Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Iyengar Yoga: sirsasan education

Home : Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Iyengar Yoga:
sirsasan education

pascal
Enthusiast

Dec 22, 2003, 7:49 AM

Post #1 of 4 (1860 views)
Shortcut

sirsasan education	Can't Post

i am in my 5th year of iyengar practice, and used until this summer to enter in sirsasan lifting my legs one after another, in july 2003, i decided to pull both of my legs straight at the same time, doing it slowly, controlling the lifting...ouch! Tongue

it was very difficult and i tried again and again, succeding but doing so much efforts on my back that i have beeing recently obliged to see a chiropractic to repair my back and stopped yoga for a week. what do you suggest for my sirsasan now? shall i use blanckets under my feet while i practice the approach of sirsasan and by this method elevate my legs to make the beguinning of the leglifting (the hardest part) more easy? or shall i do something else?
thanks for infos Blush

Pascal (Paris, France)

Bryan Alexander
Enthusiast / Moderator

Dec 23, 2003, 5:26 AM

Post #2 of 4 (1838 views)
Shortcut

Re: sirsasan education [In reply to]	Can't Post

Pascal, there is a discussion thread from earlier this year about Sirsasana and going up with straight legs. It has some useful ideas. You might need to practice more of the related postures that open the shoulders, which allows you to start your upper body from a more vertical position. You might need to practice more postures that strengthen the abdominal muscles, which help to stabilize the torso while lifting the legs.

Sirsana's primary benefit is gained, I believe, from what happens when you are up and well stabilized. Therefore, I would not worry so much about how you get up, whether it's with simultaneous and straight legs or not.

pascal
Enthusiast

Dec 24, 2003, 7:31 AM

Post #3 of 4 (1827 views)
Shortcut

Re: sirsasan education [In reply to]	Can't Post

i was a little bit anxious doing sirsasan again after my problems, but i just practiced the way a did before, without triig to lift both legs at the same time, and i was allright Smile

i heard about a special technique to educate my too hard trapezius muscles, it consist in using bars on wich the trapezius muscles will be pushing while doing sirsasan, is there any pictures describong this method?

nagrajm
Regular

Dec 24, 2003, 8:33 AM

Post #4 of 4 (1824 views)
Shortcut

Re: sirsasan education [In reply to]	Can't Post

Learning to do sarvangasana and halasana well with going into the poses with straight legs is a good practice for sirsasana with straight legs.

For sirsasana, lift your legs up first by pushing your hips back (this is key) and then lifting the legs to a position parallel to the floor while exhaling and by using your thigh bones (do not overwork your quads). Be in this position for a few seconds to stabilize and catch your breath, lift-up your shoulders and to push your sternum forward from the back. These actions will straighten your spine so that the energy flow is not broken when you lift up the legs to perpendicular. While doing this remember to keep the position of your head upon the crown fixed. Remember to keep your lower back lifted and pointed to the ceiling. Next, while exhaling lift your legs up to a perpendicular position, vertical to the ground, by using your thigh bones and simultaneously move your torso forward to balance the backward action of your legs. The benefit of exhaling while lifting the leg up is that, it keeps the pelvis stable by activating the lower abdomen and preventing the lower back from collapsing back resulting in lower back injury.

If you do not succeed, do not try for more than 5 minutes a day. Repeat the actions again the next day and the day after till you get it. Struggling to get it for more than 5 minutes a day will only injure you and fray your nervous system.

Hope that helps....Nagraj

Search for (options)