Jump back Coordination: Ujjayi and uddiyana

Have been working on Coordination in my jump back the last week or so. Had a really bad practice (see post My jump back Stinks ) where everything felt so uncoordinated that I started to think that better coordination might be where it's at.

So many things to think about in the jump back. There's the hand position, pulling the knees up, feet in, tucking in the pubic bone, trying not to over round the back, lifting sternum, engaging the bandhas, timing the breath...

Think I began to get it right in this mornings practice. The main thing seems to be timing the breath and the bandhas with the lift. This is what worked for me this morning.

Before jumping back I always lift my legs up into Navasana, inhaling, (Just became a habit that's probably good for the core, but I find it just helps to realign and focus me). Now beginning to exhale bring the Legs back, knees to chest, feet crossed and tucked in close to my backside. Lift sternum, bend the head foreword and now as your running out of breath start to engage moolah bandhas (seems to be easier at the end of the exhale), start setting up uddiyana bandha sucking in the stomach and lifting up to the ribcage as if preparing for Nauli pranayama and trying to hook the two bandhas together while pushing out the very last of the breath. Place your hands in front of your hips and as you push down on your hands Inhale Ujjayi forcefully focusing on your uddiyana and lift up and before you reach the top of your lift begin pivoting at your shoulders, sternum forward, hips back, swinging yourself back through and up and kicking your legs out and back.

Notice the long exhale pushing out every last ounce of breath and as you engage Uddiyana there's almost a vacuum, your almost gasping for breath so when the Ujjayi inhale comes ,and because it's focused on/at uddiyana, there seems to be extra energy and focus to the lift. or perhaps because your so desperate for that breath and you've linked it to your bandhas so clearly there's much clearer focus and coordination and less lost action.

This seemed to come together at the end of my practice this morning and I managed to completely clear the mat for the first time all morning. Given that I should have been tired by this point and perhaps struggling a little I think it definitely helped.

Perhaps this seems a little too aggressive an approach but figure once you have the coordination nailed you'll be able to approach it less forcefully