Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Hello BL

I have now answered your questions. Please go to:
https://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/forum/viewthread/70/

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi BL

Would you mind telling me at what point you are finding your balance suffers? You mention extension of your leg: does this refer to straightening your front leg? Are you putting your hands on the floor (and where) or in prayer position? I guess I need more information.

For example because I can’t see you I wonder about your hip alignment, or even the position of your feet or your stance (distance between your feet). Most yoga mats are a standard width so you could tell me how far your heels are apart with respect to your mat and how you align your feet. Any information will be helpful. There may be something you are doing physically that could be affecting your pose.

Then again there are plenty of other factors involved – emotional etc that can affect balance.

Please get back to me!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello BL

You are welcome! 😉

I don’t recommend bouncing your body at all. With 2 exhale breaths I recommend 2 coordinated body movements. The first to L-sit for vital core strength and lower back support, the second to grab the feet (fingers over the top of the toes contacting at the balls of the feet) with palms toward the floor. Keep your back straight and in doing so you may need to bend up your knees at the last moment as your grab your feet to preserve your nice long straight back. After all, you want to take every opportunity in class to counter the forward bends of your ‘outside’ life. Chin up look forward and feel that incredible stretch in your lower back as you lift your chest up against your straight arms. (Arms only bend if you have straight legs and back and is often seen in very flexible students.)

What I am telling you is sometimes a little contentious, challenged by a few Bikram teachers. The sit-up used to be taught in the way that I mention. And somehow the technique seems to have devolved into a less safe form where students are seen to fling themselves up off the floor without control.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello Ela

Just had to make sure before I possibly launched headlong down the wrong track. 🙂

Ela, you are right, ideally you should grab your feet before rolling down. But next time in class take a look around, most people cannot ‘grab’ their feet. They can position near and touch their feet, but their grip is rarely ever the final hand position before they descend. Their bottoms are in the way. Someone with long arms may appear to be sitting on their feet, someone with short arms may have to wait until they have curled down about a third or half of the way before they can get their hands near position.

Below are 2 ways to get your outcomes: one is to do Rabbit with a prop. If that doesn’t work (see below for what to look out for) then I have an alternative pose for you.

When you don’t have your hands on your feet on the way down there is nothing to slow down your descent and your head can come down to the floor heavily and in an uncontrolled fashion. If that happens then there is a real risk that you could cause some injury to your neck.

When your hands and arms are used properly in this pose they actually stop your head pressing into the floor. The pulling on the feet allows you to create great traction in your spine as your spine opens up to the ceiling. You may have heard teachers talking about the small percentage of weight on the top of your head. It is there, resting, stopping you from rolling forward but at no time should it be pressing hard down into the floor.

So what I suggest you try:
tuck your chin and roll down but walk your hands down your legs to land on the floor probably just in front of your knees. Your hands will support you so that you can minimize the weight on your head.

I really think you will need a strap or towel. This is one of those times where you need the cooperation of a teacher. Once your head is down there, you may be able to grab the towel/strap but without being able to draw the strap through your hands by yourself you risk having bent arms as you pull.

Pulling with bent arms often changes the pose and forces the head into the floor more heavily. So please Ela get some help. Tell the teacher before class that you need it, or put your hand up during class, instruct them to get your hands as close to your feet along your towel as possible. All the other pose principles apply here: chin tucked etc.

If this technique has your feeling that there is pressure of your head on the floor, you can’t work it out, or your teachers are unwilling to help you the I have another suggestion for you:

Skip Rabbit pose for a while. But do a set of Janushirasana. That is the Floor pose of Head to Knee that immediately follows Rabbit pose. You should be able to get your head on your knee. And with your hands interlocked in the right place and with the correct mechanics of your pull you will be able to create the opening through the spine without the risk of damage to your cervical spine (neck). You would do a right side and then a left side (you choose whether you do a Savasana in between). Don’t do a Paschimottanasana, then join the class for their 2 sets of Head to Knee and Stretch poses.

In time you will be able to attempt Rabbit again.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

:red:
Thank you Ela

I am honored I can help and make a difference.

Your words are very encouraging to me

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello Ela

It hurts me to hear you use that word ‘pathetic’. Please don’t be so hard on yourself.

It concerns me that sometimes you are left there lying down trying to get your hands around your feet with no one to help you. Do these teachers just not see you there? :zip:

Mind you it does take some teachers a while to learn to see ‘everything’ in a room full of people. And then it takes them more time to learn how to respond! They too are on their own learning curve. Perhaps you could give them a little help. Either tell them before class that you will need their help getting your strap/towel round your feet for Floor Bow. Or simply put your hand up while you try to make eye contact during the pose.

On a more positive note, I have had many students who have needed help to grab their feet. There is no specific time that it takes for their bodies to open up, BUT it DOES happen. Eventually they manage to grab their own feet, unassisted. And for you, Ela I have no doubt. You are so committed to making changes, that they can’t help but happen now.

I am very pleased that Standing Bow is easier for you now.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello Ela

Yes, it is probably due to unawakened flexibility(!) that you cannot reach your foot.

Are you able to bend up your foot at all?

Here is a scenario that may apply to you:
Often with students (probably ones such as yourself) that are tight they can do only one of the 2 necessary actions:
1) they can either raise their arm up above their head
OR 2) they can bend up the leg to grab the foot.

If that is your problem then I recommend standing next to a wall during this pose so you can grab your foot and stand upright – balancing yourself with your other hand anywhere on the wall.

Kick your leg backwards just enough to get your bent up knee at least in line with, and hopefully behind the standing leg knee. You should then feel a very lovely stretch through the whole front side of the body from that bent leg thigh up through your torso. In time you will be able to lift your arm up high (even against the wall) and then one day (soon) balance without needing a wall.

If the above doesn’t describe you then try a modified grip, a strap or a towel:
One thing that you can try before using a small strap around your ankle is perhaps to hold your foot from the outside (just letting the arm hang down, palm facing in).

As you know the grip we are aiming for is with the hand coming from the inside. Technically speaking your arm externally rotates so that your elbow points into your waist and your palm is facing the side wall.

Please recognize that holding with a strap or from the outside doesn’t give you this beautiful opening through an external rotation of the arm. This will come in time.

Ela, hope that helps you. Keep asking if we didn’t hit the nail on the head! We’ll be eager to hear your progress!

Cheers!
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Ela

Have you managed to try the technique yet? If you haven’t and you don’t understand my instructions, let me know. I may be able to dig out a photo for you.

Kind regards
Gabrielle 🙂

Hello

I am copying in an email that Elaine sent me here…

Sometimes I do the Bikram series at home. I have roacea so the heat damages
my skin. Any general advice

I don’t know what happened Elaine but my post didn’t show up! I would be interested to hear from you about the actual triggers to your condition. Do you only get it in the hot room? Or does it occur in other situations? How long have you been doing the yoga and how many times per week? Has there been any change in your rosacea since you started? ie has it got worse or stayed the same?

I await your response

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂