Previously broken back and new to yoga

Thank you C, and Thank you Gabrielle for your time. I believe that as I get older, yoga will be a saving grace for me and my back. As I mentioned, I always focused on the strength, but in that, I have dropped the ball on the flexibility. (Oh, I am 5’8″ and about 125 lbs)

I can tell you that I have now taken 4 hot yoga classes. I believe that each one has gotten a little better in some respect (some in the actual stretch, and some in just awareness of correcting the pose).

As far as the back-bend poses go:
>Half Moon Backbend-I actually feel pretty comfortable here with my hands up. No stability issues, but I don’t get a lot of bend…with my biceps by my ears, my index finger probably points just shy of a 45 degree angle.
>Standing Bow-In Standing Bow, I seem to lack stability (balance). Although I can actually extend my back leg so that my foot is approximately even with my shoulder, I cannot stay there for long. I actually think it’s my ankles in this case. I also feel the stretch in my hamstrings which seem to be pretty tight, so it’s not bothering my back at all.
>Cobra, Locust, Full Locust and Floor Bow-Pretty comfortable with Cobra, I would say I am in the middle of the pack when I look around the room, and probably about the same with Locust and Full Locust; but I would love to get more extension and stretch here especially. Floor Bow is actually not too bad at all.
>The Fixed Firm and The Camel are the ones that concern me. Initially, I only went to my elbows in Fixed Firm, I did however in the last class go all the way to the floor, but didn’t stay there long, and came back to my elbows. In Camel, I place my hands on my lower back, I reached back for my foot with one hand, and it didn’t feel like I could make the transition, so I stopped.

I have trouble not being where I want to be physically, which is why I push myself, and when I look around the room, I want to be better…better than I am, better than the rest; it is my competitive nature because I know in the long run, this is what got me to walk again and kept me healthy. So, I am probably premature in even asking these questions, because even in four classes I have felt some slight improvement. I guess I just need to know that I won’t do any harm, and if it is or isn’t possible to get to that point of flexibility so that I don’t cause harm.

If you think it’s just a matter of time, I will stay the course, and take any advice on precautions you might add. Also, so far I have only tried Hot Yoga, if there is something else you can recommend, I would love to hear it. I can check back in with you from time to time and fill you in on progress.

Thank you again. Lynn

Gabrielle,

Thank you. I am considering your book. I have watched a couple of the free videos and like what I learn so far-especially the one on strengthening your core. It’s funny you mention about what I may learn (or learn wrong) in classes because I have had four classes with 4 different teachers and they are all so different (5th one will be tonight with yet again a different teacher). I’m not sure how much I trust their experience yet, and I believe I am going to a reputable place (a fairly large chain).

I have had x-rays about every 10 years, most recently about 4 years ago. Ironically, one tech once said he couldn’t believe I was walking. The spinal specialist literally told me to keep doing whatever it was I was doing because there was no change in the x-rays from 10 years prior. He said that meant if I was sitting around eating bob-bons or if I was running marathons, either way just keep doing it…which just goes to show sometimes your intuition is better listened to than anything else…lol. Glad I didn’t listen to the doctors 30 years ago.

I do tend to lean toward sports medicine docs who will allow me to do more, and that is my advice for anyone. I do not like it when a doctor tells me I “can’t” do something. I lose faith in them for not knowing me enough and tend to try to prove them wrong.

Before I posted the original post on here, I read one where the doc told someone to do pilates instead of yoga…if that were my doctor and without a good reason, I probably would not have gone back.

My fault, and the downside of this is that I won’t even go to a doc unless I feel something is seriously wrong (maybe I live in denial of ever having a bad back)…but it has gotten me this far.

So I guess I sent the questions to you because you seem very experienced, I like what you have offered to the public, and because I want to prevent *having* to go to the doctor in the first place. I hope that makes sense.

I am also an information junkie…I learn as much as I can about whatever I am involved in or interested in…and the internet has been a huge source on info on yoga…which could be good and bad depending on how much common sense you have to weed through it all.

Thanks again…..and Namaste 🙂