Do you do it on a regular basis, per week?
Its just impressive. I suspect most people couldn't do it as shown without a real lot of work and time spent. You look like you are in excellent shape, but you are no spring chicken age-wise
, how is your physical self holding up? I ask cuz I have a knee that would make lots of that routine highly challenging to say the least, but maybe you feel like workouts like that are responsible for good joint health,. or repair. Or maybe you've got some some tough spots that you work around or through. Hope I'm not asking too much info.
In 1995 the Chief Instructor (Grandmaster of the Bando system, a man from Burma) started formally teaching the yoga systems that are part of bando, a martial system that I have studied for years. He started with Dhanda Yoga, a system using a staff (about 6' long) to assist with the stretches. We had been doing the "empty hand" yoga stretches for many years and some dhanda but he started focusing on the formal yoga systems as he grew older. The dhanda made a big difference in my flexibilty, it was an "oh, wow" thing, hard to believe how effective it could be. For years I did dhanda almost every day, maybe 6-10 minute sessions at least once a day. I always do a stretching routine before any strenuous activity (treework, gym workouts, moving stuff around in our warehouse, etc.).
I think he taught Dhanda first so that our bodies could get ready for what he taught after that...Longyi Yoga. You mention you have a knee that might be a problem. The good thing about the dhanda is that the staff supports your weight while you slowly get into the stretch.
About 5 years ago he started intensively teaching Longyi Yoga, a system that uses a rope (or sash if you are a monk) to help stretch. We use the rope for solo practice (standing, sitting, lying), anchored to a pole or tree, and as a group exercise. In the group work several folks all link up together (carabiners all snapped into a 3 inch brass ring)...the dynamics involved in balancing with other people linked up together has similarities to the large balance balls you see in gyms.
I now do the longyi at least once a day, often 2-3 times per day. I usually do a 5 minute routine in the AM after a hot shower. I'll do a set at work if I am working in the warehouse. Then, if I am training bando or at my gym, I will do a longyi set then, also. When I train at the gym I usually do anchored, standing and sitting longyi sequences. I still do dhanda periodically, but not everyday...longyi is what I do most now.
The purpose of the staff and rope is to let you adjust, align and manipulate your body (joints, muscles, tendons, etc.) on your own, safely.
I am convinced that my flexibility, strength and basic fitness are very much influenced by the dhanda and longyi yoga. So far my "not a spring chicken self" is doing pretty good. I do wonder how long I'll be able to keep up the physical level of activity that I do now. I can do things now that I could not do several years ago...that is due to the Bando Yoga practice.
Here is a brief video of some of the roll training we were doing last week...this is part of the training in a Burmese sword system. I am the one with the short brown hair, no sash and wrestling shoes. Without the longyi I am pretty sure I could not do these rolls. They still need work but they are slowly getting better.
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