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Member
Posts: 23
| When I breathe in shoulder stand half the time I make a snoring sound because the pose closes my throat. Why is this and how can I correct it?
Thanks
Child of the Tao |
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Regular
Posts: 50
| Not possible to say why without seeing you do the asana.....
Could be that you over doing the lift.....or collapsing and not lifting enough....or....fat or breasts in the way?....
Tell your teacher the problem and ask your him/her to look at you in the asana ....see if he/she can solve it....
Or you could try using some folded mats under your triceps and shoulders to make more space for you neck...look at a good Iyengar book to see how.....important to use the support correctly or it may make the problem worse. |
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Member
Posts: 23
| There's no breasts or fat in the way 
I don't go to class, I use David Swenson's DVD. My chest area around the spine is probably "collapsing", it is a very weak area I don't have much awareness of. It's not much of a problem at all I just though maybe I'm doing something wrong? I kind of get the impression it will improve but that just my opinion. The pose has improved since I started.
Thank you for your advice. |
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Regular
Posts: 50
| It would be best to go to a class so that a teacher can assist you.
Shoulderstand could be very harmful for your neck (and spinal cord) if done wrong.
C7 MUST be OFF the floor....so there is space at back of neck.
Elbows need to be only shoulder width with hands flat on the neck(one each side of spine) with fingers pointing up towards butt....not turning inward....
Have a look at some Iyengar books about how to use some (very firm) folded blankets to support you and give space to your neck.
If you cannot get to a class....ask a friend to look at you....are you straight....like David in the DVD or making a curve or slope......
Using props will help you to get straighter........
It is very possible to over stretch the long ligaments of the spine...weakening them and possible to damage C7....so be careful!!! it would be best to go to a class.
Good luck. |
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| Agree with everything flyingmonkey said, but would like to add that the entire neck should be off the floor. Someone should be able to come by and fit their entire hand between your neck and the floor. If you are pushing the back of your neck into the floor, or there is ANY weight on the back of your neck or ANY discomfort, you are damaging your neck.
Neck flexion when standing is usually OK. Neck flexion with your body weight on your neck is usually a sure way to injury; maybe not today, but if continued, certainly later.
Remember that the pose is called "shoulderstand" NOT "neck stand"! |
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Member
Posts: 23
| I'm definitely doing it wrong. My neck does press into the floor. I don't understand though, how do you do it right? I can't imagine any other way to do it? Is it a matter of strength or flexibility?
Next time I do it I will be using folded blankets to lift my shoulders higher so my neck doesn't touch the floor like it says here: http://www.yogatohealth.com/Shoulder_Stand_Instructions.html |
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Regular
Posts: 50
| Hi,
Combination of strength and flexibility needed for good shoulderstand.
Here is a supported version http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/480 having a support gives more room for your neck and gives more space to bring elbows in enough.
Hope this helps. |
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Member
Posts: 23
| Hi again. I have been using support under my shoulders, my neck no longer touches the floor and I feel like I have more upward push in the shoulder stance thanks to that.
But I now have a question about (I forget the names) the next poses where you cross your legs and support the knees and then the next one where you hug your arms around the (crossed) legs. In these poses I seem to loose my balance. I can't stay on the shoulders I kinda roll back and forward a bit losing balance. Is that due to me doing it wrong or will it improve over time?
And another thing in these two poses, the back of my head tends to press down on the floor rather hard, it's like the weight of my body doesn't get channelled directly down through the shoulders but bypasses them straight to my head (but my neck never touches the floor).
I know you should have a soft neck and throat, my throat is never soft in that position but I do have tension in that area, quite a bit of it, I like to think that this pose (and the whole practice) will soften it up.
Basically I'm just wondering does this sound like normal beginner stuff that will improve as my strength and flexibility does?
Thanks |
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Member
Posts: 23
| After today's practise I noticed something. When in shoulder stand my elbows point out to the sides by quite a bit, it's not supposed to be like that is it? They should be pointed more or less straight behind me right? I can't do that though, I can't pull the elbows together. Are there any poses that will help me bring the elbows together? |
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Veteran
Posts: 113
Location: Uppsala, Sweden | childofthetao - 2011-07-30 9:24 PM After today's practise I noticed something. When in shoulder stand my elbows point out to the sides by quite a bit, it's not supposed to be like that is it? They should be pointed more or less straight behind me right? I can't do that though, I can't pull the elbows together. Are there any poses that will help me bring the elbows together? Maybe a few poses: • Prasarita Padottanasana C (try to bring your hands as close to the floor as possible)
• prayer position of the hands on your back (as in Parshvottanasana)
• Purvottanasana (try with hands a little bit closer together)
• Gomukhasana (from the second series; the hand position of cow face posture; use a strap or towel if you cannot bring the hands together)
• Halasana (the plow)...and in Halasana push your elbows into the mat, bend your arms and return to Salamba Sarvangasana (I know, it is hard to keep the elbows from splaying out to the sides).
You could also try Salamba Sarvangasana with a strap/belt to keep your elbows together, though it could be rather difficult to thread the belt onto your arms (above the elbows) by yourself and then get into the pose, and even more tricky get i on when already in the pose, or in Halasana. Always be mindful that your cervical vertebrae should not press into the floor; stand on your shoulders and reach for the ceiling with your feet; if necessary with padding underneath the shoulders, to elevate one or two inches, which should keep your neck off the floor.
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Member
Posts: 17
| I think you might try using some folded mats under your triceps and shoulders to make more space for you neck...look at a good Iyengar book to see how |
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Why does shoulder stand close my throat?
