long meditation retreats.
David you have explained it so well.. it has helped me a lot. I used to think that the kneen pains, but u explained the reason so well that a lay man can get u so easily. Thank you so much
Sat nam,Fab, fab, fab this is the simplest way yet as a yoga teacher I am always looking for ways to seat people comfortably, thanks again nameste
best yoga video ever! thanks!
YO! THIS REALLY WORKS !! I feel so less tension in my knees and ankles after doing this.
THANKS BRO 😁😁😁😁😁
these stretches are incredibly relaxing regardless of the lotus objective
Amazing video, by far the best I've seen on the topic. Thank you very much!!
Excellent vdo. Just what i needed. Tnx mate
Mahalo for all this incredible information. It is wonderful to hear such clear, outstanding advices.
I'm about to go try this. Regardless of whether this helps me or not (I think it will), just want to say thanks for making such a perfectly concise instructional video. I learned a lot. Really looking forward to checking out the rest.
I had to do this with the support of blocks but after the stretches I am amazed that I was able to do the lotus. Still need work but I am getting there thanks to your sequence. Blessings
Thank You David,
I was in an accident where I broke my tibia and fibula in 5 places. I have been in rehab for 2 months but just can't seem to get my knee to bend past a certain point. Your videos have really helped me to move my knee further with less pain.
Thank you for this instruction. I will try.
Fantastic tip! Thank you David
Thank you :) I did not even know how to start practising on the lotus at all ... this will definitely be a good start!
Thank you and keep up the good work! Namaste.
Thank you so much finally I can do the correct moves for my knee injuries, the small towel and the hand rotating the thigh is very good for me.
Thanks hope restored! I didn't know what to do about my practice and have been trying to modify, avoiding anything r/t to my knees.( was told by providers - Physiatrist, MD, ortho PA that knees are like glass: no bending, weight bearng, etc) Lotus is incorporated in so many of the asanas in my practice, but I can't "avoid knees" in yoga. I did injure my knee - 4 months to begin to heal: the medial aspect of the tibia and femur compressing. The towel is amazing! & so is having direction now.
Thanks.so simple.
Without an ACL the knee is usually destabilized. Lotus can put a lot of pressure into the knee so we want to be mindful that we're not exacerbating the instability. The other reason to let it go for a while is that you don't want to inflame the area (I'm not sure if it is still from the ACL tear or not) and you especially don't want it inflamed before having surgery. Just keep the focus on the hip.
This is wonderful, David! I could definitely feel a difference in my own lotus and will borrow this technique to better prepare my students as well. Namaste.
Stabilizing the femur increases the pressure in the hip joint. Yes, stack up the blankets and bolsters for your friends with the high knees so the knees are supported and the pressure goes into the hips.
thank you! your tips are very helpful!
@dkeil
Thank you for the advice. It hasn't injured me so far, nor is there any indication that it's going to. My main problem is that after about 2 hours mind begins to be less focused and less contollable, so I was looking for ways, physical or mental, to address this. Thanks again for the advice and useful videos.
Even the pressure that you feel between your shins is still a result of the tension remaining in your hips. You can always put a small towel between for the moment.
Thank you, this helped so much! For the first time I could do lotus without being in pain :)
Try it for 1 hour and we ll see
I'll focus on them more as well. Tnx Dkeil, keep up the good work
Thank you. This is excellent.
Thanks for the video! I found it really helpful!
A rational and anatomically safe approach to open the hip.
It's true you can never isolate only one muscle, or in this case one group when there is more than one group that does the same action. When in butterfly, you get more of a stretch in the adductors, because your legs are more abducted than they are in the prep I suggest, or lotus. In the prep, you are less abducted and as a result more pressure is felt in the other rotators in the gluteals, which are both thicker, larger and restrict more than the adductors. This is why I chose to focus on them.
Super helpful! Thanks David. :)
Wow, working really well, and I'm inflexible.
This is truly amazing, thank you for these great videos, I just discovered them and they are incredibly instructive and most of all it works !!! Thank you for sharing this David :)
amazing, so helpful! Thank you so much!
Will work with this... I felt more open after only a little time ....! Thanks
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us.
This is a really well put together video. I'm teaching a hip opening workshop and I'll definitely be doing this one, it was beautifully explained. Looking forward to the next.
If you are having acute knee pain... don't do this at all. If you have knee
pain setting this up then it could also be that your knee is too high. Sit
up on top of a large pillow to see if raising your hips higher than your
legs works. If when folding forward you feel more pressure in your knee,
try folding away from the knee that is hurting. All of this is described in
the video. It's also possible that this prep is NOT appropriate for you.
Amazing, David, thank you for this vid!
I can.do the ful lotus now! thank you so much namaste.
+David Keil Hey David, 1 quick question, I have been doing the Padmasana with taking the left foot first and the right on it. Do I need to change to right over left as you have mentioned it, or either way is fine.
Thank God for this vedyos
In case you come to Amsterdam, I'd love to guide you around! I'm learning a lot through your precious work! Thank you so much. Maybe mentioning this gives a broader idea about my bone structure: I have never been able to achieve Baddha Konasana or Upavistha Konasana. No gym, ballet neither yoga teacher has ever told me that my bone structure didn't allow it, though I suspected that something was "wrong" (if have been working on it since 6 year old child, I'd love to achieve this openness ;-)
I am not sure where you're trying to purchase from. but if you go to the website listed in the description then to > shop > add each to cart > checkout.
Bryan, 80 - 90 degrees of lateral rotation is about average for a hip bent at 90 degrees.
Thanks bro feels really good! Also your previous video on why the knee hurts, personally i couldnt care kess for lotus pose but i want my hips and glutes looser and this feels like its helping.
Winde,
If you feel it in the joint that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some people feel it more in the front/groin. Probably because their adductors are tighter than their glutes. It's also possible that your bone structure doesn't allow for this position well and because the bones are touching it doesn't actually stretch the tissue. It's hard to know for sure without seeing you.
Uhm, I don't want to be a party pooper for all you aspiring Yogis out there, but the Lotus position is universal to many practices, and the -proper- Lotus position for -men- is -Left Leg First- then right, so in essence, the person in the video is sitting in a -female- Lotus. :)
Thank you. yogi from Philippines
.
Blew out my knee for life
Great exercise anyway :) Thank you for help
Thank you!!!
increase the pressure on the hip to open those tissues so the knee is more comfortable. "isn't it all about relaxation?" If this were true, why not just lay on a beach? why do any asana at all. Why do lotus? There is both effort and relaxation, not all about one or the other.
Thank u for the clarification !
Hi Al,
There is no rule. My suggestion is to start with 5 - 10 breaths in each direction.
David, thank you for your very clear explanation! I have a special request: can you pls make a video on how to prepare for 'triang mukhaikapada paschimottanasana' ? The rotation of the hips is very unusal, as least for me, and when I am in that position I seat on one bottom cheek only, the other one doesn't reach the floor. It would be great to know on how to stretch those area. Thank you very much.
David, can you make a full lotus prep video like 40-50 minutes?
Thank you for sharing!
Great video! Do you have a longer one too? I'd like to keep the poses following your instructions, without having to pause the video...
Sure. Thanks a lot.
I'm 49 and I've had previous surgery on both my knees, don't think I'll ever get into a lotus position, badly hurt my hip flexor last time I even went near it. ☹️
should i feel ankle pain from the fire log stance
hey David, thanks for the video, very impressed. I started to practice yoga after I ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament of one knee, I'm still waiting for a chance to take the surgery. Full-lotus is one of my favorite poses and I could do it (not so good) and feel okay but my yoga teacher suggested me should not do it because of my knee. Hope to get your advice. Thanks very much.
Very good stretch
carlo... I'll have to work on that one.
Thank you 💎
Nice
It's not really about pulling the skin away. It should be enough pressure that it helps stabilize your femur. The result is usually more sensation at the hip joint. So... Go deeper than just pulling the skin away. As I say in the video... "Press down and rotate"
Thing is, when you bend forward you are also stretching adductors, like you would in butterfly :)
Helpful. Thanks
@gnostie
Understanding the anatomy may show you where your limits are and where you need to work, but things still need to be developed or evolve over time. There are no shortcuts, not with anatomy or any other tip or trick you may find on the web. be careful with your goals of siddhasana sitting for two plus hours... It could also injure you.
Starts 2:50
Thank you for the video, but why my muscles are not flexible? What can I do?
I got it, thanks so much. Is it important to take the surgery asap? My ACL rupture happened 2 years ago, I'm still delaying the surgery. It would be maybe half a year I can't practice after the surgery?
will you be abke to expalin the anotomy for the sever neck pain and how to strengthen the neck tissues. pls
Namasthey. It was nice watching your video on preparation for lotus posture. I notice that while sitting in Lotus posture, my weight is on the left buttock and wanted to know if thats normal. If not can you please suggest some exercises to correct that.
Hy David, I did the whole sequence, with the help of many cushions.... and do not feel any pain in the gluts neither in the knees, but a lot in the hip joint (and more intense on the right side). Can you give me some advice on how to work on it? Looking forward to hear from you;)
Excellent videos, very clear and useful - thank you!
I wonder if anatomy could help me sit it siddhasana for prolonged periods of time (2+hours) and stand in sirshasana for 20+ min. Is there something I can do anatomy-wise, or it's simply practicing? Thank you.
A perfect lotus posture is the one in which both the knees rest on ground and this is the most difficult part to master in a lotus posture.
Hi David Keil,
Thank you for the video!
How long can you sit in Padmasana comfortably and enjoyably?
I practiced what you guided in this video and some others such as: Surya Namaskara, Uttanasana, Paschimottanasana, Bhujangasana, Pavanamukt asana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Supta Virasana, Supta baddha konasana, Baddha Konsana, Janu sirsasana, Upavistha Konasana for 1 hour.
After that, I can sit comfortably in Padmasana for 30 minutes.
But after that, my leg turns to pink or red color, becoming painful.
What should I do to sit comfortably in Padmasana for 1 - 2 hour?Many thanks!
Oops David, Thanks for this excellent video. How long or how many breaths would you suggest for each prep movement ?
@TheAstroChild - Hey thanks for pointing out that I'm doing lotus in the female position. I'm curious though what tradition you've gotten your information from. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika very clearly states that the right leg goes first. I also know that in Tibetan systems for meditation, the left leg goes first... so there is obviously some difference of opinion. What text are you referencing for the male/female aspect?
In zen the tradition is left over right. The mudra is also left over right.
why would we want to increase the pressure in the hip joint ? isn't it all about relaxation?
Very informative !
By doing these stretches will I be able to achieve the full lotus eventually .at the moment I can bring my other foot and leg over the other ..?
Can i práctice yoga with both hips with prosthesis?
I don't have problems with putting myself in the lotus position with the one exception is that when I'm in that position, the shins are sitting on top of each other in such a way that it creates uncomfortable pressure. My hips and knees are totally fine. Do you have suggestion on what I can do?
I can only get one leg into position. There is no way the other one will go. What can I do to help myself?
oh i see, and what's the importance of stabilizing the femur? I'm learning a little bit more about yoga anatomy these days, and i'm just clueless about it. Also, I've got friends whose knees are just high up there, they can't get it down coz they're so stiff, they can't cross their legs so easily too, do we get them to stack as many blankets below the knee as possible?
I'm not here to give you medical advice about what you should and shouldn't do. That would be between you and your doctor. How long if you did have surgery? many variables, no one can say exactly.
Very informatibe, yet simple.
Btw, I see u are doing lotus with left above right leg. But u are a male. It should be the other way around.
Any particular reason why u do that?
Thanks. Right over left, left over right... changes depending on the system, method, culture.
How many times a week to see the best results
Thanks for the video David, out of curiosity, how much hip lateral rotation do you have at 90 degrees of hip flexion?
@dkeil if you are curious about it, go to the official Falun Dafa website at falundafa . org and look at the exercise videos, specifically the Fifth Exercise, which is a sitting meditation, in the Lotus. Master shows the Full Lotus in Male form, which is left leg first then right. Any videos or images of female Falun Dafa practitioners will show you that their Lotus is reversed, right first then left. It makes complete sense, as there is of course a difference between Yin and Yang.
I cannot even attempt the first option for lotus due to extreme knee pain, what is best to do please