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| I am really new to this form of yoga, since I practice Ashtanga. I have the whale, the forward bender, the heart bender and the horse. Can anybody be so kind as to point me in the correct direction for the correct use of props? Are there any visual descriptions published on how to correctly use the props? Thanks in advance for your kind help! |
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| In order to avoid further headaches, waste of time/energy/money, please take lessons with the teacher who teaches using these props, preferably private lesson or a lesson where the class size is small.
Yazzie - 2008-09-09 12:14 PM
I am really new to this form of yoga, since I practice Ashtanga. I have the whale, the forward bender, the heart bender and the horse. Can anybody be so kind as to point me in the correct direction for the correct use of props? Are there any visual descriptions published on how to correctly use the props? Thanks in advance for your kind help! |
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| yeah, generally knowledge of use of these props is natural progression of practice of Iyengar yoga, and study with qualified teacher.
coming from Ashtanga yoga, using props (yoga furniture in particular) is not something that will probably not be immediately intuitive.
devote your practice time to developing sense of alignment in basic static poses and eventually how to use these props will develop.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Yazzie - you have all of these props at home? If so, you should definitely get some expert advice on how to use them. They have multiple uses but need some interpretation to find the best way for you to use them. I use my "whale" bench in significantly different ways than other people would for example, due to my own limitations and body issues. |
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| Thanks a lot, I appreciate your reply. |
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| I actually thought that coming from Ashtanga, the use of yoga furniture would come naturally. Do you think BKS Iyengar's books will help me use the props while I find an expert?
Edited by Yazzie 2008-09-09 9:06 PM
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| Light on Yoga and B.K.S Iyengar Yoga the Path to Holistic Health
http://www.amazon.co.uk/B-K-S-Iyengar-Yoga-Holistic-Health/dp/1405322357/ref=sr_1_1ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221039018&sr=8-1
both demonstrate the use of props but I would caution that it does take time with an Iyengar teacher to really get to grips with the benefits.
I moved to this tradition from Sivananda so had the same issue..... first class I was asked to sit on a block in cross-legged position.... was nearly the last class as I thought "Why? I've been sitting this way all my life?" and had to fight my inner rebel 
I LOVE my copy of the second book by the way. So much so in fact, I gave a copy to my doctor as a retirement gift.
Fee
Edited by Orbilia 2008-09-10 5:36 AM
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|  Ok, then, I will get my copy! Thanks a lot! |
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| Those are fairly high end props, both in terms of the cost of them and the use of them.
Most of the applications of those props are for specific uses rather than for use with every student doing asana.
I suppose you could find your way toward using them all by your self but if you want to use them in a fashion consistent with the way and purpose Iyengar conceived them then you'd likely have to study with a teacher trained in their use. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| I know it is easy to stow my back bender away and not use it regularly just because I want the space in my studio. I am coveting a horse/tressler right now and Mr. Tourist has said he would build me one but it has not materialized yet. It may be languishing in the same limbo as the living room blinds I promised to make this summer...  |
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| *Creeps in and places temptation in Glenda's path... creeping out again*
http://www.ec-securehost.com/CustomYogaProps.com/horse.html
Fee
Edited by Orbilia 2008-09-11 10:28 AM
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Thanks, Fee - we have studied that site and a few others so we can design a break-down version of the horse. It is quite likely that we will not be the two of us in a large four bedroom suburban home with 13' x 29' studio space forever. We have indeed uttered the dreaded "downsizing" word, though I know neither of us are ready for the teeny, tiny condo yet. Trouble is - I still want to teach at home and he also wants to build a small sailboat so finding a smaller, cheaper house will be a trick. Ach! I don't even want to thin about that anymore...
PS - if anyone has plans for a tressler that folds up or breaks down, I would love to see them. |
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| its really just as simple as laying on the backbender/heart opener, or placing your foot onto and holding the forward bender. the real skill to learn is using the prop as an aid to micro-adjust and open into the pose...hold it for all long and what not.
the horse seems to have a wider variety of uses.
if you're on some sort of prop kick, get a plain folding steel chair and knock the back out of it.
its probably has more applications than any of those other props.
and its fun to hit it with a hammer.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| dhan - yes, converting chairs is great fun! We had a couple of chair bashing parties when we made our 30 chairs for the studio. We should have called it an aggression-therapy workshop and charged people money for the privilege.  |
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| don't forget to sand down/tape the hollow backs...
its easy to slice your leg open on a stray scrap during supported halasana
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State | dhanurasana - 2008-09-11 10:48 PM
its really just as simple as laying on the backbender/heart opener, or placing your foot onto and holding the forward bender. the real skill to learn is using the prop as an aid to micro-adjust and open into the pose...hold it for all long and what not.
the horse seems to have a wider variety of uses.
if you're on some sort of prop kick, get a plain folding steel chair and knock the back out of it.
its probably has more applications than any of those other props.
and its fun to hit it with a hammer.
Gotta wonder a little about props that force spinal extention -- lots of opportunity to compress your [spinal] nerve roots, no? For anything more firm than a blanket, my vote is a big fat NO. (Just like my vote for John "Maverick" McCain...he got the nickname for being the south end of a north bound steer...yes, steer...look about 3 inches higher...).
... bg |
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| Bay Guy - 2008-09-16 8:55 PM
Gotta wonder a little about props that force spinal extention -- lots of opportunity to compress your [spinal] nerve roots, no? For anything more firm than a blanket, my vote is a big fat NO. (Just like my vote for John "Maverick" McCain...he got the nickname for being the south end of a north bound steer...yes, steer...look about 3 inches higher...).
... bg
key word is force, eh?
with or without props, its fairly easy to force spinal extension and compress spinal nerve roots.
the whale backbender is a little out of whack with the proportions of my body, but dwi pada viparita dandasana on the chair is useful, effective and pain/forcing free.
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definitely gotta wonder, though
and then seek answers for yourself.
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Yep - I have to use props with my backbender prop. Chair for the feet. No forcing gonna happen here! |
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| props are used for a purpose, not simply for sake of using props.
DO find an iyengar yoga teacher to help you understand their use |
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New to Iyengar and props
