Santa Monica Mirror: Yoga Practice Makes Perfect

   My friend Ed is an architect who loves to play basketball. He spends every weekday from 8 a.m. to 7p.m. in his office, stooped over drawings, working at his desk and talking on the phone. The only exercise he gets during the week is maneuvering around the office on a swivel chair. Every Saturday morning, he plays a tough pick-up game at a local park. Without fail, on Sunday morning he nurses his morning coffee with an icepack on his (choose one) ankle, knee, wrist, or back. Ed considers these discomforts the mark of a well-played game.
   I am a yoga teacher and my perspective on Ed's Saturday ritual is different. My feeling is that Ed is not getting any younger, and that if he isn't careful he's going to REALLY hurt himself soon. Over the many years of our friendship, Ed has groaned and complained about his various sprains and strains while I have pleaded, cajoled and flagrantly bribed him to start practicing yoga.
   He's argued that he doesn't have time. He's busy at work, tired when he comes home and generally not interested in anything that lacks a competitive spirit. I've promised him increased flexibility, better sleep, agility, strength and peace of mind, but until recently he has remained intractable. I've explained to him that practicing simple yoga poses will improve both his body and his game. Yoga demands a clear focus, which benefits both things—he'll be less likely to injure himself if he is aware of his body.
   Practicing the poses, as opposed to just jumping into a game, gives the body the opportunity to "loosen up" thus increasing blood flow and improving oxygenation to the muscles.
   Then one day, Ed hurt his back. After missing a Saturday or two on the court, he reluctantly agreed to do a couple of stretches before he actually started racing up and down the court each Saturday, and to try to remember to do another one or two when he got home.
   Much to his surprise after a month or so of practicing the most basic yoga poses, he is finding himself a little bit more resilient. Stretching before the game and after the shower has helped his legs feel looser; a simple forward bend or two has helped his backaches (not for those of you with disc problems!); and a standing balance pose has strengthened his weak ankles. Although I think he's just placating me, he is expressing interest in a more comprehensive routine. I hope he will do it. If it works for Kareem Abdul Jabar, it certainly can't hurt Ed.
   Here is a simple description of the poses that I suggested Ed practice. There are many different variations on just about every yoga asana (pose). Those mentioned below are adaptations of standard positions that you may enjoy experimenting with.
   Please, as with any exercise, if you know you have an injury, inherent weakness, or instability, practice these postures under the watchful eye of a studied teacher, or consult with your physician before trying them on your own.

Before Sports or Exercise:

Arm Raises:

   Stand with your feet parallel and directly under your hips. Shift your weight so that it is equally distributed from the front to back of each foot and between the right to left legs.
   Inhale - raise your arms in front of you and reach them toward the ceiling.
   Exhale - lengthen your arms back down by your sides.
   Repeat for 4 - 6 full breaths then modify with...

Standing Balance:

   Continue to practice the arm raises, but add this next step.
Be sure that you have a good eye focus - fix your gaze on a nearby object that will not move as this will help steady you during the balance.
   Inhale - raise your arms and come up onto your toes.
   Exhale - lower the arms, set the whole foot back on the floor.
   Repeat for 4 -6 full breaths

Standing Forward Bend:

   Stand with your feet parallel and directly under your hips.
   Lace your hands behind your head at the widest circumference of the skull, and allow your chin to gently drop toward your chest.
   Pause and feel the lengthening of the nape of the neck.
   Next, begin to roll down the spine toward the floor in front of you, imagining that each vertebra is lengthening and moving independently. Release the hands from behind your head when you like.
   After you have rolled down as much as you are comfortable, hang for a moment, with the arms dangling toward the floor, the crown of the head reaching towards the floor, he abdominal muscles lifting to help support the back, and the knees soft.
   When you are ready, lift the belly; imagine the tailbone reaching toward the floor, and roll back up to a standing posture.

After Sports or Exercise:

Knees to chest:

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hips distance apart. As you exhale, lift the right foot off the floor and bring your knee to your chest, embrace the shin (or clasp behind the thigh if you have knee problems) and then bring your left knee to the chest to join the right leg. Embrace the left leg at the shin as well, or behind the thigh if you prefer.
   Inhale - gently let your hands guide the knees away from the torso as you straighten your arms (the feet stay off the floor.)
   Exhale - soften the elbows and draw the knees toward your chest.
   Repeat 4-6 full breaths
   Set your feet down on the floor one at a time when you are finished.

Twist:

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hips distance apart.
   Lengthen your arms out at your sides at the height of your shoulders, palms up.
   Inhale in preparation for movement,
   Exhale - let the knees gently fall to the right side as the eyes and head look to the left.
   Inhale - engage the abdominal muscles, draw the knees back to center, and return the head to center.
   Exhale - let the knees gently fall to the left side as the eyes and head look to the right.
   Inhale - engage the abdominal muscles, and draw the knees back to center.
   Repeat 3 times each direction.

Relaxation:

   Lie flat on your back with the arms outstretched and the palms facing the ceiling (or down - whatever is most comfortable),
   Close your eyes.
   Bring your attention to your breath. Notice its depth, its qualities (rough, smooth, jerky, etc.) and its length. Take a few full breaths. Then begin to relax.
   Start by relaxing your face. Softening the jaw, smoothing the forehead and erasing any scowls. Work your way down the body, relaxing the shoulders, hands, buttocks, feet, etc.
   Imagine that with each inhale the breath extends more completely through the body and with each exhale, relax. Allow the body weight to sink into the floor.
   When you are ready, bring your attention back to your body, stretch lazily and get up slowly.

A couple of notes about yoga practice in general:

The breath:

Your breath should be smooth and steady - no straining or gasping. Keeping a comfortable rhythm is an important part of practicing yoga. A ragged breath can mean that you are working too hard, incorrectly, or that you are just about to hurt yourself.
Align your breath with your movement. Some schools call this envelope breathing - cushioning the movement with breath. For example: begin your inhale, then start your movement, finish your movement, then complete your exhale. This conscious connection keeps your movements fluid and your attention focused.

Alignment:

Use your skeleton as a guide. Some schools practice with certain conventions - for example, many postures are executed with the feet together. My teacher taught me that to keep the body injury free and well balanced in regards to strength and stretch, using your body as a template for good alignment is crucial. This means standing with the feet hips’ distance apart; when raising the arms, reach them away from you at shoulders’ distance apart. Use your bony structure as a guide, careful not to crowd yourself in, or let yourself spread out too much. Bring your attention to your body, and keep it there as you practice.

Enjoyment:

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to be comfortable and at ease with your yoga practice. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't work deeply to increase your skills. I simply want to say - enjoy it. Enjoy the feeling of awakening muscles you were neglecting, the increased vitality, the sensation of connection between your breath and your body, your poise on the court when you make 3 pointer after 3 pointer....

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