Getting started

[Niklas]

Hi all. This is kind of a personal introduction/ what should I do next?- thread.

I'm a 41-year old guy from Finland. I found this site as I was searching the internet for tips to help my meditation posture (of all things); I have strong pains mainly in my neck and upper shoulders which are really making the zazen practice impossible. I've been trying to stretch by myself, but have not really found it helping too much. 

My body is generally really inflexible. I used to work at the harbour as a crane operator, and that ruined my back. Especially something in my right side hip/lower back is so out of whack that I bet it affects my whole body. Even more generally my body feels so tight all over that it's making each day pretty uncomfortable. I for example find that at work I constantly feel a pull or pain here or there, and just generally feel bad because of that.

I bought the first of ABSS-series the other day, and have been doing the two first sessions now. They've felt really quite effective and surprisingly hard, I guess I haven't been holding my stretches for long enough in the past. The question I'm pondering is should I now go through the sessions in order and then pick some of the "best for me" (or is that "worst"?) exercises to make up a training program of suitable length (for example 45 minutes or so)? Or should I make a couple of programs that are alternated or something? 

And a couple of other questions while i remember:

- as I've been trying to sit in a Burmese posture, I've developed a sore spot inside my right hip joint. My right thigh's outward rotation has always been a lot more restricted than the left side, when trying to stretch it, it feels like there would be something other than tightness there, it feels like a full stop (hard to describe). And now the very joint feels sore when I try to sit cross-legged, what could that be about?

- something like 10 years ago I had x-rays taken from my neck, and they showed that the neck vertebraes had been pulled out of their natural curvature into a more or less straight line (that's the harbour crane effect). Since then I've had this painful spot at the base of my neck on the right side vertebrae. It feels like all of the strain generated by holding my head up would get concentrated on that spot and no amount of stretching or exercising has made a difference. Is there something specific I could be doing about this?

Sorry about the disorganized first post

and thanks in advance.

[Kit_L]

Welcome, @Niklas!

The program (it's expensive: $2!) that will be far and away more efficient for you is How to Sit for Meditation. You will find it on my Vimeo channel. All the exercises you need to do from time to time to make sitting feel comfortable are there. Here's the link:

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/howtositformeditation

As for the rest, it is far from unusual for a machinery operator to have these kinds of problems, but I can assure you, all will come good in time. If you have someone who can help you, the best partner hip flexor exercises are on my YouTube channel (search for hip flexors); once you unwind these, a lot of the tension you currently experience will be a memory. You do need someone's weight for this, though; they are very hard to stretch on your own.

And with respect to putting programs together from ABSS: work on the How to Sit program in between, and work your way through all the ABSS programs, noting which one have the best effect. It is daunting in the beginning, but will become clear quickly. Make sure you have one day off a week.

 

[Niklas]

Thanks for the tips! I downloaded the meditation posture video, and just as you suggested,I'll start working with that too. I even went and signed up for a four day yin yoga beginner's class next week, maybe that'll help with this other stretching as well.

[Kit_L]

Please report back; Yin Yoga has a good reputation (is this Paul Grilley's work?). You will need to do partner hip flexor work once a week (or every two weeks); this will change everything.

[Niklas]

OK, I attended the yin yoga classes and must say that I really liked it a lot. It's basically slow, mindful stretching with some taoist aspects added (meridians etc.). Especially after the second session I felt so great that it felt like I was floating in air! Otherwise I've been doing ABSS at home, one or two sessions at a time. I just noticed that the sore spot I've had at the base of my neck for years isn't there anymore! How effective can a little stretching be?! Needless to say, I'm hooked :)

I've been surprised about the amount of mobility I'm finding as I get better at relaxing into the stretches. Also it starts to make sense to me how tight hip flexors affect the hip position, lower back position, and from there everything above that. I feel like I've been through some real revelations about my own body. This is great.

 

[Kit_L]

On 5/25/2018 at 4:30 PM, Niklas said:

This is great.

Tell all your friends!

[Niklas]

I've been working with ABSS 1&2 now, plus I also bought the ONBP. While my hip mobility has improved surprisingly much, and neck&shoulder pain is a lot better, I've been having this new issue now with the mid back. 

The extensors are(or the QL?) getting really tired and almost cramping, it's located on both sides of the spine, at about the level of the bottom ribs. At first it was mainly on the right side, but during the last few days the left side has caught up.

What can be causing this and what would be the remedy? Can it be that due to new mobility and alignment in my hips my whole back is going through repositioning or something? 

[Kit_L]

Possibly, or it could be new muscles are being worked while you sit, with the new alignment. Chances are it will sort itself out; stay in touch and please let us know how it goes.