Question for Steve Barnes re 5 Tibetans

[rbrown]

Steve, I have been doing the 5 Tibetans semi-religiously :wink: and am now up to 6 repetitions. All is going well and I am liking them. The 2nd Tibetans has especially been helpful in increasing my spinal flexibility. The question I have is in regard to breathing. In the tape you mentioned finding which breathing worked best for you, though this seemed to be more in regards to where during the exercise you breathed in or out. I have found that between the major movements where I breathe either in or out, I do a short in/out (or out/in, depending) before I go into the next "major" breath. I figure there is no problem with this as it feels I am holding my breath too long if I don't, but thought I'd ask your opinion.

Thank you,

[seandrichard]

check out this site it will tell you all you need to know on them.
http://www.realizewellness.com/tibetans.html

[rbrown]

Thanks! I'll check it out.

[sol]

I've been doing the 5 Tibetans every day for (yowza) a year and a half now, and I want to know if anyone else who has been doing them for a while has an opinion about whether going (brace yourself, now!) COUNTER-CLOCKWISE on the first Tibetan is appropriate here at some point. I'd like to start unwinding now. :)

Thank you for your opinion and perspective!

Sonia

[Jrichardson]

I'd opine that once you've hit 21 reps of each Tibetan for a while, that's a sign that you are adapted to the movements comfortably enough that you can -- IMHO should -- start experimenting with the breathing and movement patterns. Once you have an established pattern at a good number of reps, you'll be able to gauge more easily the effects of changing any given aspect.

(Or, you could be like me, and start experimenting right away, and within a period of months be not doing any Tibetans at all, but instead be inspired to half a dozen short-lived and hopelessly undocumentable tangents. :oops: )

[SteveB]

I maintain the thought about experimentation. There is only one book, "The Eye of Revelation" that forms a primary source of information, so it is very very difficult to error-check. Performing #1 counter-clockwise? Perhaps. The various explanations for why the Tibetans work all sound somewhat accurate, and all a bit fishy. All I know for certain is that they work. Considering how boring repetitive movements can become, I can hardly forbid people from experimentation. Here's my best guess:
Be very conservative until you can do 21. Then carefully experiment--including ceasing practise for a week or two and then coming back and seeing what difference the pause makes. I consider that the Tibetans are some basic preparation for a more advanced Body-Flow style routine. To my knowledge, there is no way to be certain. Intellectual frustration, thy name is Tibetan!

Steve

[jimmy23]

I use the Tibetans for as a warm up for my morning routine, whcih currently consists of the Tibetans, some Bikram yoga exercises, and a Warrior Wellness routine.

I find that the Tibetans are an excellant way to get my blood flowing, and to focus me mentally for the remaining exercises.

[James Boelter]

Well, for a start, Steve shows easier, simpler 'beginner' forms for each of the Tibetans if you can't perform the 'classic' exercise without strain. That implies, to me, that once you thoroughly understand each Tibetan, understand what it's for and why it works, you should work on sophisticating it and taking it further.


I feel that experimentation is almost always good when it comes to traditional exercise routines. It's more important to understand the essence of the exercises than the actual form - that cuts to the whole heart of ROSS and CST. As Coach Sonnon has said elsewhere, his opponents are concentrating on his forms, but it is the 'shape' that's important. Don't get me wrong - it's important to pay close attention to what you are doing, and to try to stay crisp, centered, and focused on the form you are practicing. But the 'shape' behind the 'form' is what is really important, because you can use that shape as a springboard for play, experimentation and creative softwork.

[SteveB]

All right: this is what I think. I think Body-Flow is the dynamic, athletic extension of the static health/meditative exercises of hatha yoga. The Tibetans, I strongly suspect, were a simple set of exercises given to the apocryphal British Colonel in "Eye of Revelation". What were the more advanced forms? Hard to say, but creating kinetic chains from the Five Tibetans is a fascinating exercise. I'd suggest practising them in a simple, direct way until you've been doing 21 for say, six weeks or so. Then start experimenting, remembering what your body felt like with the more conservative practise. From time to time do 21 tibetans just to make certain you still can. Or do like me--use them to warm up with, and just make them a ritual.
##

[sol]

Excellent advice, all. Thank you. (Mushtaq, I'd like to hear from you
on this. But you know that.)

So, I've been doing the Tibetans at 21 count for at least a year. I'm
comfortable. (Bored, even.) So now I try that first Tibetan
counter-clockwise, and, interestingly enough, I get dizzy. Not with
the clockwise, I don't. Apparantly I'm used to that.

I find this result fascinating. What does it mean? What does it mean
to be used to spinning in one direction but not the other? Is this
merely cognitive, or is there something physical going on? Any ideas?

Thanks, all.

[Randell Waddell]

Probably have a lot to do with the nuerological info generated from within the Semi-circular Canals in the ears.

Cheers
Randell. :D

[jaloo]

Just my 2 cents by I have a feeling that the 5 tibetans could be basic training in preparation for the more demanding Yogas of Naropa or the foundational practices know as Ngondro.

The Ngondro requires 100,000 full length prostrations, sort of like a sun salutation. I know the yogas of naropa are quite strenuous, but they are usually only done in strict retreat. There is a brief clip of one of the practices at www.theyogisoftibet.com/clip_08.htm