Siddhartha Gautama I Am Not
July 21, 2009 1:40 PM
What do I need to do to learn to sit unaided in a cross-legged position?
I am a reasonably fit, fairly strong chap in my mid-thirties. I spend a lot of time rolling around on the floor playing with my kids. I often feel that if I were able to sit upright on the floor in a cross-legged position, I and they would enjoy our games and storytimes etc more.
I am not flexible (trying to touch my toes, I can get within about 2inches). I am slightly overweight. I think I have good core strength (I can rattle out a 40-crunch single set and a 50-pushup single set before muscle failure quickly and with no warm-up).
So what strengthening / conditioning / flexibility exercises should I do to achieve my cross-legged dream? I don't need full lotus-position, btw!
I am a reasonably fit, fairly strong chap in my mid-thirties. I spend a lot of time rolling around on the floor playing with my kids. I often feel that if I were able to sit upright on the floor in a cross-legged position, I and they would enjoy our games and storytimes etc more.
I am not flexible (trying to touch my toes, I can get within about 2inches). I am slightly overweight. I think I have good core strength (I can rattle out a 40-crunch single set and a 50-pushup single set before muscle failure quickly and with no warm-up).
So what strengthening / conditioning / flexibility exercises should I do to achieve my cross-legged dream? I don't need full lotus-position, btw!
Practice, practice, practice.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2009
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2009
Yoga would help. But really, you might try starting by sitting on a yoga bolster—it will make it much easier to keep good form while you are sitting, but you'll still be pretty close to the ground.
posted by grouse at 1:46 PM on July 21, 2009
posted by grouse at 1:46 PM on July 21, 2009
Some people's anatomy makes this more difficult, regardless of flexibility- if the pelvis is narrow the femurs don't want to tip out that far.
But you can practice by sitting cross-legged with your butt on a phone book and your feet on the floor. Kind of like this but with your knees bent and crossed, heels in as close to your groin as you comfortably can.
Don't overstretch- just find a comfortable position, and rest there until your legs relax. Then breathe in deeply, and on a long, slow exhale, lean forward a little- your muscles stretch best during exhalations. Rest there until you're comfortable.
Gradually (over the course of days and weeks), you can pull your heels closer, and graduate down from sitting on a phone book to something thinner, like a rolled blanket. Eventually the floor will be yours. But go slow- if you overstretch you'll just be sore and tight the next day.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:49 PM on July 21, 2009
But you can practice by sitting cross-legged with your butt on a phone book and your feet on the floor. Kind of like this but with your knees bent and crossed, heels in as close to your groin as you comfortably can.
Don't overstretch- just find a comfortable position, and rest there until your legs relax. Then breathe in deeply, and on a long, slow exhale, lean forward a little- your muscles stretch best during exhalations. Rest there until you're comfortable.
Gradually (over the course of days and weeks), you can pull your heels closer, and graduate down from sitting on a phone book to something thinner, like a rolled blanket. Eventually the floor will be yours. But go slow- if you overstretch you'll just be sore and tight the next day.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 1:49 PM on July 21, 2009
You need a pillow to put under your butt. You don't need a fancy zafu. Anything that elevates you to a comfortable level is fine.
As a non-flexible guy, I've found Burmese position to be the most comfortable (and least pins-and-needles inducing). You won't look like that guy right away, with both feet in the center, but as long as you get both knees on the ground somehow you'll have a stable base.
When you're sitting and you have your legs set and comfortable, lean forward with your torso and then straighten back up. This will reset your butt's angle on the pillow so your pelvis is at an angle -- it'll make it easier to keep your back straight as you sit. Imagine there's a weak force pulling the crown of your head towards the ceiling.
Finally, as others have said, it will take time before you start to get comfortable. Stick with it!
posted by thebergfather at 2:02 PM on July 21, 2009
As a non-flexible guy, I've found Burmese position to be the most comfortable (and least pins-and-needles inducing). You won't look like that guy right away, with both feet in the center, but as long as you get both knees on the ground somehow you'll have a stable base.
When you're sitting and you have your legs set and comfortable, lean forward with your torso and then straighten back up. This will reset your butt's angle on the pillow so your pelvis is at an angle -- it'll make it easier to keep your back straight as you sit. Imagine there's a weak force pulling the crown of your head towards the ceiling.
Finally, as others have said, it will take time before you start to get comfortable. Stick with it!
posted by thebergfather at 2:02 PM on July 21, 2009
What about sitting seiza instead? Perfectly legit meditation position (though I understand that's not what you're using it for) and very comfortable in my experience.
Totally overthinking it link
tl;dr link
posted by desjardins at 2:56 PM on July 21, 2009
Totally overthinking it link
tl;dr link
posted by desjardins at 2:56 PM on July 21, 2009
Yoga will help you. I was in the exact same boat as you two months ago and now I can touch my toes, sit cross-legged comfortably, etc.
Stretching your glutes and hamstrings will also help, and your crunches indicate good ab strength, but you also need lower back strength. The lower back and abs work together to keep you upright.
posted by number9dream at 3:55 PM on July 21, 2009
Stretching your glutes and hamstrings will also help, and your crunches indicate good ab strength, but you also need lower back strength. The lower back and abs work together to keep you upright.
posted by number9dream at 3:55 PM on July 21, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2009