I've abused them again and again the past year or so..and they always come back and nip me in the butt.
Well anyway, I didn't update on this, but while jumping into eka pada shirshasana in a led class (my teacher actually told me to work at jumping straight into it!), I pretty much crashed into my left arm, jarred the wrist, and have been suffering some sort of tendinitis since then..about a month now.
So its been month of handicapped ashtanga lately. I tried to get back into the arm balances and jumpbacks after 2 weeks, but it felt too sore to handle it. anyhow I'm now left with stepping back and forth, and just pushing myself up and sitting down for the jumps.
Obviously, without the heat I get from vinyasa, i've been relatively stiff. Since I no longer go to D. no one is giving me new poses. J is too far away to see me consistently. Z teaches everyone en masse...primary and second. So thats the place I'm at progress wise.
I'm hoping that in another 2 weeks, I'd be better cos I'm planning to go down to visit J beginning of next year..
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Fat is good...I want it back!!!!
I have pretty low body fat. 2 years back I was around 18%. Now, its probably around mid to low teens. Besides yoga, I don't do much other exercise, I did almost try a triathlon, but gave it up cos I thought it tightened me up too much.
Anyway, now that I don't have much fat, I really want it back..I've been eating quite a bit, and supplementing with fish oil and other stuff to make sure I don't have too little fat in the body, but the fat ends up going to the wrong place..;(
My weight it exactly the same as before, the only difference is that I've managed to replace it with muscle mass..and whatever additional weight I put on ends up where I don't want it (ie the hips). I don't know if this is a natural part of aging, but I suspect that losing too much body fat is NOT a good thing..and I really wish I had not.
Anyway, I'm contemplating cutting down practice more to see if it helps me get back to what I was before, but at the same time, I'd miss my practice so much...I wonder if this is a sign of ashtanga addiction...
Anyhow, this is a strange post I guess, but it is related in part to the physical changes I see taking place in myself (I suspect because of my practice) and I think it does have a place here. Not everyone will have the same problem as me I guess, some of my friends don't seem to lose much weight despite practising like a fiend, but I have a naturally high metabolic rate as well, which compounds the issue.
So yeah, I want my fat back, even if it makes lifting up and arm balancing much harder to do!
Anyway, now that I don't have much fat, I really want it back..I've been eating quite a bit, and supplementing with fish oil and other stuff to make sure I don't have too little fat in the body, but the fat ends up going to the wrong place..;(
My weight it exactly the same as before, the only difference is that I've managed to replace it with muscle mass..and whatever additional weight I put on ends up where I don't want it (ie the hips). I don't know if this is a natural part of aging, but I suspect that losing too much body fat is NOT a good thing..and I really wish I had not.
Anyway, I'm contemplating cutting down practice more to see if it helps me get back to what I was before, but at the same time, I'd miss my practice so much...I wonder if this is a sign of ashtanga addiction...
Anyhow, this is a strange post I guess, but it is related in part to the physical changes I see taking place in myself (I suspect because of my practice) and I think it does have a place here. Not everyone will have the same problem as me I guess, some of my friends don't seem to lose much weight despite practising like a fiend, but I have a naturally high metabolic rate as well, which compounds the issue.
So yeah, I want my fat back, even if it makes lifting up and arm balancing much harder to do!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Things I wish I'd done sooner...
Recently I've learnt some new face exercises that promise to lift, tone and reshape the face..well..what has all this got to do with practice?? First of all, skeptical as I was at first, face exercises work. Perhaps not as well as plastic surgery or botox (not that I'd know since I've not done any), but yeah..I've managed to see some nice changes in my face..a smoother forehead, firmer jawline, nicer eyes and better shaped lips...subtle..but it sure works.
The concept is similar to exercising any part of the body, work a muscle enough and with resistance..it gets bigger and stronger..or if you want to keep resistance low..at least it increases tone. Thats a concept I'm sold on, because I've seen so much change in my muscle tone and strength in ashtanga (for me anyway).
So I was thinking, how nice if I had understood this way earlier in my practice..I would have been so much stronger if I'd done somethings sooner instead of later. Its been 2 years 2 months since I've started ashtanga..and I now have a list of stuff that I would have done from day one..if I had the chance to start over..
1. Always use the chest and hip extension when working backbends. Don't let the feet splay. Keep the knees pointing forward and feet planted on the ground. Not doing this has caused me quite a lot of lower back and SI discomfort earlier in my practice. Lunges and quad stretches are great for getting further into backbending, its opened up my hips and stretched out my quads a lot.
2. Keep the hands planted on the floor and don't lift them up anytime. Not even in trini..especially not in trini I think. I learnt this from John Scott first and then from J. I think thats one of the first things thats helped me shift weight into the hands to help me with jumpbacks and jump throughs. If I'd learnt this earlier on, I think I'd have learnt the float much sooner rather than later.
3. Spend heaps of time sitting in siddhasana, sukhasana, doing the frog thing (its a torture I think) and doing a janu variation with the straight leg bent and facing inwards to improve leg behind the head. The janu variation thing really works, cause I end up in more or less with one leg just next to the ear or in front of my head just like when doing LBH. I did that for a whole year instead of janu shirshasana, sometimes with a block under the foot to let gravity assist in bending me forward. I think its helped immensely in getting me to the point where I can get the leg behind quite comfortably.
4. Don't jump back by planting the hands in front and hopping back. Put the hands right next to the hips and get through the arms to go backwards. Even if it means it's more a push yourself to stand up and then stepping back. This really was a bad habit I think, and one which I spent almost 1 year doing. It didn't help very much in terms of really learning how to go backwards..it probably helped with some arm strength but thats about it.
5. jump through with crossed legs, right from the start..or at least jump up, cross and sit down behind the hands. And even when landing behind the hands, squeeze through the arms no matter what. This is another thing that I think really helped me build strength. I used to jump through pretty easily with straight legs, but I realise now it seems to use more flexibility in folding forward, hips flexor strength and upper back strength than bandhas..
6. Backbends can wait if you are flexible...for me anyway. Being able to do tonnes of backbending seems to have effect of stretching out all the muscles I need to be strong to do vinyasa properly. Of course its glamorous to be able to put my feet on top of my head, but I think it certainly didn't balance out the front and back of my body..
7. Follow the vinyasa count..and enjoy the breathing. I think it would have made my practice much more enjoyable right from the start...instead of stressing out over getting deeper and further..etc etc.
The concept is similar to exercising any part of the body, work a muscle enough and with resistance..it gets bigger and stronger..or if you want to keep resistance low..at least it increases tone. Thats a concept I'm sold on, because I've seen so much change in my muscle tone and strength in ashtanga (for me anyway).
So I was thinking, how nice if I had understood this way earlier in my practice..I would have been so much stronger if I'd done somethings sooner instead of later. Its been 2 years 2 months since I've started ashtanga..and I now have a list of stuff that I would have done from day one..if I had the chance to start over..
1. Always use the chest and hip extension when working backbends. Don't let the feet splay. Keep the knees pointing forward and feet planted on the ground. Not doing this has caused me quite a lot of lower back and SI discomfort earlier in my practice. Lunges and quad stretches are great for getting further into backbending, its opened up my hips and stretched out my quads a lot.
2. Keep the hands planted on the floor and don't lift them up anytime. Not even in trini..especially not in trini I think. I learnt this from John Scott first and then from J. I think thats one of the first things thats helped me shift weight into the hands to help me with jumpbacks and jump throughs. If I'd learnt this earlier on, I think I'd have learnt the float much sooner rather than later.
3. Spend heaps of time sitting in siddhasana, sukhasana, doing the frog thing (its a torture I think) and doing a janu variation with the straight leg bent and facing inwards to improve leg behind the head. The janu variation thing really works, cause I end up in more or less with one leg just next to the ear or in front of my head just like when doing LBH. I did that for a whole year instead of janu shirshasana, sometimes with a block under the foot to let gravity assist in bending me forward. I think its helped immensely in getting me to the point where I can get the leg behind quite comfortably.
4. Don't jump back by planting the hands in front and hopping back. Put the hands right next to the hips and get through the arms to go backwards. Even if it means it's more a push yourself to stand up and then stepping back. This really was a bad habit I think, and one which I spent almost 1 year doing. It didn't help very much in terms of really learning how to go backwards..it probably helped with some arm strength but thats about it.
5. jump through with crossed legs, right from the start..or at least jump up, cross and sit down behind the hands. And even when landing behind the hands, squeeze through the arms no matter what. This is another thing that I think really helped me build strength. I used to jump through pretty easily with straight legs, but I realise now it seems to use more flexibility in folding forward, hips flexor strength and upper back strength than bandhas..
6. Backbends can wait if you are flexible...for me anyway. Being able to do tonnes of backbending seems to have effect of stretching out all the muscles I need to be strong to do vinyasa properly. Of course its glamorous to be able to put my feet on top of my head, but I think it certainly didn't balance out the front and back of my body..
7. Follow the vinyasa count..and enjoy the breathing. I think it would have made my practice much more enjoyable right from the start...instead of stressing out over getting deeper and further..etc etc.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
At the shala..
I was across the causeway the last few days for work and also took some time off for a holiday there. Spent a good deal of money on all sorts of clothes, skin care stuff, yoga tops etc;P
Anyway, I didn't check whether J would be around..I'd assumed that he was, but turns out he was in Mysore..he did come back though 2 days later and so I only got to go for 1 class with him.
Anyhow, there wasn't anything much that he worked on with me..I guess most of the stuff he taught me I already do..just a few things which I'd list later. We did have a rather dramatic time grabbing ankles..which is seriously intense..but doable. He was trying to make me grab without putting my hands down, which was a horrible experience and felt like my shoulder was gonna pop out or something..he said I was much closer when I was hanging back then when I put my hands down. Anyway I told him it was too much, so we worked at walking the hands in. that was alright..but still was intense..jeeezz..apparently my shoulders tend to turn out, I reckon because shoulders were tight so he told me to keep them pointing straight ahead as much as I could.
As for other stuff, well...the last time I went to him, I could get into dwi pada sitting up and then into supta k...but since I've not actually practiced it much at home, I just got into from the floor...he didn't seem to remember that..so he let it pass. Otherwise I though he was picking on all the stuff he never picked on like putting my chin on shin in ardha baddha padmotanasana (which makes me lose my balance), shin to the floor in bhujapidasana (which makes me feel like smashing my face)and telling me not to bend my elbows in my jump backs..
Apparently, unknown to me, I tend to bend my elbows too fast in all my jumpbacks..whether from standing, sitting or even bakasana. He wanted me to jump back into a plank instead of chatturanga. Hmmm...to tell you the truth, I always thought I keep my arms pretty straight...I thought I did keep my arms straight after that, but according to J, I was still bending them...I got to bring back the mirror and look at myself when I practice to know..he said I'd have far more control if I kept my arms straight..sigh..thats what happens when your teacher was a gymnastics coach...he expects us to do gymnastics stuff as well...I'm sure this is one of those gymnastics thingys..not bending the elbows...
OK..I have a confession...I complained to J that he wasn't giving me poses...but to be honest I know he's not supposed to teach beyond primary..but there were people at the shala who practice beyond primary series..so I more or less told him I'd progress myself if he wasn't giving me poses (I know..I'm a greedy, grasping girl hungry for new poses;P) I didn't tell him my other teachers teach me second series though..cos he's been on my case about practising with too many teachers anyway. Anyway my ploy didn't work...J told me instead of asking him to teach me a new pose..he'd rather I go read the sutras...sigh...he's been saying that to me for ages...its VERY frustrating!
Anyway, we also talked baout Mysore..and J asked me when I would be going..so I said I'll go someday..just that I haven't saved up money to do it. I guess I may go someday...
Anyway, I didn't check whether J would be around..I'd assumed that he was, but turns out he was in Mysore..he did come back though 2 days later and so I only got to go for 1 class with him.
Anyhow, there wasn't anything much that he worked on with me..I guess most of the stuff he taught me I already do..just a few things which I'd list later. We did have a rather dramatic time grabbing ankles..which is seriously intense..but doable. He was trying to make me grab without putting my hands down, which was a horrible experience and felt like my shoulder was gonna pop out or something..he said I was much closer when I was hanging back then when I put my hands down. Anyway I told him it was too much, so we worked at walking the hands in. that was alright..but still was intense..jeeezz..apparently my shoulders tend to turn out, I reckon because shoulders were tight so he told me to keep them pointing straight ahead as much as I could.
As for other stuff, well...the last time I went to him, I could get into dwi pada sitting up and then into supta k...but since I've not actually practiced it much at home, I just got into from the floor...he didn't seem to remember that..so he let it pass. Otherwise I though he was picking on all the stuff he never picked on like putting my chin on shin in ardha baddha padmotanasana (which makes me lose my balance), shin to the floor in bhujapidasana (which makes me feel like smashing my face)and telling me not to bend my elbows in my jump backs..
Apparently, unknown to me, I tend to bend my elbows too fast in all my jumpbacks..whether from standing, sitting or even bakasana. He wanted me to jump back into a plank instead of chatturanga. Hmmm...to tell you the truth, I always thought I keep my arms pretty straight...I thought I did keep my arms straight after that, but according to J, I was still bending them...I got to bring back the mirror and look at myself when I practice to know..he said I'd have far more control if I kept my arms straight..sigh..thats what happens when your teacher was a gymnastics coach...he expects us to do gymnastics stuff as well...I'm sure this is one of those gymnastics thingys..not bending the elbows...
OK..I have a confession...I complained to J that he wasn't giving me poses...but to be honest I know he's not supposed to teach beyond primary..but there were people at the shala who practice beyond primary series..so I more or less told him I'd progress myself if he wasn't giving me poses (I know..I'm a greedy, grasping girl hungry for new poses;P) I didn't tell him my other teachers teach me second series though..cos he's been on my case about practising with too many teachers anyway. Anyway my ploy didn't work...J told me instead of asking him to teach me a new pose..he'd rather I go read the sutras...sigh...he's been saying that to me for ages...its VERY frustrating!
Anyway, we also talked baout Mysore..and J asked me when I would be going..so I said I'll go someday..just that I haven't saved up money to do it. I guess I may go someday...
Friday, September 12, 2008
Self practice notes
Had a great practice today and yesterday. I've gotten rid of the mirror that I have in my room that I look at too much most of the time during practice. There is a difference...I can feel it. It makes my practice so much more centred and internal. I think I need to ban mirrors from now on...;)
Due to pure laziness I've been stopping mostly at the end of primary series..I do add in some quad and shoulder stretches and loads of UD to make sure I don't lose my backbends though. Facing kapotasana on a daily basis is a little too much for me to handle..so I skip;P
Instead I've been doing an assortment of crim arm balances like parsva bakasana, koundinyasana etc. I figure it could help my bandhas..who knows.
I've realized something lately about my jumpbacks though..which is pretty close to a revelation to me. Its probably pretty obvious to everyone else, but for the perennially bandha challenged person like me, it was quite a discovery. Now..I've managed on occasion to somehow or other jumpback from sitting. Other times I just lift and swing..hit the floor and then bunny hop back. Recently though, I remembered J said to me to keep pushing the hips upwards even if the feet hit the floor, and I end up almost standing up before hopping back. Well, I've been doing that whenever I get stuck and really lifting the hips and pushing the hands downwards.
So...the past 2 days, I've kinda built some muscle memory into the body to do that under all circumstances..whether my feet hit the floor or not..and I've actually managed to FLOAT my jumpbacks!!! I mean I managed one of those actual floaty ones ala Lino Miele instead of the quick and dirty swing and throw myself backwards variety of jumpbacks...HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT???? I mean I never thought I'd be able to come close...Of course I can only do that once or twice before getting stuck again...but this is a start and I'm really excited!
So I figure that appears to be the answer to my short arms and long torso problem. I've always thought to squeeze myself into as tight a ball as possible to swing through the arms backwards...now I realise if I can get the lift upwards, the length of my arms don't even come into play..its core strength/bandha. So THATS what they are talking about...how come it took me so long to figure it out???
Due to pure laziness I've been stopping mostly at the end of primary series..I do add in some quad and shoulder stretches and loads of UD to make sure I don't lose my backbends though. Facing kapotasana on a daily basis is a little too much for me to handle..so I skip;P
Instead I've been doing an assortment of crim arm balances like parsva bakasana, koundinyasana etc. I figure it could help my bandhas..who knows.
I've realized something lately about my jumpbacks though..which is pretty close to a revelation to me. Its probably pretty obvious to everyone else, but for the perennially bandha challenged person like me, it was quite a discovery. Now..I've managed on occasion to somehow or other jumpback from sitting. Other times I just lift and swing..hit the floor and then bunny hop back. Recently though, I remembered J said to me to keep pushing the hips upwards even if the feet hit the floor, and I end up almost standing up before hopping back. Well, I've been doing that whenever I get stuck and really lifting the hips and pushing the hands downwards.
So...the past 2 days, I've kinda built some muscle memory into the body to do that under all circumstances..whether my feet hit the floor or not..and I've actually managed to FLOAT my jumpbacks!!! I mean I managed one of those actual floaty ones ala Lino Miele instead of the quick and dirty swing and throw myself backwards variety of jumpbacks...HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT???? I mean I never thought I'd be able to come close...Of course I can only do that once or twice before getting stuck again...but this is a start and I'm really excited!
So I figure that appears to be the answer to my short arms and long torso problem. I've always thought to squeeze myself into as tight a ball as possible to swing through the arms backwards...now I realise if I can get the lift upwards, the length of my arms don't even come into play..its core strength/bandha. So THATS what they are talking about...how come it took me so long to figure it out???
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Losing too much weight again..
Thats what I think Ashtanga is doing to me...;(
I'm one of those skinny women who can't seem to put on weight as it is..now I'm losing too much for my liking..
Seems like since I've put in all those jump backs (or my best rendition of them) into practice, I've been putting on bulk in the arms and shoulders and abs...but losing it where it counts;P Now this might be fine if I had much to spare, but the only place I've got some spare meat is in the hips and butt...
I'm now trying to cut down on the vinyasas a bit, and eating like a horse just to see if it helps me bulk up more. I can see the bones sticking out of my ribs and collarbones and shoulders...ewwww...
Well I know, this is not a blog about my how I look and Ashtanga, but its a real bummer for me, and I'm pretty darn vain. I don't see how some people can practice just as much or more than me and still remain quite curvy all over while I'm kinda wasting away...
Recently I had dinner with a whole bunch of people who practice and one of the girls had lost so much weight that she looks positively sickly. I'm really afraid to look like that.
On the other hand, obviously with weight loss, its much easier for me to lift up etc. Yes the jumpbacks have improved, and so have jumping back from tithibasana. I have to admit its fun to lift so high up after bhuja and supta k into titthibasana/bakasana and then jump back. I've seem to have gotten a whole lot better at doing that action.
The other day, my new teacher was trying to get me to jump back from upavista. I don't usually do that exit, cos I always just cross and lift. But he asked me to just press down after urdva upavista konasana and lift up. It was good (by my standards). I got my hips up almost into a handstand!!! but once I pull them back from there into bakasana, I fell out of it... I never thought I could do that though.
It always looked to much anti-gravity for me to pull off.
Everything is a little stiff and weak these few days because its the time of the month and I'm also easing off everything to hopefully not have to look like a walking skeleton.
No progress in any poses...but lots of muscular development in the arms and abs like I said. I can pretty much see my six pack....which to be honest wasn't what I was hoping to achieve...think its a little too much for a woman. I prefer a much softer look...
I'm one of those skinny women who can't seem to put on weight as it is..now I'm losing too much for my liking..
Seems like since I've put in all those jump backs (or my best rendition of them) into practice, I've been putting on bulk in the arms and shoulders and abs...but losing it where it counts;P Now this might be fine if I had much to spare, but the only place I've got some spare meat is in the hips and butt...
I'm now trying to cut down on the vinyasas a bit, and eating like a horse just to see if it helps me bulk up more. I can see the bones sticking out of my ribs and collarbones and shoulders...ewwww...
Well I know, this is not a blog about my how I look and Ashtanga, but its a real bummer for me, and I'm pretty darn vain. I don't see how some people can practice just as much or more than me and still remain quite curvy all over while I'm kinda wasting away...
Recently I had dinner with a whole bunch of people who practice and one of the girls had lost so much weight that she looks positively sickly. I'm really afraid to look like that.
On the other hand, obviously with weight loss, its much easier for me to lift up etc. Yes the jumpbacks have improved, and so have jumping back from tithibasana. I have to admit its fun to lift so high up after bhuja and supta k into titthibasana/bakasana and then jump back. I've seem to have gotten a whole lot better at doing that action.
The other day, my new teacher was trying to get me to jump back from upavista. I don't usually do that exit, cos I always just cross and lift. But he asked me to just press down after urdva upavista konasana and lift up. It was good (by my standards). I got my hips up almost into a handstand!!! but once I pull them back from there into bakasana, I fell out of it... I never thought I could do that though.
It always looked to much anti-gravity for me to pull off.
Everything is a little stiff and weak these few days because its the time of the month and I'm also easing off everything to hopefully not have to look like a walking skeleton.
No progress in any poses...but lots of muscular development in the arms and abs like I said. I can pretty much see my six pack....which to be honest wasn't what I was hoping to achieve...think its a little too much for a woman. I prefer a much softer look...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Fun, fun and more fun...;)
I don't think I've updated this, but I've had a hell of a lot of fun lately at my new practice place...in fact I'm sorta feeling a little guilty thinking that way..
I went to a led second series class...and wow! I did karandavasana!!!! with help obviously from my new teacher, I'm gonna call him Z . I miraculously balanced my pincha in the middle of the room, which I've never been able to do for more than a few seconds at the wall, and actually lotused up my legs!!! I don't know what in the world possessed me. It was like my body was on autopilot, and when Z said jump up, I did that, and when he told me to lotus my legs, I did just that! He did lower me down to karandavasana, which I held pretty well, and then lifted me back up again.
Obviously I'm not at the point in my practice right now to tackle this pose..but its great nonetheless to do it in class. I also managed some rather pathetic attempts at all the headstands...but gosh that was FUN!;) Z also did a round of handstands with me during the surya namaskaras... He just stood in front, told me during trini to bend the knees and lift, and just flipped me up to handstands. What a rush! I can't lift myself right now...but I'm pretty sure I can do it...one day;P
On another note, I did go back to D recently, and he helped me jump into Bakasana B. He helped me a bit with the lowering to arms, but i think I kinda know how to do it now..just need to perhaps be strong enough to slow down my descent.
Its been loads and loads of fun..;)
I went to a led second series class...and wow! I did karandavasana!!!! with help obviously from my new teacher, I'm gonna call him Z . I miraculously balanced my pincha in the middle of the room, which I've never been able to do for more than a few seconds at the wall, and actually lotused up my legs!!! I don't know what in the world possessed me. It was like my body was on autopilot, and when Z said jump up, I did that, and when he told me to lotus my legs, I did just that! He did lower me down to karandavasana, which I held pretty well, and then lifted me back up again.
Obviously I'm not at the point in my practice right now to tackle this pose..but its great nonetheless to do it in class. I also managed some rather pathetic attempts at all the headstands...but gosh that was FUN!;) Z also did a round of handstands with me during the surya namaskaras... He just stood in front, told me during trini to bend the knees and lift, and just flipped me up to handstands. What a rush! I can't lift myself right now...but I'm pretty sure I can do it...one day;P
On another note, I did go back to D recently, and he helped me jump into Bakasana B. He helped me a bit with the lowering to arms, but i think I kinda know how to do it now..just need to perhaps be strong enough to slow down my descent.
Its been loads and loads of fun..;)
Friday, August 8, 2008
On the gym ball..
Thats what I've been up to lately...besides practice that is.
I've been rolling on my trusty gym ball;) Its a miracle invention when it comes to strengthening the core, me thinks;)
I haven't been feeling that much work going on in the abs for a while, save for when I crunch myself up to jump back maybe...but this is a different kind of tough..
So lets see, I like to do some variation of plank on the ball, arabesque (sp?) which is when u lift one leg off while balancing the other knee on the ball in some sort of quasi plank pose. Lift up to pike from plank, lift up from some bakasana position into a pike, headstand and move the ball around with one leg...wheeeww...and its super fun and pretty challenging..
I started this a few weeks back and my koundinyasana I and II have improved immensely, I think its all that core stabilization going on from all this. In fact I jumped out of koundinyasana (the twisted one) and that was sooo fun to do..I think the ball must have activated some deep forgotten muscles in me that made arm balancing so much better.
I'm actually starting to enjoy arm balances nowadays..although its really the saddest part of my overall practice. I've always been the bendy girl who can grab my heels and bend in most directions..but can't do much arm balancing..the tables are turning now...hahhaha...and nope, don't feel like I've lost much flexibility except the left shoulder is getting a little tight.
I'm thinking of adding some twists, parsva bakasana variations to my ball regime if I have time, think it'll tone up my obliques;)
I've been rolling on my trusty gym ball;) Its a miracle invention when it comes to strengthening the core, me thinks;)
I haven't been feeling that much work going on in the abs for a while, save for when I crunch myself up to jump back maybe...but this is a different kind of tough..
So lets see, I like to do some variation of plank on the ball, arabesque (sp?) which is when u lift one leg off while balancing the other knee on the ball in some sort of quasi plank pose. Lift up to pike from plank, lift up from some bakasana position into a pike, headstand and move the ball around with one leg...wheeeww...and its super fun and pretty challenging..
I started this a few weeks back and my koundinyasana I and II have improved immensely, I think its all that core stabilization going on from all this. In fact I jumped out of koundinyasana (the twisted one) and that was sooo fun to do..I think the ball must have activated some deep forgotten muscles in me that made arm balancing so much better.
I'm actually starting to enjoy arm balances nowadays..although its really the saddest part of my overall practice. I've always been the bendy girl who can grab my heels and bend in most directions..but can't do much arm balancing..the tables are turning now...hahhaha...and nope, don't feel like I've lost much flexibility except the left shoulder is getting a little tight.
I'm thinking of adding some twists, parsva bakasana variations to my ball regime if I have time, think it'll tone up my obliques;)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
3 August 2008 - Led Primary
I went to a new place today. Pretty inspiring. People were obviously seasoned practitioners and I saw some amazingly floaty practices..
My own practice has been a little bit stagnant lately. I'm still at ekapada. My usual mysore class is not on the menu, I suspect for a while cos of some troubles happening at the studio I usually go to. I don't want to go into that issue, as I think its got to do with all the ugly side of business...even if its a yoga business..
I don't think I've made much progress lately, but did manage to tweak the left leg in eka pada shirshasana, cos I tried to get into it without enough warm up. Its alrite now. I have managed lately to lift my hips pretty darn high in titthibasana, and think I owe it to J using his finger to prod my low belly and encouraging me to lift from there. I can't remember when I went to him, think it was the beginning of last month. From there, I managed a rather nice fold back into an arm balance for a second and then go back to chatturanga. Since that time, I've been pretty able to lift the hips, but the folding back part still is a hit and miss.
Jump throughs were getting pretty nice and floaty lately with crossed legs except that I jumped so high that I almost fell over..and since then my body has been holding back and stopping me midpoint and I end up lading not that gracefully. It seems to me relaxation is very key to nice vinyasas.
Jump backs are a still a hit and miss. When I don't think about it, I usually do much better. Occasionally the bandhas kick in own their own and I get a big float back, other times I still end up touching the floor and having to do a major crunch to go back. Nevertheless, they seem to be getting much better. J is right...the less I think, the better the practice..
My own practice has been a little bit stagnant lately. I'm still at ekapada. My usual mysore class is not on the menu, I suspect for a while cos of some troubles happening at the studio I usually go to. I don't want to go into that issue, as I think its got to do with all the ugly side of business...even if its a yoga business..
I don't think I've made much progress lately, but did manage to tweak the left leg in eka pada shirshasana, cos I tried to get into it without enough warm up. Its alrite now. I have managed lately to lift my hips pretty darn high in titthibasana, and think I owe it to J using his finger to prod my low belly and encouraging me to lift from there. I can't remember when I went to him, think it was the beginning of last month. From there, I managed a rather nice fold back into an arm balance for a second and then go back to chatturanga. Since that time, I've been pretty able to lift the hips, but the folding back part still is a hit and miss.
Jump throughs were getting pretty nice and floaty lately with crossed legs except that I jumped so high that I almost fell over..and since then my body has been holding back and stopping me midpoint and I end up lading not that gracefully. It seems to me relaxation is very key to nice vinyasas.
Jump backs are a still a hit and miss. When I don't think about it, I usually do much better. Occasionally the bandhas kick in own their own and I get a big float back, other times I still end up touching the floor and having to do a major crunch to go back. Nevertheless, they seem to be getting much better. J is right...the less I think, the better the practice..
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Teachers...
I have a major gripe...which I've never mentioned here...but feel very much like doing today. Someone mentioned to me that I go to too many different teachers. This person also seemed to think that I will not be able to progress unless I declare myself as so and so's student and stick with one teacher.
I don't know what to say about this. I personally think its very unreasonable to expect me to practice only with one teacher, especially since I live in a place where I have hardly any access to good Ashtanga teachers. Who am I supposed to go to for adjustments, advice and community, if I have to limit myself to only practising with just one teacher??
In a way, I feel almost obliged to comply with this, or risk not being able to move forward in my practice. On the one hand I respect this person who said this to me very much. On the other hand, I am left feeling a little disappointed that I am hearing this from this particular person.
I personally don't care if my teacher is certified/authorized or whatever, as long as I learn something useful from them, I consider them my teacher. And in this case, the only real guru of Ashtanga is Pattabhi Jois and everyone else is simply teaching HIS teachings. So why is there this exclusivity thing going on about who is whose teacher etc etc. If all my teachers have been to Mysore and studied with Guruji, then all they are teaching are his methods, and no one should or can claim that people that they teach can only practice with them and no one else!
I guess being exclusive to one teacher may be the case for someone who has access to many shalas and hops around those different shalas..but I haver NO access...and ANY teacher is better than none...
Sigh..this is putting a dampener on me at the moment..and although I know it will pass, I'm still feeling rather troubled by it right now..
I don't know what to say about this. I personally think its very unreasonable to expect me to practice only with one teacher, especially since I live in a place where I have hardly any access to good Ashtanga teachers. Who am I supposed to go to for adjustments, advice and community, if I have to limit myself to only practising with just one teacher??
In a way, I feel almost obliged to comply with this, or risk not being able to move forward in my practice. On the one hand I respect this person who said this to me very much. On the other hand, I am left feeling a little disappointed that I am hearing this from this particular person.
I personally don't care if my teacher is certified/authorized or whatever, as long as I learn something useful from them, I consider them my teacher. And in this case, the only real guru of Ashtanga is Pattabhi Jois and everyone else is simply teaching HIS teachings. So why is there this exclusivity thing going on about who is whose teacher etc etc. If all my teachers have been to Mysore and studied with Guruji, then all they are teaching are his methods, and no one should or can claim that people that they teach can only practice with them and no one else!
I guess being exclusive to one teacher may be the case for someone who has access to many shalas and hops around those different shalas..but I haver NO access...and ANY teacher is better than none...
Sigh..this is putting a dampener on me at the moment..and although I know it will pass, I'm still feeling rather troubled by it right now..
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Just the breath..
I've never been that attentive to the breath...but lately, because of my wrist injury, I've had to slow down everything alot..and sometimes even resort to lowering down all the way to the floor and not do chatturanga etc. The wrists are much better now, but these few weeks has been a great opportunity for me to observe my breath.
And surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed my breathing. I never realised it, even when J pointed it out to me..but my breathing is really pretty smooth, deep, long and even. I noticed it a little after John Scott's workshop, but didn't pay that much attention to it, but now that I've been really counting my vinyasas, there is a huge difference in the way I breathe now and back when I just started.
I think I owe it very much to John teaching me the vinyasa count and counting us through the led classes. Now, I'd practice with his DVD once in a while too, and it really seems to make a lot of difference in the pace and depth and sound of my breath.
I'm talking about this mainly because I'm down with a bout of cold rite now, but I still practiced the last 2 days through my runny nose, and it felt so darn good, like the ujjayi breath was cleaning out my lungs and sinuses. I've been feeling the breath much more recently in my back body, and I feel that it has as much effect of stretching out my back as actually doing an asana.
Another part of ujjayi that is helpful is that when I breathe and not think too much about anything, the practice becomes smooth and very flowing. Almost floating. I didn't feel tired out nor feel strained in the poses...and this was despite getting back into all the chatturangas, vinyasas and arm balances.
One thing I can't seem to get though, is coordinating my breathing with vinyasa. I mean all through the suryas, its very natural. When it comes to jumping through, I always feel wayy stronger jumping on empty, which J told me is definitely a nono. I can jump through on inhales, but the lift is not as strong. I'm not sure if I'm missing something here, but my connection to uddiyana bandha is way stronger when I've just exhaled.
Jumping back, which by the way I think I've kinda figured out (because I did it again!!! yippee!) I lift on inhale and exhale back to chatturanga. That seems to work pretty well though.
About jumpbacks, I did them again yesterday! hehe. Not the floaty variety, but I think the key is to lift to lolasana and then bend the elbows so that the hips lift to counterbalance the head and shoulders, and then my legs just go back without that much strength involved. I know its probably not the best way to jumpback, but for the time being I'm pretty pleased with this discovery;)
Gonna skip practice today cos its ladies holiday and the cold is still pestering me, so will take a rest.
And surprisingly, I found that I really enjoyed my breathing. I never realised it, even when J pointed it out to me..but my breathing is really pretty smooth, deep, long and even. I noticed it a little after John Scott's workshop, but didn't pay that much attention to it, but now that I've been really counting my vinyasas, there is a huge difference in the way I breathe now and back when I just started.
I think I owe it very much to John teaching me the vinyasa count and counting us through the led classes. Now, I'd practice with his DVD once in a while too, and it really seems to make a lot of difference in the pace and depth and sound of my breath.
I'm talking about this mainly because I'm down with a bout of cold rite now, but I still practiced the last 2 days through my runny nose, and it felt so darn good, like the ujjayi breath was cleaning out my lungs and sinuses. I've been feeling the breath much more recently in my back body, and I feel that it has as much effect of stretching out my back as actually doing an asana.
Another part of ujjayi that is helpful is that when I breathe and not think too much about anything, the practice becomes smooth and very flowing. Almost floating. I didn't feel tired out nor feel strained in the poses...and this was despite getting back into all the chatturangas, vinyasas and arm balances.
One thing I can't seem to get though, is coordinating my breathing with vinyasa. I mean all through the suryas, its very natural. When it comes to jumping through, I always feel wayy stronger jumping on empty, which J told me is definitely a nono. I can jump through on inhales, but the lift is not as strong. I'm not sure if I'm missing something here, but my connection to uddiyana bandha is way stronger when I've just exhaled.
Jumping back, which by the way I think I've kinda figured out (because I did it again!!! yippee!) I lift on inhale and exhale back to chatturanga. That seems to work pretty well though.
About jumpbacks, I did them again yesterday! hehe. Not the floaty variety, but I think the key is to lift to lolasana and then bend the elbows so that the hips lift to counterbalance the head and shoulders, and then my legs just go back without that much strength involved. I know its probably not the best way to jumpback, but for the time being I'm pretty pleased with this discovery;)
Gonna skip practice today cos its ladies holiday and the cold is still pestering me, so will take a rest.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
It just goes to show..
that you can't force anything to happen, if it is not yet time to happen...
Erm..I'm talking about my jumpbacks...and the sore wrists I've been getting since getting obsessive about them. I guess I should have known better than to keep subjecting the poor wrists to repeated strain..jumping back, jumping through..and the other stuff I've been doing to work on vinyasa.
I've had to skip teaching one of my more strenous classes, missed out on going to J's shala, while I was down there, and modify my own practice at home so that I skip the chatturangas and plop down on the floor on my belly instead. Its a real bummer, but it does teach me to pay more attention to my body and not treat it like crap.
I reckon I've got to keep up my modifications for a while..maybe a few weeks to get the wrist (right side) back to normal. Its not really killing me, but there is a persistent achy feel to it both during and after practice, and I reckon that can't be good.
I skipped mysore last Thursday, cos I was in Singapore for work. Wouldn't have been much of a point going anyhow, since I'm a little handicapped with the wrist anyway.
At home, I've been able to still do a modified practice either on my fists, or just not taking much weight in the hands when the wrist is in extension. I think I tend to lean my shoulders too far forward when jumping back which puts the wrist into more than a 90 degree extension. So I've had to cut that all out for now.
My leg behind head is getting seriously better lately. I reckon its because since J taught me to get into supta k via dwipada, I've put in a lot more effort in doing ekapada each practice and sitting for a while there, before attempting to put myself into it. I still can't do it on my own, though I did it while I was at the shala. I have to admit that being in a mysore class, especially with J teaching, seems to allow me to do some seriously difficult things easily. Only problem is that once I'm practising again on my own, I lose whatever it is I could do in front of him. I must REALLY be an exhibitionist or something...
I really think that my bandhas are stronger lately, even if my arms and wrists might not be. I can feel a lot more ease in all sorts of stuff that involve them, lifting up, floating back (from standing only..not sitting, headstands. Its all thanks to practice and more practice. Nothing really works except consistent effort I guess. I'm waiting for the day when I can consistently nail my jumpbacks instead of miraculously being able to jump back a few times, and then lose it altogether.
Thats all I have to say this time around..hopefully by my next post, the wrist would have improved..
Erm..I'm talking about my jumpbacks...and the sore wrists I've been getting since getting obsessive about them. I guess I should have known better than to keep subjecting the poor wrists to repeated strain..jumping back, jumping through..and the other stuff I've been doing to work on vinyasa.
I've had to skip teaching one of my more strenous classes, missed out on going to J's shala, while I was down there, and modify my own practice at home so that I skip the chatturangas and plop down on the floor on my belly instead. Its a real bummer, but it does teach me to pay more attention to my body and not treat it like crap.
I reckon I've got to keep up my modifications for a while..maybe a few weeks to get the wrist (right side) back to normal. Its not really killing me, but there is a persistent achy feel to it both during and after practice, and I reckon that can't be good.
I skipped mysore last Thursday, cos I was in Singapore for work. Wouldn't have been much of a point going anyhow, since I'm a little handicapped with the wrist anyway.
At home, I've been able to still do a modified practice either on my fists, or just not taking much weight in the hands when the wrist is in extension. I think I tend to lean my shoulders too far forward when jumping back which puts the wrist into more than a 90 degree extension. So I've had to cut that all out for now.
My leg behind head is getting seriously better lately. I reckon its because since J taught me to get into supta k via dwipada, I've put in a lot more effort in doing ekapada each practice and sitting for a while there, before attempting to put myself into it. I still can't do it on my own, though I did it while I was at the shala. I have to admit that being in a mysore class, especially with J teaching, seems to allow me to do some seriously difficult things easily. Only problem is that once I'm practising again on my own, I lose whatever it is I could do in front of him. I must REALLY be an exhibitionist or something...
I really think that my bandhas are stronger lately, even if my arms and wrists might not be. I can feel a lot more ease in all sorts of stuff that involve them, lifting up, floating back (from standing only..not sitting, headstands. Its all thanks to practice and more practice. Nothing really works except consistent effort I guess. I'm waiting for the day when I can consistently nail my jumpbacks instead of miraculously being able to jump back a few times, and then lose it altogether.
Thats all I have to say this time around..hopefully by my next post, the wrist would have improved..
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Practice notes..
I've been using a block, and socks to slide myself back from dandasana to plank..and back again. I figure its a pretty good exercise, since I can't do a proper jumpback anymore. I just do it about 5 times before practice..just to get warmed up. I'm sure everyone's noticed my obsession with jumpbacks lately..well its true, I'm trying very hard to do whatever I did a few weeks back to jumpback. And since I can't do it, I'm hell bent on trying to get it again.
I figure that at the moment, except for my lack of core strength/bandhas or whatever, everything else is going pretty well. My flexibility is great, backbends are good, leg behind head is going fine..I just need that little bit more of strength to even things out.
I feel it'll be some work for me, since strength is really hard for me to build. J says everything tends to get into my flexibility, and I end up not needing to use strength whenever I can get away with it.
Sliding is getting pretty easy to do nowadays..now if those feet will just leave the floor, I'd be flying back;P Also since I can't lift my legs off my legs in bakasana, I've also done some extra curricular work by adding a tripod headstand into my practice on top of shirshana A. I just tip over on my head and rest the legs on my arms, then lift them up and down from there. Sometimes I lift from there into bakasana. Its a fun little sequence to try anyhow..and I've even done some eka pada bakasana thingy from there. I think it might help my bandha control...but I'll have to watch and see.
Well, what else have I been trying..lets see. I've been watching this on youtube..
Its fascinating me..might try some of it...
I figure that at the moment, except for my lack of core strength/bandhas or whatever, everything else is going pretty well. My flexibility is great, backbends are good, leg behind head is going fine..I just need that little bit more of strength to even things out.
I feel it'll be some work for me, since strength is really hard for me to build. J says everything tends to get into my flexibility, and I end up not needing to use strength whenever I can get away with it.
Sliding is getting pretty easy to do nowadays..now if those feet will just leave the floor, I'd be flying back;P Also since I can't lift my legs off my legs in bakasana, I've also done some extra curricular work by adding a tripod headstand into my practice on top of shirshana A. I just tip over on my head and rest the legs on my arms, then lift them up and down from there. Sometimes I lift from there into bakasana. Its a fun little sequence to try anyhow..and I've even done some eka pada bakasana thingy from there. I think it might help my bandha control...but I'll have to watch and see.
Well, what else have I been trying..lets see. I've been watching this on youtube..
Its fascinating me..might try some of it...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Those elusive bandhas...
Haven't logged in lately to update..so here goes..
Went to J's shala about 2 weeks back while I was on a trip. Had a pretty nice practice with him. Got into Dwipada by myself too...after Supta K, I did the eka pada prep on the left side..then J told me to just go for it. He helped me the first time..and it was so easy..that I tried it on my own twice after that..unbelievable..my hips seem to have opened up exponentially lately...and I haven't even made that much effort in that department!!
J told me my practice was really beautiful...up to maybe half primary..he's never seen me breathe so well..and been more focused...and then after that he said I went totally down the drain...That was mainly because I was so tired out by all the lifting up and jumpng back..that I was all too glad to sit up and ask him questions after that. I asked him about bandhas...and didn't get an answer from him..seems he doesn't really teach bandhas...only technique. Told me that when I get it..I'll just know..no need for explanations. I told him about my miraculous jumpbacks as well..which has since disappeared again and has yet to make another appearance. He told me to just stop thinking so much about squeezing this or that muscle..and just breathe. That was really all I could get out of him regarding bandhas...
My dropbacks are getting deeper lately. I can get my hands to about 2 inches from the feet. Still need J to pull my hands to ankles though.. I asked him if he thought my shoulders were tight, but he said he didn't think so. I do feel however, that tight shoulders are one of the things hindering my ankle grabbing...
I've been puzzling over this bandha stuff lately. Especially snce my miraculous jumpbacks...and now their disappearance. Perhaps J is right, the more I think about them, the more they elude me. I always though of bandhas as physical contractions..but J said they are also about prana and energy. I'm not too sure I get that bit. I mean I know the theory about the locks sealing prana and directing them up the sushumna etc. I've just never put that much thought into that..I always saw it as a way of accessing core strength. Now I'm not sure what it is anymore. I'm not even sure that few times I've been able to do some amazingly light jumpthroughs and backs, if that is bandha, or sheer strength thats driving it.
I have however felt some physical sensations that I associated with bandhas. It always felt to me that mula bandha feels like some sort of spring attached to my pelvic floor, that kinda gave me this lift in the jumps. Uddiyana, I think felt like some warm heat in the lower belly, and is usually accompanied by the drawing in of the navel region. It definitely feels like they help in holding me up when I need to slow down my vinyasa...I thought that was a straight forward enough way describing them....now though I'm not too sure if this s really bandha..or is it just stronger abs and pelvic floor....maybe there is some prana thing I'm missing here...???
I have been thinking of getting the book Moolabandha..cos J recommended that I get it...perhaps I'll get it through Amazon and see it helps solve this puzzle for me..
Went to J's shala about 2 weeks back while I was on a trip. Had a pretty nice practice with him. Got into Dwipada by myself too...after Supta K, I did the eka pada prep on the left side..then J told me to just go for it. He helped me the first time..and it was so easy..that I tried it on my own twice after that..unbelievable..my hips seem to have opened up exponentially lately...and I haven't even made that much effort in that department!!
J told me my practice was really beautiful...up to maybe half primary..he's never seen me breathe so well..and been more focused...and then after that he said I went totally down the drain...That was mainly because I was so tired out by all the lifting up and jumpng back..that I was all too glad to sit up and ask him questions after that. I asked him about bandhas...and didn't get an answer from him..seems he doesn't really teach bandhas...only technique. Told me that when I get it..I'll just know..no need for explanations. I told him about my miraculous jumpbacks as well..which has since disappeared again and has yet to make another appearance. He told me to just stop thinking so much about squeezing this or that muscle..and just breathe. That was really all I could get out of him regarding bandhas...
My dropbacks are getting deeper lately. I can get my hands to about 2 inches from the feet. Still need J to pull my hands to ankles though.. I asked him if he thought my shoulders were tight, but he said he didn't think so. I do feel however, that tight shoulders are one of the things hindering my ankle grabbing...
I've been puzzling over this bandha stuff lately. Especially snce my miraculous jumpbacks...and now their disappearance. Perhaps J is right, the more I think about them, the more they elude me. I always though of bandhas as physical contractions..but J said they are also about prana and energy. I'm not too sure I get that bit. I mean I know the theory about the locks sealing prana and directing them up the sushumna etc. I've just never put that much thought into that..I always saw it as a way of accessing core strength. Now I'm not sure what it is anymore. I'm not even sure that few times I've been able to do some amazingly light jumpthroughs and backs, if that is bandha, or sheer strength thats driving it.
I have however felt some physical sensations that I associated with bandhas. It always felt to me that mula bandha feels like some sort of spring attached to my pelvic floor, that kinda gave me this lift in the jumps. Uddiyana, I think felt like some warm heat in the lower belly, and is usually accompanied by the drawing in of the navel region. It definitely feels like they help in holding me up when I need to slow down my vinyasa...I thought that was a straight forward enough way describing them....now though I'm not too sure if this s really bandha..or is it just stronger abs and pelvic floor....maybe there is some prana thing I'm missing here...???
I have been thinking of getting the book Moolabandha..cos J recommended that I get it...perhaps I'll get it through Amazon and see it helps solve this puzzle for me..
Friday, May 23, 2008
Mysore 23 May 2008
So so practice...nothing much new happened. Still at eka pada...right leg stays behind under all circumstances..thats good. Left leg is still stiff..and insists on slipping off - both sitting, bending and lifting.
I figure it just needs to catch up with the right side. I've lost my jumpback abilities...today. I think it comes and goes based on how much I activate the bandhas durng practice. If I happen to use it correctly and strongly enough, the contraction stays, and my lifts are much stronger I think.
Thats all really. Very tired now though...going to bed;)
I figure it just needs to catch up with the right side. I've lost my jumpback abilities...today. I think it comes and goes based on how much I activate the bandhas durng practice. If I happen to use it correctly and strongly enough, the contraction stays, and my lifts are much stronger I think.
Thats all really. Very tired now though...going to bed;)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Jumpback!!!!!!! Well,sort of..
Wheeeeeee!!!!!!! I did it..hahahha...I did some sort of jumpback today in mysore class!!! OK, its not exactly how I see the pros do it..but I kinda lfted up into lolasana and just went back!... I skipped the tolasana part though..I don't know if thats crim, but to me..its a jumpback and I'm sticking with it!!!
And I did it without really meaning to do it in the first place. I had meant to just lift the hips up and kinda bunny hop back, but the feet came up and I just swung back..it wasn't that hard...and I actually managed to do it a few times before getting stuck again. I can't for the lfe of me swing from tolasana to lolasana and then jumpback though, I just have no idea how thats done...YET.
I do find though that perhaps my abs are getting a little wee bit stronger, especially on the right side. I can feel it much much more..not much feeling on the left side though.
So I suppose my jumpback project is working! I've been diligently doing the lift up, swing, and bunny hop thing since J told me to keep doing it if I ever want to jumpback. I think it kinda works!
D also noticed that I was stronger today. I haven't practiced with him in a mysore class for 1.5 months! He said it must be all the crossing feet and lifting up attempts. He even tried to get me to jump into bakasana b today..which was a rather sorry sight I would think..I managed to get into some tuck handstand thing and fall on my arms for 1 second before collapsing. I specifically asked D to stand around just in case I fell..which I kinda did all 3 times I tried it.
Other than that, I lifted up out of ekapada today on the right...thats a first! I've never managed to lift up with the leg behnd my head..today it felt really comfy there, so I did it. The left side slipped though when I lifted up. AND I can stay there without hands nows..at least the sitting up part, both sides...
I'm feeling pretty darn good today. I just need to keep doing all the abs stuff I've been doing though, otherwise who knows where the bandhas will disappear to...
And I did it without really meaning to do it in the first place. I had meant to just lift the hips up and kinda bunny hop back, but the feet came up and I just swung back..it wasn't that hard...and I actually managed to do it a few times before getting stuck again. I can't for the lfe of me swing from tolasana to lolasana and then jumpback though, I just have no idea how thats done...YET.
I do find though that perhaps my abs are getting a little wee bit stronger, especially on the right side. I can feel it much much more..not much feeling on the left side though.
So I suppose my jumpback project is working! I've been diligently doing the lift up, swing, and bunny hop thing since J told me to keep doing it if I ever want to jumpback. I think it kinda works!
D also noticed that I was stronger today. I haven't practiced with him in a mysore class for 1.5 months! He said it must be all the crossing feet and lifting up attempts. He even tried to get me to jump into bakasana b today..which was a rather sorry sight I would think..I managed to get into some tuck handstand thing and fall on my arms for 1 second before collapsing. I specifically asked D to stand around just in case I fell..which I kinda did all 3 times I tried it.
Other than that, I lifted up out of ekapada today on the right...thats a first! I've never managed to lift up with the leg behnd my head..today it felt really comfy there, so I did it. The left side slipped though when I lifted up. AND I can stay there without hands nows..at least the sitting up part, both sides...
I'm feeling pretty darn good today. I just need to keep doing all the abs stuff I've been doing though, otherwise who knows where the bandhas will disappear to...
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Pure torture...and no, its not part of practice..
No class today..D's on leave or something..thats close to more than 1 and half months that I've not had a single mysore class with him. Plenty of classes across the causeway though.
My current routine after finishing off whatever pose I feel like doing last, since there is no way I can last through primary and up to eka pada in second on a daily basis, is to do some crim shoulder stretches. I lie on my stomach right up to a wall with my head touching it, a block lengthwise between my hands against the wall and work at moving my armpits towards the floor. Its more of a torture than anything I'm actually doing during practice. I feel like my left shoulder, and armpit, are cramping and about to tear off or something...Then I move my arms up the wall so they straighten, and work on stretching something else in the armpits.
I suspect that the torture comes from both my triceps and the lats which are tightening up like crazy lately due to my jumpback project. Yup, more on that later. I've been noticing the backbends getting rather uncomfortable lately, and suspect its got a lot to do with this overbuild I'm getting in the shoulders and arms. I try to stretch them out in downdog as much as I can without collaspsing into my chest, which usually takes way too much bend, but it seems that with bent arms its a totally different dimension.
I've also taken a page out of the yoga journal article on propping up backbends, so have incorporated some sort of hip flexor cum quad stretch with a block propping up my sacrum and one leg tucked under and moving towards the hip, and the other bent. Its not as intense as supta virasana, but it seems to do a fairly good job lengthening the quads. I then finish wth my favourite stretch, putting a block under my thoracic spine and lying back over it like some version of matsyasana, but with virasana legs. Its a delicious stretch, I love that one.
Been doing this past few days and backbends have definitely been more open an lower back friendly as a result.
On to the jumpback front..its getting a little bit better, in the sense that I can kinda consistently lift and swing..but still stuck with the feet hitting the floor and then hopping back to chaturanga. I got a mp3 of Duncan Wong talking about vinyasa and jumpbacks/jump throughs. Its got some good tips and I've kinda been trying to put some of the stuff to work for me, ie:
1. Squeeze the inner heels together to activate bandha (I think it helps in downdog)
2. Lift and lower from a quasi lolasana (meaning my legs don't leave the floor) to bakasana to simulate the jumpback action. I do this before the surya namaskaras cos I find it seems to activate my core better, and makes me more lifty in the jumps.
He talks about some other stuff as well, but I can't quite remember the rest, got to listen to it again.
Other than that, I've been doing what J told me to do, ie:
1. tuck to get through the jumpthroughs instead of straight legs,
2. lift the hips high even if I get stuck on the floor halfway back and then bunny hop back.
3. Press hands down in trini and push into the floor to jumpback, elbows straight, and only microbending when I land, so I don't collapse all the way into chaturanga which I normally do.
4. Lift hips high while getting out of bhuja and swinging back without the knees on my legs in bakasana. I actually find this one much easier to do than bakasana actually. By the time I get to bakasana, I'd be worrying about losing it there, by skipping the perch and just hovering near my arms, its way easier to control my landing. I'm surprised J told to to just go straight back..hahaha..he probably thinks t'll make it harder for me..not the other way around;P
Thats all for practice notes...off to bed now.
My current routine after finishing off whatever pose I feel like doing last, since there is no way I can last through primary and up to eka pada in second on a daily basis, is to do some crim shoulder stretches. I lie on my stomach right up to a wall with my head touching it, a block lengthwise between my hands against the wall and work at moving my armpits towards the floor. Its more of a torture than anything I'm actually doing during practice. I feel like my left shoulder, and armpit, are cramping and about to tear off or something...Then I move my arms up the wall so they straighten, and work on stretching something else in the armpits.
I suspect that the torture comes from both my triceps and the lats which are tightening up like crazy lately due to my jumpback project. Yup, more on that later. I've been noticing the backbends getting rather uncomfortable lately, and suspect its got a lot to do with this overbuild I'm getting in the shoulders and arms. I try to stretch them out in downdog as much as I can without collaspsing into my chest, which usually takes way too much bend, but it seems that with bent arms its a totally different dimension.
I've also taken a page out of the yoga journal article on propping up backbends, so have incorporated some sort of hip flexor cum quad stretch with a block propping up my sacrum and one leg tucked under and moving towards the hip, and the other bent. Its not as intense as supta virasana, but it seems to do a fairly good job lengthening the quads. I then finish wth my favourite stretch, putting a block under my thoracic spine and lying back over it like some version of matsyasana, but with virasana legs. Its a delicious stretch, I love that one.
Been doing this past few days and backbends have definitely been more open an lower back friendly as a result.
On to the jumpback front..its getting a little bit better, in the sense that I can kinda consistently lift and swing..but still stuck with the feet hitting the floor and then hopping back to chaturanga. I got a mp3 of Duncan Wong talking about vinyasa and jumpbacks/jump throughs. Its got some good tips and I've kinda been trying to put some of the stuff to work for me, ie:
1. Squeeze the inner heels together to activate bandha (I think it helps in downdog)
2. Lift and lower from a quasi lolasana (meaning my legs don't leave the floor) to bakasana to simulate the jumpback action. I do this before the surya namaskaras cos I find it seems to activate my core better, and makes me more lifty in the jumps.
He talks about some other stuff as well, but I can't quite remember the rest, got to listen to it again.
Other than that, I've been doing what J told me to do, ie:
1. tuck to get through the jumpthroughs instead of straight legs,
2. lift the hips high even if I get stuck on the floor halfway back and then bunny hop back.
3. Press hands down in trini and push into the floor to jumpback, elbows straight, and only microbending when I land, so I don't collapse all the way into chaturanga which I normally do.
4. Lift hips high while getting out of bhuja and swinging back without the knees on my legs in bakasana. I actually find this one much easier to do than bakasana actually. By the time I get to bakasana, I'd be worrying about losing it there, by skipping the perch and just hovering near my arms, its way easier to control my landing. I'm surprised J told to to just go straight back..hahaha..he probably thinks t'll make it harder for me..not the other way around;P
Thats all for practice notes...off to bed now.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Amazing stuff..
I was across the causeway again due to work commitments...and of course I went to visit my favourite teacher there..(actually my one and only teacher there.;p)
I had the most amazing jumpthrough EVER. ONCE only..but unforgettable..For some unknown reason, I was getting some pretty good hang time in my jumpthroughs recently since J mentioned to me to pay attention to where my hips are in space before landing..I've also had to jumpthrough cross-leg instead of straight because J said I was being lazy and taking the easy way out by doing them with straight legs...I manage to get through sometimes..and other times crash between my hands.Anyway since I was paying much more attention to getting high enough and then swinging through..on Wednesday morning while at the shala, I got to a point where I felt pretty good balance..but instead of gong down, I decided to stay up longer..so I contracted my abs, pushed into the floor..and I swear I just floated up in slow motion into a tucked handstand. Its not that I've never done a tuck handstand but the speed was so incredibly slow going up, it felt like floating in space....I managed to swing through after that pretty ok..but it was that hang time that was just SOOO amazing.. now if I can only do that again..sigh.
J decided to ask me to try getting into supta k sitting up. After my usual supta k, he got me to put my left leg behind the back. Then after a few breaths he got me to change to the rght sde. That wasn't a big problem since I've kinda been doing ekapada with D already anyway. Then he asked me to put both behind my back..and I got the left side behind..and then tried bringng the right back..and rolled over like a dead bug...hahahha. After that he decided to help me by standing behind to give me some support. I can only get the left side secure..once I try to bring the right side up, I get kinda stuck, and he had to help me out to get it back. Anyhow J said I should try this way going forward..after supta k on a normal day, do eka pada..then dwipada. He said I am open enough to do it..just need to keep the abs in to make sure I don't topple..I've not managed to get into it on my own at all so far.
I've been pretty inspired lately about my practice..after the JC workshop and now J's mysore classes..I've had quite a bit of overload of info and also lots of fresh inspiration to work on my practice...;)
I had the most amazing jumpthrough EVER. ONCE only..but unforgettable..For some unknown reason, I was getting some pretty good hang time in my jumpthroughs recently since J mentioned to me to pay attention to where my hips are in space before landing..I've also had to jumpthrough cross-leg instead of straight because J said I was being lazy and taking the easy way out by doing them with straight legs...I manage to get through sometimes..and other times crash between my hands.Anyway since I was paying much more attention to getting high enough and then swinging through..on Wednesday morning while at the shala, I got to a point where I felt pretty good balance..but instead of gong down, I decided to stay up longer..so I contracted my abs, pushed into the floor..and I swear I just floated up in slow motion into a tucked handstand. Its not that I've never done a tuck handstand but the speed was so incredibly slow going up, it felt like floating in space....I managed to swing through after that pretty ok..but it was that hang time that was just SOOO amazing.. now if I can only do that again..sigh.
J decided to ask me to try getting into supta k sitting up. After my usual supta k, he got me to put my left leg behind the back. Then after a few breaths he got me to change to the rght sde. That wasn't a big problem since I've kinda been doing ekapada with D already anyway. Then he asked me to put both behind my back..and I got the left side behind..and then tried bringng the right back..and rolled over like a dead bug...hahahha. After that he decided to help me by standing behind to give me some support. I can only get the left side secure..once I try to bring the right side up, I get kinda stuck, and he had to help me out to get it back. Anyhow J said I should try this way going forward..after supta k on a normal day, do eka pada..then dwipada. He said I am open enough to do it..just need to keep the abs in to make sure I don't topple..I've not managed to get into it on my own at all so far.
I've been pretty inspired lately about my practice..after the JC workshop and now J's mysore classes..I've had quite a bit of overload of info and also lots of fresh inspiration to work on my practice...;)
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Stiff, stiff and more stiff...
I got to say..all this lifting, handtanding, jumpback, jumpthrough business is making me stiffer than a plank...
Not that I can actually do them properly;P But the attempts are killing me. Did I mention I lifted myself off the floor while at J's shala?? Well..I think I did..I'm not even sure, cos J was teaching me how to float back from standing..and he said to "unfold" the body from trini to chatwari in the suryas..so I was managing quite well at taking a little hop and unfolding back from there...but he kept standing in front of me saying "unfold..unfold..unfold.." so I tip toed and I think my legs just left the floor and floated up.. I actually have no idea how it happened..all I know was I was dangling with my feet off the ground and didn't know what to do from there!!! it actually felt just like liftng into a headstand with straight legs!!! I got to admit I collapsed after a few seconds though cos i kinda tossed my legs back and fell on my knees..hahahhah
Anyway after that, this lifting ability has totally left me.. I can't for the life of me do it now in my pathetic attempts at home!!! arrrgghhhhhhhhhhh...and I am stiff as ever from trying...I actually think its got a detrimental effect of my backbends...my upper chest which is usually pretty bendy has been kinda stiff and unmoveable lately..;P
J taught me a very great way to drop back too..and I'm not sure I dare to try it at home...it blardee intense...but it lets me drop back to about a few inches from my feet. My usualy drop backs are about 1 foot away from the feet..We were trying to get my ankles while I was with J..and I got them..with his help on the right and on my own on the left side...but he said I didn't understand how to work all the bend out of my upper back..which is apparently very open, which was why I had a hard time getting my ankles myself..so he taught me to drop back with my hands open and thumbs almost in the armpits. Then he made me peel myself back, and opening the chest up and squeezing the shoulder blades together to get as much bend in the upper chest as possible, then he let me drop my arms back to hang...and still keep lfting the chest up to the ceiling..I literally could feel my whole spine peeling backwards..and it got me to within 1 hand away from my feet from dropping back..and no walking hands in! Its amazingly intense and soo cool! J said I should just keep reaching for my ankles everytime I go back..cos I SHOULD be able to do it easily..and yet I'm not using all the bend I have in the chest..
Anyhow I'm a little chicken to do it myself at home..no one watching to make sure I don't topple over...I gotto psyche myself up to do this..otherwse I'd always have to wait to get to some shala to do it...
Anyway did learn some other interesting stuff while with J..I'd post them later..cos my stiff trapezius and lats really require some stretching now..
Not that I can actually do them properly;P But the attempts are killing me. Did I mention I lifted myself off the floor while at J's shala?? Well..I think I did..I'm not even sure, cos J was teaching me how to float back from standing..and he said to "unfold" the body from trini to chatwari in the suryas..so I was managing quite well at taking a little hop and unfolding back from there...but he kept standing in front of me saying "unfold..unfold..unfold.." so I tip toed and I think my legs just left the floor and floated up.. I actually have no idea how it happened..all I know was I was dangling with my feet off the ground and didn't know what to do from there!!! it actually felt just like liftng into a headstand with straight legs!!! I got to admit I collapsed after a few seconds though cos i kinda tossed my legs back and fell on my knees..hahahhah
Anyway after that, this lifting ability has totally left me.. I can't for the life of me do it now in my pathetic attempts at home!!! arrrgghhhhhhhhhhh...and I am stiff as ever from trying...I actually think its got a detrimental effect of my backbends...my upper chest which is usually pretty bendy has been kinda stiff and unmoveable lately..;P
J taught me a very great way to drop back too..and I'm not sure I dare to try it at home...it blardee intense...but it lets me drop back to about a few inches from my feet. My usualy drop backs are about 1 foot away from the feet..We were trying to get my ankles while I was with J..and I got them..with his help on the right and on my own on the left side...but he said I didn't understand how to work all the bend out of my upper back..which is apparently very open, which was why I had a hard time getting my ankles myself..so he taught me to drop back with my hands open and thumbs almost in the armpits. Then he made me peel myself back, and opening the chest up and squeezing the shoulder blades together to get as much bend in the upper chest as possible, then he let me drop my arms back to hang...and still keep lfting the chest up to the ceiling..I literally could feel my whole spine peeling backwards..and it got me to within 1 hand away from my feet from dropping back..and no walking hands in! Its amazingly intense and soo cool! J said I should just keep reaching for my ankles everytime I go back..cos I SHOULD be able to do it easily..and yet I'm not using all the bend I have in the chest..
Anyhow I'm a little chicken to do it myself at home..no one watching to make sure I don't topple over...I gotto psyche myself up to do this..otherwse I'd always have to wait to get to some shala to do it...
Anyway did learn some other interesting stuff while with J..I'd post them later..cos my stiff trapezius and lats really require some stretching now..
Friday, April 11, 2008
Knackered again....
I'm back.
Wow I've been doing a whole load of Ashtanga lately...workshops..mysore classes...phew..
I managed to go to J for 3 mysore classes while in Singapore. Loads of interesting techniques I got on floating, lifting..etc etc. Its soo tiring..
I actually wrote a longgggg post on this trip. But I'm not going to publish it...J mentioned some things to me that I don't feel very comfortable talking about..yes its about my practice..and its about following the system..and your teacher...but I don't quite agree with what was said..so I'm having a hard time applying and reconciling it to my own practice.
Anyway...just some bits I would talk about...J said I should start reading the sutras seriously because I've reached a stage where I should have a better understanding of yoga besides the poses. I guess it makes sense. I've never mentioned to him before that I teach. I think that would come with too much unnessasary(sp?) expectations. He also said that I have strength now...so hurray. I still don't have enough understanding on how to apply the bandhas..(fair enough).
OK...its been a long day flying back from Singapore..so I'm gonna stop here..
Wow I've been doing a whole load of Ashtanga lately...workshops..mysore classes...phew..
I managed to go to J for 3 mysore classes while in Singapore. Loads of interesting techniques I got on floating, lifting..etc etc. Its soo tiring..
I actually wrote a longgggg post on this trip. But I'm not going to publish it...J mentioned some things to me that I don't feel very comfortable talking about..yes its about my practice..and its about following the system..and your teacher...but I don't quite agree with what was said..so I'm having a hard time applying and reconciling it to my own practice.
Anyway...just some bits I would talk about...J said I should start reading the sutras seriously because I've reached a stage where I should have a better understanding of yoga besides the poses. I guess it makes sense. I've never mentioned to him before that I teach. I think that would come with too much unnessasary(sp?) expectations. He also said that I have strength now...so hurray. I still don't have enough understanding on how to apply the bandhas..(fair enough).
OK...its been a long day flying back from Singapore..so I'm gonna stop here..
Friday, April 4, 2008
Off to Singapore..
Hurray!
My Singapore trip became a reality much sooner than expected. I've some meetings and training in Singapore next week Monday to Wed..so I'm staying on till Friday...YAY!
That means I'm gonna definitely have time to visit J while I'm there...I'm just a little bit nervous cos he did tell me the last time I left that he'd know if I'd been practicing what he taught me when he sees me next..and honestly..I've not been making that much effort with my jumpbacks;P He was harping on it over and over while I was last in his shala...
Anyhow he told me that I can only start second series with him if I can jump back from bhujapidasana and supta k from bakasana..and that has been kinda easy for me lately..so I don't think he would hold me back this time.
D isn't the strictest teacher around...so I get to move on even when I futz through the stuff I can't do..but James is seriously much more strict and demanding..I like it much better though cos I know I WOULD progress that way...
OK looks like if I'm lucky I might actually squeeze in 4 mysore classes and 1 led class with him..hope the work stuff doesn't run overtime!
My Singapore trip became a reality much sooner than expected. I've some meetings and training in Singapore next week Monday to Wed..so I'm staying on till Friday...YAY!
That means I'm gonna definitely have time to visit J while I'm there...I'm just a little bit nervous cos he did tell me the last time I left that he'd know if I'd been practicing what he taught me when he sees me next..and honestly..I've not been making that much effort with my jumpbacks;P He was harping on it over and over while I was last in his shala...
Anyhow he told me that I can only start second series with him if I can jump back from bhujapidasana and supta k from bakasana..and that has been kinda easy for me lately..so I don't think he would hold me back this time.
D isn't the strictest teacher around...so I get to move on even when I futz through the stuff I can't do..but James is seriously much more strict and demanding..I like it much better though cos I know I WOULD progress that way...
OK looks like if I'm lucky I might actually squeeze in 4 mysore classes and 1 led class with him..hope the work stuff doesn't run overtime!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Knackered...
Thats the word...
5 days with John Scott...and I am realllyyy knackered...
Hmm....it was a fun workshop..only dampened by the misleading marketing the studio put up that it was an intensive teacher's training...well..John set it straight...not teacher's training...just advanced course...I don't feel any different about it...but it kinda made the whole thing a little sour because some people who came had he impression it was a real teacher's training...I guess its quite right that there can't be a teacher's training in 5 days!!..
Anyhow..on to the fun bits...we did 2 full led primary series classes...and daily vinyasa technique classes..and 1 mysore style class. Sad to say I bombed out of the mysore class early...not really because I was "knackered"..but because John said to concentrate on a point of focus..and when you lose it, to stop and lie down...so I took it very literally and stopped when I couldn't concentrate on my breath anymore because of all sorts distraction around me..turns out everyone else apparently could focus really well..and most finished the whole series. I was not too disappointed about stopping cos i got to watch all the great adjustments John was giving to people...but when he took a few people through the backbending with tic tocs I regret not finishing off and doing backbends with him...shucks.
The led classes were really fun..and intense cos there really was no time for the usual futzing around I get to do during mysore like wiping the sweat and tying my hair etc...it was non stop..and fast!!! and felt REALLY great;)
What did I learn? Well..basically I think I got the hang of the UP after utkatasana..which I never did..except when James asked me to do a bakasana instead...and I kinda know the technique for the up after warrior 2..but flop when doing it...somwthing about what he said about tranferring weight into the hands and bending the knees and just falling on the hands after utkatasana really worked in getting me to spring up into a balance point..so cool!
hahah..and I've been applying that up into my surya namaskaras as well..hahahha..its fun to kinda bounce up into a half handstand in the surya namaskaras...Also we got to try jumping through directly into pursvotanasana..that was really fun too.
All in all...really fun..but I think next time..I'd rather spend a few days in Singapore with J than in a crowded workshop...its got nothing to do with John's teaching...just that I think I'd learn way more by doing than by theory...I guess its all about practice..practice and more practice...
Think I'd start planning my trip to Singapore soon....
5 days with John Scott...and I am realllyyy knackered...
Hmm....it was a fun workshop..only dampened by the misleading marketing the studio put up that it was an intensive teacher's training...well..John set it straight...not teacher's training...just advanced course...I don't feel any different about it...but it kinda made the whole thing a little sour because some people who came had he impression it was a real teacher's training...I guess its quite right that there can't be a teacher's training in 5 days!!..
Anyhow..on to the fun bits...we did 2 full led primary series classes...and daily vinyasa technique classes..and 1 mysore style class. Sad to say I bombed out of the mysore class early...not really because I was "knackered"..but because John said to concentrate on a point of focus..and when you lose it, to stop and lie down...so I took it very literally and stopped when I couldn't concentrate on my breath anymore because of all sorts distraction around me..turns out everyone else apparently could focus really well..and most finished the whole series. I was not too disappointed about stopping cos i got to watch all the great adjustments John was giving to people...but when he took a few people through the backbending with tic tocs I regret not finishing off and doing backbends with him...shucks.
The led classes were really fun..and intense cos there really was no time for the usual futzing around I get to do during mysore like wiping the sweat and tying my hair etc...it was non stop..and fast!!! and felt REALLY great;)
What did I learn? Well..basically I think I got the hang of the UP after utkatasana..which I never did..except when James asked me to do a bakasana instead...and I kinda know the technique for the up after warrior 2..but flop when doing it...somwthing about what he said about tranferring weight into the hands and bending the knees and just falling on the hands after utkatasana really worked in getting me to spring up into a balance point..so cool!
hahah..and I've been applying that up into my surya namaskaras as well..hahahha..its fun to kinda bounce up into a half handstand in the surya namaskaras...Also we got to try jumping through directly into pursvotanasana..that was really fun too.
All in all...really fun..but I think next time..I'd rather spend a few days in Singapore with J than in a crowded workshop...its got nothing to do with John's teaching...just that I think I'd learn way more by doing than by theory...I guess its all about practice..practice and more practice...
Think I'd start planning my trip to Singapore soon....
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Its been a longggg while since this lazy blogger logged in...
Soo...I'm back..
I realise its been too long that I've not updated. Problem is I've reached some plateau of sorts...not that much to update.
Still stuck at ekapada shirshasana...I'm still having a hard time keeping my left leg behind without hands...so I guess thats where I'll stay until things pull together..
In the meantime, I've a workshop with John Scott this weekend!!! YAY!!! I'm a little worried though cos I'd expect he would expect quite a bit from us..and I heard even my teacher D will be attending..hmmm..guess I'll hideout behind him if necessary..hehehe
Practice at home is so so...mysore has been uneventful too. I kinda get through primary series quite smoothly..except the problems sometimes with supta K..which is still inconsistent..I bind my hands easily..but getting my feet behind my head while on the floor is a prob still..I can more or less get them together in front...but its also a struggle since my torso is soo long my head always gets in the way. Most of the time, my teachers will have found their way to me before I'm properly crossed and pulled it behind the head..I've put my chin on the crossed feet before cos there's no space to cross my feet in front...so that remains a bit of a sore spot in my primary series.
I've recently found it easy to put the hands through for Garba, strangely enough. Its definitely not from weight loss since I've put on about 2kgs..the weight gain hasn't affected my practice much at all..its only played a part in making me self conscious about my puffy face..but thats a whole other story.
Also, rolling up into urdhva paschimotanasana is happening to me relatively consistently now..so I can't say there are no improvements at all. Jumping into bakasana B is not happening though. I have no idea how to do it. I do think my bandhas have gotten a little bit stronger..jumping back out of bhujapidasana and supta k is happening consistently..although there is a bit of a thud going on.
I did a body composition scan recently. Apparently I've grown 2 cm btw..think my spine has elongated..I'm now 169 cm!!! I guess yoga really can elongate the body! I just hope my spine doesn't get any longer..cos that would make my torso even longer than before!!!*gasp*
I also find it easier to lift up and sort of tilt my butt back as if to jump back..but thats where is all stops and I gotto use my toes to propel me backwards from there. According to my body composition test, I've a pretty underdeveloped trunk...musculature wise...sigh..time for lots of pilates to build up the core...I'm giving that a go when I have the chance to make it for a pilates class and see if it'll build up my abs more...
I realise its been too long that I've not updated. Problem is I've reached some plateau of sorts...not that much to update.
Still stuck at ekapada shirshasana...I'm still having a hard time keeping my left leg behind without hands...so I guess thats where I'll stay until things pull together..
In the meantime, I've a workshop with John Scott this weekend!!! YAY!!! I'm a little worried though cos I'd expect he would expect quite a bit from us..and I heard even my teacher D will be attending..hmmm..guess I'll hideout behind him if necessary..hehehe
Practice at home is so so...mysore has been uneventful too. I kinda get through primary series quite smoothly..except the problems sometimes with supta K..which is still inconsistent..I bind my hands easily..but getting my feet behind my head while on the floor is a prob still..I can more or less get them together in front...but its also a struggle since my torso is soo long my head always gets in the way. Most of the time, my teachers will have found their way to me before I'm properly crossed and pulled it behind the head..I've put my chin on the crossed feet before cos there's no space to cross my feet in front...so that remains a bit of a sore spot in my primary series.
I've recently found it easy to put the hands through for Garba, strangely enough. Its definitely not from weight loss since I've put on about 2kgs..the weight gain hasn't affected my practice much at all..its only played a part in making me self conscious about my puffy face..but thats a whole other story.
Also, rolling up into urdhva paschimotanasana is happening to me relatively consistently now..so I can't say there are no improvements at all. Jumping into bakasana B is not happening though. I have no idea how to do it. I do think my bandhas have gotten a little bit stronger..jumping back out of bhujapidasana and supta k is happening consistently..although there is a bit of a thud going on.
I did a body composition scan recently. Apparently I've grown 2 cm btw..think my spine has elongated..I'm now 169 cm!!! I guess yoga really can elongate the body! I just hope my spine doesn't get any longer..cos that would make my torso even longer than before!!!*gasp*
I also find it easier to lift up and sort of tilt my butt back as if to jump back..but thats where is all stops and I gotto use my toes to propel me backwards from there. According to my body composition test, I've a pretty underdeveloped trunk...musculature wise...sigh..time for lots of pilates to build up the core...I'm giving that a go when I have the chance to make it for a pilates class and see if it'll build up my abs more...
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Mysore Feb 28 2008
Didn't do my usual split..finished primary and went up to Laghu before calling it a day. Went well though..no hiccups..was pretty strong...
Jump back from bhuja - ok
Supta k - ok
Jump back supta k - ok
jump back from sitting - still not even close
garba - hands could not get through and didn't bother trying to do it..
rolling up from to urdhva mukha pashimotanasana - did it quite precariously..yeah!
all in all..satisfying practice..;)
Jump back from bhuja - ok
Supta k - ok
Jump back supta k - ok
jump back from sitting - still not even close
garba - hands could not get through and didn't bother trying to do it..
rolling up from to urdhva mukha pashimotanasana - did it quite precariously..yeah!
all in all..satisfying practice..;)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Lazy blogger...and even lazier practice
Hmmm...seems like I've disappeared off the face of the earth...by the amount of posts I've been making!
Its Chinese New Year and I've been spending more time eating and lazing around than doing yoga..Naturally my flexibility is shot to pieces and my skin is suffering as well...I've just discovered a brand new wrinkle by the side of my nose........sob sob sob..
Anyway, there hasn't been any classes during that time anyway..so I've not been attending mysore for TWO WEEKS!!!! While I was there this Thursday, D asked me what why was I SO STIFF???? well I just told him its because I 've not been practising... I could feel his disapproval while tying me up into Supta K..hahah
No new pose...and couldn't reach my heels in kapotasana either..even my twists are horrid...I actually had a hard time binding pasasana...I also wonder if this has to do with all the running I've been doing lately to prepare for my power run in April...just 10 k, but I reckon I can't make the triathlon yet in April ..so might as well do a 10 k first.. It could be the reaosn for my new found stiffness besides not doing enough practice..
Anyway..I've been doing my best to practice past few days to make up for things...hope to get back on track soon....
Its Chinese New Year and I've been spending more time eating and lazing around than doing yoga..Naturally my flexibility is shot to pieces and my skin is suffering as well...I've just discovered a brand new wrinkle by the side of my nose........sob sob sob..
Anyway, there hasn't been any classes during that time anyway..so I've not been attending mysore for TWO WEEKS!!!! While I was there this Thursday, D asked me what why was I SO STIFF???? well I just told him its because I 've not been practising... I could feel his disapproval while tying me up into Supta K..hahah
No new pose...and couldn't reach my heels in kapotasana either..even my twists are horrid...I actually had a hard time binding pasasana...I also wonder if this has to do with all the running I've been doing lately to prepare for my power run in April...just 10 k, but I reckon I can't make the triathlon yet in April ..so might as well do a 10 k first.. It could be the reaosn for my new found stiffness besides not doing enough practice..
Anyway..I've been doing my best to practice past few days to make up for things...hope to get back on track soon....
Friday, February 1, 2008
Eka Pada shirshasana
This is getting a little too intense for me....I got this last nite....very unexpected...I'd thought D would wait for me to gain at least some proficiency at bakasana B...
I can sit up with hands in namaste on the right side easily..bending forward the leg keeps slipping off..and D held it in place for me. Left side was not so pretty...I can get it back quite far down my back..but sitting up requires a huge amount of abdominal effort...so D stood behind and tried to straighten my back and keep the foot in place while I put my hands together..bending forward is terrible..the leg just keeps slipping and D held them for me.
There's not pain anywhere..and except for slippage I'm quite comfy there. I suppose if I put some effort into doing this pose more often, I could do it in about a month or 2...bakasana B though..is still a whole new different ballgame...sigh...
I was more than open last nite..especially in my back..I swear I felt open enough to walk my hands to my feet..I think its got to do with the fact that I am premenstrual...it makes me EXTREMELY flexible..hormones..;P
I can sit up with hands in namaste on the right side easily..bending forward the leg keeps slipping off..and D held it in place for me. Left side was not so pretty...I can get it back quite far down my back..but sitting up requires a huge amount of abdominal effort...so D stood behind and tried to straighten my back and keep the foot in place while I put my hands together..bending forward is terrible..the leg just keeps slipping and D held them for me.
There's not pain anywhere..and except for slippage I'm quite comfy there. I suppose if I put some effort into doing this pose more often, I could do it in about a month or 2...bakasana B though..is still a whole new different ballgame...sigh...
I was more than open last nite..especially in my back..I swear I felt open enough to walk my hands to my feet..I think its got to do with the fact that I am premenstrual...it makes me EXTREMELY flexible..hormones..;P
Friday, January 18, 2008
Scaryyy..
I tried dropovers today...wow that was really scary!!!
D told me to try coming into a scorpion handstand today..and I was scared stiff and could only manage to plop down into UD..he was holding my hips the whole time though. Nevertheless it was fun and scary all at the same time!
I am still riding the high from that experience..and just had to blog it here..
Anyhow its put a large smile on my face..I feell YOUNG!!!! hahahah..coincidentally..today (well since its past 12 am my time) is my birthday...and strangely I feel like a kid again despite getting older..hahahhah
Now I just have to contend with doing it every week!;P
D told me to try coming into a scorpion handstand today..and I was scared stiff and could only manage to plop down into UD..he was holding my hips the whole time though. Nevertheless it was fun and scary all at the same time!
I am still riding the high from that experience..and just had to blog it here..
Anyhow its put a large smile on my face..I feell YOUNG!!!! hahahah..coincidentally..today (well since its past 12 am my time) is my birthday...and strangely I feel like a kid again despite getting older..hahahhah
Now I just have to contend with doing it every week!;P
Friday, January 11, 2008
More poses!!!!
Oh My.
I got bharadvajasana and ardha matsyendrasana...hmmm...with a missing bakasana b in the middle though..hahahahah
D was feeling all too generous this Thursday and decided to give them to me (skipping bakasana b). I asked him about my total inability at bakasana b, and he said to make sure I work on a tonne of navasanas..and I may eventually be able to do it. Soo...in a very criminal way, I've earned 2 new poses..but I don't feel too great that I'd skipped the hard one.
I guess to make myself feel better, I'd better make sure I work on bakasana b on my own. I'm gonna surf the green board now and see if there are any tips on how to do that pose..
I got bharadvajasana and ardha matsyendrasana...hmmm...with a missing bakasana b in the middle though..hahahahah
D was feeling all too generous this Thursday and decided to give them to me (skipping bakasana b). I asked him about my total inability at bakasana b, and he said to make sure I work on a tonne of navasanas..and I may eventually be able to do it. Soo...in a very criminal way, I've earned 2 new poses..but I don't feel too great that I'd skipped the hard one.
I guess to make myself feel better, I'd better make sure I work on bakasana b on my own. I'm gonna surf the green board now and see if there are any tips on how to do that pose..
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Just getting on the mat..
There hasn't been that much to blog about lately. Happy 2008 by the way!;)
I've recently started running...just the treadmill though..I want to try my hand at a triathlon sometime this year. I reckon it might make me a little stiffer than normal, but I run for just 20 minutes, then get down to practice. It hasn't seriously impacted my flexibility so far, just a slightly longer time to warm up the hamstrings and noticeably tighter right quad when I do my lunges.
Practice has been ok. Its really much easier to just get on the mat nowadays than suffer the discomforts and stiffness of not practicing, so its not too hard a motivation to get down to practice. Breakthroughs..? not much, but its quite easy for me to get through primary nowadays on my own, so I throw in an assortment of second if I feel like it...
I know, I know..I'm supposed to practice all the way to bakasana..but I really don't feel like it most days and just either finish primary or skip some of the last few poses and do some second series. No wonder there isn't much improvements;P
One thing I've been able to do recently is work out how to balance my handstands and forearm stands. Just a few breaths, but at least I think I know what needs to be done. First thing I always have to do it straighten my back and eliminate any curves in the spine..it helps a whole lot. Then its reaching the feet wayyy up into the air. Those things helped tremendously.
Also because my shoulders seem to be tightening a whole lot of the left side, I've taken to doing more UDs...3-4 at the wall using blocks stacked at an angle and then another 3-4 without blocks. It feels like heaven...I need backbends so much nowadays..it just feels delicious;) Mmm...I think UD is a pose I've grown to love more and more.
I've recently started running...just the treadmill though..I want to try my hand at a triathlon sometime this year. I reckon it might make me a little stiffer than normal, but I run for just 20 minutes, then get down to practice. It hasn't seriously impacted my flexibility so far, just a slightly longer time to warm up the hamstrings and noticeably tighter right quad when I do my lunges.
Practice has been ok. Its really much easier to just get on the mat nowadays than suffer the discomforts and stiffness of not practicing, so its not too hard a motivation to get down to practice. Breakthroughs..? not much, but its quite easy for me to get through primary nowadays on my own, so I throw in an assortment of second if I feel like it...
I know, I know..I'm supposed to practice all the way to bakasana..but I really don't feel like it most days and just either finish primary or skip some of the last few poses and do some second series. No wonder there isn't much improvements;P
One thing I've been able to do recently is work out how to balance my handstands and forearm stands. Just a few breaths, but at least I think I know what needs to be done. First thing I always have to do it straighten my back and eliminate any curves in the spine..it helps a whole lot. Then its reaching the feet wayyy up into the air. Those things helped tremendously.
Also because my shoulders seem to be tightening a whole lot of the left side, I've taken to doing more UDs...3-4 at the wall using blocks stacked at an angle and then another 3-4 without blocks. It feels like heaven...I need backbends so much nowadays..it just feels delicious;) Mmm...I think UD is a pose I've grown to love more and more.
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