Good Karma

The only yoga inspired aspects to my challenge are the headstand and pranayama sequence. However, a consistent component of my training will be my daily yoga practice.

I have been practicing yoga for about 8 years. For 5 of these years (2000-2005) my practice was very strict and very intense. Basically I was a fulltime Ashtanga practioner. Ashtanga yoga is a very physical and orthodox style. 6 days a week I would practice a specific sequence of postures which would take me anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. For more on the specifics of this method see www.ashtanga.com

In fact, I was so committed to Ashtanga, that I slowly lost interest in climbing, partly because I was using all my available physical energy during my morning yoga practice. Ashtanga significantly improved my body awareness, core strength, physical endurance, and my concentration. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for this practice was strong enough to tear the meniscus in both of my knees (left in 2004 and the right in 2005). I had surgery on the left knee, but I have yet to repair the right. My left knee has about 80% of its flexibility and my right is around 40%. I don’t really notice the knees that much in squatting or extension type movements (including landing from high falls), but twisting at the knee joint is very scary to say the least. The end result of this experience is that I have been forced to take a step back and reevaluate my approach to yoga practice. I’ve learned a lot about my body and mind’s mechanics, but at a bit of price.

Some people don’t understand why I still practice yoga, given that it has caused two of the most significant injuries I have ever sustained. The simple answer is that I don’t know how to not practice. Whereas my original intention may have been more physically based; trying to achieve and master new poses etc, yoga is much more of a soul maintenance activity for me these days. Not that I don’t still enjoy the physical challenges and benefits that it offers, but I find that more than anything else, I practice to stay sane, balanced and strong in more levels than just my physical body.

That all being said, I thought I would explain in a bit more detail what my current yoga practice actually involves….

My current asana (pose) practice is based almost completely on Ashtanga poses and their sequencing, including the classical vinyasa entrances and exits to poses. It moves away from traditional Ashtanga in that I don’t stick to the prescribed sequence of poses and I tend to hold certain poses for more than the usual Ashtanga amount of 5 breaths. Rather I have selected poses that feel the most beneficial to my current bodies needs (in total about ½ as many as I used to use) and I have connected them in a bit more poetic way. This practice takes me approximately 75 minutes, but is getting longer because of the extended headstand that I am training for. For those that have dabbled in yoga the best description of what I am doing is a flow sequence based on Ashtanga. The usual flow is sun salutations, standing postures, seated forward folds and twists, backbends, finshing postures (mainly inversions). I’ve been doing this “flow” practice 3 -4 days a week.

On days where I don’t do this fairly physical practice, I have been practicing a half dozen or so restorative postures. These poses are very mellow, relaxing and opening to the body in a much more gentle way than the practice described above. After spending about 20 minutes with these postures I do my pranayama practice.

Pranayama is most easily translated as “breath control”. There is quite a bit of subtlety to this practice, but the basic jist is that I utilize a few different breathing techniques to extend the length of my breaths and enable myself to hold it for extended periods of time. The subtle yet potent concentration and body control gained from pranayama is fascinating and very fulfilling. In yoga philosophy pranayama is considered the bridge between asana (pose practices) and mediation. In asana one works at refining and aligning the body. In pranayama one works to refine and align the breath (which is intimately related to energy channels, chi, whatever you want to call it). In meditation one works to refine and align the contents of the mind. Oh and in case you were wondering, the mind part is by far the most difficult and advanced stuff. Just about any exercise is easy compared to meditation. If you don’ believe me, try sitting on the floor and counting your breaths from 1 -10 over and over again for an hour. You’ll lose count a lot.



12/26/07
90 minute yoga routine including a 14 minute headstand.
-my neck was a little sore after practice today. I guess 48 hours rest wasn’t quite enough for the extended headstand. I’m curious what it will feel like tomorrow.

I wanted to do some endurance Bouldering today as well so I drove up to west camino cielo around 3:00 pm. My plan was to do 50 problems at Lizards Mouth. Well, that didn’t work out…..

I could barely get out of my car the wind was so strong today. I’ve spent a decent amount of time up on the mountain, and I got to tell you this has got to be one of the most insane days I’ve seen up there. 40 degrees and hurricane winds… there was no way in hell that I was bouldering at Lizards Mouth.

So I retreated down the hill to the Brickyard hoping that it would be less affected by the wind. It was a little better down there, but still freezing and way too windy for my taste. As I was trotting down the trail I tripped and buzzed my left ankle which I had only recently rehabilitated from a complete ligament rupture 5 months ago. “Be careful stupid”.

I started climbing (chalk bagless because I’m an idiot and left it in my car). After 28 problems, a few of which I was almost blown off the top of, I heard a very loud yelp a few boulders away. Hmmm. I was definitely more tired than I expected to be after only 28 problems so I went to check out the mystery noise. I stumbled upon two younger chaps. One of whom had just sprained (or broken?) his right ankle. He wasn’t very stoked.

I had told myself that I was going to do 50 problems, but because I had recently fallen into the same misfortune this guy was dealing with, I opted for karma over training. I hiked their pads out for them and then came back down to help carry the fallen soldier to his car. Two trips up and down the brickyard approach (the second of which was weighted) turned out to be somewhat physical. I called it a day.

Another great dinner:
Allspice, Coriander, and Cumin Duck Breast Confit with a Pasilla Pepper Red Wine Sauce, Cabbage and Mushroom Cakes.

I love duck. I love spice. I really like the combo. Half a bottle of wine with dinner. Going out for drinks tonight… My guess is I’ll be in the 4-6 range.