Namaste!
I’ve been practicing yoga for several years, being a dedicated practitioner for the last couple of years. I started off with practicing Ayengar style, which allowed slower practice, long observation of an asana and … well not that much sweating. Recently I discovered Ashtanga Vinyasa and have been practicing the basic sequence of Ashtanga Vinyasa every morning, sometimes supplementing it with afternoon “self observation” practice in slower pace, learning new asanas and allowing more time for relaxation and pranayama…
in general, besides yoga practice, I’ve been keeping myself fit for many years by workouts in gym, dance classes, long walks, etc…
Getting down to my concern… As I practice Ashtanga Vinyasa I find that it takes a lot of energy from me. Yes, it gives me energy back, a different kind of energy, and a good feeling of a well worked and felt body… but sometimes I’m just exhausted, whereas I can’t fully accomplish the basis Ashtanga sequence (I do realize that this sequence is a challenging one, still…) Sometimes in the middle of the practice I can’t move a limb, so exhausted I become, and have to take some time to rest before venturing the next vinyasa…
Please advise if it’s normal to feel pretty much challenged during practice and most importantly how to keep fatigue from practice on the healthy level and where to stop practice not to overwork myself.
Thanks a lot!
Olga
Namaste Olga,
There can be many factors in fatigue. Can you tell us more about yourself so that we may better assist you?
gordon
Gordon,
I’m 26 years old, no major health problems… neither minor problems I think… 
I started working on my fitness over 10 years ago and during this time I worked out in gyms, visited various classes, tried yoga - since I don’t have access to a teacher my study of yoga is mostly from books, which I know is poor, but that’s the best I can get so far. Recently I put all my efforts in yoga, got way more disciplined in my practice and learning ashtanga vinyasa now…
I can’t think of what else I can tell about myself, but if I can answer any of your questions to make my issue clear I will with great pleasure. Thanks a lot!
[QUOTE=Olga;64713]
Please advise if it’s normal to feel pretty much challenged during practice and most importantly how to keep fatigue from practice on the healthy level and where to stop practice not to overwork myself.
Thanks a lot!
Olga[/QUOTE]
Yes, it is normal to feel challenged during yoga practice. The breath is the most important part and if you feel your breath become rapid or too tight then you should slow down. You should challenge yourself but you shouldn’t take it to the extreme. Do no harm and that applies to your body too.
[QUOTE=Olga;64763]Recently I put all my efforts in yoga, got way more disciplined in my practice and learning ashtanga vinyasa now…
[/QUOTE]
Olga,
Are you doing this with a teacher now? Or still on your own?
If you haven’t yet had enough time with an instructor, to learn how to connect and coordinate your breathing with the activity, then your missing the most important fundamental, and that would wipe anyone out.
But no worries. You can adjust your form to something perhaps a bit more static, focus on asana and breath control, breathing through your nose, etc.: pranayama. When you gain even a little control of these fundamentals, you will be amazed at how it drives your flow.
So, first build strength and control in the static, then you can flow, increase the intensity, etc., without a loss of stamina. A miracle. Yes, I know.
peace,
siva
[QUOTE=siva;64806]Olga,
Are you doing this with a teacher now? Or still on your own?
[/QUOTE]
Siva,
I’m still learning on my own. I don’t have ashtanga vinyasa teacher in my location, unfortunately… But I did get some advice from Aiyengar yoga teacher during my earlier practice… My access to her classes is also limited in time, but she established a good understanding of basic postures for me.
I fully appreciate your advice on developing postures and breathing in static first. This is actually exactly the road that I’m taking. I’ve practicing breathing and asanas in slow rhythm with variations as in Aiyengar style for a couple of years before I got to try Ashtanga Vinyasa, and now I fully believe that this is the right approach - there’s no use in attempting the flow without understanding of the postures involved and the breathing.
What I need to understand now is how to control my practice at the level of healthy challenge but not destructive fatigue; what are the indication of over-working. Say, recently I’ve had sore lower back (no injuries or other reasons involved) and I felt that my back gets too challenged when I do entering sequence of Suria Namaskara very often during my practice, I’m speaking of the part where body goes from Chakrasana to head-up dog. So I thought, maybe I should enter postures of basic seated sequence from Dandasana of instance… although it contradicts the dogmas of Ashtanga Vinyasa practice…
A few points, if I may.
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dogma implies a held believe without sound reason.
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Dogma and yoga can not exist in the same space.
More to your specific question though…
The first thing that comes to mind is leaky pelvic and kidney energy in the practice. Of course it would be critical to know your dosha, your diet, and whether the fatigue is ONLY in your practice.
To me, the larger question is whether this practice is the one suitable for you as a human being. That suitability, when it comes to discernment in yoga, cannot merely be a matter of “I feel good after asana”. If this is suitable for you then perhaps you are building an endurance and there will be a conditioning of the body. But that is not my heartfelt read from what you’ve shared.
Sorry, wrong use of the dogma word; I actually mean certain established set or routine. Well, I think you got it and excuse me again for the wrong terminology.
My dosha, as far as I can judge it is vatha-pitta…
As for the kidneys… in fact I had a strong UTI with pielonephritis (kidney inflation) in early June. I first started feeling the pain in the back after first attempting ashtanga vinyasa at a resort; I came back with severe pielonephritis… and this pain, which is dull and rather feels like a sore muscles is the one I mentioned when I said my feels too challenged. I’m not sure if there’s connection between starting ashtanga vinyasa and getting kidney disturbed… never had any issues with kidneys ever since. Now according to physical examination the kidney is alright, recovered from the disease…
Hi Olga,
I thought it was interesting that when Gordon asked you to provide more information about yourself you left out the ‘feelings part’. If the answer to your question does not lie with incorrect asana practice, lack of prana, poor fitness level, or bad health then perhaps we could consider whether the origin of your discomfort and fatigue lies within the emotional body, the symptom (not cause) of emotional suppression.
Not sure if this resonates. Anyway, if it does, be gently with yourself, which I think you already are. When practicing Ashtanga and you feel tired take a moment in child pose and connect with your emotional body, what feelings/ thoughts arise? Our unconscious speaks to us through our bodies, well before it reaches our conscious mind!
All the best my friend.
Omamana, thanks a lot for your reply
It is true, I didn’t talk about the feelings part and it is unfair, because now I’m going through a very emotional period - it’s a love to a person, combine with a feeling of guilt, insult, insecurity, guesses on what future will bring… I’ve noticed that recently I somehow “escape” through the practice from the thoughts that trouble my mind. And yes, many times during the practice the thoughts come back and I have to take a break to concentrate again on the breathing and on asanas and not let the thought carry me away.
I do feel a very direct link between my emotional state and my body… There was a moment a couple of years ago when I got severe food digestion; at that time my pride and arrogance just boosted and I think I was kinda cleaned through the poisoning. Now every time arrogance begins to grow in me I get pains in stomach…
This time it’s a feeling of love and happiness and at the same time guilt for loving and being happy… the peak of this feeling ended up in a kidney issue…
how can I address this through the practice? learn to control my feelings? develop breath techniques to stabilize mind and emotions?
just like trying to find the line between healthy challenge to the body and fatigue, where’s the line between control of feelings and their suppression?
thanks a lot for your support; looks like what began as a simple question developing into a deep discussion
Olga,
In regards to feelings, I do not attempt to control my feelings when I am in my personal time. At work, I must put on a “face” so to speak but at home I do not hold any constraint on my emotions. This means I allows myself to feel emotions that may be unpleasant or “bad”. I think stress happens because we are scared of the future and/or are trying to control emotions that shouldn’t be controlled. The greatest gift you can give yourself is being “scared”. For the longest time I was so afraid to be “scared”. I have suffered over the years a lot due to anxiety and stress. I was so worried about what the future would bring. I just wanted to control so much. However, you really can only control so much…even in your practice.
You cannot force your body to do things it isn’t ready to do. You may be practicing too much but no one but you would know that. I do yoga asanas everyday but I vary my intensity depending on how my body is feeling. How is your body feeling?
a.mi,
I so hear you! I’ve remember time when I was this paranoid control freak and now it seems like a psychological nightmare I am on the path of understanding the concept of “acceptance”. Various emotions come our way and the best thing to do is to accept them. However the control comes on a different level. Say, being turned down by a person I loved… I was surprised at finding myself in the situation where I was choosing my reaction. Normally I would get depressed and let this situation ruin my self esteem… Like there’s no other choice. But then there WAS a choice - it was like despite being hurt I can keep on living happily and not letting those hurt feeling overwhelm me… But I don’t know if it’s a suppression of pain and aggression or a good control over emotions; whether it’s good or bad to find myself at making a choice of response instead of cracking a hysteric as a “normal” underloved girl would do. Recently I heard this from a girl who’s practicing yoga "sometimes you feel that it’s hard to be practicing and to be a woman at the same time… so many things get emotionally suppressed…"
My body feels grateful for every morning practice during the day… It is opening, I can feel it better… But sometimes during the practice it begs for compassion and eager to get into shavasana as soon as possible… sometimes I attempt to get in a posture as a part of routine, and feel complete rejection of the very attempt. I give up most times and get to a posture that I feel more welcomming. But then I get perplexed - Sri Pattabhi Joise in his Yoga Mala stresses that the Ashtanga Vinyasa sequence must be followed fully with no omissions and variations. So apparently it’s not necessarily true and every practice must be fine tuned to how the body feels… this approach appeals to me and I find it absolutely justified… but contradicting the Guruji???
But then I get perplexed - Sri Pattabhi Joise in his Yoga Mala stresses that the Ashtanga Vinyasa sequence must be followed fully with no omissions and variations.
I honestly didn’t know that the sequence had to be followed that strictly. I feel like maybe he meant that people shouldn’t try to modify it or “remix” it (sorry, can’t think of the proper word…mid afternoon brain fog). Because what if you aren’t physically able to do every posture? I cannot imagine that one automatically is able to do every single pose without modifications right off the bat. “Do not harm” in yoga applies to the body too.