tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post2024779406609433402..comments2023-06-17T06:22:55.475-07:00Comments on LOCK THE KNEE!: "The posture REALLY begins when..."Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-72894085278810621532009-08-10T20:28:54.610-07:002009-08-10T20:28:54.610-07:00Thanks! I did hear from a teacher that Asians hav...Thanks! I did hear from a teacher that Asians have trouble with forward bends/compressions and no problem with backward bends. Yep, I fit that description. Even though there's an explanation, it doesn't make it less frustrating!!!<br /><br />p.s. Surfing is very much like yoga! The similarities are uncanny. The set up is important in both and once you're in the pose or riding the wave, it then becomes a delicate balance of thinking but not overthikining/shutting your mind off to the chatter. I took surfing lessons in Costa Rica and the school I went to, we surfed twice a day with yoga in between. So fun!ActionJoJohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140143825374917986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-29867916684874566302009-08-10T16:42:24.680-07:002009-08-10T16:42:24.680-07:00JoJo - ABSOLUTELY, for knee problems, awkward pose...JoJo - ABSOLUTELY, for knee problems, awkward pose is gonna be the biggest BITCH. Hehe. Sounds like your knees have recovered soooo much already, though! Maybe one day you will actually experience ease in that posture. That'd be so cool.<br /><br />It is such a generalization, but it's true - you guys have the classic "Asian girl spine"! - difficulty with forehead-to-knee forward compressions, and probably nice natural backbends. A friend of mine who I used to practice with, who is originally for Malaysia, was the same way... she could basically touch the floor in her half-moon backward bend, but couldn't touch her forehead to her knees in rabbit to save her life!<br /><br />In fact, I think MOST of the really crazy backward-bendy folks have a lot of trouble with forward bends at first. That's why, for championships, you have to show floor bow AND rabbit pose - because it's the HARDEST thing in the world to have that balance of great forward AND backward bending!thedancingjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976806717306797444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-84881465693870417272009-08-09T20:37:23.248-07:002009-08-09T20:37:23.248-07:00For someone who has had chronic knee pain for 18 y...For someone who has had chronic knee pain for 18 years, all of awkward pose especially the third part is a frakkin' biatch! Ugh. I've been putting my hands to the floor in this pose since I started this practice. And now that my knee is healing, I am doing it less and less. I go into this pose most of the time asking myself, "What is the knee going to say today?" After 6 months of practicing, I finally finally am able to get down in the third part of awkward with my hands still up but I still feel incredible stretching in my knee as if they are tearing apart. I have learned to back off when I wince after feeling a sharp pain and my even breathe is no longer even to put my hands in the floor. <br /><br />That being said, part of it is mental as much physical. Recently, I have been encouraging myself to be open to the possibility of anything happening with no judgments as I am about to go into this pose. When I think this way and breathe and relax can I get down with little pain or resistance. Isn't it amazing?<br /><br />I am happy to read Mei's comment because I too struggle with any posture that requires forehead to knee. I am working on it every day and I've come a long way. These days, I've progressed to bridge of my nose to knee. When I first started, it was nose to knee. One day, one day! I am happy to learn that there are people out there who struggle with this too!!!ActionJoJohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15140143825374917986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-13386509010964687152009-07-23T00:16:31.477-07:002009-07-23T00:16:31.477-07:00leaving... - glad you like these posts!! hope you...leaving... - glad you like these posts!! hope you get your bikram mojo back soon. energy levels can get weird sometimes.<br /><br />hannah - totally. newest post is written with you in mind. :) (sorry it is kinda poorly written, i had trouble saying what I meant...)<br /><br />mei - OH yes, i know what you are talking about! I got totally spooked the first few times I got all the way into standing head to knee. the internal monologue goes something like - "ok, here goes, let's give it a try, ok so far so good, keep going, keep going, OMG, OMG I'M DOING IT OH THIS IS REALLY WEIRD, wait, what am i doing??, *FALL* " no worries. you'll get the hang of it. it can actually be kinda fun. :)thedancingjhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976806717306797444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-69616012287578721192009-07-21T20:50:16.831-07:002009-07-21T20:50:16.831-07:00Oh wow, this post struck a chord with me. I've...Oh wow, this post struck a chord with me. I've struggled SO HARD with head to knee [still can't get my head to the knee, who cares, I love staying in 2nd or 3rd part!] but one day, just ONE day, I got my head to the knee. [pause for raucous applause. Ahem].<br /><br />But it was at THAT precise point, where I felt myself going "inwards", I started to get scared. "Holy karateninja, what the eff?" and fell out. It was such a mix of emotions, fear, loathing, joy, happiness, pride...<br /><br />Now I know. Thanks for sharing, as always! :)Meihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09210198982980536547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-59039467167164276092009-07-21T10:19:58.776-07:002009-07-21T10:19:58.776-07:00"But lately, I've been going into it with..."But lately, I've been going into it with a mindset of "fight back, fight harder" along with "it's so easy," and wow."<br /><br />I read this and think one thing: Balance, my friend. Balance. That's what it all comes back to. Finding that still, happy medium between the fight and the peace, the struggle and the release. It's there; we just have to dig and dig and dig for it.hannahjustbreathehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08359736052522439643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293128322275014537.post-77654018300012004102009-07-21T07:27:10.732-07:002009-07-21T07:27:10.732-07:00i love reading your posts! i stopped bikram for a ...i love reading your posts! i stopped bikram for a little over a week because it's starting to make me more tired/sleepy than anything. going back to vinyasa for a few days then back to bikram.heywenghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02822407233217134407noreply@blogger.com