ashtanga yoga overstretching joints with yoga? (newbie question)

October 18, 2003

Well, though I would not consider myself in any way an expert on

physiology, I would like to offer my anecdotal incident that convinced

me of the muscle and joint strengthening power of Ashtanga.

5 years ago after 8 months of modified Ashtanga practice, I tripped and

fell down a flight of stairs face first. I caught myself with my arms.

It was like taking a dive 7 feet down an incline onto a concrete

landing. I was amazed that I had only a small bruise on my nose where

I hit the guard rail. I feel pretty strongly that it was because of

the hundreds of shoulder and arm strengthening sun salutations that I

was able to absorb the impact. (please don't try this at home!)

What I have learned from my practice is that it is the opposite of a

competition, with yourself or anyone else. Go at it gently, and

consistently and don't ever force anything. You will know when

something is too much for you. It is not about stretching yourself more

than is necessary to look a certain way.

I took a class with Sharon Moon a few years ago. She is incredible!

She started practicing ashtanga after a back injury and is now an

amazing teacher, in her 50s I believe.

I hope that you give it a try. It changed my life and I can't think of

anything that has ever made me feel so good. I wish I had tried it when

I was 22!

namaste-

Kelly

On Saturday, October 18, 2003, at 08:16 AM, Mettania wrote:

> Hi everyone.

> I'm very new to yoga, in fact I havent even had my first lesson yet.

> I've found a great yogaschool and booked my introcourse, but there

> are a few doubts in my mind, that I was hoping you lot could help me

> dispell.

>

> The thing is, Ive been quite into martial arts for the past many

> years, more specifically the noble art of aikido. And while Ive

> enjoyed my time as a martial artist, I find its time to move on to

> more calming challenges, that wont have me aching all over. (Im 22

> and can at times hardly get out of bed due to backpain, which is just

> plain wrong!).

>

> I've spent the past week or so, digging up info on the net about this

> wonderful thing called Astanga, that seems to meet my requirements

> for a tough physical workout, combined with de-stressing. And boy do

> those ppl on the pictures look good. Wouldnt mind having a body as

> strong as theirs, just as I admire the amount of control they have

> gained over their limbs.

>

> Through all my reading though, there is still one question left

> unanswered, and that concerns joints. I've read, that during yoga, a

> substance is secreted in the joints, whereby these are "oiled" so to

> speak and therefor work better and smoother. This is all well and

> good.

> But what about overstretching. My aikido sensei once told me, that

> those ppl who practice yoga, often stretch their ligaments too far,

> thus making them less capable of pulling the joint back into

> position, incresing the risk of a fracture due to overstretching. He

> told me, that the role of the ligaments inside your joints (or around

> them, if we must be anatomically correct) is to hold the joints

> together, making sure you can only bend so far, and looking it like

> that, its easy to understand why the rigorous stretching and

> limberness attained through yoga could be seen as less than

> beneficial.

>

> What I want to know, is whether or not there is any truth to this.

> Should I worry wbout the strength of my joints when I take my yoga-

> class? Will the increased flexibilty eventually turn into arthritis?

> And as an added bonus, I would be very grateful, if anyone could

> assure me, that yes, yoga will be excellent for my back, and that I

> have nothing to worry about in the department. I do not have a

> clinical back-problem. Its more due to stress and too many bad break-

> falls during aikido I think.

>

> Thanks to anyone who actually read all of the above, and even more so

> to those who takes the time to help this doubtful newbie.

>

> Happy practice all, from Mette

>

<image.tiff>

>

> ashtanga yoga

>

October 19, 2003

Heh!!

Hi Mette its funny, most people doing ashtanga would complain that they

can¹t get as far as they wish they could in a given posture!!!! I wouldn¹t

worry too much about becoming TOO lithe. Don¹t forget, from a purely

physical aspect, ashtanga is about STRENGTH and STRETCHING. You¹ll be

amazed at the amount of strength you will aquire its strength through

mobility, not the tight kind of bulky weight-lifting strength. The beauty

of the ashtanga system is that it creates a healthy balance between strength

and mobility.

Just jump in and try what have you got to lose?!!

Prima

On 18/10/03 2:16 pm, "Mettania" <mettania wrote: