Having a go at an exercise Boodiba has been talking about here.
The idea seems to be to keep your legs bent throughout which is, I believe, supposed to help you come up more slowly and with more control. Clearly more work is needed. At the end I try lifting my heels, something I never usually do...to disastrous effects.
I like this exercise though, something about having the legs bent gives you more of a tendency to spring back up. By focusing on the point just before you spring you can ride it back more slowly to the floor and can probably do the same in reverse to come back up. Found that edge dropping back but not coming up....so far.
Have to say this is a pretty embarrassing stance, though it does remind me of an old martial arts posture, horse stance. I keep telling myself, "... your in horse stance, not at all squatting'.
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Ooh I should clarify while this is loading - he didn't tell me to start off with bent legs. That is supposed to come mid way. But because it's so hard for me, I asked if I could start that way. I mentioned this in an earlier post but did not reiterate when I posted the video.
Ah very nice.
Interesting you just drop to the floor. I am not doing that in class! I have a feeling he'd pause you more on the beginning, arch back stuff, at least initially. Not sure.
Also a big thing with him is NOT pushing through the hands to come up. No, no, no! I can't do it without ANY cheating, but I'll extend my fingers, so just fingertips are touching wall, and then try to catch through hips.
I think I'm a harder project, bigger problem child than you! I bet you could have perfect drop backs if you came here (dangles carrot).
verry quickly, rushing off to work. thought i was probably missing something....i tried it back to the wall yesterday but had long pants on and you couldn't see what was going on with my knees. i like this though will work at it. That carrot is lookin' mighty tasty....
Oh and did you see. my feet were less splayed, think this might cure it.
Yes I noticed the feet! And that is the whole thing - the control. Mine don't move at all doing this, but then they would I'm sure if I dropped all the way :(
I am hoping to do a one month residential next year but it depends on the $$.
OK gotta log off & get over to see the man!
lifting the heels will kill the splayed feet thing off and give you much better alignment for dropping back (less 'pinchy' on the lower back) - you just then have to try and kill off the lifting heel habit....
Most teachers I've encountered tend to think the lifting of heels is worse...
I've heard both. More tending to splayed splayed and down. Optimal being heels down and feet forward...
Apparently lifting heels is really bad for your lower back over a long time <-- according to my Iyengar teacher.
I personally find it's less controlled with heels lifted.
Yep, found lifting the heels less controlled too ......as you may have noticed. Don't want to replace one bad habit with another but interesting to play with this for a while.
Off for two weeks from Friday so can explore a little.
Curiously there don't seem to be any drop backs in the Vinyasa Krama book. I still think Ashtanga over does it a little but VK seems the complete opposite. And yet I have this old picture of Krishnamacharya in the deepest of Chakra Bandhasanas, I'm assuming he stopped teaching them in latter years, must ask about that.
Tried not to drop straight to the floor this time and got my first official hang back. tried coming up onto my fingers too but then wasn't sure where to go from there, didn't want to raise my heels....hmmmm
Ah it's a constant mystery. He watched one of my wall things carefully today and told me I can "easily" drop back correctly. I answered that I'd tried in the morning and it hadn't happened. Dunno. He's gonna want to see what's what in those last 8 days of the afternoons... I have until he's back to practice.
As for you coming back - it's hard for me to "see" what you're doing. He'd probably have you come to your fingertips.
came up on my fingertips (tricky) this morning, but then didn't know what to do with myself : )
Ya I have that same problem. Misery loves company?
I have a several self practice projects in mind for next week. One of them is LONG Urdhva Ds, but not with the feet together, just walking closer & closer. Also seeing if I can stay on my fingertips for a minute. Also at least making long, concerted EFFORTS to grab my ankles in the Vrischikasana exit... etc.
Long UD's and fingertips for a minute, you have a date.....ankles in Vrishi...ahhh think I'm washing my hair.
Oh c'mon. It's FUN!!! I love that flip. I had several battles with Christopher but I refused to give up on that one point.
interesting to hear of bad backs from heel lifting. I seem to get flip sides depending on what 'practice' i'm doing.
Any mysore teacher being very anti-heel lifting and not too worried about how splayed out feet become whilst the anusara teachers i also practice regularly with are the complete opposite insisting feet stay aligned even if heels lift.
Best advice was from my old mysore teacher Magnolia who simply said that i shouldn't be doing either anymore...
re the hang backs, one of advantages of practicing in a shala is the final assisted drop backs (three half drop backs and one super long slow dropback to the deepest backbends ever)
Kind of makes sense, was just standing up and trying lifting my heels up and down, do feel a little compression in my lower back. Your right, don't do either. Don't want to replace one with the other.
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