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| Please help me with gate pose. I know that good form, not how far, is the intent But I can't get my raised arm past my opposing shoulder. How do I keep my hips and abdomen facing forward during the pose without my legs going where they want to go? Any hints or introductory poses would help. Thanks. Michelle
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| This is an open pelvis pose. As such, other open pelvis poses would contribute.
Virabhadrasana II, Ardha Chandrasana, Vrksasana, Parsvakonasana...
The issue with the arm is not all that significant in the pose as you mention. It is NOT how far...
But this could be restriction in the rib cage or shoulder. Do you bring the hands together easily in Virabhadrasana I?
You may try working to free up your shoulder blades (not the joints please).
Garudasana and Gomukhasana - arms only in virasana, may help you over time.
The opening in the ribs can be worked on, if you will, setu bandha, sarpasana, bhujangasana, urdhva muka svanasana...
But the real work is to experience the pose you are doing at the exact level or place at which you are doing it. Strive not but effort fully.
Edited by purnayoga 2006-10-05 1:02 PM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| michelle - great advice from purna. I tell students to work on "up" and not worry about "over" for a long time.  |
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| Thank you for the suggestions. You must teach because you really know the problem. Sometimes it is hard to describe on a forum. In other poses I have had difficulty keeping my shoulders and rib cage in the correct form. Trikonasana, parsakonasana, and like poses. I have been faithfully for almost a year in my practice. It gets discouraging that some of this is not coming together. Thanks for listening. Michelle
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Hi michelle - yes, we are both teachers  One other thing I will mention is that a year of practice is a wonderful thing! Congratulations  This is a time of really exciting changes, discoveries and mostly many, many new questioins and challenges. Each year that I check off on my yoga calendar I wonder what will be the new learning, where the changes and challenges will come. Great fun and a wonderful adventure. Enjoy! |
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| I kept thiking Tourist was going to congratulate you on the one year thing and then drop the other shoe and tell you it isn't that long in dog years, er I mean YOGA years. I stopped counting
Tell me...how are you doing trikon and parsvakon?
Are you on a mat? How do you come into the poses. What props are you using if any?
I have a hunch but I want more info from you before I launch into a diatribe. |
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| A nice variation/build up to parighasana is to practice against a wall, up against and facing it, with, for example the right leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent and working on the opening of the front groins. Tnen just reaching the right leg away(straightening it) and keeping awareness on the hips and working on keeping the knee of the right leg from rolling into the wall. Keep the left leg perpendicular to the floor and work on drawing up from the knee up into the hip on that leg. Watch the tailbone doesn't stick out, keep mulha banda engaged, tail bone neutral. From here, you can take the left arm over head and inhale to lengthen the up the torso whilst keeping the hips facing forward and level. This is a pretty strong exersise. I taught it in a hall where the window was perfectly at face level, made it nice for the students, not so 'claustrophobic' against the wall with a little legde for them to hold onto if necessary.
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help with parighasana
