Student who has large bulks of muscles of the lower body

[Kate Chan]

Hi Bernie,

This student is my husband who has quite large bulks of muscles in his lower body(he adopted these muscles which are literally like rocks around 25 years old). And I introduced Yin to him yesterday. He is 40 years old, like me. Playing badminton 3-4 times a week. If you were me, how would you gradually arrange Yin poses to him? and how often? how long for each pose? or any other recommendations?

Thanks in advance.
Warm wishes,

Kate

[Bernie]

Hi Kate…thanks for using the Forum to ask your question. I guess I would begin answering you by asking you a few more questions! Let’s start with — what is your husband’s intention in taking up Yin Yoga? (I can imagine many possible answers, ranging from a desire to get more flexible to a desire to stop his wife nagging him to do yoga . Or maybe he just want to spend more time with his wife. That’s a good answer too!) Depending upon his answer, your intention as his teacher can vary as well. However, let’s assume his attention is to regain and maintain optimal mobility—if so, Yin Yoga may be a great way to achieve his goal.

If I was the teacher of a student as you describe with the goal of building mobility, I may start by first having him do the Sit-Rise Test and note his score. Give him a couple of tries and take the average score. Note that score for future reference (you can track his progress over the months by seeing if his score changes.)

Then, I would probably choose one of the beginner flows that you can find in The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga or in Yinsights. Start with shorter holds (maybe 3 minutes maximum) and just a one-hour class. Review all the options for students who have limited mobility: lots of props, but remember, we do want him to feel something. Over the weeks, teach him to fly his own airplane by asking him to figure out what is stopping him. Often people are stopped by compression and don’t realize it. They keep trying to go further, when there is no further to go! So, it is important to know when he reaches his final edge for that direction in that pose.

After a month of maybe 2 or 3 classes a week, try the Sit-Rise test again and note any improvement. Don’t be disappointed if there is little progress. He didn’t become tight overnight and it can take months to remodel fascial tissues. You can’t just take one shower and expect to be clean for the rest of your life, so encourage him to see his yoga practice as part of a life long health care habit, like brushing teeth. Even if he doesn’t regain a lot of mobility, consider how important it will be for him to maintain the level of mobility he has for the rest of his life!

I hope this helps you get started. Let us know how it goes.
Cheers
Bernie

[Kate Chan]

Thanks Bernie.

Well, each time after he finished badminton, their coach would lead them to do some stretches as well. But you can tell how difficult it would be for him. A man with such big muscles and "3-5 months pregnant" belly could be a big challenge and lots of time he won't take it seriously. But still, he would feel tightness afterwards and I saw him lift his leg onto the countertop to do the stretches.

My husband is definitely a stubborn one who always has his own thoughts in mind which is very difficult to bend. Actually I introduced yoga to him one year ago(yang-style, when we were locked down at home), he just resisted it like hell. Since I started Yin yoga practice this June with your 8-hr-yin, I assume that he maybe could use that for his own benefits. But I prefer to guide him in a more sensible way for himself to understand what he can get from it instead of just nagging(won't work). hahahaha~

And I will definitely try what you suggested and let you know how it goes.
Thanks.

Cheers,
Kate

[toaster]

Bernie, can you say more about what information you hope the sit-rise test would provide? Thank you.

[Bernie]

I suggested the Sit-Rise test only as a way to mark progress in improving mobility. If at the start of his training his score was, say 3 for example, but after 6 months he scored 6, that would be excellent progress. There is always danger in training for the test, in which case he only gets better at doing the test, but I think that is a small risk.

Cheers
Bernie