In this video, one of my great teachers (Paddy McGrath, Dancing Spine Yoga) got a small group together so we could give a taste of what you might experience with her (for more of her genius go to www.dancingspineyoga.com).
We all met at the beach at 7 am. For some of us (me in particular) that meant waking up a bit beforehand and heading down.
We spent a few minutes trying to find a place to rest my computer so we could take the video--a handy park bench did the trick--then lay ourselves down on the ground (very bumpy as it turned out with the beautiful tree above us having shed a bucket load of marble sized seeds!).
And this is what we did.
We did a few more things like that, backbends different ways, some backdrops, a few squats, a standing balance. Then we closed up shop and went for a coffee/juice/tea down the road.
The point is we woke up and a few minutes later we met casually on the beach and did our flicking backbends then left. We did not spend hours or even minutes 'warming up' or 'cooling down'.
We did do a few 'rolling wall squats' (a type of moving from standing, squatting, standing where you try to keep your weight forward the whole time and prevent your butt sticking up and shifting back while pretending to slide your nose up and down an imaginary wall right in front of you).
Then it was "lights, camera, action" on our wiggling spines.
We all practiced our own variation of backbending. We all have different spines so that is normal. We are not going to look the same. But hopefully we all felt the same inside. That is, with a delicious free and moving spine.
These back bends were as normal as walking. Just another movement/action in our day.
Hopefully you do not need to warm up to go for a walk or take a swim in the ocean.
And so we practice with our back bends. As though they are just a normal movement and part of our day.
My backbend at 7am after waking is not the same shape as one a bit later. Indeed, none of my backbends are ever the same. But if I work mindfully then I can still feel lightness and ease of spine no matter when I practice.
We did not do warm-downs, counter-poses or anything to finish. We did do a short standing balance pose to 'give back' to our spines, which looked liked this.
And our spines felt delicious.
If your backbends in the middle of the day routinely feel squashed or jammed then you won't be able to do the same thing first thing in the morning and get a different result. You might need to adjust your technique.
Paddy gave us lots of different ways to free our spines, with specific feedback that was unique to our level of practice, our level of 'mental preparedness', and our level of movement. That is what makes practicing with her so special.
When you practice in a way that is not striving for a particular outcome, without over-stretching or tensing too much then you find a beautiful space to work in.
Thanks to you, Paddy, for helping us find that space, for freeing our spines, and supporting our realisation that dropping down first thing in the morning to wiggle freely into a backbend can be entirely normal.
To practice with Paddy go to www.dancingspineyoga.com
If you can't make it then you can meet me in Sri Lanka one day for a retreat.
And finally, I am not suggesting you all wake up and do backbends--especially if you have not learned to do them without squishing. But perhaps be open to the possibility that it is possible and that there might be some teachers out there who can show you how!
Happy and safe dancing spines!
Much metta,
xosamantha
We introduced these tummy lying backbends in class recently. There are a whole lot of things you can do with your arms in them.
This post is just for watching and not really for practicing until you come to class and I can talk to you and we can consider what is going on with your knees, spine, and shoulders and figure out what might be safe and comfortable for you.
Always remember you do not need to take your foot at all. If you have troubles with your knees, spine, or shoulders you should talk to your teacher before you even consider it. You can just bend the knee and reach towards your foot without actually taking it, as shown below. For some people this will be enough.
Some other things to consider in the variations I show in the video is the shoulder is rolling out when you take it back. It rolls in again in some variations and stays there or rolls back out again while possibly doing a variety of other things around the shoulder, shoulder blade and elbow joint complexes.
The point is, there is a lot going on around the shoulder joints and you really need to take extreme care before embarking on any of these variations.
For that reason I am just showing them here so you can maybe take a look in slow motion and have a visual memory of the movement patterns for when you come to class and we can discuss more in person.
The three shoulder variations I show in the video are shown below. In all of these positions I am basically doing the same thing with my leg, which is to press my shin or foot away and then up.
In these variations the hand can have a pulling action but I counter it with the pulling action of the shin and foot so that it is not just an arm pulling and tugging at the leg.
I am mindful of how the knee is feeling and I don't feel squashing in the knee joint.
I am mindful of how the shoulder is feeling and I don't feel over-stretching at the shoulder joint.
I am mindful of how my spine is feeling so I take action to ensure I am not bending through one part of my spine only. In fact, I keep my pubic bone and lower ribs on the table, do a sit up in my tummy, and try to lengthen and wriggle my spine forward and up so that there is never squishing in my lower back and this pose ends up feeling great in my spine for all variations.
I make sure I can breathe naturally (although the breath tends to quicken here). I relax and soften my face.
These variations are tough. They are not for everyone. But remember the first option is also a good one (where you do not hold your foot) so you stay there as necessary.
Just for fun I also made this video of natarajasana on a table, which shows the same arm variations. It is more tricky because you have to balance as well.
Learning on the table beforehand helps you sort out the feeling in your spine.
By better I mean backbends that will strengthen and mobilise the spine without squashing. If you feel squashing in any part you are in some other pose and not in the one I am feeling for.
I was inspired to write this post because I started circus classes recently. Just to try something different.
Me practicing some a
ctive movement on the trapeze
One of the first things they were teaching me was to hang upside down and do a backbend. To me it was like a version of ustrasana or dhanurasana with my legs hooked around the bar.
It looked a bit like this.
Circus is a lot about performance and so my hands should probably look more elegant, but those who know me will appreciate I am more functional than glamour.
Turn the trapeze pose sideways and it would look a little like
this active variation of dhanurasana
But you can see how if I had my tummy on the ground that pose on the trapeze would look a little like this one.
This is active spinal extension. I am lengthening without squashing. My butt and hamstrings are very active as well. To hang onto that trapeze I need good hamstring activation or I will fall off and that would not be a good look (even if I am about function over looks I don't want to face plant!).
A good yoga practice should include a lot of active movement so you strengthen rather than pull yourself passively into postures.
When I teach dhanurasana I teach it using active movements that will help you strengthen your entire back body in a way that lengthens rather than squashes. Watch the video below that will show the active movements where I hold position without my hands and then read the step by step instructions.
As always, this is intended to help students that practice with me. It is better to learn from an actual teacher who is beside you rather than the internet. Do not strain or do anything that hurts. Move slowly.
One of the great things about doing this sequence actively is that you still have something to work on if you cannot reach your ankle as it is not essential to hold the leg at all.
Video Sequence
The sequence below is what I tend to teach towards the end of our practice.
When practiced without squashing you should not feel the desperate 'need' to do a counterpose in any yoga posture.
If you have squashed or over-tensed it is definitely beneficial to try active spinal flexion (firm the tummy so you can still breathe in it).
I show a transition to down dog at the end and then down dog. I am firming my tummy in those postures and lengthening the back of my spine.
Step-by-step instructions
I have deconstructed the video sequence below.
Draw heel to bottom
I start lying down comfortably. I get a feeling I am doing a sit up in my tummy. I draw a heel to my bottom. I am breathing naturally.
Lengthen arm forward and upwards from armpit
Maintaining previous actions I reach forward as far as I can as I come up.
Reach arm back towards foot
I take the arm towards the back foot. I can stay here. I do not need to take the ankle.
The photo shows clearly that my hand is beside my foot. That is a good clue that I have enough spinal extension and sufficient strength in my hamstrings to move to the next stage.
If you cannot have your hand close to your foot then you just skip the next step and do the rest of the sequence without holding your ankle.
Hold ankle, pressing shin into hand
I will say it again. If you cannot hold actively in the posture then do not take the foot. Just stay in the previous posture (where you will be working quite hard).
When two body parts touch I use an action of them pressing into one another. Here that means once I have the ankle I push the shin into the hand (as though trying to straighten the leg) as I try to bend my elbow.
I am not trying to passively pull my foot closer to my bottom.
If there is any strain in the knee at all then let go and do the previous posture.
Reach forward and upward opposite arm
I reach forward with the opposite arm then up. At the same time I reach back with the opposite foot and lift.
For those that can handle a more subtle cue, I try to reach out through that back foot while at the same time feel as though I am drawing the front of that thigh towards my front ribs.
I am also doing a sit up in my tummy in a way that I can still breathe.
Out, up and away!
I continue with all previous actions, moving out, up, and away. Importantly, I try to distribute the curve through my spine so that it is not concentrated around the lower back.
I work on trying to do a sit up in my tummy.
Release and hold position
Stay in the same position but just real ease your back foot.
You should not 'spring out' too much. One of the anatomical purposes of this posture is to be able to hold the position without using your hands!
Do the other side.
Both heels to bottom
You can guess what is coming next! That's right. Both legs!
Start by bringing both heels to bottom.
Both arms reach out and up
Reach out and up through the arms. The chest needs to lengthen forward and up.
Both arms reach back
Then reach the hands back towards the shins/ankles.
Hold ankles
You only hold the feet if you can reach there without strain. Also, I recommend that you know you are ready to reach the feet when you can take them simultaneously rather than having to grab at them. In class I joke that this you should try not to waddle around like an elephant seal to fiddle your way into the posture.
Press shins into hands
I press shins into hands as though trying to straighten the legs while trying to bend my elbows.
I have my shoulders rolling out.
Lift feet
I press my feet upwards.
Lengthen through chest
I try to distribute the curve evenly through my spine, lengthening through the upper back area.
I am doing a sit-up in my tummy in a way that I can still breathe there.
Release and hold position
Then try to hold the same position but let your hands go! Try not to spring away!
Hands beside waist
Take your hands back towards your waist. Elbows press back and squeeze together. Sit up in my tummy.
Up
Press hands down and forward, elbows together and back and come up. A sit up in my tummy. Trying to drag my knees forward as though trying to bend my hips. Allow your pelvis to come away from the floor so there is no squashing.
Knees to chest
Sit back to your heels then lift your knees into your chest, trying to hug them in as close as possible.
Down dog
Press the heels back, keep the sit up in your tummy, and come into downward facing dog.
And...
Once you have all of this in place, you can start to work on more shoulder mobility to come into the fuller dhanurasana but that requires tremendous and careful practice for a long time for most people.
My yoga teacher has amazing spinal mobility and this type of posture would have her head touching her feet or having her legs straight up to the sky while she hold onto her ankles. I am still a novice and quite stiff and weak comparatively. But we all work to our own bodies and best not to compare yourself. That is why I suggest trying the active version with no need to even hold the ankle at all!
I have never had a problem with urdhva dhanurasana.
But I have had lots of students who have or do have difficulty with it.
One thing I always emphasise is the spine should not feel squashed at any part or at any point from ground to lift and down again.
People can tend to squash in their lower backs.
I have even had people tell me they thought it was supposed to squash their lower back.
I tell people they are practicing something else but not the pose I am trying to teach if they feel squashing.
If you are in my class I want you to remember a few things when it comes to this part of the sequence.
Practice without squashing.
Don't be attached to the outcome.
Move slowly.
With this in mind, a part of not being attached to the outcome is realising you don't need to do anything at all if it does not feel right.
You certainly don't need to come all the way up.
With this in mind, I made a poster that shows what you could pay attention to if you decide not to push your hands into the floor. There is still plenty you can do and, in fact, I do these things each time I come up into a fuller posture, as you can see in the video at the end (it's just that I only need to spend about a second getting there whereas some people will need more time).
Please bear in mind this post is intended primarily for my students who can experience what I am teaching in a class situation. Learning this type of thing from the internet is not suitable.
Read the poster from the right starting with what to do with the knees.
If you lie on your back and just press your feet into the floor you will feel your pelvis get light without necessarily lifting. Then press your knees over your toes.
The pelvis will lift and be carried towards the heels. I am not trying to push my pelvis up here. There are many styles that teach this and it is possible and there are benefits to that as well but it is not what I am doing here.
I then reach my arms as far away from my pelvis as possible. I try to basically get as long as I can through my body--pelvis moving one way and armpits the other.
Then I try to billow up my chest as though a gust of wind has blown through my feet and hits me in the middle of my upper back causing it to lift.
This is where I like to get people to stop and think for a while. Moving this part of the spine is really tough. It is the stiff part of most people's spines.
Many people cannot get movement in this part of their spine at all unless I provide a tactile cue (touching the area). Often people shove their pelvis up and down and their chest moves as a consequence but there is little to no independent movement in the upper spine.
What I am trying to do for myself when I practice this way is get some independent movement of the chest so that my spine does not move as one chunk.
It is delightful just to try to raise and lower the chest here without moving the pelvis and just continue reaching the arms in one direction while moving the knees in the other.
But you decide.
Don't do anything that hurts or strains.
Most people will need to do a lot of 'warming up' before they can do the full version of the pose but you can do this modified variation any time.
Having said that, my teacher Paddy always taught me that they should feel so free you can do the full posture first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. I do that myself every now and then. I am not saying I don't feel a bit stiff in the morning but in my experience she is right, when you are able to move freely then this is possible. Being able to move freely takes a lot of practice though and I still have stiff mornings!
Also, when you practice this way there should have been no squashing so no need to do something to unsquash your back afterwards.
Below is a video of the full thing, taken on location in Sri Lanka at my last yoga retreat. I will be heading there, by the way, for my next yoga retreat from 1-4 October 2015. Get in touch if you'd like to join us!
This post is not intended to cover all of the aspects of back bending. I wanted to emphasise a pose you can try on the floor without raising to the full posture that helps you lengthen. There is, of course, much more you can do within that even (did I mention doing a sit up in your tummy?), but that is for class!
Happy and safe practicing.
Much metta,
Samantha
www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com
I have written about armpits many times before. There are more things to talk about with regards to actions at the shoulder joints but the armpits are so key and I have focussed on them in our course.
One of the key things to appreciate is that how you use your armpits, depending on shoulder position, can impact on the spine. If you take your arms overhead, I take armpits forward and up and NOT down and back.
In an overhead position armpits forward and up will help create length in the spine.
If you take them down and back while arms are overhead, or even down, you get a shortening feeling around your sides and back.
To come into more difficult postures where the arms are overhead you need to free up your armpits so the spine can move freely.
Some backbends happen with the arms below shoulder height, like ustrasana or bhujangasana for instance. In those types of positions, because arms are not overhead, I take armpits down and back. The video below shows how I can do backbends with armpits down and back, as I would in backbends like bhujangasana, or forward and up, such as I would in urdhva dhanurasana.
In the video I also show how you can actually come into a pose like urdhva dhanurasana with armpits either towards ears or with armpits towards hips. I do this to illustrate a point that it can be done, not necessarily that it should be done.
As I show, because I have a fairly fluid spine it does not create difficulty for me to come into an overhead backbend like urdhva dhanurasana with armpits down. But it does not feel as good as it could either.
The thing is most people (either coming to yoga or not) tend to be stiff in their spine in general, and move most from their lower back.
Doing urdhva dhanurasana with the armpits to the hips (downs and back) can reinforce the shortening many people already experience.
So, in my classes I encourage armpits to ears to generate the length in the spine.
Again, because I am fairly mobile around my armpit area, especially when I take them overhead, I can easily come up into a full backbend with armpits to ears.
People who are tighter around the armpits will find that they cannot come up so easily and I suggest you only come up to the point where you feel at ease in your spine. This might mean the shoulders barely come off the floor and you just lift a little, as I also show in the video.
These are not things to practice without the guidance of an experienced practitioner so I encourage you to go to one. I would encourage you to feel in your own body what is going on and if you come out of a backbend with a sore lower back to question what has gone on to create that as it should not be squashing.
In our classes this week we also looked at some of the basic movements at the shoulder joint--shoulders rolling in and shoulders rolling out. We looked at how these movements can cause associated movements in the upper back (thoracic spine). We looked at how these associated movements can be over-ridden if we call attention to them.
For instance, rolling the shoulders in tends to cause the upper spine to round as though bending forward. We can try to lift the chest softly to help bring the spine back to upright.
When rolling the shoulders out it tends to cause the upper spine to arch as though back bending but that we can also over-ride this if we are conscious of it by softly drawing the lower ribs in.
Understanding these associated movements will help you learn to move your spine independently of shoulders for better and more active spinal movement. I will post more about this later. The armpits are a lot to think about already!
I had to laugh at myself when I re-watched the video. I am not sure how my voice turned into a David Attenbourough-esque commentary. Perhaps it is because I feel so wonderfully passionate and when that happens and you try to explain something it does something funny to your voice. Well, to mine anyway, Also to my eyebrows!
We will practice these actions in my classes, workshops, and retreats in Canberra, Colombo, and Bali. I'd love to have you along.
