Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11a Part 11b Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15a Part 15b Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21a Part 21b Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26a Part 26b Part 27 Parts 28, 29 and 30 Part 32 Part 33 Part 34
I'm having fun doing this series of posts, especially now that I can use the blog itself as a resource to help my memory, nice to look back at the early posts. I was just looking through the second month of posting (Aug 08) and surprised at some of the things I was working on. There's a post on two accidents, dropping back....on to my head and falling backwards in Karandavasana while in lotus. http://tinyurl.com/c55nq8 I remember trying the dropback onto cushions and finally to the floor and managed it first time. I tried it again a couple of days later and ended up on my head. I decided to leave it alone and work on improving my Urdhva Dhanurasana.
This was a good time for my practice, I work 9:30-5:30 and am only fifteen minutes away by bike from my workshop. I'm able to get up and do a full Primary or Intermediate in the morning without rushing, and when I get home I can take an hour or so to work on some extras. Extras then, were mainly the Jump back and the Press to handstand (Still, STILL can't do that ). Now I might work on some Dropbacks, Karandavasana, That ruddy crocodile, Mayurasana. Asana's that don't need a lot of warm up. Strength based poses are especially good, Karandavasana in the middle of Intermediate is exhausting (see yesterday's post) and it's hard to focus on the technique but practice it on it's own when your feeling stronger and you can think more about what it is your doing.
Sometimes I feel almost guilty that I'm able to practice so freely. I know many have to try to fit their practice around family commitments, Jobs with long hours or long commutes. I'm lucky to be able to practice like this and the progress I've made is probably more a reflection of this than anything else. It's not just that I was able to devote myself to the practice, but also that I had the time to work on this Blog and use it to reflect on my practice. I was able to take Jump back clips from all my DVDs, break them down into screenshots and turn them into slideshows (half way down in the right hand column of this page). Such a great exercise and something I still do now, with Karandavasana for example. I'd break down my own Jump back as well as Kino's say, and run the two slide shows side by side and try to work out what she or Lino or Sharath where doing right that I wasn't.
Sharath's Jump back
Mine, Aug 08
But this all kind of begs the question. Why, if I had all this time and passion for the practice, didn't I go to a Shala with a teacher, rather than practicing alone at home. Well I did, I went twice the following month in September 08.
NEXT: First visit to a Shala
I'm having fun doing this series of posts, especially now that I can use the blog itself as a resource to help my memory, nice to look back at the early posts. I was just looking through the second month of posting (Aug 08) and surprised at some of the things I was working on. There's a post on two accidents, dropping back....on to my head and falling backwards in Karandavasana while in lotus. http://tinyurl.com/c55nq8 I remember trying the dropback onto cushions and finally to the floor and managed it first time. I tried it again a couple of days later and ended up on my head. I decided to leave it alone and work on improving my Urdhva Dhanurasana.
This was a good time for my practice, I work 9:30-5:30 and am only fifteen minutes away by bike from my workshop. I'm able to get up and do a full Primary or Intermediate in the morning without rushing, and when I get home I can take an hour or so to work on some extras. Extras then, were mainly the Jump back and the Press to handstand (Still, STILL can't do that ). Now I might work on some Dropbacks, Karandavasana, That ruddy crocodile, Mayurasana. Asana's that don't need a lot of warm up. Strength based poses are especially good, Karandavasana in the middle of Intermediate is exhausting (see yesterday's post) and it's hard to focus on the technique but practice it on it's own when your feeling stronger and you can think more about what it is your doing.
Sometimes I feel almost guilty that I'm able to practice so freely. I know many have to try to fit their practice around family commitments, Jobs with long hours or long commutes. I'm lucky to be able to practice like this and the progress I've made is probably more a reflection of this than anything else. It's not just that I was able to devote myself to the practice, but also that I had the time to work on this Blog and use it to reflect on my practice. I was able to take Jump back clips from all my DVDs, break them down into screenshots and turn them into slideshows (half way down in the right hand column of this page). Such a great exercise and something I still do now, with Karandavasana for example. I'd break down my own Jump back as well as Kino's say, and run the two slide shows side by side and try to work out what she or Lino or Sharath where doing right that I wasn't.
Sharath's Jump back
Mine, Aug 08
But this all kind of begs the question. Why, if I had all this time and passion for the practice, didn't I go to a Shala with a teacher, rather than practicing alone at home. Well I did, I went twice the following month in September 08.
NEXT: First visit to a Shala
7 comments:
Really? Dropbacks in your list of poses that don't require much warm-up? Is that a typo?
Hi Karen. I wouldn't have put it in that list until Susan convinced me a few months ago that backbends can be done anytime any place anywhere.... I'll do five minutes warm-up maybe,a couple of UD's first perhaps, and/or some of those Venkatesh backbends/leanbacks that have been doing the rounds lately thanks to Boodiba, or a couple of Sweeney drop backs to the wall but then it's straight in. Once you get over the fear thing I think they are fine.
Karen's comment is cracking me up... I'm a little fearful of the no-warm-up drop back too.
Susan is NOT NORMAL... she is super backbender woman!!
Grimmly, you've got ballet dancer feet! What flexy high insteps and long tarsals! Very pretty.
Voilà something else you don't hear every day, right? Ha ha, I've got long tarsal envy. I always joke that my feet are like little squares: only as long as they are wide.
No that would be the first time, am blushing now. Thank you Joy : )
Ah ha, here's where it all started!!
It's often been said I'm not normal.. haha..
Anyway, for the record:
Hanging back any time = good
Dropping back cold = bad (for me at least, and as a teacher I wouldn't recommend it in general)
That said, dropping back after some hangback variations, which is what you say you do, I think I would find OK.. it doesn't take much to warm up.. I think it's good to get over the idea that you need a whole series first. I just never have the urge to take it that far outside practice.
To put the record straight, I think I misrepresented Susan by saying she convinced me that you can do dropbacks anytime , anyplace, anywhere. I remember somebody saying that, and how they dropped back to their photocopier (anyone remember writing this) at work and associated it with Susan, her being so flexible an all.
So sorry Susan
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