Thursday, March 13, 2008

Lost - flexibility and backbends, found - health and happiness

When I was doing my yoga once a week in the class and ocasionally a pose or two at home, I did not know what "stiff" meant. The first couple of weeks of Myosore practice this happy ignorance continued. I would start the first Sun Salutation A , practically touching my nose to the knees in uttanasana, and felt the both sets of sun saluts served only to heat up the body. Eventually things changed. I started to notice that early in the morning my forward bend was less and less deep, it took longer and longer to start feeling limber and mobile. Also, early in the ashtanga practice I could not understand the adjustment we were getting from the teachers in downdog. The teacher would come around and press his hands into the lower back, lifting and pushing at the same time. I was puzzled - was he trying to say that my down dog was bad? Was I supposed to lift like he showed? What was the purpose of this adjustment? I am no longer puzzled. In fact, if I do not get this adjustment (practically never happens, the teachers are very good in our shala), I feel that my whole pracitce is sub par. Now I know that this adustment is not to correct the pose, but to release the hamstrings for further stretches. In other words, I feel I am much less flexible now than when I just started Ashtanga. Isn't it counter-intuitive? Also by backbensd suffered, I think because of too many forward bends.
Other things changed for the better. I am stronger and have more stamina. I acquired the muscle "knowledge", and don't fumble into the poses. My hips are much, much more open. Both kurmasana and supta kurmasana were not quite possible before I started Ashtanga. Overall, in spite of some drawbacks, the primary series made me a healthier and happier person. Now, will my happiness double when I get into the 2nd and triple when (and if) I get into the 3rd?

22 comments:

Boodiba said...

I think it's a flaw in Astanga that there is very little back bending in primary...

Anonymous said...

I'm always surprised to hear people say there isn't enough back bending in primary. In my experience, there is a lot of back bending in primary... we just ignore and/or speed through it: updog. I think it might be why when Guruji or Sharath teach, they draw that breath out a little, making sure you actually take that as a back bend rather than just speed through it. If you spend one primary just drawing some attention to your updogs, not pushing like a madwoman, just drawing attentive breath and enjoying the vinyasa, you may find there are lots of backbends in primary. Updog really gives you a great opportunity to open up the spine and also really get in to opening through the front of the hips/groin/thighs which can really help coming up from back bends. Just my two cents though... there are of course other ways to look at it.

P.S. Didn't the teachers at your shala tell you? Your level of enlightenment and happiness is *directly* related to your place in the series. (sarcasm here) :-D

LI Ashtangini said...

Isn't that why David Williams suggests doing 5 breaths in updog instead of the one? More backbending? Although updog is a really nasty backbend for my body. I lost my backbend too, Alfia, but I think mine is more about losing strength during my slacker time off last month. You're definitely ahead of me, so it's not the same but I certainly have sympathy!

alfia said...

An excellent point, Anon!
I actually do not rush through updog (at least not too much), because I feel a great relief in updog after the forward bends. I kind of cherish it. But it is not a deep backbend and we do not really spend time in it. Also, the backbend it not only ablout the lower back. Shoulders, triceps are not really opening in updog. But I hear you!

My teachers forgot to mention that about the enlightenment! :D You are too funny!

Boodiba said...

Ya, ya of course the updogs. I spend extra breaths there. The best updog is never going to kapo your ass though. Just saying.

alfia said...

Hi, Sonya!

Intersting about the 5 breaths. It would make the practice longer, but it might be worth it. Thank you for mentioning it!

alfia said...

Exactly, Linda! Both UD and Kapotasana are so much about shoulders,arms, and quads, which are not really engaged in updog.

Anonymous said...

"The best updog is never going to kapo your ass though."

True enough... but the Ashtanga system would take the position that you shouldn't kapo your ass until you reach kapo, that your little rivers just aint ready for that kind of cleansing. I mean, you could say that the best kapo is never going to ganda bherundasana your ass... so on and so forth. Tis' a season for every asana perhaps.

I've found much success in adhering to the Ashtanga system but there be all manner of people and I s'pose that's why there be all manner of systems. Go with what ya love.

;-)

Anonymous said...

back bending

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R_YkazfJN0I

Boodiba said...

Ya... people are all different, even Astangis and Astanga teachers (thank God). I still stay I'd have never stood from wheel if my teacher didn't have me doing primary & 2nd up to Kapo for 5/6 months. I was already VERY fit though, so perhaps he knew he wouldn't be frying the circuitry. Whatever.

The practice is more important than the analysis.

alfia said...

Kino Macgregor is quite amazing.

See, my frustration stems from the fact that I could do kapotasana. I had a good backbend before I started Mysore. Do you think my little rivers were open then?

I am very happy with the practice, though. The time will come and I'll do kapo again. But just once in a while I long for the "good backbending" times...

Boodiba said...

If I were you, I'd just self-practice once or twice a week & do whatever the hell I wanted. Just primary tightens me up a LOT, my shoulders and back. When I did a month at AYRI, I regressed way more than I thought I would. If I ever went back, I'd cheat on the waver & see Venki too. (Not likely to happen cause then I'd need $1000 a month for yoga.)

Anonymous said...

Teachers everywhere are different. I wasn't permitted to do second at all until my dropbacks/standups were perfect and unassisted.

I like what anon said - go with what ya love. This practice is supposed to make us feel good. And that's what's frustrating about ashtanga sometimes, we're not all built the same way, and in certain respects the series are all rather unforgiving. So to do things like adding breaths in up dog, adding poses if you're practicing alone, whatever ticks your tock.

But I don't think I"m adding anything to this conversation other than saying hi to all my friends here! Cheers!

Anna

alfia said...

Hi, Anna!

"whatever ticks your tock"

I love it! :D

Anonymous said...

"what ever ticks your tock"

indeed a great one!

Speaking of which... that tock is tough!

Anonymous said...

: )

I am certainly not tocking. That's Boodi's department.

Boodiba said...

I heard that!! Not yet it isn't. Though Greg hasn't offered any assisted tick tocks since I started flipping my Viparita.

Eeek.

Not yet.

Arturo said...

hi alfia
let's make a joint committment that we'll get into 3rd series. it has to happen for us. we don't have to do advanced A and B, they say, those of us who started later in life.

boodi, when noah and kimberly were here and i practiced a few days with them, noah had me go back to that routine you mentioned, 1st to kapotasana in second. it's time consuming and intense. it was nice, but i kind of prefer having 2nd separated. i'll do what i'm asked to do in the room of the teacher i'm studying with.

cheers, arturo

alfia said...

Yes, Arturo, I am with you. Joint commitment. No matter what!

alfia said...

What are "advanced A and B"?

Anonymous said...

Sometimes it seems that people who have very deep natural backbending ability need to counterbalance with the strength that gets built in primary. And people who are very strong naturally need the counterbalace of flexibility.

In the end, though, we're all headed to the same place: a nice balance of strength and flexibility. So no worries about what you seem to be "losing." As you've noted, you're "gaining" other things at the same time :-)

alfia said...

Hi, donutszenmom! Thank you for stopping by!
You are very right. Just this morning when I unsuccessfully tried to stand up for UD again and thought: "why am I bitching about not progressing into the second? I am weak, it feels like I am going to snap in my lower back if I stand up. I just do not have enough power in my core". So yes, I agree. I just need more patience and perseverance.

 

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