tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post6648930068899756883..comments2023-11-28T14:12:34.789+11:00Comments on The Itinerant Yogini: In search of a balanced practice, and why the Ashtanga Primary series isn't one (for me)Yogini Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-40828267519100410672015-03-02T16:35:10.040+11:002015-03-02T16:35:10.040+11:00Great post, but the funny thing is that the graphi...Great post, but the funny thing is that the graphic accompanying it is actually 2nd Series, not Primary. (And I'd actually argue that 2nd, while difficult in spots, is much better balanced than primary)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-3449757462538540532013-04-06T07:06:00.161+11:002013-04-06T07:06:00.161+11:00Thanks for the comment Bea! It sounds like you hav...Thanks for the comment Bea! It sounds like you have found a yoga that is more suited for you - yay!Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-30730030483936375732013-04-06T07:04:59.238+11:002013-04-06T07:04:59.238+11:00Hi Justin - thanks for the comment! While it would...Hi Justin - thanks for the comment! While it would always be best for you to see a qualified yoga therapist in person, it sounds like you might have a pinched nerve somewhere, possibly around the piriformis. You can try doing this sequence for relieving sciatica symptoms and see if that helps: http://yogagypsy.blogspot.com/2012/05/therapeutic-yoga-stretches-for-sciatica.html. If it does, try doing it twice a day for a week or so and then build back to a stronger practice but making sure to include a wider variety of poses like lunges, bridge pose, table pose (with feet on the ground and knees bent, to start) etc. Hope that helps!<br /><br />Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-1721030277346962682013-04-04T16:26:06.296+11:002013-04-04T16:26:06.296+11:00Thanks for the article. I think I am one of the un...Thanks for the article. I think I am one of the unlucky ones who has over developed (from primary series) the hip muscles, causing either weak glute or SI joint. Now, I am having tingling down the leg and toe area on one side.<br />To my surprise, I can't do table pose, or reverse plank since having this problem.<br />My question to the wise yogi/yogini here. Can you share your experience on how to undo this? Now I am suspending primary, and do some glute strengthening and others, no hip opening and forward bends.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08770561986218673538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-84340996313059000802012-12-30T07:37:56.676+11:002012-12-30T07:37:56.676+11:00Thanks for this after some years of going up to Na...Thanks for this after some years of going up to Navasana then straight into wheel I have discovered camel/ cobra etc and my back feels so much better<br /><br />I totally agree about external rotators over developed and SI joint under strain as confirmed by my physio and since doing a wider variety of poses by my own body. I have also relaxed the bandhas which is helping my insides feel less pushed in<br /><br />cheers BeaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-52612094149839494122012-10-31T13:36:14.079+11:002012-10-31T13:36:14.079+11:00Hi Sarah, no, you aren't alone! However there ...Hi Sarah, no, you aren't alone! However there are lots of great asanas and stretches that you can do to help you even out these imbalances. Stay tuned to the blog, I will be writing a post about some of these poses soon.Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-33578639703487233742012-10-31T13:29:20.163+11:002012-10-31T13:29:20.163+11:00Thanks for reading and commenting! While this is c...Thanks for reading and commenting! While this is certainly not everyone's experience, these issues do seem to affect a lot of people!Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-39090151498622491132012-10-31T13:24:29.710+11:002012-10-31T13:24:29.710+11:00It's funny because I've never really thoug...It's funny because I've never really thought about it until reading that great post yesterday, but you can see how it might get a bit unhealthy.Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-70425555318109929902012-10-31T13:23:06.779+11:002012-10-31T13:23:06.779+11:00Thanks Annina, I agree: Primary is a beautiful seq...Thanks Annina, I agree: Primary is a beautiful sequence and a great way to build strength, flexibility and body/breath awareness. I still enjoy the practice - but I know now how to balance the effects of Primary on my body with other asanas and activities.Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-3523592569251843722012-10-31T13:20:52.257+11:002012-10-31T13:20:52.257+11:00Hi Shanna, thanks for the comment. You are totally...Hi Shanna, thanks for the comment. You are totally right to call me out on the generalisations in my post. Primary does indeed open the front body and open the hips. I will rewrite some of the language in my original post to reflect that.<br /><br />However, I stand by the point I was trying to make, which is that the Primary series of asanas has _relatively_ more forward bending than backbending, and so the back muscles get stretched relatively more often than contracted. The same applies with the shoulders: the pecs and deltoids get relatively more contraction and less stretching, while the rhomboids and rotator cuffs get relatively less contraction. This can lead to a forward-hunching posture as the strong muscles in the front pull the shoulders forward and down. In terms of hip opening, Primary has lots of flexion and external rotation of the hip, but relatively less extension and internal rotation. One consequence of this is that the psoas and the external hip rotators get a lot of contraction but relatively less stretching - which in some people, like me, can lead to a relatively tighter psoas and piriformis, and lead to some issues with the SI joint and sciatica. In others, this same combination can lead to very strong quads but weaker flexors around the knee, which can also lead to instability and injury. <br /><br />Your comment also leads me to another reflection, which is that everyone's body is different and it's quite probable that for some people, Primary is in fact totally balancing to their body's preexisting imbalances! Unfortunately for me, it was the other way around. <br /><br />Of course, none of this means that everyone who practice Primary for a long period of time will experience these issues, nor would they "only" affect people who practice Ashtanga yoga. Many of these points apply equally to other forms of Vinyasa-based yoga. The difference (for me) is that if practicing other yoga, one has more freedom, both as a teacher and a student, to add postures that counterbalance the above issues if you experience them.Yogini Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787351711548823249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-83761995018383486742012-10-31T09:55:28.583+11:002012-10-31T09:55:28.583+11:00Nice post.
I have also found that the primary ser...Nice post.<br /><br />I have also found that the primary series over developed my chest relative to my upper back, which is not helpful for my posture. It also seems to me like all the jumping back and through really exacerbates my neck and upper back tension. Good to know I'm not alone!Sarahnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-72357012618003134772012-10-31T05:41:41.488+11:002012-10-31T05:41:41.488+11:00So you are saying the 12 backbends I do at the end...So you are saying the 12 backbends I do at the end of my practice and all the up dogs I do between all my poses don't open my front body and that all the full and half lotuses, wide leg straddles, big toe poses and Cobbler pose variations I do don't open up my hips? So only Ashtangi's get shoulder injuries? That is interesting, in my 11 years of practicing and teaching, I rarely see a shoulder injury Hmmm...Maybe I am at the wrong studio or something...That is interesting......<br /><br />Anywho, I am not saying that staying in Primary is the best thing in the world but I am saying that your information may not be that correct.Shannahttp://www.wellnessfrominside.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-80467143588780075602012-10-31T04:12:20.319+11:002012-10-31T04:12:20.319+11:00Well put and very well written. I also arrived at ...Well put and very well written. I also arrived at these findings at which time I stopped practing ashtanga and switched to a different and balanced practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-33749578529920422722012-10-30T21:01:51.549+11:002012-10-30T21:01:51.549+11:00this was a super interesting post! I also don'...this was a super interesting post! I also don't like the word "given"...Eco Yoginihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10693080137196812405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820442653366529983.post-14097228509546704602012-10-30T20:54:01.289+11:002012-10-30T20:54:01.289+11:00I agree. I practice full Primary in class and what...I agree. I practice full Primary in class and whatever else I feel like at home... However, I think the Primary Series is a very good starting point for people and other asanas can be added to it easily. Anninahttp://yogannina.tumblr.comnoreply@blogger.com