Hey all, 

Disclaimer: This is my first post. I have searched extensively for an answer to my question on this and other forums, but I have not found an (clear) answer. Maybe I did not do a good enough job searching. In that case, I applogise in advance for posting.

Practice: I have done a couple of Goenka 10-day Vipassana retreats, not without some achivements. Off retreat I do 45 min - 1,5 hours of anapana daily. I focus my attention on the upper lip.

Aspiration: I plan on doing a 3 month retreat in the Mahasi tradition. 

Question: How should I prepare? 

There are three different practices I could do leading up to the retreat, as I see it: 

1: I continue to do anapana with attention on the upper lip to develop concentration. But then I am going to struggle with feeling the sensations of the rising and falling of the abdomment when I begin the retreat. 

2: I start to practice the Mahasi method as best I can without having as strong a concentration skill that I'd like (or maybe should have). 

3: I start to practice Mahasi with a little twist: Focusing my attention on the rising and falling of the abdommen, noting "rising" on the inbreath and "falling" on the outbreath AND try to block out everything else. Sort of creating a Mahasi/concentration hybride.

Does anyone have thoughts on this and care to share some guidance?