namaste
why am i not able to do -urdhva dhanurasana?? i can’t straighten my hands…looks like one needs to have strong forearms,wrists…any advice or help is appreciated…also any tips from experts…thanx
Hello - I see you live in Dubai too. Did you go to the Max Strom seminars?
I’m no expert, but I just managed to do wheel for the first time since I was a child a few weeks ago. For me it was a case of not having my feet close enough to my hips and not going up onto the crown of my head first. Anyway - somebody with much more experience than me will give you advice, I’m sure. Just wanted to say ‘hi’ from one yoga practitioner in Dubai to another!
hi hanu
we live near gardens, jebel ali …where was this seminar held? please keep me informed /posted of any such events…recently got this meditation book and fully into it…i am still a beginner,how abt you(are you taking classes??) …good luck!
Hi Chakra - I hope my diversion of your post won’t stop anybody from commenting about your question - I have hijacked it a bit.
I go to Exhale in JBR - they organised the seminars during the weekend just gone. They were really very good. Exhale’s website is www.exhaledubai.com They have some excellent teachers there, especially Lisa. I’ve only been practising for a year or so, but the teachers there are very nurturing of students, but I would say that it is more asana focussed than it is on the meditation side of things…
Anyway - I hope somebody can help you with your urdhva dhanurasana question.
Namaste.
thanx hanu
ancient vedas say all the asanas were done by rishis in olden days only to prepare oneself for the ultimate and that was Raja yoga…deep meditation…so i have question here…how many of them do it…and for how long?
Often, the problem with wheel pose (urdhva dhanurasana) is strength in the triceps. More particularly, strength in the triceps with the elbows almost fully flexed. For this is the - rather akward - starting position for wheel.
There are few yoga poses to build strong triceps in this position. You could try chaturanga dandasana. Outside hatha yoga, but still applicable: push-ups, dips on the parallel bars, and lifting a small barbell (or can of soup) from behind the back to straight overhead (French press).
Downward facing dog is a good general pose for strength in your shoulders and wrists. Anjali mudra (namast?) in front and behind the back is good for wrist flexibility. All backbends (cobra, locust, bow, camel) are good for lower back flexibility. Bridge pose (setubandhasana) is good for building strength in the hip extensors. If you intend to place the crown of your head on the floor as an intermediate step, make sure you strengthen your neck first with fish pose.
Wheel is really the backbend of backbends. It assumes that you have done your preparations properly. You do learn arithmetic and algebra before passing on to differential calculus! Isn’t it strange that something easily done as kids becomes an advanced pose when we are adults! Take your time, do no harm, and enjoy the journey.
Hi there! I agree with Willem that strengthening the triceps may be helpful. Also, pay attention to the angle of the wrists. It may be difficult to straighten the arms if there is too much weight in the feet because of the pressure it puts on the wrists. You want to keep your wrists close to a 90 degree angle. Try keeping your shoulders directly above the wrists, which will probably also mean straightening the legs more. This will give a greater stretch in the shoulders/chest and also the front of the hips, but should take some pressure out of the wrists.
Hello Chakra.
Why YOU specifically cannot come up into the pose would only be ascertained from watching YOU, seeing YOU, teaching YOU, assessing YOU. However it is possible to discuss the pose in a general way but up to you, in relationship with your teacher to unearth the blocks in your particular path.
I am however, unsure what you mean by “straighten my hands”. Are you referencing the rotation of the hands in the supine starting position? If your difficulty is in planting the hands in preparation then you can hold the teachers upper ankles instead, then press them into the floor to come up.
It is far more crucial that you as a student understand how to keep your shoulders in-joint for the pose AND do so.
I have a different angle on the pose from those above me in the thread. The pose can be facilitated by tricep strength however it is not required to enter into the pose. What is required is opening in the hip flexors and the shoulders as well as the ability to lift the pose from the pelvis. Most of the power of the pose comes from the legs and I have seen students with little to no tricep strength thus come into the pose quite easily.
I have tried to muscle into the pose many times over the years and had I spent that energy opening the shoulders and hip flexors the pose would be radically different. Coming up from muscle strength can be done - it is simply not the more fruitful way to get into the pose.
gordon
@willem…thanks mate…yea i do all the poses (downward dog pose,cobra,locust,bow,camel,namaste both behind and front,halasana) with ease…regd push ups…i cant do any (my yoga instructor has told me to try pushups slowly) the problem is i am not able to lift my upper body with my arms…phew!
My relative (who is a yoga instructor) told me that it could be due to abdominal fat(38") and i would do it if i lose some weight…but the fact is i have seen some overweight people do this pose with ease! i still remember my yoga teacher in school, she was on the heavier side and used to do all the asanas …with so much of grace
@gordan…my yoga instructor gives me a lift from hip and leaves me to balance unfortunately i cant take the weight on my hands and give up (done with cushion underneath )…is he doing the right thing? …its so funny i used to do this pose when i was young ( in school)…
will keep you all posted!
namaste
chakra
Fyi, my sweetie can not do a pushup to save her life BUT she can come up fully into urdhva dhanurasana. Ergo my assessment on coming up relative to “pushing”.
I have not been lifted by the hips to come into the pose and it may be completely appropriate for your situation and your style of practice. It is not something I would do nor is it something I would teach other teachers to do. But that doesn’t make it wrong.
I have however used a belt at the superior border of the sacrum to help a student already up find the actions to lift. But I think that’s a bit different than what you ask.
@ gordon …i noticed i have problems in planting my hands as well…will give a try using my partners ankle…to get a better grip(havent tried this before)…thanks for the input…have been trying for this pose on and off for the last 2 -3 months…i guess somethings take time…need to learn the art of patience!
Patience, one of the five requirements for a student on the path of yoga.
Opening the hip flexors and the shoulders might be more fruitful for you if the mission is Urdhva Dhanurasana.
gk
Hi Gordon, sorry of this is obvious - or very well known - but what are the other four requirements?
Thanks
Hanu
[ol]
[li]Urge to grow
[/li]
[li]Willingness to change
[/li]
[li]Tapas
[/li]
[li]Clean teacher
[/li]
[li]Patience
[/li][/ol]
the fourth one …clean teacher…i noticed that i dont enjoy working out with my teacher (he makes me feel awful) so i have decided to discontinue with him and look out for a different guru…i hate him touching me!
i remember going to yoga om in Dubai investment parks…the whole 1.15 class was taught by a lady called aparjitha…she is just a lovely considerate person, but the place in really far from here.
with small kids (the baby sitting cost incl) its really difficult for me to get out of the house…will have to wait for another month(they will step into school) after that i will take a package!
gr8 question hanu …thanx again gordon…please dont stop this good work…let us know if you visit dubai
This is excellent advice
[QUOTE=Shantidevi;27142]Hi there! I agree with Willem that strengthening the triceps may be helpful. Also, pay attention to the angle of the wrists. It may be difficult to straighten the arms if there is too much weight in the feet because of the pressure it puts on the wrists. You want to keep your wrists close to a 90 degree angle. Try keeping your shoulders directly above the wrists, which will probably also mean straightening the legs more. This will give a greater stretch in the shoulders/chest and also the front of the hips, but should take some pressure out of the wrists.[/QUOTE]
I cannot speak for your particular situation with the teacher you mention. It could be this way or that way or both ways.
However I will say that when the teacher is clear of mind and intention, is authentic and respectful, touch is not nor should not be any issue at all.
Therefore my approach with a student is always one of guiding them toward the plane of the pose. And yes there are some students that react to touch. In some cases that may be the approach of the teacher - I’ve seen that. In other cases it is an issue for the student, I’ve seen that as well.
As far as coming to Dubai, I’m not sure their politics would allow a chap like myself to visit.
@shantidevi…i tried that but didnt work out …i am not giving up (have started with resistance training for hips and shoulders ) will let you know in a month or two
gordan,
Dubai is a wonderful mix of all cultures and the best part is they are very respectful with one another…we have mosques,church,temples,…you name it…and yoga is slowly catching up in a big way …actually it has become a big business these days! Also lifestyle is pretty good (crime rate is next to zero) and we are in need of good (not business minded/money minded) yoga experts!
regarding politics i am not sure what you are mentioning about . But we need gurus like you! god bless and namaste!
Haha, Gordon - I think you might be right to stay away. It’s not so liberal in some respects. Get me outta here!