im sure there are people here who work out as a compliment to yoga. for myself I would like to improve my posture to keep my back straighter and stand taller. anyone have any exercises to strengthen the back to keep it striaghter?
thanks
brother Neil
Yoga can do this! Are you looking for yoga poses or regular exercises?
I already do asanas, im basically looking to add a little strength training but without weights
I can honestly think of nothing better for posture and back strengthening than yoga. I know my posture is 100% better and so are my students. Hopefully someone else will give you some ideas.
What is your asana practice like?
the asana practice is a bit inconsistent as far as regularity and what types I do. Sometimes I do a bit of kundalini, sometimes slower hatha style
thanks LG
brohter neil
Ah! Kundalini! Very nice! Kundalini practice is very good for strength training, especially the core.
If I may make some suggestions:
Back strengthening poses like Locust, cobra, bow are good. Also, work on shoulders doing shoulder blade squeezes, slowly and often. You can stand and interlace fingers behind back, roll shoulders back and down, lift through the heart and look up toward ceiling. Do not lift arms. Top part of cow face and eagle are also good for the shoulders.
Several Kundalini poses I could suggest for core strength, but I must go pick up my dtr. If you are interested let me know and I’ll list them with instructions.
Depends on the postural issue Neil.
gordon
mid to upper back rounded forward, slumped shoulders. no diagnosed back problems such as scoliosis, just bad posture IA, need more info then that to help?
Do you spend a lot of time on the computer?
Neil,
You will often hear the trite regurgitation from yoga teachers that this is either an issue of tight muscles in the upper chest (thus pulling in toward the heart center) or the lack of engagement of the muscles in the upper back to resist that. Overactive pecs, under-active rhomboids/traps/etc.
And this is not false. It is merely a certain level of understanding and truth which cannot possibly be applied to all human beings in all similar postural situations - since we are all unique. But it is a good place to start when starting with the gross physical body. Generally speaking, backbends and pranayama are profoundly helpful when they are done properly and consistently.
Peering into a deep level, oft times we close off our own heart, our ability to love ourselves, and therefore our ability to truly love others and this can be observed in the physical body when the heart center appears to be drawn back and the surrounding anatomy curls in to shield. So I encourage students with whom I’ve built a trust to look at their feelings about themselves and bring light into the heart center through the central channel of the body (sushumna nadi). This is, in part, the meditation we do in Purna Yoga™.
You could go to the gym and work this muscle group and that muscle group. However my experience both in my own body in the body of those I’ve observed is that “better posture” is not at the end of that rainbow. Weightlifting can make the body hard, tight, and brittle and this is not a particularly fecund path for a person who wants to blossom their heart through the path of yoga. That is NOT TO SAY that some mindful, light, tactical weight training couldn’t be helpful. It can. But it has requisites and is not the “norm”.
gordon
IA, your post sounds as if it fits me in many ways, opening up is something I am working on primarily by letting go and letting things be as they are. I understand to some this may not sound as much, but it is where I am. everytime I smile at someone or look into their eyes, or accept them as they are, these are things I had not done much of in the past. I am not looking to bulk up, just add a little strength training to add to the routine that I do.
allowing what you have said to sit a bit more and watching the thoughts come up IA I realized that I am asking for more when you have given me your best already. I will keep what you have said in mind when I do my practice,
thanks Gordon
Neil