Every “BODY” is different, because of this, during your Yoga practice, your body should not be forced to look like a Yoga pose, but the pose should be modified to match your unique body. For example, men have a more narrow pelvis than women thus the width of their stance in a warrior 1 pose may be more narrow than a woman’s.
Hip impingement is common injury in yoga, the way we enter a yoga pose can certainly help avoid this. Most yoga instructors ask us to enter Warrior 1 from the back of our mat to the front. This can present an unsafe Warrior 1 position and can produce excessive torque and strain on the knee, hip, SI joint, and low back.
You can alternatively enter Warrior 1 from the front of your mat by stepping back from a strong and grounded mountain pose. Start by finding a neutral spine and engaging your breath and core. Maintaining your breath, step back into your Warrior 1 pose, hips and toes squared towards the front of the mat, feet placed on railroad tracks approximately hip width. Bend your back knee slightly if you have a history of low back or hip/SI joint paint. Arm position will vary depending on desired therapeutic effect.
Interested in learning more? Visit Roper PT’s YouTube channel!