I also want to thank you for the question and answer service you provide. It has been very helpful to me to be able to get answers to my questions, also to hear other’s questions answered. In regards to the lunging forward on the sun salute, what are some ways of strengthening the hip flexors? Another question if I may: In the joint freeing exercises, one of my students can roll her feet so that the soles meet, but she can’t do the opposite at all. What would inhibit that action, and what would be the consequence of not being able to do that? What i was talking about is the joint freeing exercise in Dandasana where you roll the feet (pronation?), first so that the soles come together, then the big toe side stretches away as the pinkie side comes toward you so that the soles of the feet are on the outside (supination?). This is the action that my student cannot get. Thanks again, Hiyalah.
Hip flexors are toned by doing leg lifts, single is safest. Bridge pose lowering slowly, warrior II, boat pose (Navasana) also tones them. In my Joint Freeing Series (described in detail on page 137 of Structural Yoga Therapy), the second motion is dorsiflexion with ankle eversion. In this motion the toes are pulled toward the head (dorsiflexion) and the anklebones are brought together with the outside edges of the feet pulled toward the head (eversion). The muscles that are toned are the peroneous longus and brevis. If the motion cannot be done then the antagonist muscles performing the opposite motion are tight. The Opposite motion is ankle inversion in which the soles come together mimicking namaste of the hands. The muscles contracting to do this are the posterior tibialis. This is the motion of the back foot in Virabhadrasana I and II and Trikonasana. It is commonly a weak movement requiring the teacher to remind the student to lift the inner ankle. Practice, practice, practice and look diligently at an anatomy atlas to identify the muscle within your student?s body.