Soft shoulders, Erector spinae
Posted in ashtanga yoga on 08/18/2009 03:52 pm by karenWoke this morning with one arm up over my head & it felt so easy and relaxed. Thank you, Erich Schiffmann shoulder stretch sequence.
I did the sequence three times yesterday, and intend to do the same thing today. On the one hand, I guess that is weirdly obsessive. On the other, well, this is a stuck spot and I have to work it out.
Hilariously, ES says things like, “Pause consciously” and “Savor this feeling,” and “This feels terrific.” My favorite, when I’m stretching at work, is when he says, in his suuuuuper calm voice, “Notice how you feeelllll…” to which I always think things like, “Actually Erich, it’s Monday and I feel kind of stressed out,” or “I feel kind of silly doing this at my desk.” Stuff like that.
It’s interesting to see how it feels to move in stretchy ways in an environment where that kind of movement is just not the norm. At first I felt super self-conscious, and I still kind of do — but come on, shouldn’t I be able to take 15 minutes to stretch my shoulders out if I sit at a desk all day?
I should make everyone do this with me.
***
Okay, so here’s a geeky yoga question: In ustrasana or when dropping back into kapotasana, what back muscles are held tight and which are released? This morning I got into the wall ropes and was hanging back while on my knees in a little pre-kapo kind of pose, and suddenly a muscle released and I dropped down a couple of inches. It wasn’t super deep, so I’m guessing erector spinae? Possibly gluteus medius?
I am curious, though, about what is and isn’t supposed to be working as I try to candy cane into a perfect bobcat. 
08/18/2009 at 5:37 pm
“candy cane into a perfect bobcat.” Uncontrollable snickering.
I notice, when hanging back for a dropback, that I can get some extra length right out of what feels like the front hip flexors. Sometimes. I have to have my hands overhead, but with breathing, yes, things release. Could be quads, could be in the outer hips (glute med, etc), could be in the deep flexors (iliopsoas), I can’t dial it in enough to tell one from another.
Recently I’ve been amused that I am STILL toe-grazing my Kapo; I was doing this in freakin’ DECEMBER. But as someone on what is now Yuku said, “millimeters count.”
08/19/2009 at 7:20 am
G’morning. Im doing those ES shoulder stretches too! The first one is especially terrific. They are working to open the chest and shoulders, but also making my shoulders perpetually a little sore at the moment.
Another terrific shoulder explorations, that you probably already know, is to strap above the elbows (arms shoulder width apart), kneel near a window ledge or a bannister. Hold the the ledge and straighten your arms out as you lower your chest to horizontal. You’ll know when your getting it about correct when it begins to feel like the Spanish Inquisition. Pulse in and out a couple of times. Then go deep for at least 3 minutes. An old-school Ashtangi told us that that’s what he did every morning back in the day before practice in Mysore.
best,
J
08/19/2009 at 9:04 am
Jeff, I love the Spanish Inquisition stretch! I have not done it that way, but am unrolling a strap, even as I type.
I learned a similar stretch, kneel in front of a chair, elbows into chair, then press down into the chest. The difference is that it isn’t an arms-straight stretch — and arms-straight is just what I need right now.
So here I go, to try it out.
08/20/2009 at 5:30 pm
I found this page on Erich’s website with shoulder openers, for those who are interested: http://www.movingintostillness.com/book/asana_shoulder_stretch.html
The Spanish Inquisition is a good one!