Every day back bending

Kapotasana, August 2020

I’m happy with my schedule. 5 times a week I practice second series. Back bending asanas are almost the first asanas of the middle part of the second series. I still feel fresh and not exhausted at that time, after perhaps 30 minute of practicing. I feel strong enough to hold the asanas and I feel strong enough to repeat asanas. Some additional exercises develop strength, others. flexibility. I can feel how I progress. I take care that I move correctly. Tiny awkward movements and my SI joint is complaining.

When I’m in the above position I don’t try to push my hands against the wall to get out of the pose. The legs shall do the work. I move the hands away from the wall only a tiny bit and then I move the hips forward. It will become more challenging the deeper I can get into the pose. Repetition helps me to get deeper into the pose. But I also want to get out of it, the same way I got into the pose. The vinyasa are another chapter.

Challenges are learning opportunities.

One learns to understand the body.

Yet it’s also on opportunity to develop discipline and stamina.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Back bending again

Working on basic stretches improves automatically many other asanas, too.

Every day I work on split poses (forward and sidewards). For me the splits are a basic stretches. When the splits are mastered also back bending asanas improve enormously.

The stretching discomfort and the burning of the muscles when working on getting stronger is part of every practice. If one doesn’t like this at all a yoga practice becomes a burden. Today my tolerance to stand this discomfort was high. This always allows me to stay longer in asanas. I’ve the mental strength to repeat challenging poses. With time we learn how to handle this discomfort that comes with yoga but with other sportive activities, too. Deep breathing is a technique to make it bearable. Observing what’s happening is another tool to handle this discomfort.

With time the asanas become easier and easier. Then a practice is rather exhausting than accompanied with discomfort. I’ve been there. I fight myself back to this level.

I take my time. For me my time is spent better when I work on a few asana than to whip myself through a series. Today my focus was back bending.

Time to prepare lunch.