stopping ashtanga

[Guest guest]

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.

[Guest guest]

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 <powerfreak75 (AT) (DOT) co.uk> 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 Autos.

[Guest guest]

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

 

-

powerfreak75

ashtanga yoga

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 3:12 PM

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.

[Guest guest]

Are you pushing yourself too the point of strain during your practice?

Do you do any other exercise besides Ashtanga?

[Guest guest]

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 <powerfreak75 (AT) (DOT) co.uk> 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.

[Guest guest]

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) (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.

[Guest guest]

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.

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

What are EFAs?

 

ashtanga yoga [ashtangayoga]On

Behalf Of shannon smith

Friday, January 26, 2007 7:54 AM

ashtanga yoga

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 <powerfreak75 (AT) (DOT) co.uk> 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.

[Guest guest]

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

 

-

Gretchen Goel

ashtanga yoga

Friday, January 26, 2007 8:40 AM

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?

[Guest guest]

essential fatty acids

 

Ronald Stowell <rstowell (AT) stowellpc (DOT) net> wrote: What are EFAs?

 

 

ashtanga yoga [ashtangayoga]On

Behalf Of shannon smith

Friday, January 26, 2007 7:54 AM

ashtanga yoga

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 <powerfreak75 (AT) (DOT) co.uk> 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.

[Guest guest]

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.

 

 

-

"Stephen Hughes" <stphughes047 (AT) earthlink (DOT) net>

ashtanga yoga

Friday, January 26, 2007 2:00 PM

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

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

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

 

 

ashtanga yoga, "powerfreak75" <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.

>

[Guest guest]

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

 

 

-

Gretchen Goel

ashtanga yoga

Tuesday, January 30, 2007 10:38 AM

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

[Guest guest]

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 <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

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

"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

[Guest guest]

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

 

-

Annie Gurton

ashtanga yoga

Tuesday, January 30, 2007 4:47 AM

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.

 

-

"Stephen Hughes" <stphughes047 (AT) earthlink (DOT) net>

ashtanga yoga

Friday, January 26, 2007 2:00 PM

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

[Guest guest]

Tom:

 

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

 

Tom, you see the light!

 

Namaste'

 

Stephen

[Guest guest]

i teach ashtanga full time as a 1on1 teacher, but decided to cut down

and move into another field.

also slowed down on my own practice, if my body wants to stay in a

pose for an extra 3 or 5 breaths then so be it. no pushing!

everything is very 'organic'.

 

going to look for cod liver oil supplement + glucosamine.

 

thanks for all the great advice and help.

 

thomas

 

 

 

ashtanga yoga, shannon smith <yogalu wrote:

>

> essential fatty acids

>

> Ronald Stowell <rstowell

wrote: What are EFAs?

>

>

> ashtanga yoga

[ashtangayoga]On

> Behalf Of shannon smith

> Friday, January 26, 2007 7:54 AM

> ashtanga yoga

> 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 <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.

>

[passionate_freak 1]

Whole world is crazy about Yoga. But it has been up to the physical fitness only. Yoga has immense potentials if done in order and exactly the way it was introduced. I've met a person who learnt Kundalini yoga infront of his/her Gurudeva. The white crystal rosary around the neck of yoga instructor would burn during the practice of some postures n pranayams. The teacher used to wear the rosary to keep his body cool.

No time is needed to get the perfection if under the guidance of capable Guru. We need nothing but a true loving heart...blank totally...no thing inside.

All, yes all so called Gurus are BEgger themselves, what they'd give us??? So my friend I suggest you to not teach anything like that but keep on your practice and search for the real one.

 

dare to watch your own entity first.