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| Dear all
As there is Ashtanga teachers where I'm travelling at the mo, I haven't been able to practise with other students and teachers in two months now and I won't be able to go back to classes before late October so please bear with me asking questions. I don't have anyone to discuss them with face to face and this forum's experts are my only hope. 
1) The whole concept of Physics of Flight is elusive to me. I've tried to feel bandha and concentrate on it so that I can lightly jump forward but it's not happening. A few minutes into it, my wrists start to hurt as my weight is on them awkwardly. I'm wondering now if I should let it go and just wait for it to "happen" as I progress in my practice? Is it something that I can really "learn" or will it fall into place somehow?
2) Easing into postures and almost weightlessly floating between asanas is another thing that I find really hard to grasp. I have to "work" to get into certain postures. Again, will it happen with experience? I've been practising on and off for almost a year and a half and don't feel I'm progressing.
3) I was wondering if teachers have to be able to get into every single pose in the Primary Series? What happens if at the end of your training you're still not able to do two or three asanas? Will you fail the final test automatically then? Or should you only commence teacher training once you are able to ease into every Primary asana? Background is I've read about a teacher training in Germany. It's over the course of three years, in average 10 to 12 weekends each year but I'm wondering if that makes sense for someone who isn't a seasoned practitioner?
I know this is a bit too much but you've always been so helpful...
Thanks a million in advance for giving me a few hints on how to deal with my points.
OM SHANTI
Aotearoa
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| Once David Swenson told me that lots of people did advanced series but they couldn't jump forward and backward(of course no flying). Also his teacher Nancy never did jumping or flying. I practised a little longer than you but still work hard to fly. Maybe it will never happen no matter how you know the knowledge of bandhas. I can never do the take-it-up and back to chaturanga dandasana. My hubby doesn't practise yoga at all but he can do it. |
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Location: London, England | Hi Jessica,
"The whole concept of Physics of Flight is elusive to me. I've tried to feel bandha and concentrate on it so that I can lightly jump forward but it's not happening. A few minutes into it, my wrists start to hurt as my weight is on them awkwardly. I'm wondering now if I should let it go and just wait for it to "happen" as I progress in my practice? Is it something that I can really "learn" or will it fall into place somehow?"
Can't really comment on this, as your wrist hurting could be a consequence of faulty technique, or that your technique is very good, allowing you to do vinyasa in a way that your wrists are not capable of sustaining-yet. If you can, post a video-we should be able to give you valuable pointers. If the wrists are hurting, it is often because you are allowing them to bend back too much-gymnasts have the same problem when they are working on parallel bars-consequently, they work on keeping the hand at about 30 degrees to the forearm-it is at this position that the hand and wrist is strongest-think of what happens when you hold a hammer-your grip is strongest when the hand is pulled back a bit. If you try and hold a hammer when your hand is pulled back further, see how your grip is weakened. I tell my students to try to squeeze the floor, which really helps-squeezing uses the muscles on the front of the forearm, which then stops the wrist from bending back
" Easing into postures and almost weightlessly floating between asanas is another thing that I find really hard to grasp. I have to "work" to get into certain postures. Again, will it happen with experience? I've been practising on and off for almost a year and a half and don't feel I'm progressing."
The ease with which individuals can address vinyasa is completely unique-I've been doing it about 16 years, and will always have trouble with it-I can't imagine that anyone is any different-if it's easy, then you just add postures which make it difficult all over again
"I was wondering if teachers have to be able to get into every single pose in the Primary Series? What happens if at the end of your training you're still not able to do two or three asanas? Will you fail the final test automatically then? Or should you only commence teacher training once you are able to ease into every Primary asana? Background is I've read about a teacher training in Germany. It's over the course of three years, in average 10 to 12 weekends each year but I'm wondering if that makes sense for someone who isn't a seasoned practitioner?"
I haven't gone down that qualification route so can't answer that one.
Take care
Nick
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| Hi Aotearoa,
The concept of 'physics of flight' is a David Swenson invention, though it has been widely embraced by the Ashtanga community as a whole.
It involves jumping back/forward with such a high degree of abdominal control that it creates the impression of floating.
It's beautiful to watch though not necessary to master in order to practise Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. If you watch videos of SKPJ or his grandson Sharath practicing, their jumpbacks resembles more of a squat thrust type movement.
With regards to learning how to do it, don't just 'wait for it to happen' because it won't. Floatbacks/forwards are a specific skill set to master and take time and lots of practise. I know that we have discussed this a lot on previous threads so try searching on the subject.
Jonathon
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Location: London, England | Hi Jessica,
Perhaps if I can pull mine and Jonnie's posts together, you can see that he talks of stability of the torso, using bandha-the idea is, that like a child who can make themselves heavy and difficult to pick up (I'm sure that Jonnie can vouch for that one Or he will do soon), practicing without bandha means that it is impossible, or at least very difficult, to pull the torso and legs through the structure that is created by the arms and shoulders. I guess you could say that perhaps the pain in your wrists could be helped by developing the structure of the torso, using bandha. One of the side-effects of a strong core is that the forces should be optimized through the limbs. But it's easy to understand that a strong core, or developed bandha, are useless without peripheral stability-if we are not able to balance or push off effectively from the arms or legs, then having core stability is worthless, apart from in space. So you'll have to develop both core and peripheral stability if you want to improve at vinyasa, handstands, sun salutes, inversions, etc.
Take care,
Nick |
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| Is it something that I can really "learn" or will it fall into place somehow?
Some of my students are floaters. I can float a little, but it certainly isn't effortless. I would take a workshop where you can learn the technique. Then you can apply it during each practice. That being said, there are opportunity in the sun salutes to practice lifting and floating that are taking you towards floating..So, yea, if you are doing all of your Sun Salutes with awarenss of floating and the standing poses, I think it will led you towards floating..
I say this, because I have gotten better at it and it is not something I'm trying to do, but some days I just seem to float better than others.
"Easing into postures and almost weightlessly floating between asanas is another thing that I find really hard to grasp. I have to "work" to get into certain postures. Again, will it happen with experience? I've been practising on and off for almost a year and a half and don't feel I'm progressing. "
After vinyasa you (usually) get one full breath to enter the next posture. So, it's inhale get yourself in positions, exhale bend/twist into the postures. So, try to get into your version of the posture with one full breath.
3) I was wondering if teachers have to be able to get into every single pose in the Primary Series? What happens if at the end of your training you're still not able to do two or three asanas? Will you fail the final test automatically then? Or should you only commence teacher training once you are able to ease into every Primary asana? Background is I've read about a teacher training in Germany. It's over the course of three years, in average 10 to 12 weekends each year but I'm wondering if that makes sense for someone who isn't a seasoned practitioner?
The only way to really get certified is to go to Mysore several times. I've heard that you must go about 4 times. And, you must be able to do the asanas in primary and about half of intermediate to get their blessing to teach.
That being said, I teach the series from the viewpoint that ashtanga yoga has roots worldwide now and you can learn from those teachers too. It won't ever be the same thing as going to Mysore, but it certainly has merits in my opinion.
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| My friend is doing astanga teachwer training in england with Brian Cooper - its a 9 day intensive with 1 weekend a month for a year (i think)
She had to go tro a trial day were he checked everyone out to see who he thought was capable, its a tough course, sounds fantastic !!! |
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| I completed Brian's course a while back.
Very tough though absolutely excellent.
Jonathon
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| If I still lived in UK Id have done it too, What did he have to say about jump through? |
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| Brian's physical practise is amazing.
He is in his 50's but still practises every day, floats back beautifully and lifts into a handstand more effortlessly than I have ever seen anyone do it.
Our jump back/forward work with him was similiar to the way that David Swenson teaches it and involved ensuring that the hips were lifted, bandas applied and that we moved forwards to move back.
He had us practise a lot of preparation exercises such as the initial handstand/arm balance movement against a wall and stomach sequences to build core strength.
Getting to Brian from Cyprus should be easy. I flew in from Dubai each month and there were people travelling from France and Spain as well.
Jonathon
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| I know but its my kids, dont know if husband would cope without me - theyre only 4 and seven.
Janet (my friend) is 56 but her practice is also amazing - she said after a week of intense core training, she never felt stronger. Whats it like in dubai, for classes, training etc? |
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| Dubai has a very strong Yoga scene.
There are Ashtanga, Iyengar, Sivananda, Bikram, Kundalini (Yogi Bhajan) teachers here as well as many non descript 'Hatha' teachers.
Classes range from very expensive at the spas and resort hotels to completely free in the local parks.
70% of the expat population are Indian so we have an amazing variety of different meditation, chanting and philosophy groups who meet weekly, as well as all the well known ones in the West such as the Chinmaya Mission, Sai Baba, Vipassana, Siddha Yoga, Art of Living etc (to name but a few )
jonathon
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| Sounds fabulous
Must admit, im missing the yoga scene in UK, - there is a satyananda school here maybe I will go there, ever done anything with them? |
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| Yes, Swami Satyananda was a student of Swami Sivananda and opened the Bihar School of Yoga.
Satyananda Yoga is definately Hatha Yoga (as opposed to Raja Yoga) and places a strong emphasis on the chakras and raising the Kundalini.
As well as asana practise, they teach meditation, chanting, puja shatkarmas/kriyas and hold regular satsangs.
It is a wonderful system.
Jonathon
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I'm forever asking...
