Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Day 9: Pity Party's Over.

Monday I got off my cranky butt and decided that I was going to actually practice as much of primary in sequence as possible modifying and omitting where necessary.

First roadblock, obviously is at vinyasa 4 = catvāri, chaturanga. Solution?
Return, inhale to halfway lift as in vinyasa 3 trīṇi, exhale, to
uttanasana 5 br as adho mukha svanasana. Wonderfully enough - this has worked. The vinyasas actually work out properly so that chaturanga, up-dog and down dog can be omitted. For surya namaskara B? Just step back to virabhandrasana a. Yes it is slightly awkward, but it still works.


Except for pada hastasana, the entire standing sequence is in with various modifications - trikonasana and utthita parsvakonasana have to be slightly modified so that I'm not placing my hand flat on the ground, and working off of the extended leg. Prasarita paddotansana A, arms similar to mukha hasta sirsasana b and for parsvottanasana arms similar to those in prasarita paddotanasana c or just grabbing elbows. If grabbing elbows, working on engagement of intercostals, extending as far out over extended leg as possible.

Transition to floor, step forward move down to pasasana legs, extend one leg out hang there for a breath and very inelegantly plop to the ground.


Poses out from primary completely:
Purvottanasana

That evil lift between Navasanas (really not disappointed about this)

Bhuja Pidasana

Tittibhasana

Bakasana

Lifted Dwi Pada Sirsasana

Sticking the hands though in Garbha Pindasana

Kukkutasana

Chakrasana

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Salambasana

Sirsasana

Utplutih


The remainder of the poses are in - the binds aren't bad as long as I bind on the wrist and use a light grip with my pinky and ring finger. Faux-transitions between poses, lifting half way up from cross legged seated without using arms or from seated knees bent to pasasana legs.


To get my back bend fix, setu bandha sarvangasana (really grounding through the balls of the feet), ustrasana/kapotasna modification of thighs against the wall (working in and up the wall, chest up and over and hang back), and standing hang backs to hold.


Also, Monday night got my inversion fix on the ropes at UnityWoods.

I'm really missing sirsasana and
have been unable to come up with a solution/modification that I can easily incorporate without the use of ropes.




2 comments:

Skippetty said...

A friend of mine's hurt her wrist and gagging to practice but can't at all so I'm sending her to your site (See! It's possible to practice with an injured wrist!)

Sirsasana - what about doing it the Iyengar way with 2 chairs? (and a gazilion blankets and mats but hey... if it works...) Try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvbKlJFt42A (You don't need to place weight on your hands/ wrists - I've done it before with hands sticking out on either side through the chairs, so all weight supported on shoulders on the blankets. It's fun!)

Portside said...

Heya Skippetty! Sorry to hear about your friend's wrist. Hope she's taking good care of it - also please let her know that she's more than welcome to email me for commiseration. ;)

Sirsasana on chair was my first thought and at the onset of this injury I was hesitant to put any stress on my hand. When I tried it the way you suggest there was still a smidgen of pressure placed on my hand. I think I'm at a point now when I can work with that modification. Thank you for reminding me. :)