So there are a couple poses I am trying to gradually work my way up to:

Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose, Backbend, or Wheel)
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)

I can do them each for about 5 seconds..

There's no hurry of course, but the weakness here seems to be shoulder
and upper back strength. I was just thinking of building a little
strength by doing some shoulder presses for awhile, (with weights) and
perhaps push-ups.  I would dispense with these once I was able to hold
the poses for awhile, becuase I think the poses themselves will prove
sufficient at that point.

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On 2006-01-31 05:52:06 -0800, "Dave K" <dkotschess@yahoo.com> said:

>
> So there are a couple poses I am trying to gradually work my way up to:
>
> Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose, Backbend, or Wheel)
> Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand)
>
> I can do them each for about 5 seconds..
>
> There's no hurry of course, but the weakness here seems to be shoulder
> and upper back strength. I was just thinking of building a little
> strength by doing some shoulder presses for awhile, (with weights) and
> perhaps push-ups.  I would dispense with these once I was able to hold
> the poses for awhile, becuase I think the poses themselves will prove
> sufficient at that point.

The asanas themselves will "build" the strength.  Shoulder presses and
pushups shorten the muscles and may make them more difficult.

Both poses can be done 2 or 3 times in a row.  Of course you may build
up to handstand by doing downward facing dog.  Pay close attention to
they balance of weight on your hands.  Roll your arms outwards, draw
the shoulders back and down.  Try to hold dog for 4 minutes or so.  It
will effect your shoulder stand.

The same goes for Urdhva Dhanurasana.  Warm up to it with more
simplified backbends like bridge.
--
~Stu

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Stu wrote:
> On 2006-01-31 05:52:06 -0800, "Dave K" <dkotschess@yahoo.com> said:
> 
>
> The asanas themselves will "build" the strength.  Shoulder presses and
> pushups shorten the muscles and may make them more difficult.

I kind of figured they would, but thought it might take a long time.
Not that I'm trying to be impatient, but I thought a little bit of
strength building would move it along a bit.

> Both poses can be done 2 or 3 times in a row.  Of course you may build
> up to handstand by doing downward facing dog.  Pay close attention to
> they balance of weight on your hands.  Roll your arms outwards, draw
> the shoulders back and down.  Try to hold dog for 4 minutes or so.  It
> will effect your shoulder stand.

Interesting idea, thanks.

> The same goes for Urdhva Dhanurasana.  Warm up to it with more
> simplified backbends like bridge.

Yes, I've been doing a series of them, Cobra, bridge, locust, camel.
One or two more.  The weak spot seems to be the arm/shoulder strength
rather than the stretch imposed by the pose itself.



> --
> ~Stu

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On 2006-01-31 14:25:21 -0800, "Dave K" <dkotschess@yahoo.com> said:

> 
>
> Yes, I've been doing a series of them, Cobra, bridge, locust, camel.
> One or two more.  The weak spot seems to be the arm/shoulder strength
> rather than the stretch imposed by the pose itself.

Yes, in backbends it is easy to make the bend at the lumbar spine.  Focus on
:
Rolling the shoulders back, opening chest.
Allowing the Lat muscles to move down the back
Bringing the thoracic spine in deeply towards the heart.

The lower part of the back bend is easy, and depending on your body may
need to be controlled so it does no bend too much.

Yoga is not a quick fix program.  It takes time.  The only shortcuts
involve keeping proper alignment, which may take even longer.  What's
the rush?
--
~Stu

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one thing that might help in the wheel pose is to lift with the legs
more so than the arms, after all your legs can support and lift your
body weight.
once into the pose properly, not much arm or strength is required since
arms are pretty much perpendicular to the floor.

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Stu wrote:
> On 2006-01-31 14:25:21 -0800, "Dave K" <dkotschess@yahoo.com> said:
> 
>
> Yes, in backbends it is easy to make the bend at the lumbar spine.  Focus 
on:
> Rolling the shoulders back, opening chest.
> Allowing the Lat muscles to move down the back
> Bringing the thoracic spine in deeply towards the heart.
>
> The lower part of the back bend is easy, and depending on your body may
> need to be controlled so it does no bend too much.
>
> Yoga is not a quick fix program.  It takes time.  The only shortcuts
> involve keeping proper alignment, which may take even longer.  What's
> the rush?
> --
> ~Stu

No rush, but what's the hold up?  If there's an intelligent way to make
progress I think it's wise to investigate it.

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Dave K wrote:

>
> No rush, but what's the hold up?  If there's an intelligent way to make
> progress I think it's wise to investigate it


The world is presented to us like a matrix.
Many options to follow
It's up to any of us to follow our own path..
Doesn't matter what others say

My mother use to say, that if everyone liked the color "yellow", the
world fall to one side, and smashed itself in the middle of the
universe..

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Dave K wrote:
> No rush, but what's the hold up?  If there's an intelligent way to make
> progress I think it's wise to investigate it.

It's not the final pose that matters, it's the process of getting
there. Mindfulness over expediency.

Namaste.

Victor

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pistorin@gmail.com wrote:
> Dave K wrote: 
>
> It's not the final pose that matters, it's the process of getting
> there. Mindfulness over expediency.
>
> Namaste.
>
> Victor

Yes, but mindfulness does not automatically equate to doing things the
long way.  This is a common myth about mindfulness.  Patience, yes, but
expedient means = skillfull means.  It can still be done mindfully.

I learned this driving.  

-DaveK

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