Two questions: Dynamic Spinal Twist and Leg Lock Pose

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello, I have two questions,the first is about breathing during Dynamic Spinal Twist.
In my book (A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya) I am told to inhale when twisting to the side and exhale when returning to the centre.
I've looked this up online and the inhale/exhale is reversed. Could someone tell me which way is correct?

Imagine seeing the woman in this pose from directly above. Her shins would make an = sign or an 11 depending on which way you are oriented.
My question is this: I can't make an 11 or = with my shins in this pose, I can't get them parallel to each other. They make V where my feet meet and my knees are quite far apart.
Is this normal and will it in time correct itself? If I force my knees together I get a small knot of pain right on my thigh joint (mainly the left one). Id really just like to know if this is unheard of or not.

Also this womans thighs are pointing diagonally. When I'm in this pose I try to force my knees down as close to my chest as possible, making my thighs more parallel to the ground rather than diagonally. Does it sound like I'm doing the pose correctly?

Thanks
Child of the Tao

#2

Its different technique. Exhaling and holding the pose for lets say 20 seconds would not be advisable.

#3

APMB confirms that during Dynamic Spinal Twist you inhale to twist and exhale to return to centre.

In Supta Pawanmuktasana/Apanasana there is no mention of having the lower legs parallel. If it bothers you then place a rolled-up cushion between the lower legs to assist the process. FORCING IS NEVER AN OPTION.

#4

[QUOTE=YogaPrem;81902]In Supta Pawanmuktasana/Apanasana there is no mention of having the lower legs parallel. If it bothers you then place a rolled-up cushion between the lower legs to assist the process. FORCING IS NEVER AN OPTION.[/QUOTE]

In the book I mentioned, it says to bring the knees as close to the chest as possible. I took that to mean pull the knees down as much as possible, almost like a stretch, eventually bringing the knees into full contact with the chest. Is that wrong?

#5

[QUOTE=childofthetao;81903]In the book I mentioned, it says to bring the knees as close to the chest as possible. I took that to mean pull the knees down as much as possible, almost like a stretch, eventually bringing the knees into full contact with the chest. Is that wrong?[/QUOTE]

In the tradition I study with, we exhale into twists and inhale out of them. The reason being that when entering into a twist, the space is the torso is compressing and there is no need to fight the natural expulsion of breath into this movement. When coming out, we are reversing the constriction of the chest cavity and allowing more room for a volume of air, and so it would follow to allow air in. I’m sure there is also reasoning for why your book suggests it be taught another way. I suggest you try it both ways and pay close attention to your breath, the tension in your body. Which way is easier? Which way do you have to use the rest of your body to compensate during?

In the picture you showed, bringing the knees toward the chest IS for helping to create a stretch in the lower back, but be careful not to overstretch. When they say as close as possible, they probably mean as close as is comfortably possible. Pull your knees toward your chest and feel the gentle stretch, but do not pull so far that you feel strain in the back or anywhere else, or that your breathing becomes hard. Honestly I found it much more effective to ‘bring my thighs toward my stomach on an exhalation, and relax outward slightly on an inhalation’, as in the beginning this itself caused quite a stretch to my lower back. As I became more efficient, it became easier and easier until a time where bring my thighs toward my stomach now brings my knees all the way to my chest anyway.

#6

[QUOTE=suryadaya;81905]In the tradition I study with, we exhale into twists and inhale out of them. The reason being that when entering into a twist, the space is the torso is compressing and there is no need to fight the natural expulsion of breath into this movement. When coming out, we are reversing the constriction of the chest cavity and allowing more room for a volume of air, and so it would follow to allow air in. I’m sure there is also reasoning for why your book suggests it be taught another way. I suggest you try it both ways and pay close attention to your breath, the tension in your body. Which way is easier? Which way do you have to use the rest of your body to compensate during? [/QUOTE]

When I first did Dynamic Spinal Twist I did it as the book told me to, inhaling as I twist. I immediately felt that this was wrong, it went against what my body was naturally trying to do, which was to exhale as I twisted. This made me look up the pose on-line, and I found a site describing it but it said to exhale as you twist. This made me think that there was a some kind of misprint in the book and that the correct way was to do it as you say.

For about a month I exhaled as I twisted, this way was much easier indeed. But something was nagging in the back of my mind, what if it wasn’t a typo, well only one way to find out. So I started inhaling as I twisted again and have been doing so ever since. If you can get past the initial discomfort this way of performing the asana seems for me to be much more beneficial. It is much more difficult to fall out of good posture when inhaling on the twist and since I’m new to yoga and have posture trouble I think it’s a good benefit to have.

I just wanted to make sure that one way of doing it wasn’t wrong, I’m glad I can pick and choose which way to perform it.

Thanks for all the advice :slight_smile:

Child of the Tao

#7

In the Ashtanga yoga classes I take (according to Sri Pattabhi Jois) we exhale on twisting and inhale on going back, but inbetween we take five deep breaths while holding the twist. That way we get the benefit of both inhalation and exhalation while twisting.

According to the Bihar/Satyananda school you inhale on twisting and exhale on going back, and I am absolutely certain that there is a profound reason for this. I just don’t know what it is. :slight_smile:

#8

Expanding your lungs and better oxygen absorption. You force your body to use all oxygen.

Like kumbhaka. Try it for one week and feel the benefit.

Antar Kumbhaka It is ceasing of breath when the inhalation (or Poorak) is complete and the lungs are filled up with air. In this kumbhaka, inhalation is recommended to be slightly forceful to take more air than normal and ceasing it as per one’s ability.