posture, ribs and my yoga teacher....

Submitted by LifeBlessings on June 26, 2012 - 7:03pm
Body: 

Hi there WholeWomen,

This is my first post in a long time...I have been mostly symptom free for a long time, until a recent bout of the flu knocked me for six and the coughing has done so much damage...I'm feeling a bit despondent again. I'm only 29 and I have days where frankly I am scared about having these prolapses for the rest of my life, particularly if they do worsen =(

I started yoga classes a few months ago, a little nervously, but I've been enjoying them and they didn't seem to be doing any damage. My teacher was horrified at my posture, which to be honest was by that stage a terrible "uber-WW" posture, where my already sway back was way over-accentuated. I feel that through the yoga, and re-reading Christine's material, that I have a great WW posture now and I just ignore my yoga teacher when she tells us to tuck our tailbones ;)

I do have a question about the posture in regards to ribs. My yoga teacher is always nagging me to tuck my lower ribs down. I feel like in WW posture they should be tilting forward slightly from underneath. It is difficult with a sway back to know how far to go - I don't think think I'm the first woman who has wondered about this. I would appreciate some help to find the balance...I know my yoga teacher would like me to stand up straight like a man, and I have no intention of doing this, but if my ribs are tilting forward and they shouldn't be in WW posture I really should get this sorted....

I have bought the first WW yoga dvd and love it, I'll be purchasing the 2nd one within months, but I love going to classes and having the human interaction. Any advice or tips about my rib question would be most appreciated =)

Forum:

louiseds

June 27, 2012 - 9:32am

Hi LifeBlessings

If you have figured out your WW posture, and it is giving you some improvement in your POP symptoms, and you are not getting any back pain, I think you can safely put beans in your ears and just smile nicely at the yoga teacher. If the teacher is deemed suitable for a TMI session, I suggest that you look deeply into his/her eyes after a class one day, and explain exactly why your posture is the way that it is, and that you have had relief from POP symptoms from adopting this posture.

A good teacher will ask you about any 'medical' problems when you start classes with them, so they know and can help you to adjust or adapt postures according to need.

I have found that dance teachers have accepted my reasoning, and will accommodate or ignore my 'mistakes'.

I am a bit overweight, so nobody can see my ribs anyway. ;-)

Louise

Christine

June 27, 2012 - 10:02am

Hi LB,

"Anchoring the ribs" is a common cultural artifact that is addressed here.

Glad you are feeling better!

Christine

LifeBlessings

June 27, 2012 - 6:00pm

Thank you Louise and Christine - and I will read the info asap. I wanted to let you know, after a few weeks of feeling pretty "saggy" again, last night when I was doing the firebreathing in the WW yoga dvd I felt my PO slide up into place. AMAZING!! xoxo

MsNightingale

June 27, 2012 - 6:22pm

hello Dear LifeBlessings
That is amazing! May I ask you how long and how you did your firebreathing? I have been doing them with the DVDs so on knees and elbows, also seated on heels and also standing as described in the book. I have started slow and have never felt that it helps at all.....that is telling me I am probably not doing it correctly or long enough. I love hearing that yours put all in place. Thank you and best wishes to you.

Earthworm

June 28, 2012 - 2:33am

Ms Nightingale, which DVD is the firebreathing on? I've tried following the instructions in the book, but I feel like I'm not 'getting it!' Thanks!

LifeBlessings

June 28, 2012 - 3:43am

I was using the WW First Wheel Yoga DVD. I have tried firebreathing a few times over the past year and I was like you, Earthworm, just not "getting" it.
I'm not sure what changed. I was doing the Yoga DVD for probably the 3rd or 4th time, and I was REALLY concentrating on my posture. And I'm so unco-ordinated, I was watching Christine super carefully to see exactly how my body and arms and legs should look like. And this time with the firebreathing I just took it slowly and carefully and was very conscious about what would be happening in my body. I felt the slide when I was on all fours, and then when I moved up on my knees I could still feel the difference. I really noticed it because as I mentioned above, a nasty bout of flu-coughing has left me feeling quite prolapsy again. Well I'm SO glad I bought the yoga dvd, it's fantastic! Hope that helps you both =)

Surviving60

June 28, 2012 - 6:14am

Firebreathing is described in words and pictures in Christine's book, and demonstrated in both the video's I have (FAFP and yoga first wheel -I don't know about the others). It is a powerful move, so if you aren't feeling anything from it, please make sure you have the breathing right! INHALE as you expand the belly and accentuate the lumbar curve, EXHALE as you round the back and pull everything up and in. In the beginning I tended to get this sequence reversed for some reason. Before I start, I like to do a bit of Louise's jiggling move to get the organs where I want them. - Surviving

MsNightingale

June 28, 2012 - 8:10am

Hello Dear Earthworm----the comments following our posts are excellent. I have been doing the Prolapse and the First Wheel ---I alternate them as much as possible along with my WW walk each morning. I just havent had the results from the firebreathing, I am so glad this came up because the answers following this are great. Good luck to you.....let us know when you get it and I will do the same!

Earthworm

June 28, 2012 - 10:56pm

Thanks everyone, I only have the second wheel DVD, I might have to get the first two eventually. It would be nice to alternate between them.
I'll still give it the firebreathing a try on my own, I'd only been trying while standing maybe I should try on all fours or on my knees first!
(I love having this forum for help! Such great support for questions most people can't normally answer!) :)

Surviving60

June 29, 2012 - 7:15am

Earthworm, I was well into WW learning before I even had the nerve to tackle firebreathing. I was somewhat afraid of doing it wrong and doing more harm than good! I found the standing position (with hands on thighs) tricky because I had to work a bit to keep my hands from slipping down. So I went on all fours (hands and knees or elbows and knees) because once I had my body/organs in a good position, I could concentrate solely on the breathing sequence. Now, I do generally use the standing position and don't have any trouble. - Surviving

LifeBlessings

July 1, 2012 - 12:06am

That is really interesting to know. I must admit I also found it much easier to "get" firebreathing on all fours. I am still not using the standing position. Good luck to Earthworm and Ms Nightingale, as I find this exercise very very helpful.