I have literally been hearing about the importance of the bandhas for years. Every yoga class, every strength training core class, every pilates class, trainers talk about the bandha in lots of different ways: \u201cengage your mula bandha,\u201d \u201csqueeze your pelvic floor \u2013 lifting it,\u201d \u201chold that muscle like you\u2019re stopping your pee!\u201d I thought I got it. I mean, I technically knew how to do it. But, that was when I was standing still, on my feet, thinking about it. Not in the middle of an inversion\u2026when I can hardly tell my bum from my shoulder.<\/p>\n
In YTT, I have been pushing myself to new limits \u2013 utilizing muscles I never even knew I had \u2013 and trying to get into poses I never thought possible. The key principles are always the same \u2013 tuck the ribs, engage the core, tuck the tailbone and for God\u2019s sake \u2013 squeeze that root lock! Now, my brain knows this \u2013 but the issue is trying to translate that to making my body do it whilst in extreme situations \u2013 like trying to pike up into a headstand. And, I think I\u2019ve finally figured it out that it\u2019s not a lack of core or quad strength. I\u2019m just not effectively engaging the mula bandha!<\/p>\n
It all came to me one morning in Adho Mukha Swanasana. Jessica said, \u201cPull your chest closer to your thighs with the mula and uddiyana bandha.\u201d So, I did what she said, and boom! Back I went \u2013 much closer to the thighs. The power of the bandhas. That\u2019s when I finally got it \u2013 this is what I need to engage in order to get those other poses done.<\/p>\n
I am trying on a daily basis \u2013 but it takes time. Yoga is a process, and it\u2019s not easy to try and engage so many parts when your brain and body is not used to it. But, it will happen. I just know it. And, I\u2019ll be piking up like it\u2019s nothing at all!<\/p>\n
-Patricia Makatsaria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I have literally been hearing about the importance of the bandhas for years. Every yoga class, every strength training core class, every pilates class, trainers talk about the bandha in lots of different ways: \u201cengage your mula bandha,\u201d \u201csqueeze your pelvic floor \u2013 lifting it,\u201d \u201chold that muscle like you\u2019re stopping your pee!\u201d I thought […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\n