Sore Back after practice

[Guest guest]

Paul:

 

Are you doing all of the finishing postures after your practice? And,

specifically, are you doing urdhva dhanurasana (wheel)? I don't know how much of

the

series you're doing, but as you know the primary series consists of LOTS of

forward bends. Urdhva dhanurasana is an important counter pose to all those

forward bends. (Purvatanasana, which comes earlier in the series, may also count

as a mild backbend. I'm not sure. Someone else might want to clarify whether it

counts as a mild backbend.) But either way, make sure you incorporate three

backbends into your closing sequence. It is possible your back is feeling a bit

strained from all the forward bending if you aren't giving it a good counter

stretch.

[Guest guest]

I was under the impression that urdhva danurasana was the last pose

of primary series as preparation for back bends-- not the first pose

of the finishing poses. It doesn't appear in Yoga Mala. I don't

practice it because I stop at the pose I can't do which is either

Marichy D or Supta Kurmasana depending on how much ice cream I've

been eating. At which point I go to Sarvangasana to begin finishing

poses. In Mysore, I didn't see anyone who was sent upstairs

beginning their finishing poses with Danurasana. It sounds logical

to throw it in at the end of a bunch of forward bends, but not sure

that it is correct method...? I am curious because I have a sore

back after practice on one side and back bends do seem to help to

some degree. I think my problem is likely a structural flaw...

ashtanga yoga, asawrt@a... wrote:

> Paul:

>

> Are you doing all of the finishing postures after your practice?

And,

> specifically, are you doing urdhva dhanurasana (wheel)? I don't

know how much of the

> series you're doing, but as you know the primary series consists

of LOTS of

> forward bends. Urdhva dhanurasana is an important counter pose to

all those

> forward bends. (Purvatanasana, which comes earlier in the series,

may also count

> as a mild backbend. I'm not sure. Someone else might want to

clarify whether it

> counts as a mild backbend.) But either way, make sure you

incorporate three

> backbends into your closing sequence. It is possible your back is

feeling a bit

> strained from all the forward bending if you aren't giving it a

good counter

> stretch.