Nauli - am I doing it right?

Submitted by fc12 on July 28, 2009 - 8:39pm
Body: 

Hi

I've been doing Nauli as Christine outlines it in her DVD for a while and feel like I have that right. Recently, my POP seems to have gotten much worse (I was improving after discovering it 6 months ago when baby was 6 months but 3 months after I discovered it things started doing backwards and while originally it was cystocele I have now developed by rectocele). Anyway, I've been going back and reading posts on how others seem to be doing Nauli - ie, sucking in and then contracting middle stomach muscles out so a line of muscle appears down middle of stomack (right?) Anyway, while it's harder to do than when I was younger (ha!) I do think occasionally I've managed it. BUT, when I contract the middle muscles it almost feels like I'm bearing down on my pelvic floor (and therefore POPs). I don't seem to get that suction feeling. I do feel air come out when I release but don't feel air come in like a vacuum when I contract the muscles.

Am I doing it wrong? I tend to do the exercises when I'm standing after firebreathing.

I'm worried my POPs feel signifcantly worse since I started doing this form of Nauli.

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Cheers
fc12

Christine

July 29, 2009 - 1:57pm

I cannot describe the exercise more thoroughly in text than I have already done in the Dictionary of Movements on the dvd. If you feel that it is having a negative effect on your condition, please stop doing it. I don't mean to sound short, but there's really not much else to suggest. Hope the posture is helping. Christine

fc12

July 29, 2009 - 6:45pm

Yes, Christine, I've been doing the Nauli as described in the DVD. It's been useful and I have that exercise down pat.

Others on this site often discuss another form of Nauli (as I tried to describe in my original post).

It is this form of the exercise I seem to be struggling with.

This morning I did I strong in breath to get into the vacuum as I felt inside. I felt the posterior wall flatten. So I'm just going
to do this in future as I know it's working.

And yes, I've been in posture as much as possible. When I get it it's AMAZING!! But training my stubborn lower abdomen to
relax is not always easy. I often notice I'm taught without realizing! V frustrating!

Fc12

Christine

July 29, 2009 - 6:54pm

Sorry - I see that you are basically asking Alemama to describe how she does nauli. Honestly, I wanted to film her so much for the dvd - but she was pregnant!

fc12

July 30, 2009 - 2:46am

That would be awesome! It's been described well here and I've read all the posts but I try and try and can't quite grasp it. Instead of sucking in far I feel like I'm bearing down just slightly.

I wish I had it.....

louiseds

July 30, 2009 - 4:21am

Hi fc12

Alemama has a young family, but is on the Forums every couple of days, so she may not post immediately, but she will be back. Promise. Sorry, I am not a nauli expert.

You can also get the vacuum thing happening by bending over deeply from the hips, standing with feel apart. Now, pretend you are going to swallow something, ie lock your epiglottis in swallowing position, so you cannot inhale, then try to inhale. You will get little indentations at the top of your two collar bones, and a larger one in the middle if you are doing it correctly. This creates a vacuum in your abdominal and pelvic cavities. With your torso in this inverted position you should feel air entering your vagina as your pelvic and abdominal organs move to fill the vaccuum. If you still cannot feel air entering your vagina, jiggle your knees slightly, which will jiggle your organs around and shift them a bit. Sometimes mine get stuck in one position. Just jiggling them around a bit frees them up and moves them up into their proper positions. It is only a short term fix, but if they get stuck down further than they should be, it kind of unsticks them so they can move freely again. It is quite useful after I have overdone something, and am feeling low.

This is all very untechnical but it is the only way I can explain it.

Cheers

Louise

alemama

July 30, 2009 - 11:00am

I know that I do not feel any bearing down feeling at all.
Try it like this- lie down on your back with your heals close to your butt- put your knees slightly apart. Use your dominant hand- put your fingers on your perineum and over your vaginal opening. Then take a deep breath in breathing down deep into your belly- feel your belly expand on the in breath and release. Now lock your breath down and pull deeply in leaving a hallow in your belly- Now contract your center abdominal muscles up. feel the sensation in your perineum. It will pull in.
Now release and bear down- feel how your perineum descends and pushes your fingers.

You don't have to pull air in to be getting the vacuum effect- In fact you can prevent air from entering by closing off the opening to your vagina.

hope this helps

fc12

July 30, 2009 - 6:22pm

Many thanks for this. I'll give it a go. I've been doing another form of Nauli (just sucking in really hard and holding) over the last few days and can feel myself getting stronger and better at it. So I'll give your tips a go.

cheers
fc12