Reply to "sore back after practice" and "off the mat"

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> Wed, 3 Sep 2003 09:27:06 -0700 (PDT)

> Paul Smith <paulsmith_0722

>Sore back after the practice

>I am practicing Ashtanga Primary series since the past three months and I

have noticed that during my practice my back is >absolutely fine; neither I

feel the pain nor soreness. After sometime of completing the practice, I

have a sore feeling in the lower >back. I feel it when I bend or twist my

back during the day.

>Is it quiet common to have this sore feeling in the beginning of practice?

Or am I doing something wrong!?

>If any knowledgable and experienced persons could address my concern, it

would be of great help.

 

 

Imho, there are many reasons for a sore back after practice, and

possibilities include:

1 - are you engaging your bandhas as much as possible throughout the

practice? (esp. mulabandha?)

2 - in twisting asanas, are you twisting from the pelvis/hips, or in the

waist? If you twist in the pelvis and hips, you'll pull on your sacroiliac

joint and that can cause lower back pain.

3 - as written by someone else, are you doing backbends in the finishing

sequence, and if so, are you keeping mulabandha engaged and not letting your

knees come way apart? The back needs a lot of support in backbends.

 

There are other reasons, but those are three I just thought of... I had

much right S-I joint/buttock pain a few years ago and I discovered it was

from too much belly breathing (ie., not keeping the bandhas engaged) in

combination with twisting from my pelvis/hips... bad combination. Once I

engaged my bandhas and twisted from the waist (below the rib cage and above

the hipbones), all the pain went away.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

>Message: 4

> Wed, 3 Sep 2003 14:11:55 -0500

> "Malloy's" <handlmalloy

>off the mat

>I am a self taught Ashtanga student of 6 years, no teachers in North

Dakota. I have a question about were I land after >jumpthroughs. I always

seem to land off my mat ahead by about a shins lenght. Is this normal?

>Namaste',

>Lori

 

Lori- where are your hands when you jump through? At the top of your mat,

right? Do you land with your buttocks on the floor between your hands? If

so, your knees/calves will probably be off the front of the mat. Is that

what you mean? If so, seems like you're doing it fine to me.