finalspinal

I am in tune with all that you are saying here. I think I tend to encounter some problems when I begin to approach the yoga as “black or white” – aka focusing on either letting go completely or focusing most of my energies on maintaining correct alignment – without acknowledging the middle ground that can combine the two approaches as you have articulated…

That’s going to be a major psychological goal for me going forward. The thing is, I rarely attend studio classes anymore because I have found that most of the teachers I get do not understand the nature of my underlying condition (b/c they haven’t had to deal with it themselves) and hence have difficulty appreciating that I am not comfortable completely surrendering to their instructions in all of the poses. But it’s starting to get colder up here where I live and maintaining proper temperature/humidity in my makeshift home studio is starting to get more and more difficult…

I am actually thinking about planning a trip down to Australia for a while and would love to get some face-to-face instruction that I can actually trust. Are you currently teaching at your studio? If so, please let me know b/c I’d love to stop by your area for a while.

Thanks,
Andrew

I tend to have tight “everything” and tree pose is one of the most difficult poses for me to realize even close to fully.

Gabrielle I have really been trying to balance these main focal points during the pose:

1) Gentle upward force on the foot with hand
2) Arm with elbow bent behind
3) Pressing the knee down and in a backward direction
4) Tucking the tailbone under
5) Hips level
6) Shoulders level

All the while trying to relax, breathe and maintain a straight spine. These 6 elements constantly seem to be at war with each other. During a session I’ll feel my knee lowering down but perhaps at the expense of level shoulders. Another time I’ll focus on keeping my shoulders level and elbow bent behind me putting a huge strain on my bent knee.

I feel like my quadriceps and calves are disproportionately large at this point and some element of the above must be compromised. Is there a modification I can make or should I just keep struggling through it?

Yeah I didn’t really explain that too clearly.

My lower back especially seems to have a natural forward curve to it when I sit on the ground – the opposite of an “arched” back if that makes sense. For the end of the floor series, when we are on our behinds, my natural position is for my entire back to be pretty rounded.

It seems I have to really make a concerted effort to extend and lengthen my back and pull my chest forward in poses like Paschimottanasana to help counterbalance this.

I know this post was originally about Pranayama but I think understanding how my hips and back interact together in a pose like Paschimottanasana helps to elucidate things for me a bit.

Robert thanks for the insight. Totally makes sense. I’ll try and make some of these minor adjustments next session – but good to know that the cramping should go away soon.

The one issue is this: I don’t think that I am “deliberately pointing them (my feet) in an effort to go deeper.” I’m definitely trying to focus on pushing my knees into the floor, and I feel pretty good about my grip around the back of my heels.

I have have pretty bulky legs as an ex-athlete so to maintain balance in the pose I guess I am also transferring some of the pressure from my knees into my shins as well. This shin pressure into the ground seems to be forcing my feet into a pointing position and causing the strain in my feet and calves…Should I make an effort to really relax my feet and concentrate the bulk of the pressure into my knees?

And bonmar I’m sure increasing my hydration level definitely wouldn’t hurt! Problem is I tend to sweat A LOT and by rabbit-time I’m pushing my limits so who knows.

That definitely clears things up a bit…

While no instructor has ever said I have a “marked lumbar curvature”, they do tell me all the time that the natural position of my hips is a bit peculiar…

In my attempts to “tuck my tailbone under” I find my belly protruding far forward. By constantly making an effort to suck in my lower gut at the same time I think I can approach something close to a stabilized spine like we’re looking for in Pranayama exhale.

In a natural sitting position, my lower back arches backwards noticeably making poses like Paschimottanasana extremely difficult, unnatural, and generally weird-looking. When I visited a sports medicine specialist he said that my tailbone just naturally rests in an unusual position.

I think the most trouble I have is with forward bends as a result. Trying to maintain a semi-straight back in something like Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose seems nearly impossible given my physiological makeup…

Just before you exhale, tuck your tailbone under to lengthen your lower back and make your entire back straight, lock your legs as hard as you can and complete your breath cycle. There is a straight line from the back of your heels through your strong legs and back right up to the bend in your neck.

As you mention, shoulder relaxation is also key. Thanks for your question.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

I was hoping you could help to shed some light on this in further detail…

I have always had full-body joint flexibility limitations (for which yoga works wonders), where I am usually unable to execute seemingly basic instructions regarding the manipulation of certain body parts. “Tucking the tailbone” is one of these major areas of concern. Teachers have constantly implored me to tuck my tailbone and I expend tremendous (and unnecessary) energy trying to comply.

Would you mind explaining this simple action in a bit more detail? Like how would it look in a mirror?

Thank you so so much for all of your help!

Andrew