Why Are You Doing This?

Each month, at the start of our Saturday session of the yoga teacher training weekend, Natalie asks us "why are you doing this?" 

Here's one answer --

As part of the yoga teacher training that I'm taking, I'm taking a Yoga I class - the level that most people start with.   In tonight's class, we partnered up to assist with a challenging pose called chaturanga dandasana.  Starting from a plank position, you lower toward the floor until the upper arm and forearm are at a right angle, and then you hold it.  The basic action is like lowering down in a pushup - except that the elbows are kept tight in against the torso.  Where a 'standard' pushup with elbows out to the side relies mainly on the pectoral muscles of the chest, chaturanga dandasana requires strength in the tricep on the back of the arm.  It is a real challenge for many people.  The most common thing that happens is that the elbows flare out as the body tries to bring the more familiar and stronger muscles into play.

Suzie, the teacher, had us partner up and do an assist - the assister supported the upper arms of the doer as they lowered down from plank to chaturanga dandasana, trying as best as they could to keep the elbows in. The student I was assisting is someone who has been doing yoga for a while - not a first timer - and has been around the sun about as many times as I have. She was working hard, and I coached her a couple of times to keep the elbows in. 

When she got into the final position, I took more of the weight and said again - 'try pulling your elbows in'. She promptly pulled them in firm against her torso and said "Wow! so that's what it is supposed to feel like." She was so excited about it that after doing the assist for me, she asked if I'd help her do another one. Of course, I obliged!  Helping someone experience a new accomplishment and feeling their energy and excitement is very motivating.