Gabrielle (The Hot Yoga Doctor)

Me too John, I am ‘watching this space’ with interest and anticipation!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Keli

Thanks for posting on the forum! I am sure others will benefit from your question.

I believe, given your great descriptions, that you need to use a strap. So keep doing that. You cannot benefit from a beautiful posture (in your body) if what you’re practising is a collapsed one.

What I want you to make sure is that you manipulate the hold on the strap to mimic what your hand would do if you were holding your foot. In other words the hand will be holding the strap so that the palm faces forward, the elbow bends backwards and not at all out to the side, with the arm in close to the body. In this way the shoulder is down and back allowing your back to be upright. Obviously both shoulders should be symmetrically positioned.

Should your knee be down and back or up and out? Well, frankly, it’s a matter of how you are able to maintain that good posture (arm, shoulder, body, foot on thigh somewhere) and the SURRENDER of the leg to gravity.

There is a time in your progress where you will be able to more actively work the leg down and back against the traction created in this triangle of muscular action.

For those wondering if they should use a strap at all, the answer generally goes like this: If you can stand up and have some hand to ankle or foot contact to give you some traction and you can surrender your knee to gravity EVEN IF it is waving high in the air 😉 then you don’t need a strap. If nothing you can do with your standard operational human equipment can get your foot to stay somewhere on your leg while you stand tall then a strap or towel is a good idea. That way you can use the right muscles and simultaneously let go of the other ‘right’ muscles to make progress.

Thanks for your compliments about the app and mp3!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Amanda

Yes, skip it. See where and if the tingling happens elsewhere in your practice. I would think you want to know if it happens elsewhere.

Please also, if your leg is splaying out, don’t go that far into the pose. Please when you attempt this pose again, only go as far with correct technique as you can with your hips in alignment and report back after a class or 2 of doing that. Of course that is in addition to doing a class without any Standing Bow at all! 😉

It seems too, that your body may need rest. If you’re having issues, then perhaps it’s a sign to let go of your challenge. Sorry! That’s just the way I feel about it. I don’t believe in challenges that insist on daily classes with doubles if you miss one so that you practise 30 on 30. IMHO any challenge should be 6 obligatory classes (no doubles) with any extra classes including ones on days off and any doubles not to count and also not to create an atmosphere of achievement and attachment to the goal of getting a challenge done rather than an outcome of yoga-related benefits. So, please examine why you’re doing this challenge particularly in light of your issues at the moment. If you’re comfortable continuing then go ahead! 😉

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Ang

I love a happy ending! Or should I say beginning?

Thanks for coming back to tell me the great news

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Paula

Just try it out the way you get it when you buy it. It may be just perfect.

If not let out a tiny bit using the needle from a bike pump. Moisten it and then put it in the valve and release a tiny bit of air.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Paula

Thanks so much!

Because of the heat index, which is a wonderful little algorithm that shows the combined effects of heat and humidity, you can increase your perception of the heat in your home studio by increasing the humidity. You don’t actually have to increase the heat!

If you search on this forum with the word ‘humidifier’ I am certain you’ll find some brands and prices of machines. I do know that this hasn’t been talked about specifically (the machines that is!) for quite some time, so use them as the basis for your research on Amazon etc.

I do recall some heavy duty large ones for under $100 ($60 from memory). Get the most powerful one for your budget. It will work wonders. Anyway you’ll find lots of other tips (including insulation) when you do that search.

Regarding abs strength: On the app you’ll see that the right and (what I and others experience to be) the wrong way to do a sit-up is demonstrated. Check that out. That will help you increase your core strength during the sit-up. Otherwise you can actually weaken your core, whilst looking like you’re getting nice firm abs. There’s a difference!

The place you want to go to for a FANTASTIC exercise is right here: The video called “Flatten Your Tummy And Strengthen Your Back”. This will definitely and easily and very effectively (and quickly) strengthen abs, core and back!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Ang

When you have straight legs and back then your hands must be holding at the heels. Directly from behind or at an angle. The hands should never be coming in directly from the sides (at right angles) and the grip should not be further forward than the heel (never at the arch either). So if you are holding the toes then please bend the legs. You will still be able to have a straight back. In fact it should feel rather great that you can feel a bigger stretch through your back as it even arches a bit (in many people). Your elbows will be pointing backward and never out to the side.

Does that make sense?

Without bend your legs and arms in this way your body is missing out on the possibility of finding the sweet spot of this pose! Have fun in discovery. 😉 This should be more gentle on your knees.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Eileen

My first instinct was to consider patellofemoral syndrome. This is consistent with what you say is happening.

I could ask you a few questions ….

>> OK so, where are you holding at the feet for floor bow?
>> Are you able to feel 2 dimensions in your so-called kick? Can you feel the backward component of your feet and the upward component of your knees? If you cannot, then please try to do so.
>> In camel, are you reaching for and pulling from the soles or the heels?
>> When you feel that pain is it always above the patella?
>> In fixed firm can you tell me if your bottom is on the floor? What do you mean by ‘it is flared’?

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi karmagirl 😉

So! That was a wonderfully detailed post. Thanks.

Rather than go into everything right now I would like to assure you that yes! things will get better… with a frequent regular practice.

Please do a search using the facility top right. Type the word ‘scolio’ or ‘scoliosis’. You can put part words in.

Alignment for you is key. Work with the breath. Don’t be concerned about differences in the depth of each side of a pose (eg half moon).

Next go and see the blog post: Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga. This has the key to your rounded back as described.

When you are sitting with legs out in front, you need to bend your legs in (either with heels together or heels down on the floor) such that you can roll forward onto your sit bones and sit up with an appropriately arched and not rounded spine. This is the same principle you will discover in the above blog post. In the poses where this occurs (have fun discovering) you will create traction between legs and torso and torso and arms which will create opening. If you lock out the legs inappropriately (as per dialog instructions) you will work against this and cause frustration. So listen to your body and apply the techniques described elsewhere in this forum, on that blog and in my books.

Although I could go on about more things to do, I honestly think you have enough to work on at the moment. Come back when you have more questions about the above, or when you want to move on.

Besides, you have excellent body awareness and your descriptions were very helpful so I have great faith you will make some discoveries based on what you do with the above info

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

PS While you are at it, go to the Free Yoga Videos and apply the breathing video tips to help with your posture and the flatten the tummy/strengthen the back video tips to strengthen your core. Oh and the foot video to help your alignment! :cheese:

The distinctions you make will completely change your focus to effective rehab and a physiologically sound practice to grow strength, flexibility and have great poses too!

PPS Thanks bunni! 😉

Hi Sonia

I would do one of 2 things:

1) do some long held pigeons or other long held poses where the emphasis is release, breath, focus and awareness. 2-3 minutes each side.

or

2) simply lie down and breathe. Nothing else. Just breathe.

Actually one of the things I love, Love, LOVE to do is to go in beforehand, lie on my belly, possibly with head on my folded arms. close my eyes and just breathe. Often I will fall asleep. After a day of distraction either mindful observation of breath or sleeping will refresh me and get me focused and ready for class!

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Jonny

If your breasts are impeding your height and transferring pressure to your elbows because your arms are together there is something you can do.

My suggestion is to experiment with your arm placement. While the ‘dialog’ tells you to get your arms as close as you can get them, this may be causing you grief. Find a position that is OK for the elbows. This may mean moving them apart a little bit.

You can move arms in and outward to achieve better comfort for your breasts, elbows and wrists. Of course your arms should always be symmetrically placed.

With breast implants you may have to be satisfied that this pose will have its limits for you. You may never be able to get the leverage by ‘pressing your heart’ into the floor, but you can create a sufficiently satisfying pose! 😉

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂

Hi Sonia

Quick questions: I assume you’re able to breathe for the entry. So at what precise point do you find yourself unable? Is it when your head hits the ground, when the hips go up, when you walk your knees to touch the forehead? You may need to wait til you go to class to work out this precise moment.

Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂