Hi,
I have question about counter pose to a warrior pose. I have a lower back pain problem which recently gets quite problematic ? making impossible to follow yoga class. The most pain-causing postures are warrior poses (and all poses in which I make forward launch ? irrespectively which leg). And all poses when I lie on back and lift legs up (keeping lower back on ground). The most relieving is half moon pose. Could you help me with finding counter-poses to warrior poses?
Thanks,
Pawel
Pawel,
Counter pose to warrior? Downward Dog.
siva
If by “forward launch” you mean a lunge with the front leg (knee) flexed to 90? then I’ll presume you are referencing Vira I & II. Both of those poses, in slightly different ways, can create compression in the lumbar spine (when the actions in the body are not appropriate AND the mentality of the student is one of over-aggression.
See if poses that open the hip flexors more safely might be more beneficial to you at this juncture. Try Eka Pada Supta Virasana or Vanarasana (lunge with the back knee on the ground. Still, appropriate actions are needed to protect the lumbar spine but these are a bit easier to access with more safety.
Thanks Guys,
Downward dog eases the pain a bit, but it doesn’t make a difference. By difference I mean that when I do warrior poses (Vira I & II) it’s not a big problem, but main pain comes when I want to came out (especially if I did the left leg forward). I have to lower down to slowly get back to standing. So I think in these poses some muscles and tendons are stretched in a way that it aggravates my problem. So I want to find a pose that would do the opposite – that when I would came out I would feel relief. Either a pose to compress those muscles or if it wont be possible just list of poses to avoid.
InnerAthlete, I tried Eka Pada Supta Virasana or Vanarasana. Eka Pada Supta Virasana was ok, but I couldn’t relax my lower back because of pain when it touches the floor (also, I can’t relax in corpse pose, the same reason). But I felt stretching hip flexors brought some relief.What do you mean by appropriate actions of the body?
Pawel,
Perhaps a modification of your warrior huh?. If you can’t come out without experiencing pain, then you’re going too deep. Find a happier medium, how far is just-far-enough, and build the strength gradually.
good luck,
peace & happy holidays,
siva
I’m still a bit confused Pawel.
How is it you come down from Vira I when coming out of the pose?
Eka Pada Supta Virasana should be done only with one leg (obviously) and while sitting on the end of a bolster. Students with lower back issues SHOULD NOT attempt to fully recline. Instead that student should go back as far as they can without pain while keeping the shin bone grounded. Take as much height as you need (several bolsters) to not feel pain the lumbar spine.
Appropriate actions in the body are those things taught by the teacher for each pose once you are in it. I would not be surprised if you experience relief from opening the three hip flexors. I would focus the work there in conjunction with gentle opening in the hamstrings in a supine position.
gordon
Thanks Gordon,
About coming out of Vira I: when I finish and want to come up (by straightening front leg, but there is so much activity happening in hip area so I can?t say what exactly is causing this pain), I feel sharp pain in lower back (very low, around coxic bone area). So sometimes I bend my back leg and land with my hands on the ground to take weight from spine ? and just sit down. So its not coming up but rather coming down from the pose.
I didn?t use bolster for Eka Pada Supta Virasana so maybe that?s why I didn?t feel too much relief.
My friend yesterday also suggested opening the hip flexors 
Ok, so I will work on that and see (I?m leaving for yoga retreat tomorrow so it will be good occasion to experiment being watched by a teacher).
Pawel
[QUOTE=siva;26504]Pawel,
Perhaps a modification of your warrior huh?. If you can’t come out without experiencing pain, then you’re going too deep. Find a happier medium, how far is just-far-enough, and build the strength gradually.
good luck,
peace & happy holidays,
siva[/QUOTE]
Yes, now I avoid going too deep. But in general I want to avoid this pose. My back hurts even when I think about it 
Thanks and good luck to you too!
Pawel
My armchair guess from afar would be an issue with the piriformis (muscular) or on with the SacroIliac joint.
Let’s see where you are upon completion of the retreat.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;26530]My armchair guess from afar would be an issue with the piriformis (muscular) or on with the SacroIliac joint.
Let’s see where you are upon completion of the retreat.[/QUOTE]
I just came back from retreat. Nothing specific happened - the pain didn’t change. I’m going to see physiotherapist. Hope its an issue with some of those joints and that it could be fixed somehow because its getting bit difficult to practice.
So you went to a yoga retreat and there wasn’t a teacher present who could assist you with this? That’s a bit shocking.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;26883]So you went to a yoga retreat and there wasn’t a teacher present who could assist you with this? That’s a bit shocking.[/QUOTE]
No, no, there were two good teachers. They made sure I’m not going too far in asanas and I have enough support. By nothing specific I mean that this retreat didn’t change situation.
…and what was their assessment of your issue and the subsequent modifications to your practice (asana or otherwise)???
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;26889]…and what was their assessment of your issue and the subsequent modifications to your practice (asana or otherwise)???[/QUOTE]
They asked about details, when it hurts and then just observed me and suggested more support (and new for me ways to support myself with blocks) during classes. But after this retreat I didn’t do any specific changes to my practice. Or at least I’m not aware of it - it was my first retreat so whole this thing was new for me and I may not yet realize what I learned (or missed ).
But, are you continuing to work with the blocks and such as they suggested? I mean, if this is a mischief you’ve done to yourself over time, it may as well take time to resolve after you’ve changed your practice.
[QUOTE=Techne;26900]But, are you continuing to work with the blocks and such as they suggested? I mean, if this is a mischief you’ve done to yourself over time, it may as well take time to resolve after you’ve changed your practice.[/QUOTE]
Thanks, good point. I will get some blocks. I practice in gym class, ashtanga, so no blocks are there, just mat.
This thread is old now, but this sounds like a problem with an unstable sacroiliac joint, especially if the problem is more on one side. Lunges place alot of movement on this joint and if there is instability in there already, it may aggravate this. After lunges, I always take a class and myself through forward bends, mild ones. Having had physiotherapy for an unstable SI joint myself and found ways to heal it through yoga and Pilates, I’ve learned for myself the best ways to help this heal. Strengthening the glut max muscles helps alot as these attach into this area, also strengthening the Glut medius and minimus with abduction of the legs (raising them to the sides), helps bring this area into balance again. Of course, strengthening abdominals as well as back muscles helps also. Personally, I found warrior 2, triangle particularly aggravating to this problem.
Hi Jo-Ann,
In my case pain stopped (or rather transformed - will explain below) after I learned to do dropbacks. I was practicing “ashtanga yoga” regularly for 3 years (plus gym) and the pain was still there. I remember few months ago when I was doing my first unassisted dropbacks during the class, my teacher watched me and said that my pelvis movement starts to change and now my back pain should go away. And that happened. After month or so my pain was fading and now I have just small reminiscence of this pain (however I’m still cautious with few poses which were aggravating). And about this transformation of pain: my back pain is gone, but now I have pain in right side of neck, on right shoulder blade and right knee (my back pain was also on right side). Its sort of injury conservation principle
[QUOTE=Pawel;74813]Hi Jo-Ann,
In my case pain stopped (or rather transformed - will explain below) after I learned to do dropbacks. I was practicing “ashtanga yoga” regularly for 3 years (plus gym) and the pain was still there. I remember few months ago when I was doing my first unassisted dropbacks during the class, my teacher watched me and said that my pelvis movement starts to change and now my back pain should go away. And that happened. After month or so my pain was fading and now I have just small reminiscence of this pain (however I’m still cautious with few poses which were aggravating). And about this transformation of pain: my back pain is gone, but now I have pain in right side of neck, on right shoulder blade and right knee (my back pain was also on right side). Its sort of injury conservation principle :)[/QUOTE]
Pawel,
That is interesting and thanks for your response. It could be that the dropbacks helped bring the SI joint back into alignment, plus the buttocks would be doing some work in that hopefully being a hip extensor as well as hip stabilisers.
I can only advise, with yoga, to never push through your pains, take them as a warning sign otherwise they will only get worse. Yoga practice will make imbalances worse if we take them into our practice. I do wonder why the pain is all on your right side now with the shoulder blade and knee. Have you or your teacher checked your alignment in a mirror, looking for imbalances in your posture. There is a link on youtube if you type in ‘plumbline and posture’.I cannot post links yet. There could be weakness somewhere in the right hand side of your body which is being compensated for elsewhere in the body. I empathise with you, and hope you can find the root and fix it.
Hi Jo-Ann,
Thanks for info and good wishes. I will check this youtube clip and check my alignment.
