Back/Neck alignment for beginner

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi there… I am new here and had some yoga questions. I’m 45 years old, I go to the chiropractor every two weeks because my neck and spine get out of alignment so quick. They almost go back out as soon as they puts them in. We just bought a Harley and I know the riding w/the helmet and hitting of bumps can make my spine worse. I was trying to figure out some way to help strengthen my neck and spine to make it more flexible and stronger. My questions that I have are:

What type of yoga would be best for this? There are so many types out there.

How often should yoga be done to be effective?

Has anyone had similar situations or any good advice for me?

Thanks in advance for any input!!

Gin :smiley:

#2

Hi Gin :slight_smile:

I wouldn’t worry so much about the type of yoga, I would focus more on the teacher. I’d look up as many places of practice in your area as I could and send out a load of emails describing your situation and see if there are any teachers qualified to help you. Find out everything from their levels of training to specifics of how they would help you with your problems.

#3

I would look for an experienced Iyengar teacher .

#4

And the reason an experienced Iyengar teacher is recommended is because the Iyengar school of yoga tends to be the most cautious with correct alignment. In fact, it’s almost a given.

This doesn’t mean that teachers from other disciplines aren’t. Indeed, I know some excellent ashtanga yoga teachers that are extremely alignment conscious. However, it isn’t a given. That being the case, the most efficient way for you to find a teacher that will cater to your specific needs is for you to hone in on Iyengar teachers.

#5

Hi Gin,

In the practice of asana, the physical practice which is part of yoga, strengthening comes only after alignment. It would be an exceptional case where a student, fostering imbalance, strengthened before aligning and came away with a more balanced musculo-skeletal structure. Ergo I’d suggest an alignment-based practice where the teacher knows and employs this principle in their teaching. Unfortunately sound teachers are becoming tougher to find as teacher trainings become more prolific and those who offer them slip on the slope of integrity.

If you can find a compassionate Iyengar teacher you can be well served in this regard. Viniyoga, Purna Yoga™ (in which I practice and teach), and perhaps Anusara could all be helpful.

The frequency of a therapeutic asana practice depends on the practice, the practitioner, the issues being addressed, the other things one is doing in their living, and the results. Five variables make it impossible to give you one answer. Start slowly and set reasonable expectations for yourself and the practice, then grow it from there.

Anyone who’s practiced for any length of time has had similar issues. What I’ve learned in my practice is that as long as I am unwilling to alter the behavior which is creating the issue, complete resolution is problematic. Of course just sitting and taking it isn’t profound either. So doing the best we can AND looking at our choices helps us live more joyfully.

gordon