I must say, the Latin names of the muscles seemed pretty darn daunting at first, but after a while, they all made sense and it was quite easy remembering that the iliocostalis was part of the erector spinae, and that the rectus abdominus was the core muscle that would define your 'Apollo's dimples'. And that practising Agnistambhasana (Firelog Pose) is great for stretching your tight gluteus maximus.
What made it even more interesting was when we drew the bones and muscles on my yoga buddy's almost perfect bod, and made him do the yogasanas, so that we could clearly see the muscles contracting or lengthening. (I say 'almost perfect' as one of his scapulae is about 0.5cm smaller than the other! Oh, the horror...hahaha!)
On the last day, we made a trip to the Anatomy Lab in University Malaya, poked around the models of the different body parts there (as well as got an upclose and personal look at real, enbalmed parts).
On a personal note, saying "I have learnt lots" is certainly an understatement and just the tip of the iceberg. I've gained insight to a lot of practitioners' limitations, where and what asanas to work them on, in order to improve their own practice. Awareness on my personal practice has also heightened.
I have also managed (after a year!) to find the answer to a mysterious, deep pain felt in the buttocks, when I was undergoing intense training in India last year. (Note to self : overstretching the Quadratus Lumborum is bad, bad news!)
So, here I am..... a little wiser than yesterday, and a better-informed teacher too :)
Sat Nam.
2 comments:
Well said, couldn't agreed anymore ! You know after our Tuesday class, i walked out the class and thought :'oh my, we were so obsessed with ACHIEVING the posture !'
Unfortunately this is how yogasana is genarally being taught over here. Everybody is so crazy about striking that perfect pose in front of the class... For those who are reading this, why don't for once change your perspective ? As what have been mentioned by Angeline, "be more mindful in the muscles involved while doing an asana." Don't get stressed up if you can't do a perfect split, doesn't matter if you are just half way through or not even half way, just think about how this movement itself will benefit your psoas muscle, hamstring, hip joints... For God Sake just bring your attention to your own body ! Stop trying to impress others.
I couldn't agree with you more on Tuesday morning's class! Somehow, the constant (loud!) repeating of "shoulder blade TOGETHER, tailbone DOWN" got on my nerves after a while, and I was, to be honest, quite irritated with the constant obsession of achieving the perfect posture. Oh for crying out loud! We're not at all perfect, so why do we insist on perfection on others? Sigh.
On Tuesday night's Pre-Natal class, I said to the group, "there's no such thing as a perfect pose...only safe or unsafe ones...you are your own practice". I truly believe that should be the spirit of a yoga practice.
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