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Maybe I just have really beefy legs, but I can't cross my legs for more than a minute or so without my kneecap painfully digging into my other leg. Is there some special technique? Until the 90s both men and women crossed their legs regularly, so there must be some way to do it.

it's just something I always did subconsciously but maybe trying crossing them the other way. One way feels less comfortable for me.

I don't think your kneecap should be digging into your other leg, maybe you should try swapping positions like Serenation mentioned. When I cross my legs, my left knee is at the bottom right and the right knee is on the top left with the leg crossing before the kneecap. If you lift the leg that is on top a bit more higher, it hopefully wont be as painful. Sometimes it depends on what you're wearing as well that can cause discomfort.

I think it has something to do with the size of the thighs. You said yours were quite beefy and I've rarely ever seen larger women cross their legs. Seems more the domain of the skinny from what I've observed.

Never really thought about it actually, I cross mine with the upper leg crossed a little further over the knee, so the back of the knee and other knee cap never try and sit in each other.... if that makes sense

Katy xx

When I cross my legs, like Katrina, I go past the knee and have my upper leg resting above and beside the knee instead of one directly on top of the knee.
In my opinion, if you cannot cross the legs that far, you could try instead of crossing right onto the patella, cross right beside it so to rest your upper leg as per the head of the tibia(?)

Kate <3

Quote from: Ms Grace on September 28, 2015, 05:34:29 AM
I think it has something to do with the size of the thighs. You said yours were quite beefy and I've rarely ever seen larger women cross their legs. Seems more the domain of the skinny from what I've observed.

this I think is what makes the difference. I'm pretty skinny and can cross them just fine.

I can double-cross my legs, but I heard that crossing legs is not good for your backbone health, as we sit in asymmetry when crossing legs, and tend to use one side only.

There is a Facebook page for double crossing.

https://www.facebook.com/Double-crossed-legs-411374372357842/timeline/

barbie~~

I feel I should explain more, when I try I get my right leg over the left one, a couple inches back from the kneecap, but the tension in my legs pulls the right one back to where ti was and my knee digs into my calf, I can hold it with my hands, but that seems very involved.

You probably just lack flexibility.  I don't think thigh size is a big issue though.  I still have fairly muscular thighs at 24 inches and can cross my legs comfortably.


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That could be, I'm a marathon runner (Just finished my 9th) and it's better not to be flexible (you want springy muscles).

Quote from: barbie on October 02, 2015, 11:16:04 AM
I can double-cross my legs, but I heard that crossing legs is not good for your backbone health, as we sit in asymmetry when crossing legs, and tend to use one side only.

There is a Facebook page for double crossing.

https://www.facebook.com/Double-crossed-legs-411374372357842/timeline/

barbie~~

I can do that too, I should take some pics. I don't think I have any of myself in that position. I think it's a beautiful position for modeling. Interesting to see an fb page for that.

Quote from: AnamethatstartswithE on October 02, 2015, 11:41:18 AM
That could be, I'm a marathon runner (Just finished my 9th) and it's better not to be flexible (you want springy muscles).

Before I started yoga, I always crossed my legs like a guy.   Foot on the other knee, like a triangle.  After about a year of yoga I could cross like a woman pretty easily.  Yoga does a lot of hip opening.  Now after after 6 years I can double cross my legs.  With that said when I was 15 pounds lighter and lost muscle mass, It definitely was easier.

Take care,
Paige :)

ooh ooh ooh,
I think I've actually figured out the secret. After crossing my leg over I point my foot upwards, such that my toes are closer to my shin, and then I slightly twist my foot towards my centerline, it tenses the inside part of the calf muscle so it forms a hard surface and the knee doesn't dig in.

Just ago, I took photos of double crossing my legs ::)

barbie~~

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5792/21729410479_da05dc8c79_b.jpg) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/741/21890078856_0c308f620e_b.jpg)

cirque du soleil called, and they want you in their act; nicely done. :)

Showoff  ;)

Quote from: barbie on October 03, 2015, 12:21:45 PM
Just ago, I took photos of double crossing my legs ::)

barbie~~

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5792/21729410479_da05dc8c79_b.jpg) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/741/21890078856_0c308f620e_b.jpg)

Quote from: AnamethatstartswithE on October 03, 2015, 12:43:50 PM
Showoff  ;)

Exactly!

barbie~~

Quote from: barbie on October 03, 2015, 12:21:45 PM
Just ago, I took photos of double crossing my legs ::)

barbie~~

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5792/21729410479_da05dc8c79_b.jpg) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/741/21890078856_0c308f620e_b.jpg)

I tried that once. They had to bring the jaws of life.

After years of ballet, I am also able to double cross my legs.  I think its less about thighs and knees and more about flexibility at the hip - the ability to "release" the joint to provide extra range of motion.   Moot point tho - sounds like you have it!

I tried the lotus position, but I am not quite sure whether I correctly posed.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/619/21932990635_43202d7e56_b.jpg)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position

barbie~~

Barbie
Very nice pose!
I do cross my legs a lot, my hips are usually very fluid, lately not.
Very sexy look with the double cross, I may practice it!
Chrissy


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Quote from: Chrissy5946 on October 05, 2015, 05:17:31 AM
Barbie
Very nice pose!
I do cross my legs a lot, my hips are usually very fluid, lately not.
Very sexy look with the double cross, I may practice it!
Chrissy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks!
Yes. Hips should be flexible enough to take pose of the lotus position or double crossing. I will practice the lotus position further to make it feel comfortable.

barbie~~

I cannot double cross my legs quite yet, but I can lotus like no other, been crossing my legs as such all of my life, to where I cannot sit cross legged not in a lotus position. As to where my knee rests on my ankle and as well as my ankle on my knee. And can almost curl the lotus into an extreme knee on knee lotus if that is a thing.

Kate <3

I am thinking practicing the lotus position everyday to maintain my health. I ordered a book on a Zen practice based on the lotus position, written by a 90 year old former professor, who climbed Kilimanjaro at age 82.

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5667/21884274268_a5dc190773_b.jpg)

barbie~~

In a dress, it's actually considered more lady-like to cross your ankles and tuck them under yourself. (The Princess Diaries movie actually has a pretty good demonstration of this.) Less of a chance for flashing your audience ala Sharon Stone.

Quote from: AnamethatstartswithE on September 28, 2015, 04:42:26 AM
Maybe I just have really beefy legs, but I can't cross my legs for more than a minute or so without my kneecap painfully digging into my other leg. Is there some special technique? Until the 90s both men and women crossed their legs regularly, so there must be some way to do it.

It is purely muscular, I had the same issue. I am born in a naturally muscular body and my muscles hurted from crossing my legs at any point in my weight until I started HRT and lost tons of muscles in my legs. I then could do it like anybody else.

Somehow I missed this tread.
I just double crossed my legs.  Worked well but I cheated (post-SRS), long thin legs and thighs.
I normally cross ankles and tuck under.
My office staff might thank you for demonstrating the double cross.

Thank you,
Anne

Oh my goodness, I use to get made fun of in school for crossing and or double crossing my legs but it was just something I've always done naturally because it was comfortable

I use to be able to get into the Lotus position when I was younger but I'm not quite so limber now

I learned the Lotus position when studying martial arts - In this one class our instructor, (a Vietnam vet) would make us get up and walk on our knees and wrestle/spar with each other while keeping our legs crossed

We thought it was just a creative and entertaining way to to get us to practice, but then his buddy who had lost both legs just above the knee showed up as a guest instructor

Great lessons were learned that day

Quote from: barbie on October 10, 2015, 10:48:18 AM
I am thinking practicing the lotus position everyday to maintain my health. I ordered a book on a Zen practice based on the lotus position, written by a 90 year old former professor, who climbed Kilimanjaro at age 82.

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5667/21884274268_a5dc190773_b.jpg)

barbie~~

whats the name of the book or its writer?

Quote from: Lebedinaja on November 25, 2015, 04:15:41 PM
whats the name of the book or its writer?

The book is for domestic distribution and written in Korean. Probably you may find similar books in amazon.com by using some key words such as 'zen', 'yoga' and 'health'.

barbie~~

Quote from: barbie on October 03, 2015, 12:21:45 PM
Just ago, I took photos of double crossing my legs ::)

barbie~~

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5792/21729410479_da05dc8c79_b.jpg) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/741/21890078856_0c308f620e_b.jpg)

This leg crossing stuff is not supposed to be very healthy... it restricts circulation...
unless I'd say you only cross your extended feet... only the feet over each other... like on a couch  :)


hugs

i double crossing my legs all the time. i just feel so comfy doing it :x not sure about blood circulation or so. i don't tend to keep one position for long.
i worked in fashion so i believe crossing legs have to do with a good posture. you kinda lay your lower leg a bit further away in a relax way, so it'll look more natural, and loosen up your muscles. it'll be better to lean your upper body to the other side of your crossing legs. if i cross my legs to the right side, i'd lean my body a bit to the left.

barbie :OO you look great. wow, i just learned something new. lol. i have no idea that sitting position is called lotus position. lol. it's just what we sit and meditate a lot where i'm from. we don't even have a name for it, it's just how we sit.

in my culture, we say it's not how you do it, it's how often you do it. doesn't matter if it's the right way or not, if you do it often, it'll feel natural and boosts your confidence :D

Quote from: whereto on November 29, 2015, 01:31:35 PM
barbie :OO you look great. wow, i just learned something new. lol. i have no idea that sitting position is called lotus position. lol. it's just what we sit and meditate a lot where i'm from. we don't even have a name for it, it's just how we sit.

in my culture, we say it's not how you do it, it's how often you do it. doesn't matter if it's the right way or not, if you do it often, it'll feel natural and boosts your confidence :D

Yes. There are several variant Lotus positions for novices. What I am taking is the regular position. Yes. I need to do practice it more frequently.

And the lotus position does not cause any blood circulation problem at all. Yes. After sitting for 1 or 2 hours, it is first painful to stand up as muscles seem to  be paralyzed, but your body will recover soon and you can walk. Actually, the Lotus position or crossing legs is beneficial for your health.

barbie~~

I have big fat thighs and I comfortably cross my legs. The secret, I've found, is to lean over on the leg that will be below the other, shift the side of your butt and leg under you, and then cross. Obviously this lifts your butt up a bit on the other side, which can be a good thing if you're comfortable with that. :P Otherwise just experiment until you reach a comfortable middle ground. Personally, I'm very comfy leaning over a lot and crossing but that's more of a casual pose maybe not suited for public. :laugh:

I was out and about the other day and noticed most women were crossing their left leg over their right predominately. Nothing scientific about it just observation. Maybe I need a larger sample size.

You might try yoga to gain some flexibility.

I think folks are right when they say that the thickness of thighs is an important consideration in crossing legs. I am relatively thin and can cross my legs easily. However, there are times when I didn't tuck very well or something, and the leg crossing thing becomes painful.

Stretching is probably a good idea, if for no other reason than it will also help prevent muscle spasms in your calves if you wear high heels.

You can also keep your knees together and cross your ankles - this is something I see many women do, particular those who are a bit heavy.

Quote from: Ashey on November 30, 2015, 02:57:08 AM
I have big fat thighs and I comfortably cross my legs. The secret, I've found, is to lean over on the leg that will be below the other, shift the side of your butt and leg under you, and then cross. Obviously this lifts your butt up a bit on the other side, which can be a good thing if you're comfortable with that. :P Otherwise just experiment until you reach a comfortable middle ground. Personally, I'm very comfy leaning over a lot and crossing but that's more of a casual pose maybe not suited for public. :laugh:

This is exactly how i learned to cross my legs. My thighs are not tiny either. I also sometimes cross ankles with legs together. Another fairly feminine way i sit at work is to put on ankle under the other knee or thigh. I find that really comfortable.

I also do Yoga and the lotus position i practice. Yoga has done wonders for my flexibility and being less stiff in the mornings.

I think the secret to Lotus is doing it often.

Like a lot of positions it just takes practice and sometimes developing flexibility. I don't have the most flexible joints and Lotus was annoying. But it improved doing it more often.

We are not cis females thus we have narrower hips. This makes leg crossing slightly more difficult. The other factors are the width and diameter of the thighs. Having beefier thighs increases the contusion needed to cross your legs. Flexibility is essential for us and Yoga is a good exercise program.

Quote from: RobynD on June 21, 2016, 12:27:30 PM
This is exactly how i learned to cross my legs. My thighs are not tiny either. I also sometimes cross ankles with legs together. Another fairly feminine way i sit at work is to put on ankle under the other knee or thigh. I find that really comfortable.

I also do Yoga and the lotus position i practice. Yoga has done wonders for my flexibility and being less stiff in the mornings.

Yeah I need to lose weight and work on my flexibility. The only way I can cross my legs is how I stated. If I don't rotate my hips enough then my leg simply won't go over the other enough, because my thighs are big and my legs are short. Rotating my hips to one side helps position my thighs better, so I can get my calf over my knee. Not rotating enough means my calf rests right on my knee which awkwardly raises my leg and just isn't comfortable. Downside to rotating my hips so much though, is that I might have to lean on my arm because my leg is almost centered under me so it can put some stress on both my leg and arm as well as anything down there that isn't properly seated... Not sure if any of this really applies to anyone else... I only have an inseam of about 27"... :/

It's. Not the crossing, that's the worry,. It's the remembering to cross in the first place.

I can cross my lanky legs,  but then so can my dad. My mom, and my wife, on the other hand, have larger legs and cannot cross them.

Quote from: barbie on October 04, 2015, 03:18:46 AM
I tried the lotus position, but I am not quite sure whether I correctly posed.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/619/21932990635_43202d7e56_b.jpg)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_position

barbie~~

HOW do you do this, Barbie???

I have never in my life been able to sit cross legged on the floor, neither in the other position where the feet are under the thighs instead of on top, not even as a child.  The best I can get is with my feet past each other about 6 inches, knees about a foot+ off the floor, and when I press down on my knees towards the floor, I feel uncomfortable pressure in my hips on the sides.  Is it because my bone structure is wrong?  I noticed I have NEVER ever seen Mom and Dad sit cross-legged, EVER.

Edit: I can double cross my legs like you showed in the photo with your dress on, either direction.

Namaskāra to you for being able to do this.

Barbie is able to do that because she practices. You will be able to do it too. Practice makes perfect.

I have always crossed my legs with no issues, I always have done it since a child lol
Much to my brothers disaproval as we grew up lol

Quote from: DawnOday on September 09, 2016, 11:06:02 AM
Barbie is able to do that because she practices. You will be able to do it too. Practice makes perfect.

Yes. It requires practice. I just tried the lotus position less than 10 times, and it is still a little bit painful to me.

I heard that just sitting in the lotus position for 30 min everyday will enhance your health and immune system dramatically. I will practice it more frequently at home.

barbie~~

I've tried to do it with practice.  I go to temple every Sunday.  Unfortunately, I don't even have a proper space to do this regularly at home, as I live in a 7.5'X13' travel trailer with a 20" wide bed.  I cannot sit on the floor, as it hurts even with a pad.  It needs to be something as thick as a pad or a bed mattress, which I don't have space for.  How do you know I don't have some physiological deformity that prevents this from happening?

Quote from: Mohini on September 09, 2016, 01:27:07 PM
I've tried to do it with practice.  I go to temple every Sunday.  Unfortunately, I don't even have a proper space to do this regularly at home, as I live in a 7.5'X13' travel trailer with a 20" wide bed.  I cannot sit on the floor, as it hurts even with a pad.  It needs to be something as thick as a pad or a bed mattress, which I don't have space for.  How do you know I don't have some physiological deformity that prevents this from happening?

Mohini,

You may first try the half lotus pose.
http://www.yogaartandscience.com/poses/seatp/apad/apad.html

It is far easier for beginners.
After mastering it, you may further try the full lotus pose.

barbie~~

Thank you, Barbie.  The instructions aren't clear enough for me.  I would have to see someone to show me what this means.