My back seems so inflexible as I am not able to sit up poker-straight, for example when doing Pigeon Pose. I can’t sit up enough to remain in the first part of the pose comfortably - the part of the pose that stretches the hip flexor (as opposed to the second part which stretches the piriformis). I have to press hands into the floor to push myself up and back but can only straighten up to a certain point. Do I need to focus on back poses or hip/pelvis poses to acquire the flexibility I need to be able to sit up properly? Or could it be my leg muscles / hip flexors that aren’t flexible enough? It’s hard to work out what I need to focus on as I guess all areas need a greater level of flexibility! Your advice would be very welcome, and could you suggest the best poses to do to obtain this flexibility?
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I am naturally stiff and inflexible too but it has very gradually improved over time with daily yoga. I think my favourite routine to help with the stiffness is Davids Hips, Hamstrings and Lower Back.
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Try and do a few yin yoga lessons with Rachel. Use as many props as needed. And yes time and patience. It took me 8 months to sit with some comfort in the staff pose. But now I feel super confident. The yin lessons were a game changer.
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A physical therapist once told me, when dealing with an Achilles issue, not to focus on just the problem area, but the muscles of the leg all the way up to the lower back. They all work together. So I believe that inflexibility in one area does indeed cause issues in another.
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