Practice the Q and A of yoga

Q: I have been practicing headstand for some time, but I always practice against the wall. I tried to practice in the open space a few days ago. Due to uneven strength, the right back of my neck has been uncomfortable since then. Is there any way to relieve it?

A: Your injury shouldn't be serious, just a slight sprain of your muscle. If you feel that your neck cannot move, you should go to the hospital immediately. You can perform simple neck movements, back and forth, left and right, which must be very slow, with your consciousness on your neck. You can use a Ferris pose to relieve neck stiffness and discomfort. Raising your arms to lift your head can fully relax your neck muscles, or you can also lift your head. Gently massaging with your hands can also help relieve discomfort.

Q: I am a yoga instructor. I found that if I took students to do bowel cleaning at an interval of 2 months, the students 'reaction after finishing it the second time would not be very strong, and the excretion time would be delayed compared to the previous time. The amount of excretion would also be less than the previous time. Is this because their bodies became cleaner after the previous practice (the amount of water they drank and the amount of movement they took the second time were increased compared with the first time

A: The reasons are complex. First of all, we must see whether it is a group phenomenon. If it is an individual phenomenon, it needs to be discussed individually. Bowel cleaning at 2 months intervals is not considered frequent. This situation may also be related to the season. If the body lacks water, the water you drink will be directly absorbed by the body. Our daily body needs about 3000 ml of water, of which 2000 ml is obtained through drinking water, and the other is replenished through food. If you exercise, your body will need more water. For example, high-temperature yoga requires 4000 ml of water per day.

In addition, the speed and intensity of the practice movements are also directly related to the results. If you are fast, have a large range of movements, and drink enough water, the practice effect will be obvious. The effect is appropriate for the final discharge of water from the anus.

Q: I have been practicing Ashtanga yoga for 5 years. In the past 6 months, when I switched from upper dog pose to lower dog pose, my waist became painful. What's going on?

A: During practicing ASHTANGA yoga, it is important to pay special attention to the movements when alternating movements. Changing from upper dog pose to lower dog pose, you will change from backward flexion to forward flexion. During this movement transformation process, the movements are carried out continuously, with no rest and adjustment in the middle, and the force on the waist is very large. If there is no effective protective support for the lumbar spine, it will easily cause pain.

Upper dog pose is a backward bend. It is a great stimulation for the lumbar spine. To correctly master the movements, the strength should be evenly applied to the entire spine, not just the waist. Focus your attention on the extension of the entire spine rather than focusing too much on the backward flexion. You can also focus your mind on the upper back to enhance the flexibility of the upper back. In addition, tightening the hip muscles can also enhance the contraction of the lower back. In addition, the lunge press and recumbent hero pose help increase groin stretch, which helps the pelvis stay in its natural position when doing the upper dog pose.

When transitioning from upper dog pose to lower dog pose, pay attention to inhale first, use the smooth breath to lift your body, and try to avoid relying solely on muscle strength, because this will increase the burden on your waist and cause pain. Focus on the movement of your abdomen retracting back close to your spine to give your lower back more room for better stretching.

When doing a series of back bending and forward bending movements, the same principle should be followed, which will be beneficial to waist and back health.

Q: I have a severe ankle sprain and torn ligaments in three places. It's been two weeks, but I really want to do yoga. Any suggestions

A: First of all, you should rest your ankles and focus on other parts of your body. Do some stretches to help your body recover. You can tie an elastic strap around your ankle. Don't practice specifically on your ankle when doing exercises. Do some movements where your ankle is not under stress.

Don't put any force on your ankles, you can sit on a chair and stretch your body upward. Practicing postures such as stretching your arms upward, crossing your fingers upward, cow-face pose, and praying with your palms behind your back all help enhance the flexibility of your shoulders, open your chest, and allow breathing to flow.

You can also do some twisting postures, such as the Cobra Twist, to stretch your back while massaging the internal organs. The prone twist posture strengthens the abdominal muscles, opens up the chest without putting stress on the ankles. You can also sit down and straighten your legs to do forward bending, without putting any force on your legs, determine the range of movement your ankles can move, and be sure not to feel pain. The stick pose, sitting angle pose, and leg back extension pose stretch the hamstring, enhance the flexibility of the hip joint, and extend the spine.

A fully inverted posture can help remove fluid from swollen ankles. Such as shoulder-stand stand, leaning against the wall and stretching your legs. These two movements are gentle and clear the brain.

Q: What actions should pregnant women avoid? I'm not sure if I can do movements like twisting, bending back, and handstand

A: Pregnant women should avoid doing strong yoga exercises, but real yoga practice requires you to maintain a natural state and not overstretch. The most important thing for pregnant women is to avoid postures that aggravate abdominal stimulation, such as boat pose, leg extension and spine torsion type postures. Choose exercises that completely relax the abdomen and uterus. Of course, you can also do some backbends and handstands, but you need to have support to relax your abdomen. The handstand movement is particularly beneficial for women because it can regulate and balance the endocrine system, calm the mind and calm the mind.

The movements should be slow, breathe steadily, and hold for 7 to 10 minutes, while relaxing the brain and relieving stress. For pregnant women in different pregnancies, the requirements for yoga practice vary, and specific exercises should be carried out under the guidance of experienced teachers. (Editor in charge: Zhang Zhaoliang)