TRX for Yoga: Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

The TRX Suspension Trainer provides an excellent tool to scale, complement and improve your yoga practice. We’ve partnered with yoga and fitness instructor, and Under Armour athlete Shauna Harrison to show you how to incorporate the straps into your yoga. 

 

Eka Pada Koundinyasa (Pose Dedicated to the Sage Koundinya II) is a graceful yet challenging arm balance pose.  The TRX Suspension Trainer helps you get into the pose and assists in helping you hold the pose before you are totally on your own.  Even if you already know how to perform EPK2, the straps will help you to get deeper so you can get more out of this beautiful pose.  

 

Progression 1

With the straps adjusted to mid-calf, position yourself on the ground facing away from the anchor point with the feet in the foot cradles.  From the plank position, firmly press the hands down into the ground.  Bring one knee towards the shoulder on the same side.  Return to leg back to the starting plank position.  Repeat on the other side.  Perform this series a few times so that you can get comfortable and begin to build the upper body strength and balance.  To exit this pose, return to the plank position, and release the knees to the ground and carefully remove the feet from the foot cradles.

 

Progression 2

Progression 2 of this pose is a slight modification of Progression 1.  This time as you bring your knee toward your shoulder, add a push up.  Repeat on the other side, and repeat the series.

 

Progression 3

In this progression, place one foot in both foot cradles with your hands in front of you in the plank position, and the free foot resting on the ground.  Bring the free knee to the shoulder on that side, bending the elbows as you do. Set the knee on the back of the arm and hold. Continue to press the foot into the foot cradles. If your flexibility and the the strap length allows, you can extend through the foot of the bent leg to bring it closer to straight. To come out of this pose, return to plank position, drop your knees and carefully remove the foot cradles from the foot.  To keep yourself balanced, repeat on the other side.