Goal Pose for 2013
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I would love it if the soles of my feet would finally reach the ground while doing down dog! They are gradually moving, but are still an inch of the ground. Who knows, they may touch ground in 2013!
Me too!!!!! And I would like to reach a point where downward dog feels as enjoyable as people with more yoga experience say that it does. At this point in time, staying in the most for more than a few seconds feels like an endurance competition.
My other goal is to be able to actually have my bum rest on my heels during child's pose.0 -
My goal pose for 2013 is to do downward facing dog properly (heels planted). I thought I had made it this morning, when they hit the mat. I then checked Yoga Journal, and I was doing the pose wrong (hands too far forward, legs too close). In case it is helpful to others, here is the article, which describes in minute detail down dog: http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/153
Oddly enough, I'm happy that I still have to refine this pose. I like the feeling of challenging myself. One yoga teacher I have practiced with told me that he found yoga at a time in his life when he was having to give up other sports due to injury, and that he was thrilled to find a discipline that he could look forward to getting better at in old age. It is very encouraging to think of the progress I could make if I stick to regular practice.0 -
Great alignment notes in there for Down Dog. Any easy tip to make sure your palms/feet placement is correct is to roll forward to plank (high push-up). Bring your palms right under your shoulders and lengthen the spine by pressing through your heels. From here lift your hips back up to DD. Your hands and feet are the same distance apart in both DD and plank.
My goal pose/s for 2013 are to work on my inversions. I am proficient in headstand but want to be more confident moving into forearm balance and handstand. I don't know why these still scare me!!0 -
Success: just did Camel Pose! couldn't do that a few weeks ago when I started.
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I was going to say headstand, but this article is making me think twice:
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2768
I don't know if I have the discipline to practice safely enough, and her experience is sufficiently devastating that I'd rather not risk it. There are lots of other fun poses anyway - maybe I'll work on splits and handstands 0 -
Congrats Bluetrace!
I had two breakthroughs yesterday: The first was coming up into handstand with both legs - I went from using a bolster to using a rolled sticky mat against the wall. This keeps your head from banging into the wall, but eventually you have to wean yourself from the prop. I've worked with the bolster for 2 years, so this was pretty big for me. The second was my first successful drop back from standing then coming back up. I only came back up once (though I tried 3 more times), but I know once you do a pose, it comes more easily the second time.0 -
I'd love to be able to get into a headstand at the wall consistently. My main goal is to make my practice more regular this year.0
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Great Idea!...I want to be able to do a headstand with my feet completely straight...also when you do the hamstring stretch, and put your hand under your leg and float back to plank, i want to get both my feet off the ground!...confusing but i know what i want!! haha0
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Great Idea!...I want to be able to do a headstand with my feet completely straight...also when you do the hamstring stretch, and put your hand under your leg and float back to plank, i want to get both my feet off the ground!...confusing but i know what i want!! haha
I think I know what you're saying: from forward fold, planting your hands down and jumping straight into chaturanga? as part of vinyasa usually? yes, I want to be able to "float" more into it too!
question: I've seen ashtanga students float beautifully and lightly (it of course doesn't feel so light...lol) into chaturanga and I've also seen people "thump" onto their toes in power class. which one is the correct way to jump back? the more I try to float, the more I seem to thump...:P0 -
I think I know what you're saying: from forward fold, planting your hands down and jumping straight into chaturanga? as part of vinyasa usually? yes, I want to be able to "float" more into it too!
question: I've seen ashtanga students float beautifully and lightly (it of course doesn't feel so light...lol) into chaturanga and I've also seen people "thump" onto their toes in power class. which one is the correct way to jump back? the more I try to float, the more I seem to thump...:P
I've noticed that those that can float well, can usually press up into handstand (this is different than kicking up) - so there's a whole lot going on in the abdomen. Also hamstring flexibility has to be there (to jump forward), because if you watch someone doing it, it's a forward bend. There's also getting the hips over the hands - so even if you can't press up into handstand, you can work on getting up with both legs at once.
Check out this video of David Swenson teaching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI25FyEOvlI 0 -
yes, I visualize getting into a handstand when I do it. It's more the landing (jump back)...I'm assuming that you're supposed to land lightly onto your toes? Even some of the Yoga Journal videos shows people thumping down on their toes?0
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I would think a light landing is better, but I don't practice ashtanga. It would be something you would have to ask an Ashtanga teacher to show how.0
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tripod headstand!
also: it would be awesome to master the art of jumping back into chaturanga out of crow pose0 -
also: it would be awesome to master the art of jumping back into chaturanga out of crow pose
^^^^^^yes! this too:)0 -
Want to work on drop backs? Here are some great video tips:
see blog post 2/8/13
http://www.livethelightofyoga.com/1/archives/02-2013/1.html0 -
yes, I visualize getting into a handstand when I do it. It's more the landing (jump back)...I'm assuming that you're supposed to land lightly onto your toes? Even some of the Yoga Journal videos shows people thumping down on their toes?
Here's another video for you, it shows the continuum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZyj5nZldgA&list=UUn927zms5zmsKiUdMB4olbw&index=17 0 -
^thanks Mary:flowerforyou: gotta keep working on my handstands! (short arms too)
those drop backs look brutal...! I may have asked you this before but what are best ways to strengthen oneself for getting into wheel? Once I get into it, I can do it but lifting myself up is a struggle sometimes. I use a wall, chair legs etc. for help but I seem to do better by flailing out my arms rather than keeping it in!0 -
^thanks Mary:flowerforyou: gotta keep working on my handstands! (short arms too)
those drop backs look brutal...! I may have asked you this before but what are best ways to strengthen oneself for getting into wheel? Once I get into it, I can do it but lifting myself up is a struggle sometimes. I use a wall, chair legs etc. for help but I seem to do better by flailing out my arms rather than keeping it in!
Have you tried pushing up from a bolster? Lie over a bolster to give yourself a few extra inches, place your hands and go up.
I seem to remember you having shoulder flexibility, right? If not, some extra gomukasana arms will make a huge difference. The flailing arms makes me think shoulder flexibility. You could use a strap around your arms to test this.
Also, this technique may not make sense without a demo, but I'll give it a shot (I have to work on my voice skills anyway). First keep in mind the drop back work that Christina was showing - the part where you go to ustrasana (camel) - notice how she brought her knees forward of her ankles - keep that visual. Lie down, place your hands and feet. Lift your hips and come up into a little bridge pose. Then, move your weight toward your feet (remember the visual above), so your knees go beyond your ankles. Now you are using your strong legs to lift you up. Press down with your heels to lift your buttocks higher as you are shifting your weight further toward your knees and pressing up with your hands.
If that made sense, great. If it worked, thank Judith Lasater - I learned it from her.0 -
I would like to just do a simple forward fold without my back being very angry with me--it's just the complications I have with a herniated disc with that pose. :grumble: :ohwell:
But a lot of the other poses I can do without any problems. I can almost, not quite, hold the crane pose, so hopefully I will be able to master that one by the end of the year.0 -
Also, this technique may not make sense without a demo, but I'll give it a shot (I have to work on my voice skills anyway). First keep in mind the drop back work that Christina was showing - the part where you go to ustrasana (camel) - notice how she brought her knees forward of her ankles - keep that visual. Lie down, place your hands and feet. Lift your hips and come up into a little bridge pose. Then, move your weight toward your feet (remember the visual above), so your knees go beyond your ankles. Now you are using your strong legs to lift you up. Press down with your heels to lift your buttocks higher as you are shifting your weight further toward your knees and pressing up with your hands.
If that made sense, great. If it worked, thank Judith Lasater - I learned it from her.
This totally makes sense! I think I try to do it all on my arms (& core) rather than using my legs more, which would be much stronger. Thanks! I'll give it a try
ps and I think my shoulders are pretty flexible but how often do I do gomukasana? not often;)0 -
Crane/side crane- I can do them for a few seconds at a time and usually fall over.
Monkey- I'm almost there on my right side. The left leaves something to be desired.
Extended Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose- Again, my form is much better on my right. It would also be nice to do this without significant discomfort, ha.
Standing split- oh the hip pain. But I'll get there.
So yeah, lots to work on! But I think I've come a long way in the two months I've been practicing.0 -
ok just gonna update here---I ALMOST did a handstand today..for like a second (it doesnt count) i was off the wall..i want to be able to do and float into chaturanga to upward dog..so we're gettin there!0
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I would like to be able to improve with the Ashtanga primary series. Specifically, one goal is to be able to get out of shoulder pressing pose by swinging my legs out, around, and back into high pushup. I would also like to successfully jump through my arms from down dog into seating in a controlled manner.0
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Definitely crow pose. I have never done any arm balance, it looks like a good beginning one. I'm going to work on holding plank, side plank, and four limbed staff pose to strengthen my arms before I attempt crow. My upper body strength is my biggest weakness.0
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A friend of mine has 7 goal poses for the next 2 years - so she has one to work on every day of the week. I'm considering adding more to my list, although I don't always want to work on them. :laugh:
The main trick to getting crow pose: look forward, not down. Good luck.0 -
What a good topic and what great tips on various poses!!! Very inspiring everyone!
Headstand is a pose that is a goal sometime in the near future, not sure if that would be one for the next year though. My goal pose is perfecting wheel pose. I was finally able to get myself up and positioned correctly but couldn't stay in it. Also, coming back down is not graceful right now at all! LOL
Heather 0 -
Great topic and glad to know I am not the only one with goal poses. I definitely need to improve on all 1 leg poses, I'm still wobbly but I am getting better. There are some moments in one-legged poses that I am focused and connected with my breath and I feel really good about my progress-- other days not so much.
I still haven't tried a headstand, since I am in a beginner class at the studio, we have a moment where the instructor says if you have a headstand in your practice do it now....I haven't tried. I guess trying will be my first goal.
Birds of Paradise is another but only one instructor has it in our flow and I can get in to the bind, get weight on the one leg but yeah, I haven't gone past there.
I really want to be able to do one leg king pigeon or 1 leg royal pigeon-- I'm not even sure what it is called. I can go into the pose fine but the furthest I got was bending me knee up and getting my elbow around my foot-- still have a while until I get my foot to my head
I've only been practicing a few months and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I love it.0 -
Side (twisted) Crow! Im getting pretty good at regular Crow, so hoping by Fall.
BTW - Anyone know of any good / fast power vinyasa yoga dvds? I've bought a few on Amazon used and all are pretty dull and slow. Thanks all! `0 -
I would like to get from Chaturanga Dandasana to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana during sun salutations more gracefully and without having to do the "scooch of shame"! 0
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I would like to float from down dog to forward fold. That is, I want to throw my hips up straight over my hands so hands; arms; and body are all in a straight line, then gracefully fold my legs down between my hands. I work on this constantly and it is improving but I've still got a long way to go.0
