'Binding the heels' is how Sweeney puts it, I kind of like that.Those bad boys be bound!
This was my 2ND Kapo, the first one had gone well, felt comfortable and on a whim I decided to do another and film it. I've been working on trying to keep my legs steeper and get more length in my back. I think you can see that in the video I'm using the trick I used with my drop back, pushing the thighs forward just below the buttocks.
The focus on breathing probably helped too, really trying to breath into the chest here. The Vinyasa Krama Tadasana back bend work has also helped, made me much more comfortable bending back and keeping control of the breath as opposed to pretty much just holding it.
It's hard to get too carried away, seen too many amazing Kapo's but this feels a bit of a breakthrough, and according to Sweeney I can now go on to the next asana, oops I kinda did already.
One more point to make for all the home Ashtangi's out there. This was managed without any assists. No pushing the arms in or holding the legs up, no taking of the hand and guiding it to the heels. I had begun to think that I might have gone about as far as I could without assistance, but no, you CAN do it on your own, without ropes, props or assists. Of course visiting a Shala and getting the assists might make it happen a little sooner but if there's not one around or it's not your thing then just practice and all is coming ..... didn't someone else say that?
15 comments:
Super!!!
Go Grimmly! Very exciting!! :-)
HEELS! Karen, I got HEELS! Fell flat on my face in Karanda but I got Heels.
"you CAN do it on your own"...your lips to god's ears. But really, it isn't true that everyone can do it. Some people will never be able to. You are quite talented, disciplined and unusually bendy!
Where were you when you started? I have been practicing for years, but still can't get my toes. My arms/shoulders just don't rotate like that. Were you pretty open in the shoulders, or did that take time to develop too?
Tara
Did I say anyone? too lazy to check. I'm sure Grilley would agree with you though that some just don't have the bones for it. Shoulders for example may just not rotate enough. And of course this is one of those asanas where you could probably do yourself some real injury and a teacher is no doubt a good idea to make sure your not overdoing it in the lumbar region say, most of my improvement here I think comes from the thoracic bend at the beginning. And of course many may not see the point of taking it this far. I was more than happy with just reaching my toes a while back but as it went on I ended up getting a bit further up my feet and heels look possible. Always liked the idea of grabbing the heels and being able to pull yourself in a little deeper. Makes a nice shape too
Tara, here's a link to a video Kapo progress post that goes back to dec 08
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.com/search/label/Kapotasana%20progress%20videos%20Dec%2008%20to%20Present
Was i open in the shoulders, I'm not sure.
Vinyasa krama uses a lot of hands in prayer behind the back, it's a nice variation and one you can often chuck in here and there in differnet poses, paschimotasana for example or in the parasita's perhaps it might help. I think often with Ashtanga it's a case of finding the nack. Sometimes it's a physical development, strength, flexibility etc but it seems also it's often a case of finding the right approach. Different teachers seem to have different focuses. Your teacher might focus on thoracic perhaps but another might say, hey try tilting you pelvis down a little and open the sit bones and that might make all the difference. For me as a home Ashtangi different DVD's, books and comments online have helped in just that way.
With the jump back i found that it has several different elements that you need to coordinate, and you need all those elements in place to achieve it. Trouble is nobody seems to tell you all of them. One teacher/commentator focuses on the bandhas as if that's all there is too it, another will talk about throwing yourself forward or Synching the breathe. I don't think this surprises us so much with the Jump back or karandavasana say, but I'm thinking more and more it's the same for every pose and especially for deepening a pose.
So one week you focus on getting more length in the back, another of curling the thoracic region more at the beginning. Another week you focus on the hip rotation and another on keeping the thighs steeper. Then there's time spent just focussing on the breath, getting the habit of breathing deep into the chest and the bandhas of course another week focusing on them to anchor it all. And then you have to work on bringing all those together and coordinating them.
Some practitioners have a bunch of those and a good flexible body to start with and they of course seem to get into a decent kapo easily the rest of us have to play with it, keep plugging away. Luckily for me practicing at home nobody is saying you can't progress until you've reached your heels or your toes, so rather than stressing out about it I'm able to just keep coming back to focussing on different poses or different aspects of a pose.
Grimmly is most talented. Hahahaha.
This is true.
He wants to do a pose and he does it. That's all. wink.
... and committed and disciplined, and he is studying the poses and he is practicing very often.
This adds up.
To blame only the talent is not fair.
Ursula
Heels! :-)
Someone on the ezBoard said that this pose is about millimeters, and indeed, that's true. Millimeter by millimeter by millimeter...
hi Grimmly
that is just plain beautiful. i think you're becoming my Teacher.
cheers,
Arturo
thanks guys, must admit to being proud of this one. need to work on consistency now and and a nice, smooth, flowing entrance.
NICE!!!!
I remember the kapo picture you had up in the beginning with your profile.... Totally different shape. Seems from memory that the difference is mostly in the hips getting forwards.... but whichever way, you've rocked it :)
Wow! Heels - so inspiring! I will be taking inspiration from the steepness too...those bad boys definitely be bound!
I'm speechless...
That's one damn fine Kapo, Grimmly. Nice work.
Why thank you Liz, aint it pretty. Sadly the following day was a little lame. Another day, another kapo!
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