Friday, December 14, 2007

Friday weigh-in, Fun and The List

Happily, my weight stayed the same this week! I am lucky for this because (a) I drank a bit more than I have the past several weeks, and (b) I missed pilates on Tuesday due to DB's procedure (although I threw in an extra walk with Doglet on Wednesday). I truly am happy with a "maintain" this week.

I am really excited because tonight DB and I are going to a benefit for the workers who have been laid off due to the WGA strike -- among the performers are Eddie Izzard (the funniest human on earth in my opinion), Tenacious D (LOVE Jack Black), Sarah Silverman and Patton Oswalt. I am looking forward to laughing my head off for a few glorious hours. :-)

Now The List of Asanas, etc.I can do TODAY (to be amended and expanded):

Pranayama (breathing...REALLY need this) -- alternate nostril, ujayii, kumbaka (retention), kapalbati (skull brightener)
Downward dog
Vrksanana (tree pose)
Suryanamaskar (sun salutation -- not sure about this one, will have to modify for toe)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Savasana (resting pose)
Dolphin (but not Dolphin push-up due to toe)
Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)
Danurasana (bow pose)
Halasana (plow pose)
Matsyasana (fish pose)
Nagasana (cobra pose)
Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)
Shalabasana (locust pose)
Shirshasana (head stand)
Trikonasana (triangle pose) and variations (side angle, etc.)
Navasana (boat pose)
Virabarasana I, II and III (warrior -- but must not bend knee too much)
Chair pose (w/ twisting variations)
Forward bed and wide-legged forward bend (standing -- uttanasana -- and seated)
Janusirsasana (head to knee pose)
Dandasana (staff pose)
Seated twists
Sphinx pose
Bridge pose
Vipirita Kurani (legs up the wall pose)
Supta badakonasana (supported butterfly)
Reclining big toe pose and twists
Chanting!

The List of Poses I can't do TODAY:
Plank and chattaranga (too hard on toe)
Virasana (hero pose -- too hard on knees -- probably won't be able to do this ever)
Padmasana (lotus - same)
Hanumanasana (splits -- yes, I used to be able to do this!)
Hand stand (arms have lost a lot of strength)
Balasana (child's pose -- way hard on knees)
Crow pose (I haven't been able to do this since I was a kid)
Wheel (backbend -- need more arm strength back)
Urdva Mukha Savasana (upward facing dog -- too hard on toes)
Forearm balance (I did this maybe one at the height of my yoga jockitude)
Pigeon pose (hard on knees)
Badakonasana (butterfly -- knees, hips, you name it....yuck!)

That's just the beginning... :-)

Next I will work on some flows based on the above. :-)

(Just typing this has cheered me up and gotten me excited. I like going to classes better than solo practice usually because I'm more challenged and don't have to THINK as much, but this will be good...)

2 comments:

Vickie said...

Many of the poses that you can't do because of knees - you CAN do - on your back and bringing the knee up to you.

For example - Pigeon - exact same pose - except you are on your back and bring leg/knee up to you.

I can actually do this more intensely on my back - because I can keep the straight leg TOTALLY working while other leg bends. Can use belt to help hold the bent leg if it is easier to reach.

Child's pose - turn it into dead bug (happy baby) by flipping over on your back.

I think you CAN do updog - if you keep your toes flat and don't turn them under - which is a variation - you will just have to be careful in moving to next pose.

Also - Barbara has me practicing back bend over a folding chair. Legs through back of chair and leaning backwards over the front lip where legs normally are. She has me hook a belt to the back bar (under chair) and then use it to pull myself under. Front edge of chair is to hit at BRA line - NOT lower back. Goal is to be able to rest forearms on floor under my head. Can use a belt on thighs if they tend to move apart.

Hero - can you sit on a bolster or a block or a folded blanket? MANY people in all of my classes cannot do hero because of knees - Colleen has them sit in firelog instead.

Have you noticed that nearly EVERY pose there is a standing, face down, face up and bent over variation. I think that if you think about some of them - mentioned above - you can do variations.

Loved your list!!!!

Lori G. said...

Damn girl, your list of CANs far outexceed the CAN'Ts. You should be proud of that!

I know very little about yoga but you sound excited about this and you love it and miss it and I just hope you find your way back to it.

(BTW, I thought of you and Vickie last night when reading the NYT best deals for under $25. You can get a gingerbread man in a yoga position cookie cutter...only $4!)

Great news on the maintenance. This time of year is maintenance; losing can be too hard. Have fun with the comedy show -- it sounds fun.