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ahotasu
Oct 19, 2003, 7:27 AM
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Registered: Oct 2, 2003
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i've read most if not all 333 threads the search engine lists for the word "yoga" and the overall consensus is that most people are in favor of it. I read a lot about people taking classes at a gym and others watching videos or tv programs to do it... I've purchased a few books and started to plan my own routine...
What poses do you find to be especially beneficial to your climbing? If you were designing your own routine for climbers, what would it be?
Thanks
-Dave
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kimmyt
Oct 21, 2003, 4:07 PM
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Hey. I have only been climbing for a short amount of time, but I've been doing yoga for a bit longer. To me, the best part about yoga is about how personal it is. I can give you a few asanas which I find to be very helpful, but these might be poses that you have no difficulty at all with, whereas you may be tighter in other areas. For instance, I am very tight in the hips and neck so I like to do asanas which loosen me up there. You, however, may be loose in there but stiff in the legs or arms. My advice, design a routine that hits a little of each target area. Start with some gentle stretches that loosen you up, then work on a few balance poses. Then, from there, concentrate on areas of the body. Lower body. Arms and upper body. Twists. Do this routine for a few weeks and listen to your body. that's the most important part, hearing how your body reacts to these different asanas and adjusting your routine to your body. I don't think there are any specific asanas that make you a better climber, but I think in general practicing yoga and becoming stronger and more flexible will help your climbing. But, since you did ask for specific poses, I'll give you a few of my favorite and why I like them.
Twists. Any twist in general, I feel really opens up your chest and back. They're wonderful for your back, and after you do a few you will feel like a completely new, more limber person. A lot of people carry tension in their back, and twists are great to rid yourself of that tension.
Downward-facing dog. Great for your back, arms, and legs. But make sure you do it correctly. Pay attention to the position of every muscle. If you don't feel the pose, you're probably not doing it correctly.
Warrior pose. Not only does this pose make you feel amazingly strong and ready for anything, but it's a great stretch for your legs and arms and back.
If you want to know a few more, there is a small article on www.gunks.com that talks about yoga for climbers. It only gives a couple of poses, but that might also give you a bit of a start. Good luck with your practice!
K.
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bluesky
Oct 21, 2003, 4:26 PM
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Kimmyt's was a great response. I only want to reemphasize that a yoga practice (the physical side as with the whole spectrum) is a very personal process and everyone has their own 'tight' areas and places you can do work.
I recommend perusing the following website (there are many more, but it's a decent one) for it's review of the basics of yoga. I also really recommend finding a good instructor and taking a class or two to gain a real world experience about what yoga is about.
As far as my favorite postures for climbing - and mainly since they attack MY tight areas: downward facing dog, foward bends, twisting, hip opening and shoulder opening (triangle pose, warrior poses concentrating on the correct posture of the arms etc, down dog and others).
Good luck developing a practice
Namaste!
Jesse
The main site:
http://www.yogajournal.com
New to yoga:
http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/index.cfm?ctsrc=hg6
The types of yoga:
http://www.yogajournal.com/newtoyoga/165_1.cfm
Asanas (poses):
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/index.cfm
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treehugger
Oct 21, 2003, 4:34 PM
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I will second the other two posts, but also recommend finding an instructor or class. Yoga poses are wonderful things, but something else beneficial, but difficult to really describe, are the dynamic transitions between poses. Moving through several in sequence is a great workout, not to mention the meditative aspect.
Don't think about Yoga as fancy stretching, think of it as its own activity, in every sense.
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telluryan
Oct 21, 2003, 4:54 PM
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Registered: Sep 30, 2002
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I have just started doing some poses when i wake up before work. I have been using a video i found called "yoga for athletes" has sport specific routines, including rock climbing, and is easy to do at home. For 19 dollars i think it is a good value and would recommend for home workouts.
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rockinitinark
Oct 21, 2003, 5:03 PM
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Registered: Sep 15, 2002
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Some poses I practice, that i think helps with my climbing that i would recommend are; Boat Pose, Crane Pose, Bridge pose, Locust pose, just to name a few. I have to second what treehugger said about attending a class, just to learn the transitions between poses. And remember to not take it to seriously, its really alot of fun so keep it fun:D
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kimmyt
Oct 21, 2003, 7:51 PM
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Registered: Sep 10, 2003
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Also, I can say since I have taken classes and practiced on my own, it's really great to have someone help you with the poses and physically show you what the correct pose feels like. In some poses it may be difficult to see where you're going wrong, or even something as easy as your posture, which you've kept your whole life and seems 'right' to you, may need to be corrected. Teachers (specifically teachers of the Iyengar tradition which places a lot of emphasis on correct placement of the body in a pose) can really open your eyes about how different a pose can feel if you only move one muscle a tiny fraction. It's really quite amazing, and even working with a teacher for only a short time will really change your practice.
Good luck, again!
K.
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