jump throughs

[Guest guest]

just thought I'd ask...how do you get better at

the jump throughs? I've never seen anything like that

in yoga, and to tell you the truth, i'm kinda scared

to try it (i have this image of me doing one and

killing myself!). the other thing is... is it normal for

me to be sore? i mean, it's not excruciating pain,

but i'm pretty sore. i think it's a good sore though

(the kind that hurts but you like it). well, that's

all i had to ask. oh--i have knee problems (a few

years ago i had a complete anterior cruciate ligament

reconstruction--a very MAJOR ligament in your knee) and my doctor

told me that in my yoga practice i should alter the

half lotus on that side, push myself till i am

STARTING to feel it, but no more, and if it hurts, put on

a thin brace (a BRACE...not a wrap). just thought

you might want to know about knee stuff from what my

orthopaedic surgeon said! have a good

day!<br><br>namaste,<br><br>lauren

[Guest guest]

the david swenson book has two segements on how

to do the vinyasas. i would encourage reading them.

he points out, as have some of the most experienced

posters here, that doing full jump throughs and take it

ups are fairly advanced. to do them correctly

requires significant abdominal, back and shoulder girdle

strength. so advance to them gradually. i tweaked something

in my left lower back trying to float my legs up to

standing from down dog. i wasn't ready for that kind of

movement strengthwise or technique wise. doing the

vinyasas exponentially increases the exertion of the

practice. it takes a while to get the endurance to get

through the whole primary series at any level of

technique, much less adding in the vinyasas. so go into it

with an accepting mind, be happy with what you can do

now, try to do more each time and don't expect to be

able to do what the more experienced folks in class

can do. most instructors can show you optional

vinyasas that will gradually get you farther towards doing

the full vinyasas. enjoy the ride

[Guest guest]

Jane MacMullen showed me a great way to build

strength for jump through's. PLace your hands on blocks or

anything 3-8" thick - whatever you need - in adho mukha

svanasana (down dog). Jump through focusing on jumping your

hips UP rather than getting your feet through. Don't

let your feet touch or set your hips down until your

legs are extended out fully in front of you. Hold your

body up for at least one breath and work your way up

to more breaths as you gradually lower the height of

the blocks or books or whatever you are

using.<br><br>Be sure to press your hands fully and firmly into

the ground when you jump through to avoid shoulder

injury.<br><br>Also, try sitting in Dandasana and press your body off

of the ground with your legs remaining extended in

front of you (without any blocks or books) Try holding

this position for one breath, then two, three,

etc.<br><br>You can also elevate your hands on blocks or books to

practice jump-backs into chaturanga (sp?) and get the feel

for swinging your hips up and back.<br><br>In the

Navasana vinyasa you must lift yourself off of the ground

for one breath between each five navasana. This pose

will also help develop strength.<br><br>I'm not a big

block fan but in this case they are great.

[Guest guest]

What does "take it up" mean?<br><br>I keep seeing this expression and have never

seen it explained.<br><br>Thanks<br><br>Dave

[Guest guest]

I'll be interested to see some replys by more

experienced practioners on this subject. As for myself I

found that as far as bringing my legs through to a

seated position that started happening when I gave up my

fear of trying them. And although they are far from

perfect they are improving. As for jump backs, I too have

struggled and did time rolling over my knees etc. However,

I found that by practicing lift offs and building

the strength that way I have recently been able to

get get my legs back in the direction of a jump back.

Again, they are not picture perfect and they have a long

way to go. But they are coming.<br><br>To your point

no one has ever come up to me and tried to correct

them or improve upon them. Not in any of the workshops

or classes I've attended. I have heard that David

Swenson spends some time on them in his workshops

however.<br><br>And as you pointed out, bandhas, breath, movement.

Very important. Also, David Swensons practice manual

has a very good explanation and description on

achieving jump throughs and jump backs.<br><br>ishogun

[Guest guest]

Funny you should bring this up, this week I found

myself ready to try transitioning from the rollover

group into the jump-back group, and I've got scratches

all over my wrists to prove it (ragged toenails,

too). This is what I'm doing and so far no one has

tried to stop me:<br>1. Sit up, try to lift feet off

ground in lolasana (doesn't work too good, but it's the

effort that counts)<br>2. Try to swing feet back a

couple of times (which means they just bump on the

ground)<br>3. Wiggle feet through and then kick back like a

motherf*cker (usually landing on knees)<br>5. Chaturanga with

a smile!<br>As Samuel Beckett said, "Try again.

Fail again. Fail better."

[Guest guest]

What has worked for me is remembering to stay

connected to slow, even breathing, keeping palms flat on

the floor and increased repetitions to increase

bandha strength. That means that I always do the vinyasa

between sides in a pose -- even if the teacher is simply

instructing students to just "change sides."

[Guest guest]

I'm glad to see this question because I'm pretty

new to Ashtanga myself and jump throughs are

difficult for me too. I did Iyengar yoga for years, so none

of the asanas in the primary series are very

difficult for me. Its the vinyasa that kills me. I'm just

jumping through like a big lumpy sack of potatoes and

trying to bring mindfulness to the move in hopes that it

will get better. I practice a lot at home, its less

embarassing that way. More experienced people have told me

that practicing every day is the only way. Maybe all

those in-betweeners like me are taking the easy way out

in class and practicing furiously at home.

[Guest guest]

I have found that in addition to engaging the

bandhas and lifting with flat hands and spread fingers,

flexed feet make a tremendous difference. My wrists are

no longer sore and scraped. <br><br>My jump throughs

happened after an instructor noticed that I was lifting my

hips high, and then bringing my feet towards my hands.

This action enabled me to land perfectly on my feet,

but not jump through. He coached me to begin moving

my feet through my hands as I lifted my hips. And

voila, by day's end I actually jumped through. And,

although it looks anatomically impossible, you've got to

believe. <br><br>Hope it's helpful.