Yoga Remains A Lifestyle Focus
The ability to move from a basic forward bending variation to the more challenging tortoise and guillotine asanas required years of frequent yoga practice, focus and discipline.
Standing Forward Bending
[2012 Evening Yoga Loft Class]
[2012 Evening Yoga Loft Class]
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| Bob In Variation Of Uttanasana [Hands To Floor, Reversing Palms] Demonstrating Muscle And Connective Tissue Elongation From Feet To Hands & Mobile Joints [Hips, Spine, Shoulders, Elbows, Wrists] |
Two Movements Facilitating Uttanasana:
And
Both of these asanas gradually lengthened my upper and lower leg muscles, pelvic girdle muscles & connective tissues, spine and many associated back muscles.
Each prepared me to bend my torso forward and bring my hands to the floor.
Especially Useful
Was
Upavistha Konasana
[Seated Wide-Angled Pose]
Upavistha Konasana
[Seated Wide-Angled Pose]
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| The Yoga Loft April, 2015 |
I am sitting with my legs apart wide, hands on feet pointed upwards and moving my chest, shoulder and chin towards, on the floor.
The pressure applied from sandbags alone, the hands of a partner or both contributed to move my torso forward in various asanas.
Approaching Challenging Movements
Preparing
For
Tortoise & Guillotine Asanas
Preparing
For
Tortoise & Guillotine Asanas
The following asanas contributed to the necessary muscle and joint mobility required to execute these more advanced tortoise and guillotine postures:
Gomukhasana
[Cow-Face Pose]
[Cow-Face Pose]
The bilateral clasping of hands behind my back with elbows pointing up and down from a sitting or standing position is now practiced several times each day.
Moving my right arm into a position with my hand on my upper back requires more effort to open less mobile muscles, connective tissues.
Experiencing a difference in mobility on right and left sides of my body is not uncommon and occurs with other major body joints including ankles, knees and hips.
As a consequence, I focus on movements that will lead to a greater range of motion of these restricted joints with associated muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Marichyasana Variations
Especially III
Moving my right arm into a position with my hand on my upper back requires more effort to open less mobile muscles, connective tissues.
Experiencing a difference in mobility on right and left sides of my body is not uncommon and occurs with other major body joints including ankles, knees and hips.
As a consequence, I focus on movements that will lead to a greater range of motion of these restricted joints with associated muscles, tendons and ligaments.
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| 2016 Morning Partner Session In The Yoga Loft Combining Two Asanas Tree Pose, Gomukhasana Photo By Patty Tremblay |
Marichyasana Variations
Especially III
Sitting, moving right and left arms around a each raised knee and clasping hands while twisting ones torso.
See B. K. S. Iyengar's book, Light On Yoga, for comments and images of this asana, other variations.
See B. K. S. Iyengar's book, Light On Yoga, for comments and images of this asana, other variations.
[See demonstration of this posture in my yoga blog of August 19, 2016]
Forward Shoulder *, Prone To Side ** Stretch
(*) Standing, clasping hands behind the back and moving torso forward and bringing arms above the head to a position parallel to the floor NOTE: arms are lowered further with the assistance of a partner
(**) I also found moving from a prone position with one arm extended at a right angle to my torso onto my side with one raised knee and moving other arm to clasp hands provided a deep shoulder stretch.
[Both asanas are demonstrated in my March 28, 2016 yoga blog]
(**) I also found moving from a prone position with one arm extended at a right angle to my torso onto my side with one raised knee and moving other arm to clasp hands provided a deep shoulder stretch.
[Both asanas are demonstrated in my March 28, 2016 yoga blog]
A Few Notes On Anatomy
Each of these asanas involve the four rotator cuff muscles and other muscles associated with the shoulder girdle (including the rhomboids, trapezius, pectoralis minor, serratus anterior) and shoulder joint (deltoids).
Also important in shoulder mobility are the various ligaments that connect bones to one another and the tendons (attaching muscles to bones).
Tortoise Pose
[ Kurmasana]
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| Bob From January, 2013 In Studio Of Eric LEcuyer [www.ericlecuyer.com, eric@ericlecuyer.com] To January, 2018 Now Enjoying Enhanced Joint Mobility Torso Lengthens Outwards, Face To Floor Able To Cross Feet With Assistance Working On Crossing Feet On My Own |
During an evening class led by Ray Hoyt I was asked to demonstrate tortoise pose on the studio rug.
I followed Ray's directions as he spoke to the class and was able to clasp my hands behind my back, to bring my head to the floor with the soles of my feet together.
On this night, Ray applied pressure to my back for many minutes as he spoke resulting in the best whole body range of motions I experienced in this asana.
Significantly, my back was relatively flat, my chest and face were on the mat without any discomfort or pain.
I was able to maintain my deep hand clasp as Ray also crossed my ankles easily.
The ability to enter tortoise pose with increasing facility led me to explore other movements I could practice on my own - asanas that were not being done in any of my group yoga classes.
Guillotine Pose
[Titibasana*]
* also referred to as a Firefly pose variation, Titibasana B; in some references spelled Titibhasana B
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| June, 2016 Bob In Guillotine Pose Demonstrating Further Upper Torso Range of Motion Some Restricted Leg Muscle Lengthening & Good Joint Mobility Of Shoulders, Spine, Elbows And Wrists |
As 2018 Begins
Making Progress
Acquiring
Ability
To Straightening Both Legs
Move Torso Through Legs
Raising Head To View Gluts
It was on June 13, 2016, a Monday night yoga class taught by Ray Hoyt, when unexpectedly I was requested to demonstrate the Guillotine pose.
Ray had seen me do these movements and commented on them before the start of our class - he considered this a more advanced whole body asana.
I was able to enter guillotine, clasping my hands behind my back with bent knees but only after an inauspicious initial attempt when I lost my balance and fell to the floor.
As he often did, Ray used this demonstration as a teaching moment - including words highlighting age not being a barrier to mobility.
Nutrition Choices Maintain Health
During December I continued to enjoy small meals prepared at home.
Most of what I ate were plant foods from diverse sources along with some dairy, seafoods and limited meat noted in previous blogs.
Acorn Squash and Turnip were two new selections consumed from a growing list of locally grown foods.
Deb Horan, owner of the Booklovers Gourmet in Webster, MA, shared both from selections she had obtained from Isador's Organics in Oxford - for this, I thank Deb for her generosity.
Arcade Snacks in Auburn, MA, continued to be a primary source of my nutrients: from the diverse nuts, seeds and dried fruits I purchased weekly.
For the first time I enjoyed their Gourmet Jumbo Mixed Nuts.
Most of what I ate were plant foods from diverse sources along with some dairy, seafoods and limited meat noted in previous blogs.
Acorn Squash and Turnip were two new selections consumed from a growing list of locally grown foods.
Deb Horan, owner of the Booklovers Gourmet in Webster, MA, shared both from selections she had obtained from Isador's Organics in Oxford - for this, I thank Deb for her generosity.
Arcade Snacks in Auburn, MA, continued to be a primary source of my nutrients: from the diverse nuts, seeds and dried fruits I purchased weekly.
For the first time I enjoyed their Gourmet Jumbo Mixed Nuts.
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| Acorn Squash Turnip & Jumbo Mixed Nuts Roasted -No Salt - With Peanut Oil [Almond, Brazil, Cashew, Hazel, Pecan] |
The Past Informs Present, Possible Future
I often think about Ray Hoyt's past comments in various yoga classes: there was a time when most of us were most mobile - in our youth, as children.
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| Santa & Me Over 60 Years Ago |
For me, this favorite and most valued photo from my distant past is a link to a time Ray spoke of.
Seen daily in my condo yoga studio, this image always makes me smile and provides a source of motivation to influence current behaviors to help myself now.
It is encouraging knowing actions taken now can lead to future positive benefits, outcomes.
I anticipate 2018 will continue to be a time during which my:
- mobility will continue to improve without pain or use of any medications
- nutrition will continue to evolve to maintain my weight at adolescent levels.
Extending my best wishes for your good health, prosperity throughout this New Year.
#BobCrowther #Yoga #Mobility #Nutrition
