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Clear White Light
USA
229 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 12 2010 : 9:35:20 PM
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Here is my daily hatha yoga routine. It has been very much inspired by following the lessons in Satyananada Saraswati's "Systemic Course" book.
Surya Namaskara x 2
Trikonasana x 2 - 3 each side
Bhujangasana x 2
Sarpasana x 3 - 5
Locust x 3 - 5
Laying back leg lift (Not sure what this is called..) x 3 - 5
Ustrasana x 2 - 3
Ardha-Matsyendrasana x 2 - 3
Shashankasana x 1
I'm looking to fill out any gaps in my practice. Does anyone have any suggestions? |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 12:55:16 AM
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Well, that is a pretty basic routine Clear.
I think it might help if you provided your age and general fitness level.
I don't spend so much time on asanas anymore, however, your routine is what i would consider a warm up in preparation for more advanced poses.
You can definitely get a lot of benefit from the poses you are doing, but none of them will really open you up.
What is your goal with asana practice? Simply to prepare for meditation? If so, it is pretty solid for that. But if it is to prepare your body for large doses of prana, i think you may want to go heavier on the chest and hip openers. |
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Clear White Light
USA
229 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 09:44:59 AM
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Sorry, I should have provided a little more information. I'm 26 years old and in good health, but I do have some complications with my arms and shoulders. I've got some sort of nerve entrapment going in in both arms, but i haven't been able to get properly diagnosed yet. It somewhat reduces my ability to put pressure on my arms. Like doing push ups for example would be very painful for me on a bad day.
My goal is to develop physical strength and flexibility, but also energy cultivation. I've done pretty well on the strength and flexibility front, and I feel like it's time to begin adding some more advanced poses to help nudge along the all over energetic conductivity. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 3:22:26 PM
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Hey Clear White Light 
Here is my suggestion for a sequence you could try.
Surya Namaskara x 1
Uttanasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...nasana-A.jpg .....step back into:
Adho Mukha Svanasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...vanasana.jpg .....hold, then lift one leg for:
Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana: http://www.yogabydeb.com/Yoga%20Pose/pose1.jpg .....hold, pull the knee into the chest and step forward into a runners lunge: http://youlookgoodfor40workouts.fil...rs-lunge.jpg , then lifting the arms for:
Virabhadrasana 1: http://josephyoga.com/blog/wp-conte...c03912a1.jpg .....hold, replace the hands on either side of the front foot, place the whole back foot on the floor, parallel to the end of your mat and lift one arm into:
Parsvokanasana: http://studioyoga6.com/images/PARSV...2_std_1_.jpg ....hold, straighten the front leg and lift your outstretched arm to point at the ceiling for:
Trikonasana: http://yogaequalidadedevida.files.w...konasana.jpg .....hold, windmill the top hand back to the floor by the foot and step back into:
Chaturunga: http://www.houseoflucas.com/rob/ima...aturanga.JPG ....(don't hold long if your arms hurt), lower to the floor, vinyasa through (push up into upward dog and then lift into downward dog).....then repeat on the other side:
Tri Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana: http://www.yogabydeb.com/Yoga%20Pose/pose1.jpg .....pull the knee into the chest and step forward into a runners lunge: http://youlookgoodfor40workouts.fil...rs-lunge.jpg , then lifting the arms for:
Virabhadrasana 1: http://josephyoga.com/blog/wp-conte...c03912a1.jpg .....hold, replace the hands on either side of the front foot, place the whole back foot on the floor, parallel to the end of your mat and lift one arm into:
Parsvokanasana: http://studioyoga6.com/images/PARSV...2_std_1_.jpg ....hold, then straighten the front leg and lift your outstretched arm to point at the ceiling for:
Trikonasana: http://yogaequalidadedevida.files.w...konasana.jpg .....hold, then rotate the torso so both hands are on the floor square in front of you, twist the front foot so it is parallel with the end of your mat for:
Prasarita Padottanasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...nasana-A.jpg ...hold, then if you feel comfortable you could clasp the hands behind your back and lower the arms towards the floor: http://www.ashtanganews.com/wp-cont...a-flickr.jpg , opening up the heart and starting to work through some of those arm issues.
Then coming onto the hands and knees you could do a few:
Cat/Cow vinyasa's: http://www.massagewilliamsburg.com/...tcowcomp.jpg ....then taking the hands off the floor and lifting the torso for:
Ustrasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...strasana.jpg ....hold, then working back upright, pulling the legs out and sitting down on the floor in:
Dandasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...andasana.jpg before moving into:
Paschimottanasana: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6wjZSwVtR...nasana-A.jpg ....hold, then sitting back upright in Dandasana before pulling one foot into the perineum and opening up the straight leg to a 45degree angle from the torso as you move into:
Janu Sirsasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...sasana-A.jpg ....hold, switch sides....hold, then pulling the bottom leg out so the heel is outside the buttock and crossing the formerly straightened leg overtop of the bottom leg working into:
Gomukhasana: http://de.ashtangayoga.info/asana-v...hasana-B.jpg ....holding (and using a strap for the arms if necessary....dropping the strap down from the top hand into the lower hand and then pulling them closer together), and then switching sides with both the arms and the legs. After the second side is done, release the arms, lift the upper leg and place the foot on the floor outside the thigh of the opposite leg for:
Ardha-Matsyendrasana: http://assets1.smart.fm/assets/user...41f007f8.jpg ...hold, then switch sides. Once finished on the second side, coming onto the stomach for:
Salabasana: http://stablepoint.org/Backbends/salabasana.jpg (but unlike in this picture I would try again to clasp the hands behind the back like you would in Sarpasana: http://www.zentrajapan.com/asanas/i...arpasana.jpg ....) hold, and then from here you could do your:
Laying back leg lift: which I assume looks something like this: http://gethealthywithheather.files....g-lift-2.jpg followed by:
Shashankasana: http://yogaxtc.com/images/photos/ra...ankasana.jpg and then:
Savasana: http://www.yogameditation.com/var/c...ge_400_w.jpg
Each posture only needs to be held for 10 seconds or so (other then savasana) before moving into the next posture. This sequence could easily be done in about 10 mins.... maybe 15 minutes max. Each posture works pretty easily into the next posture so it can really be done in a "flow", and the more used to the sequence you get the more meditative each movement between postures becomes as well.
If this is way to hard/detailed of a sequence for you, totally disregard this post.  Any questions or comments are appreciated.
Love!
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Edited by - CarsonZi on Jul 13 2010 3:47:08 PM |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 7:56:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Clear White Light
Sorry, I should have provided a little more information. I'm 26 years old and in good health, but I do have some complications with my arms and shoulders. I've got some sort of nerve entrapment going in in both arms, but i haven't been able to get properly diagnosed yet. It somewhat reduces my ability to put pressure on my arms. Like doing push ups for example would be very painful for me on a bad day.
My goal is to develop physical strength and flexibility, but also energy cultivation. I've done pretty well on the strength and flexibility front, and I feel like it's time to begin adding some more advanced poses to help nudge along the all over energetic conductivity.
Understood. Carson has contributed a pretty darn good routine that i also think would work for you. Its no so advanced as to scare you off but it would push you in all likelihood. Give it a try!
As for the entrapment issue, I know what you are talking about. This is probably an issue resulting from improper corporal alignment. Remember, I cannot see you so i don't know your general posture etc.... so i cannot be sure. But this type of symptom is quite common and it seems to me that the best thing you can do for it is to begin working on opening your chest. Now, there are some good poses for this. However, its likely that they will be too challenging, and possibly too painful, for you to do.
Instead, I recommend getting some yoga props, you can even use a folding metal chair, and doing chest opening this way. check out this link for some basics: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/1776
Carson has given you a great vinyasa routine. However, you might consider a slower approach wherein you hold chest opening poses and pelvic opening poses for long periods of time with the help of props. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2010 : 12:01:09 AM
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You could also try working some of the mudras and bandhas into your current routine (which will help to increase the energetic benefits of your regular series). Specifically uddiyana bandha, mulabandha, sambhavi and kechari mudra.
Love!
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Clear White Light
USA
229 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2010 : 09:40:25 AM
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Carson,
There are a few poses in the sequence that are a bit advanced for me yet, but as my ability increases I will definitely try it out. I have been wanting to add mudras and bandhas for my postures for a while now, but for some reason I've been unable to find a comfortable way to do so. Are there any poses that you can recommend that perhaps are more better suited to employ the mudras & bandhas? I have tried mahamudra several times, but I don't feel as if I'm doing it right.
Tonightsthenight,
I'm curious what you mean by corporal alignment. I don't know that I've ever heard the term before. I really appreciate the link. I'm going to start looking in to finding some techniques that will aid in opening up my chest. I will probably go ahead and pick up one of those yoga blocks, unless I can find something suitable around the house. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2010 : 10:56:57 AM
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Hey CWL
quote:
Originally posted by Clear White Light
There are a few poses in the sequence that are a bit advanced for me yet, but as my ability increases I will definitely try it out.
Which poses do you feel are a bit too advanced? Knowing this would help me get a better feel for where you are at, and would help me modify the routine to better suit you.
quote:
Originally posted by Clear White Light
I have been wanting to add mudras and bandhas for my postures for a while now, but for some reason I've been unable to find a comfortable way to do so. Are there any poses that you can recommend that perhaps are more better suited to employ the mudras & bandhas? I have tried mahamudra several times, but I don't feel as if I'm doing it right.
I think every pose is a good pose to add mudras and bandhas to. But, that said, some postures are more effective then others for energy cultivation when the mudras and bandhas are applied. Yoga Mudra is a great pose to use M and B's with. Janu Sirsasana/Mahamudra is a good one. Shoulderstand is also good to use the bandhas (in particular) with. Paschimottanasana, ardha matsyendrasana, uttanasana, these are all good postures to use M and B's with.
quote:
Originally posted by Clear White Light
I'm going to start looking in to finding some techniques that will aid in opening up my chest. I will probably go ahead and pick up one of those yoga blocks, unless I can find something suitable around the house.
You could use a couple of towels rolled up together (to make a bolster something like this: http://www.yogaaccessories.com/Stan..._121228.html) and then place it on the floor and lay on your back on top of it with bolster pushing into the top of the thoracic spine just below the armpits. Allow your arms to drape open, allow the spine to curve and allow the pelvis to rest on the floor. You can lay like this for up to about 10 minutes and this is a nice easy way to open up the heart/chest. Just a suggestion.
Hope this helps!
Love!
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Edited by - CarsonZi on Jul 14 2010 11:18:03 AM |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2010 : 10:21:27 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Clear White Light
Carson,
There are a few poses in the sequence that are a bit advanced for me yet, but as my ability increases I will definitely try it out. I have been wanting to add mudras and bandhas for my postures for a while now, but for some reason I've been unable to find a comfortable way to do so. Are there any poses that you can recommend that perhaps are more better suited to employ the mudras & bandhas? I have tried mahamudra several times, but I don't feel as if I'm doing it right.
Tonightsthenight,
I'm curious what you mean by corporal alignment. I don't know that I've ever heard the term before. I really appreciate the link. I'm going to start looking in to finding some techniques that will aid in opening up my chest. I will probably go ahead and pick up one of those yoga blocks, unless I can find something suitable around the house.
Hey Clear
hehe, by corporal alignment, all i mean is body posture 
if some of these poses are too advanced for you, I wonder if it might help if you provide more information about yourself.
everyone's body is different, so it would really help carson and i and others to know more about you so that we could try to help.
height
weight
which sports you are active in?
are you sedentary?
how much exercise a day?
do you have tight muscles?
how many miles can you run in a session?
what is your diet like?
can you perform Adho Mukha Svanasana like in this picture: http://www.everything.com/upload/im...nasana-2.jpg ??
If the poses Carson posted are too difficult for you i am concerned that maybe we miscommunicated somewhere 
xxx |
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My hatha routine - Looking to expand a little
