stopping ashtanga

01-23-2007, 03:12 PM

have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-26-2007, 05:32 AM

Hi.. er... Powerfreak.

I'm a year older than you, and I'm going through a phase with ashtanga as well. The difference is I'm a newbie who has only been practicing for 6-7 months, and my afflictions are mental, not physical.

Of late, the inability to get into certain poses has made me more and more discouraged with practice. I've started going for anusara and yin classes and even hot classes, just not ashtanga these days.

But i hope to be able to start my mysore practice soon again. Compounding the problem is a depression which won't go away. the yoga helps of course, but my interest in life in general has been zilch. this applies to work (i have a wonderful job but i've been in it too long), yoga, and my generally active social life (I have loads of friends but still feel lonely)

I suppose what I'm trying to say is everyone goes through the urge to stop. perhaps you could try other stuff, then go back to ashtanga. at least that's what i'm trying to do. whatever it is, don't give up on ashtanga. always remember why you started practicing it in the first place.

With regards to your pain. perhaps you could find a massage therapist who could help you work through it. I have an excellent one and that has helped.

good luck!

Namaste,
D

powerfreak75 wrote:
have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

---------------------------------
Don't pick lemons.
See all the new 2007 cars at Yahoo! Autos.

01-26-2007, 08:00 AM

Powerfreak - my heart goes out to you as I as you love poweryoga/ashtanga. We want to see improvements but have to back off a lot as a result. I would suggest to cut back and don't over do it, which has been suggested by my instructors. I feel that I am plateauing or going backwards though.

I am suffering from lower right back pain and hip pain injury due to asana stretching. This occurred in advanced hot Ashtanga/Vinyasa flow yoga classes early december and it took approximately a month to heal. I returned to the same classes and the injury has just now returned. The top of the right hip and the lower back right area adjacent to the hip is the injured area. This disappoints me intensely, as my love for Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow is pure enlightenment.

I pride myself on me level of fitness. I am 53 years old, weigh 140 lbs and a keen long distance cyclist. Any cycling yogis out there?

Can anyone please help me.
Stephen

----- Original Message -----
From: powerfreak75
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 3:12 PM
Subject: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-26-2007, 08:40 AM

Are you pushing yourself too the point of strain during your practice?
Do you do any other exercise besides Ashtanga?

01-26-2007, 08:53 AM

Ageing is a b####. You have to wonder what the alternative is. I crack and pop as well, but don't consider it a bad thing. Make sure you are eating your EFAs plenty of flax oil and ghee!

powerfreak75 wrote: have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-26-2007, 08:50 PM

If your screename is an indication, you may be pushing yourself
too much. You sound like a very dedicated practitioner. My first
ashtanga yoga teacher was an advocate of balancing the
ashtanga self practice with an ocassional practice of yin yoga.
There has been some mention of Paul Grilley in this list recently.
He wrote a book by that title. Basically, it is like doing poses from
the first and second series, but not doing vinyasas, and holding the
breaths for several minutes - which counting to 20, instead of 5
accomplishes. You don't sweat during this practice. It is supposed
to help with connective tissue. Also, you may need to observe moon
days to give your body a rest, if you're pushing yourself too much.
Cheers,
Arturo

--------------------------
Re: stopping ashtanga
Posted by: "powerfreak75" powerfreak75 (AT) yahoo (DOT) co.uk powerfreak75
Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:39 pm (PST)
have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-29-2007, 06:52 AM

I don't think that the cracking and popping is simply an age issue -
its because you are vata (in Ayurveda) and cracking joints is part of
your make-up. Its just air.

But it's certainly a bummer when you find that your practice actually
goes BACKWARDS some days! and that certainly happens sometimes as you
get older, but to compensate you have a mellower state of mind, and
you learn to accept each day as it comes.

There are plenty of other compensations to being older, but I can't
think of any offhand ! I still struggle with being older and less
flexible, and being on a mat next to someone easily able to do things
that I will NEVER be able to do in this lifetime!
But I remind myself that achievement is not what its about, its all
about the breath and focus.

yeah.

01-29-2007, 09:10 AM

Hello,
On the contrary, I feel ashtanga has helped me get rid
of ailments like back ache and joint pain(particularly
knees). I have been very active and into serious
sports all my life but i have not felt this fit,
perhaps ever. I am 35, have been doing ashtanga for
only 4 years (milder forms of yoga for 3 years before
that) and I do not intend or want to stop ashtanga
anytime soon. ( unless i find something that makes me
feel even better)

I am concerned as to how does ashtanga take its toll
on the body, with all its healing and strenghtening
powers? I would expect it to get difficult maybe after
50 or so but certainly not sooner.
Please share your experiences in this regard; Ashtanga
and aging!!!

Thanks

01-29-2007, 10:09 AM

What are EFAs?

-----Original Message-----
From: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com [mailto:ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com]On
Behalf Of shannon smith
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 7:54 AM
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Subject: Re: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

Ageing is a b####. You have to wonder what the alternative is. I crack and
pop as well, but don't consider it a bad thing. Make sure you are eating
your EFAs plenty of flax oil and ghee!

powerfreak75 wrote: have you stopped ashtanga
for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-29-2007, 02:58 PM

Gretchen:

I am an avid cyclist and spinner. Yes, I do push myself during Ashtanga practice. These are advanced classes using hot room principles.

Stephen

----- Original Message -----
From: Gretchen Goel
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 8:40 AM
Subject: [Ashtanga Yoga] Re: stopping ashtanga

Are you pushing yourself too the point of strain during your practice?
Do you do any other exercise besides Ashtanga?

01-29-2007, 07:01 PM

essential fatty acids

Ronald Stowell wrote: What are EFAs?

-----Original Message-----
From: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com [mailto:ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com]On
Behalf Of shannon smith
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 7:54 AM
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Subject: Re: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

Ageing is a b####. You have to wonder what the alternative is. I crack and
pop as well, but don't consider it a bad thing. Make sure you are eating
your EFAs plenty of flax oil and ghee!

powerfreak75 wrote: have you stopped ashtanga
for good? or at least cut down on your
practice?
i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
only 31) these days.

01-30-2007, 04:47 AM

That's exactly where I hurt my back, Stephen, and, as recently described in
here, I found that doing a S-L-O-W ashtanga practise, backing off as soon
as I felt pain, helped the healing hugely. Now I'm fully healed, and
without doubt in my mind, using Ashtanga as physiotherapy helped hugely.

I think the area is called sacro-ileac.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Hughes"
To:
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

> Powerfreak - my heart goes out to you as I as you love poweryoga/ashtanga.
> We want to see improvements but have to back off a lot as a result. I
> would suggest to cut back and don't over do it, which has been suggested
> by my instructors. I feel that I am plateauing or going backwards though.
>
> I am suffering from lower right back pain and hip pain injury due to asana
> stretching. This occurred in advanced hot Ashtanga/Vinyasa flow yoga
> classes early december and it took approximately a month to heal. I
> returned to the same classes and the injury has just now returned. The top
> of the right hip and the lower back right area adjacent to the hip is the
> injured area. This disappoints me intensely, as my love for Ashtanga and
> Vinyasa flow is pure enlightenment.
>
> I pride myself on me level of fitness. I am 53 years old, weigh 140 lbs
> and a keen long distance cyclist. Any cycling yogis out there?
>
> Can anyone please help me.
> Stephen

01-30-2007, 10:38 AM

Stephen,

If you are pushing yourself to the point of strain you are not practicing Ahimsa. Maybe you need to take some time off from practicing in the studio and start practicing yoga in every day life.

I've been practicing Ashtanga for the past 5 years 1-3 times a week. I'm very flexible because I have a dance background but I've been very careful not to push myself too hard into the advanced poses even though I know I can go further. I think that is what has kept me from injury.

~Gretchen

01-30-2007, 10:43 AM

Hi - I only started Ashtanga (or yoga for that matter) when I was
almost 46. I've been doing Ashtanga for 2.5 years now and I can hear
the popping and cracking as well. However, my osteopath told me that
this is nothing to worry about, that it's just tendons flipping over
bones or joints. Since I don't really experience any pain with the
popping, I tend to believe him.

I do agree tho' with others who mentioned Yin yoga as a complement to
Ashtanga. It has done me a world of good to combine these two forms.
You could, for instance, start by doing Yin on moon days and see how
you feel with that.

Susanne

--- In ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, "powerfreak75"
wrote:
>
> have you stopped ashtanga for good? or at least cut down on your
> practice?
> i have been involved with ashtanga for 12 years now and i think it's
> taking its tool on my body. everything is cracking and popping (and i'm
> only 31) these days.
>

01-30-2007, 04:55 PM

Gretchen:

Your advise is excellent and I believe you are correct. I do notice that the majority of the advanced instructors and practitioners are ex ballet and/or dancers or gymnasts. They are in incredible and very talented. I will take you suggestion, do more primary, Sun A and B at home to become more flexible and do less classes.

I also want to obtain my Yoga Alliance 200 hour instructor certification as soon as possible and this has had the impact of me doing more studio classes. I have yet to enrol for a YA 200 instructor class as yet. I live in Minneapolis and I want to soon.

Namaste'

Stephen

----- Original Message -----
From: Gretchen Goel
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 10:38 AM
Subject: [Ashtanga Yoga] Re: stopping ashtanga

Stephen,

If you are pushing yourself to the point of strain you are not practicing Ahimsa. Maybe you need to take some time off from practicing in the studio and start practicing yoga in every day life.

I've been practicing Ashtanga for the past 5 years 1-3 times a week. I'm very flexible because I have a dance background but I've been very careful not to push myself too hard into the advanced poses even though I know I can go further. I think that is what has kept me from injury.

~Gretchen

01-30-2007, 05:27 PM

Just a thought:
I've been practicing about 7 years -- ~5-6 days/week. Am well over 50
yrs old.
Only injuries have come when I've pushed too hard.

A really good yoga teacher I know once said -- "Its nice to be able to do a
pose today. Its even better to be able to do it tommorrow and the next day.
.. . "

I think part of the practice is finding (or pulling back to) a level of
intensity that your body/spirit/mind can sustain over time.
Finding that balance/approach, where the yoga is "therapeutic" and learning
to live with it there is where much of our work lies.

No matter how accomplished we become there will always be poses we can't
do. --That's part of the point of it. So we can explore ourselves in a
context where we are challenged (whatever that means, physically,
emotionally, etc.). Even if we are really adept, time/age will take away
our physical accomplishments anyway.

So. . . if you find you are getting wrecked by this practice -- perhaps you
work is to find an approach that is more "therapeutic". -- Easier to do in a
mysore style practice than in a led class, but possible even in the latter
context. Many other approaches are also available -- anusara, iyengar,
vinnni. . .

I wish you luck...
-Tom

On 1/30/07, Gretchen Goel wrote:
>
> Stephen,
>
> If you are pushing yourself to the point of strain you are not practicing
> Ahimsa. Maybe you need to take some time off from practicing in the studio
> and start practicing yoga in every day life.
>
> I've been practicing Ashtanga for the past 5 years 1-3 times a week. I'm
> very flexible because I have a dance background but I've been very careful
> not to push myself too hard into the advanced poses even though I know I can
> go further. I think that is what has kept me from injury.
>
> ~Gretchen
>
>
>

01-31-2007, 03:58 PM

Hi -

I'm a 41 year old woman practicing ashtanga for several years and
other types of yoga many years before that.

My own experiences with Ashtanga have been completely positive.

I worry about those in class who appear to be pushing into poses.

I also agree that diet is likely to have a BIG impact. [Any suggested
uses for Ghee? I've been wanting to incorporate it into my diet.]
Hydration.

David Swenson and those from his 'generation' of the western ashtanga
experience [and, of course Guruji!!] are truly inspirational.

Practice + diet + dosha?

Best
Diane

02-01-2007, 03:29 AM

"Finding that balance/approach, where the yoga is
"therapeutic" and learning to live with it there is
where much of our work lies".

Well said, Tom. This is phase I am experiencing now.
Practising without a teacher's guidance, 3-4 times a
week at the moment, sometimes can wear me down. Not so
much of the physical tiredness, but mentally. While I
am very much inspired by the many 'testimonials' I
see/read, I also struggle with whether I should seek
this spiritual path whole-heartedly or balancing it
with my current life. There is truely a lot to learn
and cope just about surrendering to the practice.

This is truely an enlightening statement of the day
for me. Thank you so much.

Peace & bliss to all.

Jeremy

02-01-2007, 09:55 AM

Annie:

Excellent advice. I think I have already started your wonderful suggestion and it is starting to pay dividends. I sympathize with you for your pain as well. I did not know how painful the sacroiliac can become. You have now given me context and I think you dearly for it. SLOW Ashtanga practice and backing off when I need to is the way to go!

You have seen the light.

Namaste'

Stephen

----- Original Message -----
From: Annie Gurton
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 4:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

That's exactly where I hurt my back, Stephen, and, as recently described in
here, I found that doing a S-L-O-W ashtanga practise, backing off as soon
as I felt pain, helped the healing hugely. Now I'm fully healed, and
without doubt in my mind, using Ashtanga as physiotherapy helped hugely.

I think the area is called sacro-ileac.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Hughes"
To:
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Ashtanga Yoga] stopping ashtanga

> Powerfreak - my heart goes out to you as I as you love poweryoga/ashtanga.
> We want to see improvements but have to back off a lot as a result. I
> would suggest to cut back and don't over do it, which has been suggested
> by my instructors. I feel that I am plateauing or going backwards though.
>
> I am suffering from lower right back pain and hip pain injury due to asana
> stretching. This occurred in advanced hot Ashtanga/Vinyasa flow yoga
> classes early december and it took approximately a month to heal. I
> returned to the same classes and the injury has just now returned. The top
> of the right hip and the lower back right area adjacent to the hip is the
> injured area. This disappoints me intensely, as my love for Ashtanga and
> Vinyasa flow is pure enlightenment.
>
> I pride myself on me level of fitness. I am 53 years old, weigh 140 lbs
> and a keen long distance cyclist. Any cycling yogis out there?
>
> Can anyone please help me.
> Stephen

02-01-2007, 10:32 AM

Tom:

Thank you for your wonderful and valuable insight. You are so right.

Tom, you see the light!

Namaste'

Stephen