Uttanasana and plateau

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello all,

I am new here, but i have been practicing yoga for a while. Actually, i wouldnt do yoga the injustice of calling my practice yoga. What i have really been doing is stretching within the outward appearances of a yoga posture. For example, i do the uttanasana and trikonasana looking maneuver for my hamstrings.

In fact, hamstrings are what i wanted to talk about. I bet you were wondering. I have been stretching my hamstrings diligently for many years now and i have seen no progress. I have even laid off for a while to let them recover, but no progress. I hafve hit this plateau, but i refuse to believe it is my limit because i cannot do the hanumanasana, which is a goal

My yoga/stretching practice has been centered around doing the hanumanasana and the samakonasana and anything that will help me reach that goal. the reason is because it looks cool, and also because I want to be able to get into some advanced yoga postures.

Lately however, i have added a few others like the Ardha Matsyendrasana, the Virasana–>Supta Virasana, the Bujangasana, the Salamba Sarvbangasana and the Parivrtta Janusirsasana. I mention this to say that i am trying to round out my practice and make it more balanced.

My second question is what can i do to get a better backwards bend in. It is hard to get leverage in the bujangasana, and i dont really feel a stretch.

Im in no rush, but then again, i am. I would like to move past the plateaus of both these areas, but i amnot going to hurt myself doing this.

Thanks in advance.

Brandon

#2

Hello Brandon,

May I ask your age please. This bears directly on the feedback I might provide.

Also I am uncertain as to your first question. There’s no question marks in the initial paragraphs and then you mention your second question about backbends.

Re: that topic, feeling a strecth may not be the proper barometer with which to measure your yoga practice. Frankly most practitioners spend years cultivating a body awareness and while you may not feel a gross or coarse movement of your muskuloskeletal system there are still the subtler, finer micromovements.

Bhujangasan is a preperatory backbend. I say this NOT to encourage you to go farther becasue frankly, based on your post, I think you’ve moved too far too fast. A house built on sand surely will sink while one built on a strong and rocky foundation with a mindful framework may stand for 100’s of years.

I’ll await your reply relative to age and question 1.

#3

wow, sorry for the belated reply,

been busy with school, so i forgot to check until recently.

AGE: 28,

first question is how do i get a better hamstring stretch? but really, that is not an issue anymore but thanks for the prompt reply. wish i had replied sooner out of courtesy, but better late than never. :slight_smile:

#4

So, I’m guessing your hamstrings finally stretched out?

#5

yes, they did, fortunately. man those plateaus can be difficult!!!