Monday, June 28, 2010

ashtanga growing pains.

Whenever I learn a new pose in the Ashtanga system, I find my body being a little sore... I've heard, "New Pose, New Pain" and "Pain coming, Pain going." Both of which are true. I think the reason for new pose, new pain is that with every new pose, you use more and more muscles you've never used before, therefore your body reacts in certain ways to this new movement. Sometimes pain comes, then it goes.

I'm in the process of practicing Laghu Vajrasana, little thunderbolt pose.

Holy Fuck. Yeah. I said it. Holy Fuck. This pose is all quadriceps. I thought I had strong quads from biking, but apparently, not strong enough. I told the teacher today that my legs were on fire. He told me, "Well it is called little thunderbolt pose..." I said,
"It's fucking thundery." Yes. I totally said that.

Anyway. When you're a kid you have growing pains. Your body changes and it hurts sometimes. (I sound like a lifetime tv show..)

With Ashtanga, I'm coining the phrase: Ashtanga Growing Pains.

You learn a new pose. You have a little ache. A little pain. You're growing. Learning how to "walk again" or practice a new pose. It's all about the baby steps. Seriously...One breath at a time.

Pade Pade.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Seriously. Bakasana is my current growing pain. I'm finally past the point where I don't bruise my upper arms (so people don't think that Dan abuses me), but some days I'm up, some I'm not. The good news is that this will pass just like I'm getting away from the wall slowly in headstand and the way I am slowly slowly approaching the bind in Mar. D.

Love. Love.

Maria said...

Right on - it doesn´t matter where you are in the system, it hurts when the new comes down the pike. David tends to bring me into 3 new poses at a time and I agree with the language you use, Amanda, though my prudish New England upbringing doesn´t allow me to say it again here... But, the miracle is that what hurt last month or last year becomes like a dear friend that you want to visit regularly. A cool system, to say the least.