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| Thanks for the info, Duffy. I have experienced that in the past, strange unexplained numbness, pain down the leg. Very rarely, just a couple of times or so, that I can think of, thankfully. That's not what I'm experiencing now, so it's probably a hamstring issue.
If you've ever played guitar or violin, you know how the stings rest in a groove in the nut, in a normally strung instrument? It almost feels like something's not in the groove it's supposed to be in, has moved out of place, from where it's supposed to be. Maybe that makes no anatomical sense at all, but that's just kind of what it feels like. Like something needs to click into place.
Thanks, Edie
Edited by eimSD 2008-09-18 1:07 PM
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Member
Posts: 25
| Yay. My hamstring is getting better.
I realized that the reason it kept getting worse over 6-7 weeks was because I was confusing "pain of difficulty" with "pain of injury" and thought I shouldn't be afraid to push through pain (even though it was injury pain, which I now know I should not push through at all!) The most important realization though, was that I kept pushing through pain just to get to some goal (such as head to knee, forehead to toes... etc). That was an issue. I immediately stopped and focused more on observing, being in the moment, paying attention to my body instead of mindlessly pushing it to some extent.
Now, my postures are becoming more solid even if I am letting go of some depth for now. And my hamstring doesn't hurt too much anymore. This was an important realization for me and I will definitely be more aware of my body and the process from now on.
Edited by lifeisgood 2008-09-18 9:16 PM
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| @lifeisgood - great post. i 100% agree.
I also can't find anything on Ardha hanumanasana, from the earlier post. I can find hanumanasana, but not ardha, which means half, right?
any info on that posture would be much appreciated.
thanks,
hs |
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| hamsandwich - 2008-09-21 3:33 PM
@lifeisgood - great post. i 100% agree.
I also can't find anything on Ardha hanumanasana, from the earlier post. I can find hanumanasana, but not ardha, which means half, right?
any info on that posture would be much appreciated.
thanks,
hs
I used to have a much better depiction of this pose, but since I don't seem to have it anymore, this one will have to do:
http://elsieyogakula.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/hanumanasana-prep.jpg
The pose as I practice it has the back knee directly below the back hip, not behind it. Elsie's pose in this picture is more about being a prep for hanumanasana, while I'm talking more about a half-split pose, where the intention is never to go any further.
The adjustment that I had learned was in three parts that are maintained throughout (example with the right leg forward):
1. engage the leg muscles firmly to the bone
2. reach your right hand under your right upper inner thigh to manually inner spiral the femur (grab a big hunk of leg and widen it back and apart from the midline)
3. reach your left hand over your right leg and push the right shin in to the midline (to the left), but keep the resistance going of shin to hand
It's kind of a balancing act since both your hands are holding and working your various body parts (all in the right leg), but that's where the positioning comes into play. Keep your foundation strong (toes of left foot tucked under), left knee sturdy under the left hip (pad the knee if you like) and the pelvis and hips as level and square as possible.
The lengthening effect of the belly of the hamstring happens as a result of firmly engaging the femur where it's "supposed to" be in the body and keeping it there with your own strength. With proper engagement (muscular) and alignment (for safety), that's how the expansion (stretching) can take place. |
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| Oh! I just remembered -- ardha hanumanasana is also commonly known as runner's stretch! (not to be confused with "runner's lunge") |
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| @orangemat - thank you for that info - I'll try it out.
My hamstring is feeling much better. Like lifeisgood, I've held back a bit from going deeply into the postures and I've learned to focus on doing it the right way vs. doing it all the way.
It's funny, you know. They tell you all of this in class. But I haven't listened and it took getting hurt to back off and refocus.
Thanks you all for your support and for being tremendous resources. |
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hamstring bothering me
