Since I started my home ashtanga yoga practice in late October of last year, I have only been following video classes and reading yoga books. For the first time, I am going to ashtanga yoga classes in Delhi, and hopefully this will help me when I travel to Mysore for more classes.
This is the sixth day I have been going to yoga classes at theyogastudio of Seema Sondhi in New Delhi. So far, they have been terrific, and the advice of the teachers are really invaluable as you do your poses. I believe that if you really want to improve, you really need a teacher to help you out.
Today, for the first time ever, I was able to bind in the Marichyasana C with the help of Seema. That felt really great! On the right side with your right knee bent, and left leg extended with toes pointing up, you have to really twist to the right, internally rotate your left shoulder, then at some point bend your elbow and reach around your bent knee for your other arm. I don't know how it happened but suddenly I was in the pose. I couldn't quite reach with the other side but hopefully it will come. We tried out a few poses in the second series like some additional backbends, camel pose then ended with the closing sequence without the headstand.
This is the sixth day I have been going to yoga classes at theyogastudio of Seema Sondhi in New Delhi. So far, they have been terrific, and the advice of the teachers are really invaluable as you do your poses. I believe that if you really want to improve, you really need a teacher to help you out.
Today, for the first time ever, I was able to bind in the Marichyasana C with the help of Seema. That felt really great! On the right side with your right knee bent, and left leg extended with toes pointing up, you have to really twist to the right, internally rotate your left shoulder, then at some point bend your elbow and reach around your bent knee for your other arm. I don't know how it happened but suddenly I was in the pose. I couldn't quite reach with the other side but hopefully it will come. We tried out a few poses in the second series like some additional backbends, camel pose then ended with the closing sequence without the headstand.
Actually, yesterday, I was also able to hold the headstand with my knees bent above my pelvis for about 5 counts, longer than I ever did before. One of the yoga students came up to me after the class and told me I was almost there and that I just needed to engage my bandhas or sort of pull in my stomach and tuck in my seatbones once i am in the tuck position before the headstand and that my legs will then directly go up.
I really enjoy the classes here. They are pretty much at a level where I can follow along then just do some modifications suggested by the teacher, or try to challenge myself and attempt to do the more advanced poses. Before coming to India a week and a half ago, the inner side of my knees were always hurting. They actually hurt less now. I have been trying to stretch my quadriceps and hamstrings as much as possible as I have read that that could be the cause of my knee problems. I hope that after a few more days of yoga here, my knee problems will go away.
No comments:
Post a Comment