About the sit bones

During class I frequently make references to the sit bones. Most commonly when we are preparing our posture for pranayama and also during sequences of seated poses.

The sit bones are anatomically speaking ischial tuberosities, the bony protrusions located at the base of the pelvis. An easy way to locate them is to sit cross legged in sukhasana and shift the weight of the torso until you get a sense of them, the point at which the skeleton contacts the floor. It can be helpful to move the flesh of the buttocks out with ones hands if necessary! Now try in dandasana, for a more subtle experience.

Having established connection with the sit bones, one can adjust one’s posture for optimal results. We can place our attention on the contact of the sit bones and from our stable seat invite the feeling of a light, upward moving spine.

This feeling of being grounded through the sit bones can help us stay balanced during seated forward bends and twists where we might be inclined to overemphasise one side of the pose and sacrifice our alignment.