I asked this question on the second part of the Soundstrue Richard Freeman Pranayama course. If you ever buy the series and you get to part two of the question section, the first question is from JOAN. That is me.
Uddiyana bandha is just engaging the lower transverse abdominals, NOT THE RECTUS ABDOMINUS. Using the whole rectus abdominus is used in kriya where the whole sheath of abs are drawn back and up in to the rib cage. If you google uddiyana bandha however and look at images you will find a lot of this:
In the Freeman course, Richard mentions doing this might make you CRAZY. That is what I love about Richard. He is always a little bit humorous and light but also very SERIOUS AND HEAVY about what he is talking about.
Iyengar warns against the kriya for people with heart issues, because the diaphragm pushes back STRONG against the heart.
I didn’t know the difference before, but feel the kriya is effective for intermediate students or advanced. For others, it is just a freak show.
True story, Arnold Schwarzenegger used to practice a similar movement for his ab work back in his old bodybuilding days:
And it seems to have worked. He didn’t bother with crunches. (waste of time and every good trainer I know believes that so so sorry if you don’t agree.)
Ana Forrest teaches and practices kriya, nauli and dhauti, and people who work with her a lot are very good at it. I can get the isolation and a little movement but it really takes years to develop.
She practices and teaches it as much for the cleansing effect as the rock hard abs she has developed as well as other Forrest practitioners. Again, some people just think it is a freak show, but is a part of shatkarma.
I have about five injuries now in the right side of my body, toe, knee, shoulder, and neck. Nothing on the left. Left is healthy. I rested yesterday and am better but the knee worries me because that pesky meniscus can wreak havoc. And I DON’T want surgery but if it happens, it happens. I will do a longer post on my knee soon.
And yet…
‘While doing janusirsasana pull in the stomach to the extent possible. The benefits obtained will be greater. While drawing the stomach inward exhale and then hold the breath
though it is very difficult to do this draw the stomach inside starting with the navel, keeping the focus on the nadi’s near the rectal and genitle ares carefully pulling them upwards… ‘
Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda
A lot of that here and there in the a sans described, one of the reasons i tend to engage it that deeply a lot but not all the time and everywhere. Even in Yoga makaranda though it’s a ‘proficient’ approach to the asana.
Ahh, just watched the clip, good question. Richard does say that full uddiyana is a powerful practice but points out its at the end of the exhale on retention as k indicates above and hoe are practice it. When he say insane, Richard is swing if you try to do it on the inhale.
For me and for K as is coming out its an option, you wouldn’t do it throughout your practice not on every asana or in all kind of pranayama but there are certain ones where it may be a beneficial option. Of course in modern ashtanga breath retention has been cut out so it’s not an issue.
‘hoe are’ should read ‘how I ‘ practice. Trying to type one handed on the iPad in the bath,
Richard teaches ujjayi as pranayama practice and I read somewhere (your blog Grimmly?) that ujjayi is a separate practice and Guruji just gave it as a prompt to get people to practice breath. I read so many blogs these days my head spins.
I think I just read in the Gregor Maehle primary series book about the hold of bandhas and breath in janu sirsanana and I never read that anywhere or have it any of my tapes. So this is a great refinement of the practice from the Makaranda and the Yoganasalu (SP?) on breath and retention in the practice. Plus the Vinyasa Krama that someone in my town is going to go and train on with Ramaswami. I just ordered the book too.
I would for sure drop my Ipad in the tub and my husband would get a big I TOLD YOU SO.
Thanks for the drive by and your perspective Grim. So much easier to refine this in home practice. It is daunting in a group setting to teach.
The argument seems to be that true pranayama includes retention and there is an ujaii pranayama, same hissing sound but with retention. current Ashatanga doesn’t teach any retention during the asana practice therefore although there is breathing with sound because there’s no retention it’s not ujjyaii but sounds similar thus the confusion. Krishnamacharya however, in early ‘original’ ashtanga included breath retention in certain asana or at least there was that option to get the full benefit of the posture. Jois seemed to stop teaching that or never taught that aspect of the practice. Of course practicing at home we have the option of going with strict current official Ashtanga or explore other aspects of the practice lineage. Ramaswami includes breath retention in many asana so is comfortable calling it ujaii.