Guest guest Posted April 22, 2001 Report Share Posted April 22, 2001 Does anyone know an AWESOME stretch for hamstrings? My hamstrings are so open that I feel nothing in them during the entire primary series (I just started in October, so I'm only on the first series). I'm one of the only people in class that can get my heels all the way down in adho mukha (I can do this on the first one...a few people can do it by the last set)...when we do supta hasta padangustasana (I think that's the full name, right?), my leg is just lying on the floor over to the side, and the teacher has started pressing my leg slightly to the side at the end (when you drop your head to the ground and pull your leg in with both hands). So she deepens my groin crease and my foot touches the floor right next to my head. I've decided that being hypermobile is sometimes a hindrence more than a blessing.<br><br>The other question I have is this: when we do parsvotanasana (I don't think I spelled that right), my front leg always tracks back and forth because it's 13' hyperextented...but I'm trying to keep it at 0! I don't want to push the hypermobility in my knees because that is TERRIBLE for them! <br><br>So, any advice oh fellow practitioners? Whatever you can come up with is greatly appreciated!<br><br>Hari Om,<br><br>Lauren<br>(the girl who is ENTHUSIASTIC--not obsessed--about yoga!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 22, 2001 Report Share Posted April 22, 2001 hi lauren. i can empathize with your overflexibilty problems b/c i have some myself. but, i have two suggestions for you to try: really engage moola banda during all the poses of the primary series and pull your hips back even when you are seated. this should bring the stretch into your upper hamstrings and you should really feel uddiyana pulling your lower abs in and straightening out your back. no matter how felxible you are, you can always work on flattening the back in the seated asanas of the primary series. the other thing you might like to try is really extending through your heels, almost to point where the backs of your knees are totally pressed into the floor and your toes are sort of pointing back towards your head. one other thing you could do is just reach your arms further around and grab your forearms instead of your wrists. i hope that helps.<br><br>om shanthi<br>--z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2001 Report Share Posted April 23, 2001 Hi Lauren,<br><br>My knees and arms overextend, too.<br>The advice I've been given is to pay extra attention to keeping all the bandhas, including lifting up your knees. With your hybermobility you'll probably find it rather easy to learn new asanas. However, it could be better not to progress too fast in your practice but instead allow your body some extra time to build up muscle to support your joints etc.<br><br>Good luck with your practice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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