Combining Strengths

This week started on a high note. I attended an early morning Vinyasa class with a good running friend, who is relatively new to yoga, and we had a wonderful practice. The room was warm, the teacher excellent and the level of the class ideal. I also noticed that a normally insignificant strength difference between my right and left arm, was really exaggerated!

During the class we did a few vinyasas moving in and out of Vasisthasana and also a side fore-arm plank version of Dolphin plank pose, before then leading up into Dolphin. It was at this point that I really started to feel the difference in my left and weaker arm, and took a break - for a much needed rest in an attempt to be graceful before I crashed down to the mat!

I am sure that everyone notices strength differences between their right and left arms and legs, but I am curious to know how this affects our yoga practice, and if anyone has any suggestions or ideas as to how to maybe address the imbalance?

Or is it literally a case of realising that our right and left handsides are supposed to work together - the strengths combined! And is it only when we insist on doing one armed balances that the differences are really noticeable?!

The interesting thing is that also this week I have felt a tightness developing in my right hamstring, which is probably due to the higher mileage of marathon training - and also maybe a strength difference...(and a signal that it is high time for a massage).

Thanks to the Monday morning yoga class, if the right hand side of my body really is stronger it is something I'll need to be mindful of in the future!