Wind Removing Pose

Where is the primary focus? Hips, Knees, Shoulders, Digestive System 

Where does the posture provide maximum benefits? Hip, Knees, Shoulders, Digestive System 

When and where could I feel the stretch? Hips and Shoulders

Why should I do this posture? It helps with digestion, compresses hips and knees, and builds strength in your shoulders.

How can I improve?
Maybe this posture is less about improving and more about experiencing change or not seeing change. Some of the postures in the series always seem to be moving and changing, while some feel very static. Sometimes effort and action are met with what feels like being stuck or at least not much movement, and that's okay. In those cases, maybe the work is to accept what is, which is often a struggle for me. 

There is plenty of physical work to be done in the posture, but it’s all so subtle. I try not to use the word “think” when I teach because my goal is to keep you in the present moment, engaged with how your body is working. Yet, doing both legs up in Wind Removing, thinking about moving your hips back and down, lands well with me because how else do I move them? With both legs up, everything is tight and feels like it's not going to move, and when I spent time thinking about how I could move them, it's simply by thinking about getting the muscles to engage, so I send my thoughts to my hips about moving them back and down. I don’t feel them moving yet, but I’m also working on accepting that. It’s a subtle movement, a subtle engagement that’s happening.

Most of the active work here is with the arms and shoulders. For both single legs and both legs, pressing your shoulders down really helps. 

With the single leg Wind Removing, you can continue to see improvement on knee flexion and hip flexion until you reach the upper end of movements for your body, where the front of your femur (thigh bone) is touching the top of your hip socket. If you feel a stretch through the back of your leg, then it has more room to go. If you feel pressure on the front of your thigh, there isn’t anywhere else to go. Be patient and pull.