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|  Namaste to all, ive just discovered this fab forum and would like to introduce myself, I am a dynamic yoga teacher, have roots in hatha and dynamic styles II have not had much experience in a class stuation with ashtanga but love practicing the primary series an. I wondered what thoughts some of you might have on the step through to vira. I can get my leg back to the front of my hands no problem but if I keep my foot fully grounded I cannot square of my hips, which I think is an important element of the alignment, and also i wrench my knee. If I take a shorter lunge this still seems to make my lower back feel akward and also interupts my flow to vira 2 (in standing sequence) I have been doing the step through with the heel up I get a much better stretch and feel my hips are better aligned and my lower back feels better, is the best way to approach or am I better of grounding both feet at the expense of alignment? |
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| Hey Raguel,
In this style of ashtanga yoga the heel does come down. (or stay down since you are in downdog).
the best general method for most people is this:
Downdog turn your left heel in (THEN) step right foot forward into vira 1
Ashtanga is more about the energy of the practice than it is about alignment. When practicing primary you can take certain liberties but you don't want to dilute it down so much that you miss out on the benefits of the practice.
I've been taught that the movements of sun sal and Sun Sal b contain all the essential elements of the practice. So to change warrior into crescent lunge you might be missing an essential preparation for the postures that await..
My opinion,
Eric
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| For me I seem to produce more energy with the heel up this is also true for parvritti parsvokanasa, I just dont seem to have enough flexibiity in the hip and this therefore pulls my knee and this disrupts my flow , and it seems that there are the other postures that open the hip on a single plane. In a class situation would an ashtanga teacher overlook the alignment of hip and spine and think more about continuity and flow? The heel up variation seems like a good modification for practioners with limited external hip rotation as there is no danger of straining the knee and the movement feels more powerful. How do students move easily from a narrow vira 1 to a wide vira 2 without having to break the flow by readjusting the feet? |
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| well, These are just my experiences. So take what you can...
Having the heel up in parvritti is going to make it a lot easier. Or like I do sometimes, go into low lunge and then place my hand down or sometimes work with prayer twist. You should probably invest in David Swenson practice manual. Because there are some very nice ways of modifying the practice. I don't recall if cresent lunge is an option...I seem to remember him not bending his knee as much, as a variation.
Ashtanga yoga is very tough.I've been doing it for about 4-5 years. I've been very happy with it ~most of the time. There are things within that system that make you question, but I've seen it work many many times. The transitions are very rewarding when you stay within the system. In terms of modifying warrior into a cresent lunge. I have to go back to my original post. Thinking...that by avoiding the hip rotation and stretch you are missing the point of doing it (five times) in the beginning on the practice. Plus avoiding this 5 each six times a week...It can add up. (This practice is six times a week.) *ideallly!
I'll be teaching primary in about an hour. I would do a demo: the step from dog to warrior. There's a lot of things to see and say. Sometimes students step the foot right in the middle of their hands. When really it should be right or left. Sometimes they step too far. Sometimes their heels aren't lined up properly. Sometimes the knee isn't bending as much as you think it is.
Getting back to warrior I to II. I tend to like a little wider stance in warrior II. So, there's a full vinyasa (inhale and exhale) getting from warrior I to II. Let's say that equals 6-8 seconds. I might slide my foot back a few inches druing that vinyasa.
There's a website AYRI that has pictures of Sharath doing primary. His warriors are totally different. His stance is short/narrow. His knee well over the ankle in two versions. I've tried his version and it is so different than they way I was taught I can't get used to it. But you will see in other books that the stance can be very wide for other teachers. So, what do you do, right?
If you are around next week, we can talk more about. Ultimately I think it is a good thing that you have body awareness and are looking for safe and energetic ways to practice. The breath and dristhi will connect you with flow of the practice.
Take care,
Eric
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| Thanks I see what your saying, by practicing with the external hip rotation maybe up to 30 times a week, the hip flexibility will probably come a lot quicker, making the posture feel much more stable. I I dont get the time to self practice as much as I would like as I am teaching 9 classes a week, and have 2 youngsters, plus have to find space to eat. I probably only manage 3 - 4 hours self practice a week. I have studied swensons masterpiece and also bb birch and devereux which is my favourite any other good ashtanga books out there ?
just checked out the web sight, your right the warrior poses look very strange wonder why he does it like that?
om shanti x
Edited by raquel 2007-07-14 2:26 AM
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sun sal b - vira
