The Shala Daily

Yesterday we led with internal rotation. Today, external rotation takes the development dose while IR gets maintenance. This two-day split gives you focused neurological drive toward each pattern while keeping the partnership intact.

The beauty of this approach: you’re not neglecting either rotation, but you’re also not diluting focus. By the time you cycle through both days, both rotations have received dedicated attention without creating the compensation patterns that come from pure isolation.

🔄 CARs Warm-Up (5 min)

Standing Hip CARs: 3 rotations each direction, per side. Today, add a 2-second pause and slight “push” into your ER end range on each rep. Notice how yesterday’s IR work has affected the full circle.

Video References: CARs Guide | Hip CARs Video

🔥 Primary PAILs/RAILs Block: External Rotation (12-15 min)

90/90 Position—Back Leg:

• 2-minute passive stretch
• 10-second PAIL (press knee toward floor), ramp to ~70%
• 10-second RAIL (lift knee away from floor), same effort
• 2-3 rounds

Reference: 90/90 ER PAILs/RAILs Video

Supine Figure-4 (Pigeon on your back):

• 2-minute passive stretch
• PAILs: press knee away from body (resisting the ER stretch)
• RAILs: actively pull knee toward opposite shoulder, deepening ER
• 2 rounds

⚖️ Secondary PAILs/RAILs Block: Internal Rotation (8-10 min)

90/90 Position—Front Leg (Maintenance):

• 90-second passive stretch (shorter than primary)
• 10-second PAIL / 10-second RAIL
• 1-2 rounds only—maintenance dose

Reference: Hip IR PAILs/RAILs Video

🦵 Active End-Range Work (8 min)

• 90/90 back leg hover lifts: 3 sets × 5 reps, 5-second holds
• 90/90 front leg hover lifts: 2 sets × 5 reps, 3-second holds
• Standing ER lift-offs (heel on wall): 3 sets × 8 reps

References: Hovers & Lift-Offs | 90/90 Hover Video

🔄 Integration

Complete 5 full hip CARs per side, slow and controlled. Let the new ER range express itself. Compare to yesterday—you should feel fuller, more balanced circles. That’s the two-day payoff.

🧘 Ashtanga Context

External rotation is the Ashtanga darling—Padmasana, Baddha Konasana, and most seated postures demand it. But ER without IR creates impingement patterns and limits how deeply the femur can seat. By alternating emphasis across two days, you build the external rotation yoga asks for while preventing the internal rotation deficits that eventually cause problems.