Above one of Dana’s photos of the workshop in Hamburg
A nice half primary this evening, slowly slowly with walk through Vinyasas to save my wrist and aching shoulder. After Navasana I decided to experiment with the advice Louise gave me yesterday about dropback and backbends in general. After an Ustrasana or 2 and some bridges to warm up, Urdva Dhanurasana felt good, much better than at the Shala yesterday. Having time to play on my own I did some hanging back trying to make the floor come into view, keeping the hands at prayer instead of stretching the arms back, then waiting for the tell tale pinch in the lower back to kick in before trying Louise’s instruction to push the pelvice up, she was right, it takes the pinch away and lets me hang out, as it were, for longer. I hope this will strengthen whatever it is that needs strengthening to give me the control to go back further on my own. A good practice.
The yoga Haiku game over on Susan’s blog has been fun today, first time I have made my brain engage on a Monday in ages, well it was certainly a nice distraction from work! Here’s my attempt.
Under feet nose flat
You are no longer a rock
Joy of Supta K.
The Journey of my practice 
August 4, 2009 at 2:04 pm |
Hi Kevin, I love half bends I really find I can open up in them. I’m going to explore the push the pelvis up thing, when I practice tomorrow. Louise is fab, really like her. Was wondering if you knew if Hamish was back, I know he doesn’t teach on Sundays.
August 4, 2009 at 2:07 pm |
Hi Helen,
Pushing the pelvis once I felt the pinch in the back does make a difference and also not taking the arms straight means I can hang for longer. I so want that control before going for the floor!
Hamish and Anna are now back. Anna was the other teacher on Sunday
August 4, 2009 at 2:11 pm |
I’m very tempted to come, looking into price of train tickets and bank balance in that order. Are your abs engaged?
August 4, 2009 at 2:24 pm |
Abs engage for as long as gravity allows. I try to keep legs straight for as long as possible and deepen the thoracic backbend, my croquet hoop as Louise calls it.
August 4, 2009 at 2:38 pm |
Sounds good, have you got Mathew Sweeney’s books. He has soon good stuff about Half bending, learnt lots from his workshop too. I think I’m probably going to come to London this weekend. It’s more expensive than normal as so last minute but I can do……..
August 4, 2009 at 3:31 pm |
No Havnt got Sweeney book. Got a few others! Kino’s backbend workshop was good, learned a lot from that back in April. Louise has been very patient, adding things over the last few months. I have gone from virtually passing out, going dizzy or feeling sick, to having a degree of control and seeing the floor on my own. Some people were just born to backbend and some of us weren’t!
I’ll be at AYL around 8am Sunday, trains permitting.
August 4, 2009 at 3:48 pm |
Cool I have booked my ticket, I normally head in about eight too, it’ll be nice to meet up after practice if your up for it. Going to practice with Ryan Saturday, then AYL Sunday and Monday. Have arranged to stay with a friend/ yoga teacher and really looking forward to seeing people and practising with people, they all feel like family even though I know hardly anyone. Missed Kino this year would love to practice with her one day. Louise is lovely and a patient teacher is very helpful when learning to drop back.
August 4, 2009 at 4:01 pm |
Hi Helen,
Am always up for cuppa and a croissant after practice. I always felt lonely at AYL, I know a few people there now, fellow bloggers mostly! Louise seems to have taken me under her wing, she usually arrives when I need help.
I always practice on a red yogitoes towel type mat, hopefully we can spot each other amongthe crowds!
Kino is in Dublin in September, you could go over there.
August 4, 2009 at 9:25 pm |
What part of your wrist is sore?
August 4, 2009 at 9:35 pm |
The underside of the wrist in line with the middle finger. It will be ok, then suddenly it catches me out, especially on jump backs in the vinyasa.
August 4, 2009 at 10:34 pm |
Hi Globie–I really enjoy your blog. The reason i ask about the wrist is that I just recently had some wrist issues, but it was on the upper side just below the pinkie. What worked on that was to counter flex it (fingers towards the bicep) after and sometimes briefly during a practice. If you think about the practice, there is so much flexion of the wrist (fingers towards the triceps) that those ligaments and tendons of the wrists need to be used in the opposite direction.
I hope they clear up and thanks for blogging…Craig
August 5, 2009 at 10:03 am |
Hi Craig,
Glad you enjoy my blog.
I know what you mean about how the wrists get used in practice. Sometimes i put a strap on it.
Hopefully it will settle down again