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Hi, I’m so much in love with Bikram Yoga as well as this great Hot Yoga Doctor website!
I’ve been practicing Bikram yoga for about 6 months, 5 days a week on average.
Fixed Firm pose is the least challenging pose for me. However, I’ve been experiencing lower back stiffness in Sit Up just after the pose last 2 weeks or so. I can usually grab my feet and touch my forehead on knees in Sit Ups but I can’t even reach my feet after the pose as my lower back hurts. It somehow recovers in the next Half Tortoise pose and following Sit Up is fine.I’m not sure if it’s related but I’ve been having on-off pain around my sacrum and hip joint on the left since I had quite loud popping noise somewhere around SI joint when I was in Standing Head to Knee pose deeply about 2 months ago and seeing an osteopath. Although I need modifications in Standing Head To Knee pose, Standing Separate Leg Intense Stretching pose and Wind Removing pose (not right leg up part) due to pain, I can still do full Sit Ups without pain apart from just after Fixed Firm pose. Of course I don’t have any pain anywhere during Fixed Firm pose.
I don’t quite understand why I get stiff lower back after Fixed Firm pose though the pose itself is very easy for me and wondering if I shouldn’t do the full pose.
Thank you 🙂
ChihiroI’d appreciate any advice
I experience the same thing to a degree, and I’ve always thought it was normal. I notice it after the first backbend (going into hands-to-feet pose), and after camel. I figured the back bending just made my back a bit delicate after those poses. The other thing to consider is that BEFORE fixed firm, you have done a series of spine strengthening exercises where you are significantly contracting your back muscles. To me, that creates some tightness as well.
Like you said, it seems to work itself out with the next several postures, so I never really worried about it.
You have some other symptoms that I don’t know much about, but perhaps Gabrielle has some thoughts on that.
– Kristin
Hi Chihiro and Kristin
If I stay in Supta Vajrasana for a long set or camel for that matter (and that means upwards of a minute or perhaps 2) then I can tell when I carefully come out of the pose that if my back feels tender from the extended backbend, that I will skip the next sit-up. For me I can tell when I am in the process of lying down to take savasana.
Chihiro, what has become the standard Bikram sit-up with rounded back and head on knees and propelling yourself up with arms, is not doing you any favours. Please take a look at the sit-up section in the forum and see if you can find some ideas that will help you. I believe in protecting the back and using core strength and good physiological considerations for sitting up. The way that most bikram classes teach it now is largely using your rectus abdominis muscles along with upper back. You may not be getting the protection you need.
So, back to the sit up after fixed firm. Just skip it unless your body says to attempt it.
As for your other poses, if you have some questions about those related to the SI and back then please feel free to go post on … hmmm, the section on lower back, that would be great!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thank you for your replies, Kristin and Gabrielle.
Since my initial post, my back pain has been improved a lot and I don’t get too much stiffness after fixed firm as long as I was very careful in the pose. (I’ll remember your suggestion for the future though :))
Having said that I have some questions I’d like to ask related to my back problems so I’ll go and post on lower back section later on.Regarding sit-up, I’m a bit confused now. I originally (& somehow without thinking or listening teachers’ instruction carefully) did sit-ups in the very similar way to Gabrielle’s but recently started to pay attention to my dearest teacher’s instruction. Her instruction is flatten your spin (suck the stomach towards floor) and go to L-sit as you inhale, then with double exhale, hands to feet, forehead to knee with straight back. I think I engage core muscle in both ways and usually have no funny feelings on my lower back but I feel doing nothing in L-sit with exhaling way and more challenging in L-sit with inhaling way. Is it safe as long as your back is straight?
I’m sorry this might not suit this thread but I’d like to hear what Gabrielle thinks.
Thank you 🙂
ChihiroHi Chihiro,
I am a graduate from Gabrielle’s teacher training program. I think you will really enjoy this link: https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/forum/viewthread/55/
It’s from the sit up forum and Gabrielle goes into detail on how the exhales support the motion of the sit up. She specifically says the first exhale is important as it “helps you bring yourself off the floor to vertical: your “L-sit” position. It helps bolster support to your lower spine to get you up off the floor safely.”
I hope this helps!
Namaste,
Sara
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