Yoga for bad knees and back ache - An update

This is no epiphany - increase weight, even 10-15 pounds can add you to your backache woes. I have gained about that much in the last 4 months. As my stress mounted, I missed yoga classes , my walking schedule went to hell, I went back to using fattening foods, too much sugar, overeating and yes a few more trips to McDonald's as a medication for stress. The discipline I had maintained for nearly 1.5 years has been slowly dwindling. So old problems like backache and more recently painful knees have re-appeared. So here is how I am dealing with the two:

Bad hurting knees:
I noticed them while climbing stairs. Solution - when doing standing poses, such as VB-I (Warrior Pose), I perform a trick taught to me by Nuvana. I simply move the foot below the bent knee more to the right, so its at an angle rather than straight. This works for many standing poses, where you are putting pressure on your knees by bending or extending them.

Hurting Lower Back:
While in attempting a VB-1 with ropes last night in class, I pulled my back and I had a spasm in the middle of the class. I immediately went into back relief mode. I tried to not join my feet while doing Uttanasana and Utkatasana despite instructions to do so. I also tried to pull the buttocks down while doing Utkatasana. The action of spreading your legs and pulling your buttock muscles down, helps release back muscle spasms. Also pulling up your arms and upper back, along with thbe downward pull of the butt brings tremendous relief. I found Halasana and Sarvangasana to be very uncomfortable. Its better to try it with a chair or try Setubhanda Sarvangasana instead. Any twisting pose such Marichi Asana I and ending your session with a Viparita Karani, with your legs up brings additional relief to your back.

Today I spent an hour half with Nuvana working on various back relieving poses. It works well before my long trip to Pune tomorrow. Yes I am heading back to the mother ship. I will be working mostly, but I hope to blog as well from RIMYI. I arrive non stop to Pune for the first time and will avoid the drive from Mumbai at the wee hours of the morning.

Today was Guru Purnima in India - Guru's or Teachers day. Its a big event at RIMYI. I want to thank all my teachers especially all my yoga teachers especially Nuvana - she has inspired me to remain dedicated to yoga and every session with her helps me learn more about my own body and how to self heal, physically, mentally and emotionally. Nina, thanks for inspiring me with your quotes from the Sutras and Terry for being patient and encouraging me to attend your level 3 class. And most of all to the greatest inspiration of all - Guru Iyengar - his books and omni -presence is a driving force in my life and so many others who are dedicate to his yoga and philosophy.

Namaste

The Yogi

Monday Night Advanced Class with Nina - Intense groin opening pose to make you sweat and relieve back pain!

Yesterday night's class finally made me sweat. The theme of this class was "groin opening poses". Read "intense poses that generate heat and really make you sweat". So all of you who think yoga doesn't give you an intense workout - eat your heart out! This was hard, intense and sweaty.

The class was estrogen majority. I was the only male (what happened to the other two) in class and probably most "pose challenged". With tight hamstrings, I couldn't dare stretch the back leg in "Hanuman Asana". We did a number of groin openers and supporting poses to allow the groins to really open. Supta Virasana, variations of Adho Mukha Svanasana, Raj kapot Asana (Pigeon Pose).

Nina borrowed some inspiration from Nuvana's back-care class. Its strap trick. A small strap tight around your lower waist. The belt is wrapped around your sacrum, and high part of the gluteus muscles real tight. I use this trick when I have lower back ache or when I am long flights to India. Then you add a wider belt at your sacrum in loop around the tight belt. You then pull down the wider belt with your feet. It pushes your buttock muscles down, releasing the back. This provides amazing relief to your back.

This trick was taught to me by Nuvana early on in my training with her. Back and shoulder ache were to most persistent problems I encountered - both of which are now much better since I started yoga. There are so many benefits to yoga, but I must say I use this Nuvana trick all the time to relieve lower back pain. If you are in metro Portland or visiting try the saturday morning back care class at Sunset Yoga. You will be amazed!

Namaste

The Yogi