Haven't had the nerve to post this video but Claudia just came out with her back problem (mine seems to be in the same place as hers)and perhaps seeing the back loosen up a little through the modified Sury's might be helpful to others.
I've mentioned off and on that I've had a little trouble with my back this year, old old work injury plays up in the colder weather, it started last winter but this time stuck around all year.
It got so bad in the mornings this winter that I had to wait until around 11am before I could practice forcing me to switch my Ashtanga practice to the evenings (when it's fine see the video's I've posted this month of the deep Kapo's Dwi pada etc. go figure) and do a heavily adapted Vinyasa Krama and Pranayama practice in the morning.
Last week I bought a new mattress (M. said the last one had become like a hammock) and just like that my back seems to be clearing up such that Ive been able to practice full Primary or 2nd series at 6am again
Invest in a decent mattress, worth EVERY penny, was love at first recline.
I went for Silentnight Miracoil3 with memory foam
I've mentioned off and on that I've had a little trouble with my back this year, old old work injury plays up in the colder weather, it started last winter but this time stuck around all year.
It got so bad in the mornings this winter that I had to wait until around 11am before I could practice forcing me to switch my Ashtanga practice to the evenings (when it's fine see the video's I've posted this month of the deep Kapo's Dwi pada etc. go figure) and do a heavily adapted Vinyasa Krama and Pranayama practice in the morning.
Last week I bought a new mattress (M. said the last one had become like a hammock) and just like that my back seems to be clearing up such that Ive been able to practice full Primary or 2nd series at 6am again
Invest in a decent mattress, worth EVERY penny, was love at first recline.
I went for Silentnight Miracoil3 with memory foam
Anyway, here's the video from the other week, five Sury A's and B's The first couple you can see I can't bend past my knees and I'm in a lot of pain, I step back and forward until the 3rd one when I can begin to jump tentitvely and use Utkatasana to come up to standing even in Sury A. By the end the last Sury B I'm beginning to be able to float a little again and usually by the end of Standing I would feel, what 90%. Watching it now it's like seeing the years drop away with each Sury.
Since getting the new mattress the only modification I tend to need now is to step back for the first couple but then I'd probably recommend that anyway.
It's a long video, you might want to just skip forward after the first few modifications and see how they get easier as I go along.
5 comments:
Thanks for posting. The way you start of is the exact same way i am starting of, pretty painful.
I have been using the thought of "ironing out" the area as I do trini look up chatuary excel in the first surya...
On the second suria though I have to modify how the right leg comes to the front, it sort of has to do a semi-cirle, outside of the mat, because the pain does not allow it.
Started to read the book recommended by David G... this doctor thinks the pain is really triggered by emotions... same approach as Guruji, do your practice, work through it. I am tempted to get on the mat today even though the pain seems to have moved to the neck now... to just keep "ironing things out"
Appreciate the post, dont feel so alone now :-) Hope you get really well and that this pain vanishes soon for you too!
Hey Grimm,
I've had back problems too and found it helpful to modify the way I practice Suryas such that I lower the arms to my sides before I fold and stand with the arms at my sides before I lift them overhead. Not sure if that makes any sense, but I think I picked it up watching Laruga. It really does reduce the strain on my back in the mornings.
Talk of mattresses is making me want to crawl back under the covers. Been sleeping on the same cheap foam mattress for years. I wonder if it isn't time to treat myself to a real bed.
I start off the same way, and enjoy stepping back/forward as it feels to me more of a meditative and flowing vinyasa than the jump back. In addition, I often will hold myself in an extended-arm chataranga, rather than lowering to the floor, as I find it is easier on my early-morning shoulders. Essentially, I see these modifications of mine to be long term and sustaining, as I found from experience that the jumpings can cause more harm to me than benefit. Once I'm warmed up, only then do I introduce the jump backs.
Anon, there's a nice Sun salutation with mantras you might like, you stay in each stage for the length of time it takes to chant the mantra. Kino still recommend sstepping back for the first couple even in her 3rd series DVD
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/srivatsa-ramaswamis-complete-book-of.html
hi Claudia, find i really milk the Surys now where before I used to want to rush through them to get to the good stuff. yes yes, ironing out in trini : )
hi megan, do you mean outstretched to the sides or down to the sides. Ramaswami has a nice lead in to forward bend where you stretch the arms out to the side and bend half way down, still do that in my ten minute pre Sury VK warm up.
Get yourself a decent mattress Megan and I highly recommend part memory foam or perhaps a mattress topper, so so good for the back, still excited about my new bed, what two weeks later. Seems an expense but it's worth it.
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