How to Protect Your Knees in Full Lotus Pose in Yoga

• 1). Start by creating the external rotation in the hip joints for the final pose. Lie on your back and bend both knees, lift both feet off the floor. Place one hand on each knee and rotate the knees away from each other. This is the external rotation in the hips needed for Full Lotus. Repeat to the other direction. Rest.
  
  
• 2). Keeping your knees bent, set your feet flat on your mat, hips-width distance apart. Loop a yoga strap over the right foot and flex the foot, so the heel is facing the ceiling. As you hold each end of the strap in each hand, slowly straighten the leg by extending the heel up and firming the thigh muscles (quadriceps). Remain for 5 to 8 breaths in Supta Padangusthasana A.
  
  
• 3). Place both ends of the strap in the right hand and place your left hand on your left hip. Turn the big toe of the right foot to the left so your heel is facing the center. Lower the leg to the right as far as the hip allows. Engage the lower abdominal muscles and lift the leg back to straight. Repeat 9 more times. The 10th time, lower the leg and contract the quads and abdominals, remaining for 20 seconds. Lift the leg to straight. This is Supta Padangusthasana B. Repeat to the left side. Rest.
  
  
• 4). Set your feet back down on your mat, hips-width distance. Cross your right ankle over the left thigh and lift the left foot. Weave your right hand through the opening of your legs and bring both hands behind the left leg, interlacing them. Lie back down in Thread the Needle for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat to the second side to open the hamstrings, hips joints and adductors (inner thigh muscles.) Rest.
  
  
• 5). Roll up to sit upright on your mat. Bending the knees, bring the soles of the feet to touch. Place your hands behind you so you are on the fingertips, lifting your chest up from your waist. Allow the knees to gently drop towards the floor. If you knees are very high (above the level of your hips), sit on a folded blanket. Remain in this variation of Baddha Konasana for 20 to 30 seconds.
  
  
• 6). Come off the blanket if you hadn’t. Moving into the full pose, bend the right knee and moving from the hip joint, guide the foot high on top of the left thigh. Lift the left leg, moving from the hip joint, bendthe knee and place your left foot high on top of the right thigh. Sit upright on the hip bones, placing no weight on the knees. Remain for 5 to 8 breaths. Slowly release the legs and rest in Sukhasana, Easy Pose, by coming into a comfortable, cross-legged seated position.