Sore knees and Yoga? Here’s my collection of helpers

[CBDB]

🧘🏽So this morning was the start of YWA 30-day yoga journey themed “BREATH”, my first one! 🙌🙌🙌 And from the pics you can see I was excited to start. I had our yoga mats all ready set out for both hubby and me at 7am this morning, and this is on an annual leave day!!!

🛋And I wanted to show my (new! yay!) mat, with all sorts of blankets, yoga bricks and pillows, as I realised over a couple of recent Yoga sessions that using anything available, also from around my living-room, really helps. Santa helpfully had brought me two Yoga bricks as well.

👍🏽And @cheekychipmunks on the forum helpfully reminded me that Adriene suggests herself ‘find what feels good’. And I did.

🧱The two yoga bricks where invaluable for giving me a bit of height when doing downward dog, and using these - sometimes flat and sometimes sideways for a bit more height - meant I could do all the downward dog related positions, like forward folds, planks (with highest side up) and forward folds.

🛏The seating pillow was essential for my knees in any all-fours position, and I at times added a blanket on top of this. I can feel my knees getting better, but I do need that extra-lush padding, otherwise my kneecaps feel as if they are squished into painful positions.

🛋🧘🏽So blankets for extra cushioning for knees and also for sitting on for a bit extra height in the cross legged position. But that’s just for extra comfort, I can happily do the cross legged position, one pose that doesn’t give me any problems.

👶The roll and bigger sitting pillows is for extended child‘s pose. One for the front, and one (if needed, but I didn’t need it this time) for support to sit back on.

So you can see I’m still having quite a challenge managing all sorts of positions but with a bit of help from my livingroom upholstery I’m getting there ca 70%.

And it feels good, so I can recommend to anyone having sore joints or back or legs, feel free to use anything to adapt the positions.

As Adriene says, find what feels good!

Happy working out everyone!

[linda9389]

It was a lovely session but I imagine you were glad of those pillows today 👍😊

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to linda9389]

Oh yeah! Definitely! 😃😁🛋

[Over62]

Well CBDB - you definitely have all the right equipment there! I enjoyed the session with the help of a thick towel as advised, my only difficulty was seeing everything and doing it, that being said I did work all the way through it and was surprised at my flexibility and strength which was greatly improved from before HU - wow!🤩 so that’s inspired me to continue to see how much more I can achieve by day 30 - great start to 2021 many thanks 🙏

[linda9389 in reply to Over62]

As it goes on, you will become more used to her cues and need to look at the screen far less, and so everything flows better 😊

[Over62 in reply to linda9389]

I agree Linda 9389 it’s just me getting used to everything she does though go at a gentle pace which I appreciate as I tried something similar well over 18months ago and was lost in the first few minutes 🤣🤣

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Over62]

Yes! Fab! I’m also up for only very gently pushing, so am not looking to make great strides, but rather little, sustainable steps of improvement. But as you, over62, I am already surprised by the progress of having done now ca 10 - 12 yoga sessions with YWA.

Upwards and onwards! 👏💪🙌👍🏽

[slipstick]

Some useful ideas there but I haven't tried anything serious yet. I'm doing it my normal way of skipping through the video first to see what I'll be needing to do and then later going back to do it. This first one is going to be a challenge with all those tabletops/cats/cows/dogs/planks as I currently have a bad wrist (arthritis flare up). Not sure how to get round that but I'll give at least some of it a go.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to slipstick]

Yeah let us know how you get on, as your experience might be valuable for others. I have done downward dog even with a chair, putting much less pressure on hands but I don’t have any wrist problems, so it just might need a different creative solution.

Cat - Cow I have seen done simply in a cross-legged sitting pose, as well.

🙌👏💪🧘🏽👍🏽

[linda9389 in reply to slipstick]

Sometimes Adriene suggests forming your hand into a fist to change the pressure on your wrist.

[slipstick in reply to linda9389]

Unfortunately at the moment my left hand and wrist are bad. I can't even make a fist. My current plan is to rest my forearms on a low table. I gave it a quick try and it sort of works for tabletop/cat/cow and even plank but not for down dog. So perhaps I'll just breathe at that point😀.

[linda9389 in reply to slipstick]

Or maybe a forward fold instead? Or child's pose

[slipstick in reply to linda9389]

Cheers for the ideas. I'll fit something in but it definitely won't be child's pose. My knees don't bend that far and I'm pretty sure they never will. Rheumatoid arthritis is quite literally a real pain.

[LottieMW]

I did a 16 minute stretch with her yesterday. Will do today’s after Mr. Lottie has gone to bed...the only decent floor space I have is in the living room. 🙄

She mentioned about using what you have to hand...towels and cushions...you don’t *need* specific “yoga” equipment, and of course...

...Finding What Feels Good...🥰

Namaste 🙏🧘🏻‍♀️

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to LottieMW]

Nice! 👍🏽💪🙌🧘🏽👏

[cheekychipmunks]

Aww so glad you enjoyed it CBDB. 🥰 Great that you’re working out what works for you. Adriene would approve! 😀

I have numerous blocks, a lovely yoga blanket and a favourite pillow. I don’t use them much - although I find sitting up on a block helpful for longer crossed legged periods - but they’re there as security blankets and that helps me. I still do crow with a pillow and blanket just in case of a face plant. That hurts, I know, I’ve done it! 🤣

Lovely practice today. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. 🧘‍♀️ Namaste 🙏🏻

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes, yoga spaces in videos always look so minimalist. But not in my house 😉 and great to read that even more experienced yogis have their sets of blankety and cuddly helpers 👍🏽🙌🙏🧘🏽 😊😌

[cheekychipmunks in reply to CBDB]

Oh yes, I forgot to add that my dog is in the room too! Sometimes my cat. 🐾🐾🧘‍♀️🥰

[SaskAlliecat]

That is great CBDB! I haven’t had a chance to do today’s yet but your post reminded me to grab some aids before I start. I’m looking forward to it.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to SaskAlliecat]

DEF! Aids were great.

[SaskAlliecat in reply to CBDB]

I just did Day 1. It was great! I found her descriptions quite good so I found I only had to check the pose occasionally. I tend to have tight wrists and struggle with a lot of activities that require a bent wrist but her guidance and poses really helped. I didn’t need to modify or stop the poses early. Of course both cats tried to get in on the action which made for a challenge at times, but we got through it 😆

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to SaskAlliecat]

🐈👏👍🏽

[lexi6 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Hi Saska I’ve just posted on CBDB’s other post, I have problems with my wrists too and do some of Adriene’s wrists exercises videos, one of my faves is Yoga for Healthy Wrists, just over 3 minutes long and set to a song written by her friend. Its cool 🙏🏻

[SaskAlliecat in reply to lexi6]

Thanks for this Lexi. I'll need to check it out!

[Dutch-Fraggle]

I did today's session too..Found the twisted wrist thing rather different never done that in any classes before..

Love that u and hubby doing it together thats nice...

My cat looked like he was considering curling up on my mat but thing he got wind of Benji on the screen so he cleared off ha ha..

🧘‍♀️🕉

Interested to do tomorrow's session.

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Dutch-Fraggle]

🐈🐕‍🦺🐾🙀 😆 😄 🤣yes, wrist twist! 👍🏽👏🙌 My hubby will have to make up for the lack of cute dogs or cats! 😆

[dijep 30D Graduate in reply to Dutch-Fraggle]

Yes that wrist twist was new to me too, I found it quite uncomfortable to do. Guess that means I need it more.

[Dutch-Fraggle in reply to dijep]

Yes it was strange and it is an area that gives me issues at times during yoga and pilates so maybe your right need more and this will help perhaps

[Hidden]

Brilliant session CBDB, but pardon 7am 😴 twas on board the sleepy train hurtling through tunnel's of snoozey sleep 🤭, though I did partake in the squats and limbering up stretches pre run 👍

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Hidden]

🤣😴🥱👍🏽🏃🏻‍♂️

[Oldfloss Administrator]

Looking really good... I am playing catch up as I only twigged to this after I put the Bridge Quest up!I am still finding it a struggle with certain poses that really cause issues for my neck...but am adapting! My studio can be a tad chilly, to begin with so the pillows and a folded blanket are welcome

You have some super gear ! You were obviously a very good girl last year !

PS

I have also for my personal challenge started an online ballet class for the elderly adult Supposed to benefit so many bits of the ancient body! Silver Swans.... with the Royal Academy of Dance.

See what you have got me into with all your great ideas and that Advent Challenge! xx

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Oldfloss]

Oh wow!!! Ballet!!! And RAD!!! Brilliant!!! I’m in awe (even more)!

Thanks for the thanks, it’s easy with all the work that has gone before me, from individuals like yourself! 🙏👍🏽🤗

[Rowers]

It was all new to me and I realise just how much tension I have in my body! But I'm really hoping that after a month there will be less. Child 2 lent me her new yoga mat after she had done the session 🥰

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to Rowers]

Oh well done! Yes, from various yoga sessions over the last month I’m already seeing an improvement for my knees. Maybe it’s time to maybe acquire your own mat so you can do the sessions together? I’m doing it with hubby, and our collective groaning, moaning and chuckles in themselves is a fun shared experience in itself . 😃