Yesterday I did not go to Mysore again, but had a small practice at home. Avoided all psoas-straining movements as much as possible, but still could feel them. Strictly speaking, these might not be psoas, but rather iliopsoas muscles, because I do not feel anything bad in my lower back. It is interesting how this injury made me realize where and how I use these muscles in my everyday life. Walking (hurts), walking up the stairs (hurts even more!), surprisingly - driving. Not only my right leg (I drive automatic), but also the left. It would be good from a balance point of view, if only I didn't use my left leg even more than the right. When the situation on the road gets somewhat tense, I seem to vent it out by pressing hard my left foot into he side pedal-like bump on the car floor.
I think I know what I did to hurt them. I was trying to improve my lifts/jumpbacks, and obviously overdid it. My legs are heavy, and require a lot of strength to lift them (another incentive to loose weight, like I needed more!). In addition, according to Keith, I do not engage abs properly in my attempts, which brings the brunt of the effort to the small hip flexors.
Today’s practice was good, though. The rest helped a lot, and I think I am back in the saddle. Lovely Tova was practicing the Primary today, but since I overslept and came late, I did not have a chance to chat with her.
OK, back to my immunology training. Today is the last day, and my brain is completely fried. Thank God it’s Friday!
I think I know what I did to hurt them. I was trying to improve my lifts/jumpbacks, and obviously overdid it. My legs are heavy, and require a lot of strength to lift them (another incentive to loose weight, like I needed more!). In addition, according to Keith, I do not engage abs properly in my attempts, which brings the brunt of the effort to the small hip flexors.
Today’s practice was good, though. The rest helped a lot, and I think I am back in the saddle. Lovely Tova was practicing the Primary today, but since I overslept and came late, I did not have a chance to chat with her.
OK, back to my immunology training. Today is the last day, and my brain is completely fried. Thank God it’s Friday!
6 comments:
Alfia, i am concerned that you think you need to lose weight! i hope you don't think much because you don't look like you need to, to me!
do your hip flexors only hurt in flexion, or do they hurt in extension as well?
if you would like, drop me an email! we are leaving tomorrow, but next time we come into town (i imagine before we move) i can let you know and maybe we can get coffee or tea and chat?
tsteiner at stny dot rr dot com
hi alfia
sometimes one can also overstretch when doing the prasarita paddotanasas if one gets greedy with wanting to get the head to the floor. some teachers say to spread the legs further wide so as to get the head to the floor, but i feel that overstretches the inner muscles of the legs, all of which eventually relate to the psoas.
on the subject of your school, i was going to be a monk in a contemplative order (carthusians) when i was between 18 and 21.
cheers
arturo
i agree with tova regarding your weight. alfia, you are healthy and fit and in no way needing weight loss.
tova, it was lovely to see you again! i hope you'll come to DC again soon - and move here soon! (^_^)
Hi, Tova and Rayna: You made me happy by saying I do not need to lose weight. I do, though. I just want to reach a healthy BMI (around 24, now it is 25.4), or, even better, decrease my fat percentage by 5-7%. It is not about the looks anymore, but being healthy and light. Havng said that, I was surprised by how good you made me feel. I probably still have an image of myself being obese, not just overweight.
Tova: My psoas hurts most when I contract. It is very sensitive when I stretch, too, but stretching makes it a little better afterwards. Thank God I am out of trainig next week, sitting down for such long stretches of time made the problem so much worse!
Нi, Arturo:
Thank you very much for you comments. They are always very unexpected. I haven't thouth about prasarita paddotanasa. This pose is very easy for me. I have rather long hamstrings and I have to move my legs closer, so that my head is not on the floor. In prasarita paddotanasa C I have a back of my head on the floor and I can reach the floor with my hands relatively easily. I might've pushed myself harder than it was prudent, but I never felt bad afterwards. Nevertheless, I will surely watch out, now that have warned me.
You were going to be a monk for 4 years!? Wow! Why did you change your mind? You do not have to answer me if it is too personal, it is just I am awed by this fact for some reason. :)
hi alfia
it's a long story, although i still may seem monkish, except i live in the world. the order wanted me to finish college before joining and in the year and a half that it took to finish my first degree, i decided to go into what i wanted to do since i was 12, which is architecture. i find that yoga has helped me find meditation again, so i feel i've returned to a spiritual place i was seeking when i was interested in the monastic life.
i just received my small diameter balls and hope to try some exercises this weekend. there is one called psoas butter.
eric franklin says, "put an exercise ball under each buttock under the pelvis. the legs are slightly bent and making tiny rocking movements. one leg flexes in the hip joint, while the other straightens. try to ffind a feeling of automatic movement. ... slowly increse the rocking movements. the toes come closer to the floor. the feeling in the psoas is elastic."
i'm not a master in ashtanga, but maybe have been doing it longer. pain travels. sometimes you feel it in one area of the body, sometimes in another. also, during the week and with increased practice, you develop more flexibility and strentgh. you also develop more knowlegdge that protects you from injuries.
cheers, arturo
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