How to Perform Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana and Its Benefits.

Written by Saanvi

Yoga has been an integral part of Indian culture and is quickly making a place for itself worldwide. The Eka Pada Rajakapotasana is an excellent yoga asana that helps relieve tight hips, sciatica, and back pain. Practicing this asana will help open up your hips naturally. In addition, there are numerous advantages associated with performing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, such as reducing anxiety, fear, traumas, and built-up stress.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Helps In Hip Opening And Forward Bending Of The Body To Make It More Flexible

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Let us go through this article to know more about Eka Pada Rajakapotasana and how to perform it.

What is Eka Pada Rajakapotasana Yoga?:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana or king pigeon pose is a back-bending seated asana that offers tremendous benefits to your body. The meaning of the name of this asana is eka=one, pada=foot or leg, raja=king, kapota=pigeon. It is also named the swan pose in the yin yoga form. The following section discusses all the benefits you can get by practicing this asana.

Benefits of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana:

We present you with the benefits associated while performing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana regularly.

1. Increases Hip Flexibility:

Performing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana increases the blood circulation in the hip region, increasing its range of motion.

2. Relieve Lower Back Pain:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, also called pigeon pose, relieves lower back pain by supporting the lower back muscles and spine. In addition, it helps tone and strengthens your back and abdominal muscles.

3. Helps with Urinary Problems:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana massages your internal organs, which helps you deal with urinary problems effectively.

4. Stretches Shoulders, Chest, Neck, Abdomen, Groins, Psoas, and Thighs:

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana provides you with several physical benefits like extending the groin, psoas, thigh, gluteal muscles. It also helps lengthen the hip flexor and opens the hip joints. In addition, it helps lengthen the psoas muscles with the criss-cross adjustment of legs.

5. Improves Your Posture:

Practicing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana improves the alignment, seating posture and increases the flexibility in your hips. So, practice this asana as regularly as possible to improve your posture efficiently.

6. Releases Negative Feelings:

The benefits of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana don’t end only with physical but also improve mental health benefits. This asana helps utilize your positive energy by releasing negative feelings like stress, fear, trauma, and anxiety.

See Also: Correct Way to Do Padahastasana

Steps to Perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana:

Here are simple steps to follow to perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana efficiently:

Come into the tabletop position with your hands on the floor, slightly away from the shoulder and knees right under the hips.
Now slide your right foot inside while your heel faces the left knee and take your right knee behind the right wrist.
Now simultaneously slide your left leg back and drop your right hup on the floor.
While your left leg remains straight to settle up the pose, straighten your left knee. Lower down your torso while you exhale. Then move in the forward direction while you stretch your arms and then back to the torso preparation.
Now raise your torso away from the thigh while pressing your fingertips into the floor. Now simultaneously lengthen your lower back by pushing your tailbone in a forwarding direction.
After that, let your sternum face the ceiling side by lifting your torso through the ribcage. Then, while taking the head in the backward direction, bring a slight inward curve in your neck.
Grab your left knee with your hand while you bend it and touch your head with it. Remin in this position for few seconds and then leave your left foot to the floor slowly.
Next, straighten the head and place hands on the floor while bringing the torso forward.
Now slid back your right foot by lifting your right hips from the floor while bringing your left leg on the knee.
Slowly come back into the tabletop position while relaxing.

Precautions and Who Should avoid Eka Pada Rajakapotasana?

Here is the list of the few precautions you need to take and people who need to avoid performing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana.

It is advised to lay a firm foundation for this pose to absorb weight change as you lift your right knee behind your right wrist because the weight shifts towards the right side.
Keep the left leg behind the body and straight. Ensure the leg placement is in the right place to avoid the chances of muscle injuries.
It is best to focus on positioning the heel when sliding the leg back to land the pelvis on the floor. Perform this pose with patience because the pressure on the right knee might if there is disorientation in the placement on the left hip.
Practicing this asana should be avoided by people who have any injury in the shoulder, knee, ankle, groin, and pelvis region.
Refrain from performing Eka Pada Rajakapotasana if you are in the latter stages of pregnancy. Instead, consult a doctor to perform this asana during the initial stages of pregnancy.
People with sciatic nerve conditions should avoid performing this asana since it might worsen the situation.

See Also: Health Benefits of Locust Pose

If you plan to incorporate a workout session that is both effective and not so tiring for your body, yoga is an efficient way. The Eka Pada Rajakapotasana helps open up your hips and offers a myriad of benefits to your body. We hope this article has given you an idea about this asana and how to perform it. Don’t forget to let us know if you found this article helpful!

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in this article are for informational purposes and not a replacement for professional medical advice. It is always safe to consult a doctor or dietician before trying out anything new.

FAQ:

1. What are the preparatory poses before you can perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana?

Ans: The following are the asanas you need to have in practice to perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana with ease.

Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations).
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose).
Ado Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose).
Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana (Three-legged Downward-facing Dog Pose ).

2. Who shouldn’t perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana?

Ans: This yoga pose can cause a lot of stress at the hip, knee, and foot. Therefore people who have severe Osteoporosis should avoid performing this yoga pose to avoid any further stress.

3. Is it safe to perform Eka Pada Rajakapotasana during pregnancy?

Ans: Unless you have been practicing yoga even before becoming pregnant, it is best to consult a professional. During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the modified pigeon pose is considered safe. Stop yourself from performing any posture if it causes discomfort by listening to your body. Before joining any fitness program, consult your doctor, especially if you are pregnant.

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.