Thank you so much for all of you who advised me on the lift from Kapo B. Something must have stuck in my subconscious brain, because I did it yesterday! Three times. Might have done it today, too, but David helped me, so I do not know. But it is funny how a pose seems completely impossible, until something clicks and it works. Just like magic...
I brought in a heart rate monitor today to practice. In one of his talks, David said that heart rate should not go above 60 during Ashtanga practice. Yeah, right. My resting heart rate is 65-75, so I am already not there. During the day - 80-110, depending if I am walking or sitting. So anyway, my results:
Sun Salutations increase to 126
Standing poses hold heart rate around 100, except for hasta padangustasana, utkatasana and both virabadrasanas - 126
Vinyasas between seated raises HR by 10 (from 95 to 105-110, approximately), forward bends decrease it back to 95-100
Starting from Marich C to kurmasana, HR does not go down from 125; supta kurmasana - 136
Blessed baddhakonasana brings it down again to 100, then it goes down to 90-somtheing, until, of course, setu bandhasana - 127
Pasasana - 130
HR does not go down at all during all second series backbends, and actually reaches 150 after kapotasana (wihich is 15 points more than lagu vajrasana)
UD and dropbacks are not quite as strenuous as I thought they were - HR up to 135
Finishing poses do not decrease HR substantially, but not raise it as well, except for utpluthee - 134
Savasana - 81
I know that my cardiovascular health is not very athletic, so this record might not be helpful at all to all of you, athletic people. But it was interesting to me that vinyasas are as strenuous as just walking (not that strenuous at all - but again, my jumpbacks suck). Sarvangasana and sirsasana are not restorative. I also expected a higher raise of the HR after twists. Kapotasana results are not suprising.
So if I calculate my aerobic target rate, it comes to 103 to 156 for my age. Which means that I keep my heart rate somewhere is the middle of this range practicing ashtanga. This makes me happy...
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
How aerobic is Mysore practice?
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16 comments:
See SEE! I knew it! congratulations alfia, really happy for you. It can be inconsistent in the beginning, I still give coming up a miss sometimes if I don't feel i've set up for it just right, no need to strain. But now you know that your strong enough just a case of coordination and how well prepared you are that particular day.
I want one of these heart monitor things, got to try this. Where do you get them? Cheap , expensive, want to try it while meditating, chanting, pranayama, while in headstand.....
Thank you,Grimmly! I am a very happy trooper these days. :)
I have the cheapest monitor from Omron:
http://www.amazon.com/Omron-HR-100C-Heart-Rate-Monitor/dp/B000A5CEUO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1261497345&sr=8-1
It is $34, but works just fine. I am playing with all day long today - walking up and down the stairs, breathing funny, eating and so on - everything changes heart rate. I also have one of those fancy stresseraser thingies, which measures the coductivity in the finger skin, so I am going to combine the readings of the two together while meditating (http://www.amazon.com/StressEraser-SE-1-Portable-Biofeedback-Device/dp/B001B8PIIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1261497629&sr=1-1). So much fun! Feels like Christmas. Oh, wait, it is Christmas!
Oi, I forgot that I was supposed to use HTML for the links. My apologies...
I've wondered about the heart rate in Ashtanga for ages, but I never got around to actually monitoring it. Thanks for posting this!!
Hi, Christine:
You are welcome. I am sure, though that values are different for everyone. I am sure your practice is much more strenuous than mine!
Woo hoo! Well done! I knew you had it!
My heart rate doesn't go up too much most of the time when I'm healthy; I do have to watch it now though ( I have a thyroid condition). Kapo is the notable exception. I don't measure it too much 'cause i don't have a monitor - I have to use a stopwatch and a finger on my neck. It's a bit disruptive!
Congrats on the kapo! So it didn't take long :)
Er, I don't feel like I need a monitor, I'm just aware of my heart rate and always have been, though certainly I couldn't place an exact number on it at all times. I don't get what your teacher's saying, it shouldn't go above 60 - huh?? My resting HR's around 60, but that is very slow, most people are at least 80 at rest, so that makes no sense at all, was he joking maybe? And anyway, I WANT my practice to be slightly aerobic! But as I become more comfortable in the poses, it stays more even. Salabhasana through kapo used to really get it going, for example... now somewhat less, but chakorasana/bhairavasana certainly jacks it up.
Word veri: sticatr = stick at 'er (the pratice) :)
My resting is 60 too, checked it three times and always 60. Forgot to check during Primary this morning though, going to leave myself a note for tomorrow morning to remind myself to check. I know i'll only use it once or twice but have been scouring ebay for a cheap monitor. I want one!
If I am not mistaken, lower resting heart rate is a sign of fitness (50-60). Mine was around 80 before I started yoga, and now it is 65 (good days) to 75 (most of the days), which I consider to be an marked improvement (with some room to go). But this is the rate that should be recorded early in the morning, right after bed. Normally I have 75-80 for regular activities, such as typing.
I am totally not surprised at your heart rates, Susan and Grimmly! You are in excellent shape. :)
Oh, and yes, I do not know what David meant by having 60 while doing yoga. But he is super-fit, so it might be true for him, for all I know...
hi Alfia
thanks for sharing those informative observations!
how does the heart monitor keep from falling while you practice? is it in an arm band?
happy holidays
hugs
Arturo
Hi, Arturo:
There are different kinds of monitors available. Mine is a strap around chest and a wrist watch-receiver. It is not inconvenient to wear at all. There are also strapless wrist monitors out there, I imagine there are even more convenient.
Happy holidays to you, too!
Hugs
Alfia,
This totally cracked me up... I've always dreamed of wearing a monitor to see what was going on. Very interesting to read the report!
I can't take my resting heart rate because I can't find my pulse. HA HA HA!!!
Liz - I can't find my pulse in my wrist either. Have you tried the carotid pulse? It's a little firmer, so easier to find, though I still have times when I have to poke and prod a while first.
ha ha!!! Lew- I definitely have to go for the jugular. I figure I press so hard, I might be creating some extra "heart beats" while doing it!
I don't think I want to know my resting heart rate.
Liz, Lew - measuring heart beat on the neck actually calms heart down, thereby giving wrong measurements. It activates a vagus nerve, which runs along the carotids.
Liz, I would not be surprised if your heart rate at rest is below 60. You look very fit! :)
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