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in reply to: Pain down inner sides of knees #10172
Hi Ang
So, try to keep it straight the whole time and even arched the other way. If your legs need to bend to get that open feeling in your torso then do that. It feels awesome.
Take a look at Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga to see a blog and some photos.
Have fun
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Pain down inner sides of knees #10170Hi Ang
Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your pain. How straight is your back in this pose? Is it rounded?
That should get us started. 😉
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Feel so weird after doing bikram yoga #10165Hi Mette
Kelsey asks some great questions.
The one I would also add is: What times do you normally practise? Always morning classes, evening classes, a mix?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂(OK, that was 2)
in reply to: Not losing any weight at all #10164Hi Kelsey
Wow! What a difference. Thanks for your input. Happy Holiday
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Shoulder injury #10161Oh dear, Beverly
I meant HANG in the strap. Dang So, “Are you able to let your leg just hand in the strap?”
Maybe that will mean more to you now. 😆 Sorry ’bout that one chief!
But because of what you wrote in your response I do get a sense of more of the situation now. You must NOT use an elastic strap.
Re the wall: Now what I want you to do is face the wall, and definitely do not stand with it at your side for both sides. You’ll feel far safer. As you progress you may choose to face the one or both sides again. Wait for some progress on either or both sides.
>> Get your balance while you slip the strap onto the foot. Feel free to use the wall for assistance.
>> Now, while you’re in position ready to set up for the pose, get your balance with your hand on the wall.
>> Keep your shoulder in efficacious position ( 😉 )
>> To start with, your fingers or possibly your whole hand (of left hand) will be at your chest height or lower, it really doesn’t matter. Of course this means that your arm will be bent.
>> Over time you are to find a hand position on the wall that is progressively higher and higher. One day it will be high over your head and straight in traction. (It will not be out in front of you parallel to the floor.)
>> When you’ve got your left foot in the strap your right hand will be high. It’s highly possible that your right shoulder is not as open as it could be because of your left sided injury and consequent developed movement habits.Remember to keep the shoulder down and back. You will be sort of leaning into the wall a little as you find traction. More correctly, it’s one of your anchor points that will help you find function again, over time. You will feel that you are using your shoulder well and that it is opening up and it should feel good to sense the healing.
To start with however you mentioned that you have no backbend. So the backbend you create is by: Standing up straight and getting your foot hooked in the NON-ELASTIC strap/sling. Your arm position is correct by your description. Use the wall by placing your hand as described above. AND then simply move your right knee behind the left knee to the extent that you can that doesn’t compromise body position or left shoulder.
The greater your “Bow” develops the further away from the wall you will stand. You should always feel opening, not using the wall as a crutch. My guess is that you’ll be quite close to the wall to start.
That ought to do you for a while. See you soon. Let me know if that needs better/further explanation
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Night Sweats #10159Hi Emily
This is just my opinion (naturally!) but generally speaking the reason why the temperature can be higher in Bikram or similar hot yoga studios is that the poses are largely static poses, with no vinyasa.
It is unusual and dare I say, perhaps a little too much for many people’s systems to practise vigorous active yoga styles in excessive heat. Normally if one does a power style yoga in the heat, the temperature is more somewhere around 90 degrees.
If people a lot of people are needing to sit or lie down then that is a sign.
I am not sure what you can do with that information regarding different series and temperatures. However it really could be that you have some measure of heat exhaustion. Pay attention to your electrolyte levels, maybe use more sea salt in your food and some in your water (with a few drops of lemon juice if you need it).
What resonates for you?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Shoulder injury #10158Hi Beverly
Can you contact me via PM?
There are some great things you can do for Standing Bow and I am sure I can help you with Half Moon.
I can actually explain what to do with Standing Bow but I have a couple of questions for you first:
EB: … I am using a strap to assist. It is all I can do to get my foot in the strap and stand there for the prescribed amount of time … Also, I’m having trouble keeping palm forward while in this pose. While the strap seems to make things better for my elbows, it is just hard to have palms forward while using the strap.
Because I need a little clarity … Can you please tell me when you hold the strap is it with elbow in or out, wrist in or out? Are you able to let your leg just hand in the strap? Or do you feel you are fighting it somehow with your arm? It’s possible we can refine this grip.
My front arm is either in front of me at a maybe 60 degree angle to my body or finger tips touching the wall to assist my balance.
When you stand at the wall, can you tell me which way you face? Are you for example at a side wall and you use it for lateral balance and you face the front or back wall?
I am not surprised you haven’t been corrected. Sometimes it’s better if the instructor doesn’t know what to do, that they leave you alone. This is a serious injury or at least posing serious limitations. I am positive we can get you somewhere with this.
Say hi to DC for me! Actually I speak to a few chiros from time to time, but I am pretty sure you’re talking about D!
Happy holidays
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Amelia
Did you happen to sort yourself out with this pose? Wendy and Bunni gave some great info there. Please let me know if you’re right. I reread the post and it’s possible that you were trying to come up (as Wendy indicated) with hands in prayer without stabilising first by placing hands on the floor.
I guess no news is good news!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Exercises for Posterior Tibial Tendonitis #10156Hi Ted
Yes, I know. This has been a long time coming. Ted, using orthotics are obviously very helpful for you. Some people are seriously pronated and need them all the time. You use them at work and that seems to be giving you the support you need while minimising the aggravation. So, I am wondering if you would take a look at a free video I made about feet and posture. It goes into pronation and orthotics are mentioned too. See if you can get anything useful for you there. It’s a very popular video that has helped thousands. Here it is here: Great Posture From The Ground Up. Come back and let me know how you’re going.
Happy Holidays
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Can yoga cause/cure a hernia? #10155Hi John
Hahaha Waiting for comments from me? 😆 Well, it is VERY busy this time of year (and there are still 3 dozen forum posts that I have to answer in my so-called “spare time”) AND [strong]you seem to be going VERY well[/strong]. It does appear that pursuing Elli’s advice is paying dividends. I know I would be very happy if it were me. 😉
There’s not much to say on my part except to keep encouraging you. If you do other things that anyone else suggests then you may never know if the advice you are currently being given is working or not! So keep it pure, follow directions.
I am really enjoying reading your updates, so PLEASE keep ’em coming. They’re great, informative and inspiring.
So, no, don’t organise the mesh surgery until you’re absolutely positive you need it.
Happy holidays
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: I think I tore something, what to do? #10153Hi Cyberry
One does have to have their filters up when speaking with body professionals sometimes! 😆 There are some hot-yoga-phobes out there! That shouldn’t stop good advice being given … but may introduce some uninvited opinion.
For me, I was able to use the exercises given me and adapt them to the way I do poses such as Awkward pose. I would perform this similar pose (that looks almost identical) but with a different focus on muscle activation.
The understanding of what those exercises were supposed to be doing, gave me a framework for which to approach the rest of the yoga poses (which of course included which poses to avoid completely).
Rest (as your gut feel tells you) is always important in recuperation. You may be just enjoying that fun in the sun on that board and some specific exercises.
Whichever way, you’ll either be having a yoga-holiday or a yoga holiday. :cheese:
I PMed you btw.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: I think I tore something, what to do? #10150Hi Cyberry
🙁 That is definitely not the sort of thing that you want to happen before a holiday.
Have you got ANY chance at all to see somebody about it? It seems to me that although we could come near enough with a diagnosis or even a treatment plan, I think it’s best to see a body-trained specialist (physio or something).
While you’re on holidays you may not get the yoga room heat-treatment during yoga that you’re used to. Low temp yoga would allow you to be an even better observer cos you would definitely be going less deeply into poses. However it is possible that you could cause some tugging and tearing on the injury site.
The injury that you mention SEEMS to be at the sit bone. You need some professional advice: Whether to use gentle exercise such as walking and swimming or more intense with gentle yoga; whether to use ice and heat; whether to avoid yoga completely.
Can you tell me what your gut feel is?
I know you are likely to remember the threads about hamstring injuries. Mine in particular after months and months of limitation, then months using long duration yin type stretches to work into it, hoping and hoping that it would fix and it just plain did not. This awakening had me heal it by strengthening exercises. To me that was countering what I had come to believe as hot yoga folklore and that you would have heard too: “The yoga will fix it”. Perhaps not.
You want to have a great holiday. So, if you can, find out what it is that you need to focus on while you’re away: Rest, stretching or strengthening as the primary focus.
Happy and fun and restful holidays
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Night Sweats #10148Hi Emily
Thanks for posting! There are definitely questions that I ask myself when I hear this sort of thing happen. I want to know if there is a perimenopausal aspect to the problem. I also (very importantly) want to know what the practice temperature is like in the studio.
There are studios that don’t just heat the room hot, they heat it above and beyond what is considered safe. So what indication have you about the actual temperature? It could be that the studio says it heats to x degrees so if you do ask them, make sure you ask them how they know exactly what the conditions are in the room at any moment. A well controlled and predictable scenario is one where everything is transparent and there is nothing to hide! If they don’t know or are cagey then it is possible that the room could be too hot (not just for you, but for others).
Humidity also has a tremendous effect on the heat, and your perception of it. It can be affected by the number of people in the room, the ambient conditions and the ventilation. If you have any feedback there, please provide it.
Also can you tell me, when you practise is the class very focused, no fidgeting, nobody taking rests or are there a number of people having to lie down every class (or somewhere in between)?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Davis
The other essential information for you can be found here:
Opening Up Your Hamstrings With Hot Yoga. In this extremely popular blog post you’ll find a key to working with your body rather than against it. This technique is applicable to a number of poses and will help guard against injury AND help heal the problem.
Let me know how you go. I am glad to hear that there is already some progress
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: tingling in hands and feet #10141Hi Shayna
How has it been going?
When your hands and feet go numb that is neither comforting nor a good sign!
I wonder if you’ve been taking sea salt or electrolyte supplementation.
A problem with returning to one’s practice is that the body may not be ready for it but the mind thinks that it should be able to do what it could do before and create a similar physical practice.
Of course there is no shame in lying down. It can feel a little disheartening. But what we have no indication of is what your levels of activity have been in the mean time (between yoga stints). So there is a lot of missing detail in many ways (not just activity).
See what you can do to slow the breath, breathe through the nose, participate when you can and don’t push anything. There’s plenty of time once you’re re-acclimatized for the heat to return to and maybe even exceed where you were at before. For the moment, it’s just one step at a time, one moment, one pose…
Let me know where you’re at before I continue down any particular track!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Shoulder injury #10140Hi Beverly
Thank you for your kind words. We’re all feeling more strong now. Distance makes it difficult for sure.
I would be interested to know if there is anything physical in your shoulder that is impeding your practice or healing.
It does appear to me that those decades ago when you hurt your shoulder – and this is pure conjecture based on what you’ve described – that you were not given the best rehabilitative program for the healing of the muscles in that area.
I do believe there are great ways for you to improve the way you do the poses by simple modifications that sometimes will just be less depth. I will need to explain a good few things. So, although this is possibly drawing out a little more, would you please tell me:
>> Are you still feeling that problem half way through half moon?
>> What problems have you got with Pranayama prior to half moon?
>> Standing bow: What does yours look like, where is your foot and where is your front arm positioned? Where do you hold the foot with your ‘back’ hand? And how do you hold it?
>> Are you still experiencing the same issues in warrior poses?Based on those answers and anything else you feel is relevant I am confident I can give you some milestones by which to progress your practice.
I can’t promise there won’t be more questions! :cheese: but I can certainly give you some good things to do in class to participate more fully AND experience some well deserved healing.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Plugged ears, anyone?? #10139Hi Michelle and Stacie
Harmful? I don’t believe so. But very annoying for sure. It is curious that it seems confined to your yoga experience. Is there any other time that you recall it has happened?
I am interested in what happens for you Michelle if you change your water habits in class. It worked for Stacie and I am curious to see if there’s an effect for you.
There are times for me when my left ear has odd blocking and clearing issues. I asked the doc and he said words to the effect: “it just is the way it is”. There was certainly a part of me that was not happy with that response. :cheese:
Any updates in the issue?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Tear of the gluteus minimus insertion. #10138Hi Lyndy
Yep, it’s been way too long between answers.
I need to know if you’re still practising. I need to know if when you practise if the pain gets worse. I have a hunch it has to do with poorly explained technique. Can you also tell me if you attend largely script taught classes where the same thing is said pretty much verbatim?
I know this has been a long time coming and I truly apologise.
Please respond when you have a moment. My guess is that even if you’re not doing yoga at the moment I may be able to give you some ideas that could help.
Regarding that tear, it would be useful to know what your specialist gives you as a prognosis and healing schedule. You have a tear, so what did they say as regards to the possibility of a full repair?
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: 60 day challenge and discomfort. #10132Hi Guillermo
Can you tell me if you were able to apply the principles from that blog I sent you to? It really is crucial.
Your answer will help me understand what’s going on.
For Padahastasana you really need to make sure those legs are bent. Push the heels down and lift the hips. Of course, pull upward on the feet. Do NOT try to straighten the legs but rather push down and lift up. The legs will straighten to the degree they need to or can.
For Dandayamana Biphaktapada Janushirasana. Please go and see the posts on that pose. As you descend or ascend, make sure you keep the back hip forward to keep the hips square the whole time. This will help avoid the pain you have been having. Don’t worry about how much the front leg needs to bend. Just keep those hips square. It will transform it for you. Focus on rounding the spine and pushing the floor away from you. It’s all about leverage.
For Janushirasana. This is a beautiful pose when done correctly. One works this from the entry not just when the head is on the knee. BEND the leg up before you go down. Tuck the chin, you won’t ever need to look at your foot on descent. The traction you create with your bent leg and the foot, hand contact with the heel pushing away as the toes get pulled back is really lovely. Again it matters NOT AT ALL if your leg is bent.
I apologise, as I was answering your other thread, I honestly didn’t see that this was a different thread so somewhere in the back of my busy mind, I thought I had it all handled. 😉 Your recent post show me I have been remiss
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Back bend and red face #10127Hi Guillermo
Can you try something for me please?
After you come out of left side half moon:
>> Bend your arms a little and relax your shoulders and neck before doing anything further
>> Then inhale and on the exhale put your head back into position for the back bend without doing any backbend yet
>> Then lock legs and hips forward
>> Then inhale length in the torso and straighten your arms up, not necessarily locking them straight unless it’s easy and automatic, but lengthen up
>> Then go into your backbend
>> Look back and down rather than upwards to the ceiling
>> Breathe calmlyCheck into your tension and breath and see if that is improved
Let me know what happens in case we need more distinctions.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Help with Download ?!?! #10124You’re very welcome Paula
I am glad it worked out for you (and beyond your expectation!)
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Help with Download ?!?! #10121Oh Paula
Ye have little faith! 😆 Our customer service is much more responsive than that! We just got up and it’s Sunday morning here. Robert will be with you soon.
If you’ve sent an email to help@ then we get to those with the urgency that they require. I am sure you will be back on your yoga feet very soon. As you can see I am the yoga technical expert, not the IT one :cheese:
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: Teaching Advice in Afghanistan #10117Hi Tim
Thank you so much. Ah so there is a difference between reasons to associate. You might find a sudden influx of yoga teachers becoming newly trained welders! (OK, OK, it was just a joke 😉 )
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂in reply to: underwear??? #10115Hi Jonny
Funny story! 🙂 Whether or not anyone else decides to wear knickers really should depend on whether your ‘bits’ become obvious in the poses. Many a yogi(ni) has worn something that looks as if it covers everything only to discover that when they bend over, or when it gets wet, or in all manner of positions, all or a hint of, or a shadow of something is revealed. Or, as often happens, one sees right through previously unstretched opaque material.
I am a big believer in modesty in the yoga room. It is not a matter of ‘well, if there’s anything to see, you shouldn’t be looking’. For me it’s always ‘wear anything where there is nothing to see in all circumstances’.
If grandma size undies does the trick, then go with that. 😉
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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