14 Jun 2011

My body, my style, and a bit of krama

So with new developments on the hip and knee front I have decided to buckle down and rehabilitate. Have always pretty much stuck with a relatively traditional practice but now, it just wouldn't be yoga to plough my way through. After all, what is yoga? Asana are to keep the body strong, supple and running smoothly biologically and energetically. I can still practice Ashtanga in the true sense of the eight limbs. 

Don't think I realised quite how much boarding both on snow and in sea kept my legs and hips strong and stable. Now all the weirdness in my practice over the years has come into focus. I thought my clonks and aches were just normal, that everyone had this. Seems that I was doing it right by the extra leg work exercise.  There will be no body boarding this year, so it's gonna be all down to my asana practice to get my strength back.

Right now I need some maintenance work. Am sticking with a intermediate framework. Lots of standing poses, especially work on gluteus medius and minimus, to keep that trochanter where it should be. Have found the one legged toes holds for extended periods and eagle pose are reaching the parts that need working on. Then am using the Krama, thanks to inspiration from Grimmly, sequencing for locust poses, the Bow Pose Sequence. Not a world away from Jois ashtanga, just a lot more build up and repetition, and sequenced very diferently, really working on and into the core of key asana. Can really feel that this yoga came from the same source so still feel like I am being true to my ashtanga roots.  Shall also work on the arm balances, and back bending.  Leaving of the leg behind head poses and tittibhasana well alone for a while, until I've stabilised my hips and the knee pain is gone.

Am actually quite excited.  Today's pincha mayurasana was great, even getting nearer vrishchikasana.  Mayurasana is a way off but shall work on that.  Back bends were also good, keeping legs grounded and strong.  Am feeling today's practice in all the right places.  Lotus will be off the menu for a little while, as will most bent knee asana but there is so much more out there.  This is fun, was so stuck in my regular practice, attached to the desire to complete intermediate series. It's actually rather refreshing to let go, and walk down a different road for a little while.  May even try to blog a little more...

1 comment:

  1. Felt sure I posted a comment on this, blogger must have eaten it. Think I just wished you good luck with the Vinyasa krama.
    I find keeping the standing and finishing section pretty much the same (except for the odd variation or two) and just switching the main sequence suits the Ashtangi in me better, less of a dramatic change.

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