The Knees in sitting...

[Craig]

so i have been sitting for a while and still have some troubles with my knees. it was forever before i hears that they needed to be on the ground rather than floating. so that helped. however, i really struggle with getting my legs in the right place so that i don't ache 2 minutes into a sitting. i am 6.2 and have long legs, so a higher zafu is in order, but maybe a i need a higher one! i do burmese, but the inside leg is pushed in so much to get my knees on the ground, it just aches. my zafu now is about 5 inches. i am making a new one that will be 9 inches. think that'll help? any insight?

thanks for letting me vent.

peace
craig

[Shui_Di]

Hi Craig, I think for a tall person, higher Zafu is better.

But make sure that the Zafu is not so high.... Because we can lose our stability.

Gassho, Shuidi

[Longdog]

Hi Craig

I'm trying to get sorted in Burmese too. I don't use it for sitting yet as it's still quite hard to relax into it and my inside leg suffers lots, but do it in it through out the day from time to time and do some stretching to open my hips. My hips are very tight as when I stopped all my sports every thing seemed to contract and all my old injuries tightened up.

I'm 6' with big legs/thighs from alot of past sport, rugby, martial arts, backpacking,cycling etc and I too find that I'm sitting with a lot of pressure on my inside leg. I think that as my hips open more and so my legs are wider spread this should be less of a problem as there is less over lap of feet/ankles. Is this so any one??

My zafu is currently 5" at the front in it's sat on state I.E. not fluffed up. I do have a (sold as ) 9" zafu (about 8" when sat on) but I actually find it makes the situation worse and pushes me more forewards with more weight resting on the inside leg. May be that's just me but just thought I'd pass on my experience before you make another one.

Anyway I'm also hopeful to hear others experiences as I'm hoping sitting burmese will enable me to sit for more than 25/30mins with out having legs so dead I can't move LOL! Currently I sit on a seiza bench and that's my limit and after kinhin on a second sit I struggle to reach that.

In gasho, Kev

[chessie]

This may be cheating a bit, but it works for me, for now. I usually sit in a Burmese type position. My left calf is flat on the floor, and my right leg wraps around in front of the left. I can't get the right calf flat or knee down, except occasionally, and even then I'm finding that my weight is off-balance (more on the right side). Anyway, after a while, something (hip, thigh, whatever) starts to hurt. At that point, I simply unfold my right leg and put it straight out in front of me. The left foot is solidly anchored against the right thigh. This 'ending' position enables me to remain still, solid and completely stable. Gassho, Ann

[Craig]

I'm 6' with big legs/thighs from alot of past sport, rugby, martial arts, backpacking,cycling etc and I too find that I'm sitting with a lot of pressure on my inside leg. I think that as my hips open more and so my legs are wider spread this should be less of a problem as there is less over lap of feet/ankles. Is this so any one??

Kev and others-
thanks for the post. seems like we have similar issues, kev. i wouldn't dare try a retreat at my current level precisely bc of the inside leg issue. i used to be in fairly good shape and after that, things tightened up for me too. i know that if i lost a few pounds, sitting would be less taxing and stretching too. any stretches to recommend. i have been doing some basic sport stretches for the big muscle groups and that is about it. so i'll keep that up and maybe switching leg positions in burmese.
i tried the seiza bench, but my ankles/feet imediately inflame! in that position :shock: . seems like continued effort and experimentation is in order. the local zen center i was attending wasn't much help either. thanks again for the comments.
craig

[Longdog]

hi Craig

I made my own bench for similar reasons, it's higher (9" at front, 10" at back) and most importantly for me has just one leg in the middle (like a big T) so that my legs aren't squashed together; I normally have about 3 fists distancebetween my knees. It's not at all unstable with weight on both knees and your butt , a good solid triangle, and gives me a very supportive upright posture. The onl problem is as I said I can do about 30 min max before gangrene sets in :lol:

Having said that I know Jundo and others might say if you can't sit burmese use a chair until you can. I did this at a retreat as I'd forgot my own bench :roll: and was in a lot of discomfort trying to keep erect, even with cushions to raise me up

This site is good for hip/lotus specific stretches and is what I've being trying to do daily
http://www.howtostretch.com/fulllotu.htm

Hope it helps

_/_ Kev

[Craig]

Gangrene!! The one bad side effect of zazen

hey, thanks for the stretches website. gonna check that out and just keep sitting. :lol:

peace-
Craig