There are many techniques to improve and isolate yoga forward bends so they generate a holistic expansion all through the back lines of the body. A simple technique that you can add to some of your forward bends is what I shout a hollow lock.

A hollow lock has a similar feeling as uddiyani bandha (upper abdominal lock) where you exhale and draw the abdominal muscles and organs up and under the ribs. The hollow lock is a partial variation that still allows you easy access to continued breath, but additionally facilitates proper forward folding.

We are familiar with the common abdominal lock that we add to plank pose and back arches. that lock resists expansion of the core, thus holding a shortened position of the chest bone towards the pubic bone-all with the purpose to support the lower back and prevent a passive break down into the posterior lumber spine.

Very different is the hollow lock. When we slightly hollow the abdomen, the chest actually flows away from the pubic bone. How is that urgent in our yoga forward bend? When we expand the chest away from the pubic bone, we are additionally expanding the anterior aspect of the lumbar spine, which reduces the possibility of compressing the intervertebral discs in the lumbar region. Instead of folding into the lower vertebrae, the hollow lock encourages the fold to come more readily from the hip joints.

The hollow lock additionally has a tendency to create a co-contraction where the back muscles (ie back extensors) additionally engage to elongate the vertebrae instead of collapsing forward into them.

This application of

a hollow lock can first be easily learned in common standing forward bend poses:
*Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend pose)
*Padangustasana (Big Toe Hold pose)
*Padanhastasana (Hand to Foot pose)
*Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog pose)

Again, that hollow lock should be mild. Full hollowing like Uddiyani Bandha is not advised as that full lock should only be done while sitting or standing upright, and with a sustained exhale. Since we should have continual breathing in our poses, you can only do a partial hollow to allow breath to remain fluid.

This hollow lock can be just used for a brief moment where you can hollow just as you prepare to fold forward or can be applied in the middle of the pose to add better alignment and connection to the hip motion. The main point when you are doing that hollowing is to feel your front lower ribs slide away from the hip crest and you experience a shift of pelvis forward into the thighs.

With exploration, you may find that that technique provides great benefits and you can next see how it can be integrated into other forward bends like seated poses:
*Janu Sirsasana (One leg forward bend)
*Paschimottasana (Two leg forward bend)

Not all techniques and alignment cues work for everyone. The great thing about Yoga is we can be fully strange in our practice-doing postures and variations that work for body, mind and energy. Give that hollow lock a try and see how it facilitates a better forward bend.

Share This

Original post by Kreg Weiss