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..;)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
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..
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