yoga breakthrough today

[Valerie226]

Ok this is just for fun..... but I've been doing yoga for a year and this morning I did most of a headstand. I've been tipping way up on my toes & taking one foot off the ground sometimes, and today I lifted first one leg up and then the other so I had both bent legs up and off the ground. I felt very balanced, controlled and comfortable & came down easily. No crash & burn. Even as a kid I had a tough time with headstands. the yoga set up is different from what we were taught back then and I never expected to be able to do one. I will be 59 next month so I'm very proud! I also have been doing cathe Friederich's "Coremax" for 6 weeks now & think I am stronger core-wise.

[ellery]

I can totally relate! (Even though my pregnant self can't do them at the moment.) You should be very very proud of yourself. It's a great feeling, isn't it?

:D :D :D

[Valerie226]

Thank you, thank you!! :D Hope you can get upside down again before too long!

[ellery]

Thank you yourself. ;)

The funny thing I always found with headstands (and a few other positions) is how much your ability to do (or stay!) in a pose can depend on your mental state. When my head was scrambled, I was preoccupied, etc. I could never balance. If I overthought it, got overconfident, etc. same thing.

Such a good lesson for life in general, ya know?

Hopefully you will be able to replicate this feeling and pose many many more times. Yay you! :D

[Valerie226]

Too funny! no one saw me.... so I told my instructor & a friend after class 'cause I was just about bursting! I expect the next time may not work because I'll have performance anxiety. But that's OK, I know I can do it now. I was more focused than usual this morning for some reason, and balance is not my best area but I'm strong & can muscle my way thru things where skill and grace are lacking. I don't think anyone else in class does a headstand. we're all 40+ but when you're upside down you can't see what anyone else is doing anyway! Oh well, time to settle down and hit the treadmill! thanks for your encouragement!.

[wallycat]

Congrats!!! I know how you feel---I felt the same when I did my first full backbend. Mine aren't perfect, but I am happy I can call them backbends and get close to the result they show. Splits too :D

As for headstands, I learned this in 6th grade gym class and have been able to do them ever since....so if you aren't trying this here is what they taught us:

Find a soft/safe area so as not to hurt yourself.
Position your hands a comfortable distance from your ears while your head is touching the floor--- and slowly bring up your legs onto the triangles that form with your elbows. Balance there till you get comfortable and then slowly start bringing up your legs. It never fails!

CONGRATS!!
I will be 50 this May and doesn't yoga just make you glow inside !!??!!

[Valerie226]

Yes, we called it a tripod in gym, in wisconsin where I went to school. I remember doing them that way. Not with great proficiency, but OK.

In the yoga class I'm in, they teach you to make a bowl with your hands & put your forehead sort of in it with much of the weight on your forearms. then get up on your toes. from there lift your legs if you feel comfortable. I lifted them up but kept them bent at the knees and stayed there for a bit and then came down gently. I've seen people lift their legs straight up one at a time from the floor to straight upright but I think I'd go over if I tried that. ahh,, one small step for womankind....:D

I have done backbends...don't know how good they are, but we usually don't do them in class. They are tough! splits, fogettaboutit! not going to happen in the foreseeable future. I've gotten quite tight in the hips from running , xc skiing etc & am not real flexible in that area like I used to be. that's what prompted me taking yoga to begin with. Today I felt "glowy" but not always. It's been a long time since I felt I have made any progress so this was good today. Can you tell????

[wallycat]

I've tried that "cupped head" thing and even though I can do headstands easily, this method doesn't work for me---go figure.

OK, when you figure out how to do HAND stands, CALL ME!!!! I'm terrified of doing these. I've even tried against a wall---just terrified. If anyone has tips, I'm all ears/eyes ;)

Yes, I too thought yoga would be great for stretching as things tighten from other exercise and that darn aging thing :o but i've gotten more out of it ...the stretchy stuff is a bonus.

Congrats again!!

[ellery]

Oh, I love headstands! But yes wallycat, they are scary. Have you tried them with someone spotting you?

I've seen two methods (off the top of my head) to help people build up the strength (and courage ;) ) to get up into position. One involved getting into the downdog position with your feet against the wall, and then gradually walking your feet up the wall to a 90 degree position and just hanging out there and getting used to the feeling of your weight resting on your hands. (It's called a "half handstand").


http://www.movingintostillness.com/graphics%20photoshop%20files/2004_Chapel_Hill/image/image6.jpg


The other one was away from the wall (with a spotter), again starting in the downdog position. Then you gradually walk your feet closer to your hands, one leg goes up in the air, and you hop on the other foot (practicing for the kick up to get into position). You don't ever go up into the handstand, you just get a feel for balancing on your hands for a second or two while you've got two feet off the floor.

Some key things I've found that are most helpful in handstands (and headstands) are that your arms are in the proper position, elbows rotated in, shoulder blades strong and tight against your back and that your core is nice and tight (hips tucked in, back straight not arched and head properly aligned). Supposedly you should also be able to hold a downdog position for at least 30 seconds without any discomfort or shaking, as well as be able to hold a plank position for that time period as well. That's how you know your body is strong enough to tackle it...

Sorry if you already know this. Good luck!

And yay! again to Valerie. :D

[Angelina]

Congratulations, Valerie!!!!

I can't wait to take my next yoga class next week. I am pretty good with balancing poses (eagle...warrior 3...), but I am terrified of hand stands and headstands because I don't think I have enough strength in my arms and I have issues with my neck. My teacher told me I could do hand stands (eventually), but that I should forget about headstands.

Angela

[Valerie226]

Yipes....handstands??? I had no idea. I remember trying to do them as a kid and never ever being able to balance, just falling over one way or the other. But I am much stronger (especially shoulders & arms) than I was then so it's maybe possible. walking feet up the wall sounds easier than the other way, but I will settle for a headstand for the moment. that was my loftiest goal when I started this, except for being able to sit cross legged comfortably again. It's funny how uneven progress can be and in unexpected places.
I have crummy balance although yoga helps by making me practice regularly. I'm impressed with the core program I'm doing (cathe) and think it's helped in places I didn't realize. a 30 second plank?? no problem. I can go for a couple minutes now.

[Varaile]

The legs up the wall are a great place to start for handstands - except I noticed in the picture the model's wrists & elbows were not directly under their shoulders so they are pushing out into their hands rather than straight down into the floor. Their hands should be toward the shaved head guys left ear.

Another great way to work on handstands is to face away from the wall, and make a 90* angle with your knees (instead of bending at the waist facing the wall, you're bending at the knees facing away.) Again, you have to make sure the rest of you is in straight line up and down.

My core was so weak that it took me nearly 4 years before I could go up into a shoulder stand! I don't do the cupped hand thing either, my head rests against my palms where they press together. I find I have a stronger foundation that way.

Congrats Valerie! What a great feeling of accomplishment!

[Valerie226]

What can I say? It wasn't a fluke, I did another headstand today. still not getting my legs straight up but they're bent at the knee and "up". Feels very good! I may not try to straighten all the way until I'm sure I'm not going to topple or until I can have someone spot me. I'm pleased though, it seems solid & not shaky. thanks for all your kind comments! The handstand will have to wait a while though!.

[Kathy B]

Great job!!!! That must be giving you a great feeling!

I love doing yoga, but I only have done it with tapes/TV, so they usually don't get into that sort of pose. Sometimes I think if I took a real class, I'd find out that I am a wimpy yogi! :rolleyes: But I do enjoy the stuff I do, and I know I am benefiting from it, so I won't complain. The ability to relax is worth a lot by itself, and I KNOW I am more flexible than I used to be. Keep up the good work! :)

[Melman]

Congratulations on the headstand! Before a yoga class began one day last summer, several of us started talking about being able to do headstands. Someone tried it and stood up. One by one, almost everyone in the class managed to complete the headstand and balance pretty well. The funny thing is that nearly everyone was mid-40s or older! We were proud! :D

Now, Wallycat, tell me about this backbend. We do something called the wheel that's the same pose we used to do as a kid in gym class. In gym class, we would do this from a standing position and bend backward until our hands touched the ground. I can't do the standing backbend any longer (I value my life too much to attempt that :D :D :D :o ), but I can do the wheel. Not many people in my classes can do that.

[wallycat]

Congratulations on the headstand! Before a yoga class began one day last summer, several of us started talking about being able to do headstands. Someone tried it and stood up. One by one, almost everyone in the class managed to complete the headstand and balance pretty well. The funny thing is that nearly everyone was mid-40s or older! We were proud! :D

Now, Wallycat, tell me about this backbend. We do something called the wheel that's the same pose we used to do as a kid in gym class. In gym class, we would do this from a standing position and bend backward until our hands touched the ground. I can't do the standing backbend any longer (I value my life too much to attempt that :D :D :D :o ), but I can do the wheel. Not many people in my classes can do that.

I'm too wimpy to do the backbend YOUR way :o
I have to lay down on the floor and pull myself up...here's what the end result looks like:


http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/473_1.cfm#

[Melman]

That's the one...but I do it from pushing up from the floor. Gravity would take over entirely too much if I tried to do it from standing!!!! :o The title of that pose included "wheel" in the listings.

I think that's a pretty awesome pose. Congratulations!

[seathyme]

Glad to find some kindred yoga spirits here! I am in the same "position" as several others. Can do the wheel (from the FLOOR only:eek: ), can do headstand with a wall for a little help, can do the half-handstand if that's what you call the 90-degree version with feet on the wall, but choke when it comes to kicking up into a full handstand. I get my hands and shoulders into position but then have a little encounter with FEAR at that kicking-up moment.

In class I've been able to kick up with the teacher's assistance, so I know I'm capable of it. From a yoga philosophy standpoint, I'm trying to use this as an opportunity to "investigate my emotional state.":p It is a curious kind of experiment. I can go over the process in my head feeling quite calm, and I do know I'm physically able to do the pose, but can't reproduce it in practice. One of these days, maybe, I'll be able to post a thread called "breakthrough"!

Good job to everyone doing so well with their practice!

[Valerie226]

Hmm, I can do the wheel position... it's not part of our class but one day when no one else showed up my instructor suggested I try it & I did it, pushing up from the floor. she can't because she had a shoulder injury. I used to do it from standing position but that was a LOOOONG time ago & I'd approach cautiously. I think I could do it but if I don't, it could be a mean thump. I'm careful about potential injuries especially back/neck things. If I had two people spotting me maybe but with just a hard floor below me, maybe not.

But that brings up an interesting issue.... how do you decide whether to attempt a more challenging pose than usual? I usually charge ahead and try something if it looks "strength" based because I can usually handle that. flexibility? depends on which part needs to flex.

[wallycat]

I'm more fearful of the strength poses because I never trust myself enough that I won't "thud" and hurt myself.
Stretch/flex poses are a given for me. When it hurts uncomfortably, I stop :D

[seathyme]

I have been impressed by a good teacher's ability to set up a series of preparations for more challenging poses; by the end of the series I'm doing something I didn't think I could do! In my home practice I am more cautious.

Once I had a teacher say, "Breathe some strength into your arms." It was one of those funny yoga instructions that taken literally seems crazy (pull your muscles into your bones??) -- but it did have a psychological effect. Now I sometimes say that to myself before arm balances and things requiring upper body strength.

Ditto Wallycat on the flexibility/stretch things!

[JackieO]

Yes, we called it a tripod in gym, in wisconsin where I went to school. I remember doing them that way. Not with great proficiency, but OK.

This is funny and timely! :D

I am 50 and have been taking a weekly yoga class at the Y with a great instructor for a little more than a year. I was in gymnastics in high school (northern Wisconsin) and could easily do a headstand -- using the tripod method you describe. Hadn't tried to do one in years, but I had hiccups a few weeks ago and remembered that I used to stand on my head to get rid of them when I was younger, so I tried it. I can still do it!

We also do something called "crane" in my yoga class -- it's basically holding the tripod pose but with your head off the ground. I can actually do that fairly well, too.

As for the backbends -- well, could do those from standing position in high school but not today. Can't even do camel very comfortably. :o But I haven't tried one of those from the floor up positions for a long time. Hmmmm...yoga class is tomorrow night. Maybe I'll try with "supervision."

Expressed by a cautious older yoga enthusiast!

[Valerie226]

Once I had a teacher say, "Breathe some strength into your arms." It was one of those funny yoga instructions that taken literally seems crazy (pull your muscles into your bones??) -- but it did have a psychological effect. Now I sometimes say that to myself before arm balances and things requiring upper body strength


One of my instructors talks about breathing into your right hip or your lowerback, and it really does feel like doing that gives you more flexibility in the area!

I'm still amazed at the differences in physical structure that make some moves not even 'moves' for some and impossible for others.
One instructor had us put our thumbs in our armpits and flip the rest of the fingers upward. the women could ALL do this without any effort. (No men in class that day) They looked cute, like they had little wings in front. their elbows were close to their sides.
When I tried my elbows went way up and outward. I can get my thumbs into my armpits but fingers flip up? are you kidding?? :confused: my palms face downward. The instructor was trying to get me into what she thought was a "better" push up position with my arms close to my sides. Not gonna happen!