But I digress ...
I've been thinking and working on my stiff hips lately and trying to figure out a way to open them up slowly but surely. Ashtanga on it's own will not get me there as it doesn't afford me enough down time in it for my hips to open up. They are reluctant at best! Five breathes here and five breathes there is just NOT sufficient for my lazy stiff hips. So I have been sitting on the floor in front of the TV whenever I can remember which is probably only about twice a week to open them up. I need to be way more religious about this as I know that an every other day approach will be way more forthcoming. It takes me at least 3 minutes holding and releasing the pose to get my hips to release and give way. Then after the 3 minute mark I can then hold it more comfortably and start using my palms pressed on my inner thighs just above my knees (not on the knees but just beside them) to VERY gently push my thighs away & down for my knees to go down even more. The key is not pushing directly down BUT pushing gently away from the hip sockets as you push down. This really allows the hip sockets to open and release down. It's just amazing! Last night I did it and my left hip which is looser than my right was like 2 inches from the floor while my right was 4 inches from the floor. This is like a breakthrough for me! But believe me, I don't start off that way when I initially sit down it looks just like her above! :( Nevertheless, I'm starting to go down! WooHoo! And this beautiful tip of pushing away and not directly down I got from my persistent and joyous readings of amazing and inspiring ashtanga blogs! Way to go all of you ashtangi's who helped me out with your generous blogs and insights and learnings!
I've realized long ago that my stiff hips really plays a part in all my postures so working on this is key to freeing me up in my practice. For instance I can't go very sideways in parsvakonasana as my hips are stiff and doesn't allow the openess for my torso to turn sideways as the real action is actually in the hip of the bent knee. If it's not open you can not go sideways. That's all there is to it. This is also evident in trikonasana where my back hip then must compensate by going forward as my front hip can not open to allow me to go sideways. Therefore my back hip distorts forward to allow for this. Then with utthita hasta padangusthasana b and supta padangusthasana b when my leg goes out to the side it's a sorry sight. Side is a misnomer for where my leg goes! lol! Especially in supta! I might as well wear a white flag on it, it's just flapping in the wind like it's saying "I surrender, I surrender"! Which is what it actually needs to do! Haha! And lets not talk about lotus pose as that's just a no go. My left leg can lotus but my right says "say what!" So me needs to badd-ass, badd-ass, badd-ass konasana all the way with my at home practice for it one day to look like a mean Baddha Konasana in class! And the benefits of it will seep far and wide into all my practice and life itself!
By the way, this blog is a work in progress and hopefully SOON I will get around to figuring out listing those amazing ashtangi blogs that I've got so much insight and enjoyment and learning from!
All's good! ... etc. etc.
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