Hi there. I have been practising a few times a week for the past 3 months.  I have developed a new problem with this asana.  I used to be able to touch my forehead to the floor without too much difficulty.  In the last couple of weeks it has become much more difficult and a few times I have “pulled” the back of my right upper leg.  Is that the hamstring ?  I am wondering what I am doing wrong.  I realise our bodies are different from day to day, but this seems more than that.  Today something in the back of my leg felt as if it popped & it made certain parts of the rest of the class difficult.  Last time I did this, it was ok after a few days rest.  It is still sore but I can walk etc no problem.  Thanks

can anyone help me with this problem (above).  i went to class again today & the same thing happened.  my hamstring had felt better during normal use the last couple of days, but was v sore during class.  i tried to do the class & just take it easy with any postures that hurt my hamstring.  i iced it after class.  wondering whether i should stay away from class til it’s all better, or if the yoga will help.

Hello Jacquie

I am sorry your body is hurting during the yoga.

I wonder about your approach to this pose. In the studio that you go to are you asked to straighten your legs as a priority in this pose?

Or are you told to straighten your back as your most important task?

It would be very helpful to know what you are doing.

Please let me know anything specific that comes to mind.
Namaste
Gabrielle

While Gabrielle gets on with digging down into the issue, I wanted to add something as I have experienced exactly this issue in my early practice.

I was following the instructor’s commands (no, not Gabrielle’s ha ha) ... and really keen to get my head to the floor (read “ego” in my case - I’m sure that’s not you Jacquie ) - so was using a very very wide stance that simply was putting too much tension into the adductors (inner thigh muscles that pull the legs in) and hamstrings.

I realize that for you, you were already at the floor with your forehead - however, as you gain strength with your practice you have probably been able to push harder to straighten the legs; apply more effort with your (now stronger) arms etc which could be why it is only a “new thing” - the issue may have always been there in the way you are practicing the pose, but only manifesting itself as pain now.

Anyway ...

Occasionally I’d get close or even touch - then what would happen is that I’d be trying harder and harder ... then suddenly something would feel like it had “snapped”, I’d say “ouch” .... and then the next pose (Triangle) would be impossible because of the pain.

Occasionally I would miss one or two days practice because of the pain.

Clearly this is not yoga!

After a while, I realized my body was being pushed “beyond its design capabilities” and reverted to a less wide stance until I gained sufficient flexibility - but working even harder on the back stretch. For me this took around 9 months to then get my head to the floor “at will” with none of the previous over-stretching pain - and when I did eventually get there, my posture was soooo much more satisfying.

There is a way to mitigate this in the meantime and prevent injury - in fact Gabrielle who just walked into my office has just reminded me of a very relevant article she wrote right here:

http://www.hotyogadoctor.com/index.php/site/links/opening-up-your-hamstrings-with-hot-yoga/

In the meantime I’m guessing you may need a short break just to heal the soreness - yoga stretching should be intense to the point of “almost pain” ... but real searing pain is your body telling you “ooops, too far!”. Trust me, I’ve done it that many times! (I think it’s a man-thing to try too hard in Yoga)

Hope that helps at least knowing you are not alone!

I too shall eagerly await Gabrielle’s wisdom ...

Robert

Hi guys.  Thanks to Gabrielle & Robert for your responses.  I have read the article you mentioned & have tried to implement what you suggest, but think I have not done it correctly given that I have injured myself.  To answer your question Gabrielle, I don’t recall the straightening of the back ever being mentioned in the dialogue in our studio.  I had read it in your article so was aware of it, but from memory we are told to pull, straighten the legs & touch the forehead to the floor (not necessarily in that order).  Even when I was touching the floor with what I thought was straight legs, I was once told to “put my brain in my legs” so since then have tried even harder to keep my legs straight.  Having said that, one instructor has warned us NOT to pull like a maniac, to lift the sit bones etc.  Interestingly the day I first hurt my hamstring was the first time I heard an instructor say not to pull like a maniac.  Funny how you hear things but don’t really hear them… :-(

Robert, thanks for sharing your experience.  It definitely makes me feel better & sheds some light on what I might be doing wrong. I wish I could say my ego is not part of the problem As I was able to touch my forehead to the floor a couple of weeks after starting to practice, I EXPECT to be able to do so each time I come & maybe pulled too hard on a day when, for whatever reason, my body was not willing to do so.  I too had that snapping feeling last Sunday.  Funnily enough I was trying to follow what I understood to be Gabrielle’s directions in the hamstring article.  I had my forehead to the floor &, while waiting for the magic “change” word, was pulling & straightening legs which felt quite straight already.  Then ouch ! 

When I went to class on Wednesday (after hurting myself on Sunday but felt better during normal non-yoga activity on Mon-Tues), I tried to concentrate on straightening my back & kept my legs bent.  To be honest, I didn’t know what to do with myself without straight legs.  I encountered significant pain & was unable to do anything…

I am planning to rest until Sunday & try again.  If you could explain how I should work on straightening my back without over stretching my hamstring, that would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks for the great responses.  Love your site !

Namaste

Hello Jacquie

Thank you so much for being so thorough in your answer. I think your problem is a very common one and stems from the way that students are directed into the pose. I just wanted to be sure.

For a little bit of background: Paschimottanasana means Intense Stretching pose. What needs more stretching in a P pose? The back or the legs? The way the body is set up, anatomically and with its reflexes and mechanisms my answer to that query is unquestionably: the back.

We spend all our time in forward bends. So in Paschimottanasana I want my students to spend the time capitalizing on the little time they have to S T R E T C H out the back and not round it over.

If I were to give you an analogy it would be this. In Hands to Feet pose even the inflexible among us place the body on the legs, use bent arms to pull and still feel a FABULOUS stretch despite the fact that their legs are well bent.

Reciprocal inhibition is at play here, using the biceps muscles in the arms to pull on your feet. And although you may not realize it, you actually don’t have to try to straighten your legs. What you are trying to do is release and surrender: lift your hips up and relax the muscles that are not needed so you can create length in the spine and the legs. All you have to do is lift your hips and hey presto, when you are almost there you can consciously place some attention on locking out the legs. If you can’t feel some stretch in your legs (anyone out there?) then PLEASE tell me! You would certainly be the exception.

Now back to Standing Intense Stretch:
1) When you come forward, and you are at the floor, BEND the legs and slide the hands down the back of the calf muscles.
2) Try to get your fingers under and behind the heels, at an angle from behind.
3) If you can’t get any fingers under the heels then you may have stepped out TOO FAR.
4) Placing your hands under the arches at a 90 degree angle to the foot is bad news. And you are likely to cause problems in your shoulders, your neck and maybe even your legs.
5) Try to get at least one finger under the heels so that when you pull you can bend your elbows out toward the side and back wall!
6) Lift the shoulders away from the ears.
7) Pull with our biceps and lift your hips. Notice that you MUST pull with bent arms. There are very few people who can’t get in a position where the arms can pull when bent.
8) Don’t try to straighten your legs. Just relax the hips and pelvis and lift. Feel the stretch down the back of the legs.

I realize that your teacher may be imploring you to straighten your legs. But resist. You have already done enough damage. And when you get the chance, after you have digested the above points again, please go back to the photos of Lauren in the link in Robert’s post. You could say that I wrote that one for you cos it has your name all over it!

Namaste
Gabrielle

Thank you so much for your, as always, detailed response.  I will definitely reread the article you mentioned.  Should I still be focusing on getting my forehead to the floor, or is that not so important ?  I don’t know how you find the time or energy to deal with all these questions, but I am so grateful & appreciative that you do

Namaste

OMG I’m blushing! Thank you.
And you are oh so welcome!

Your head to the floor is not as important as getting your face parallel to the floor. This works to extend your spine. That is your aim (Paschimottanasana!). Forehead to the floor (well, resting above it without pressure!) is a bonus, not the aim.

Namaste
Gabrielle