Yoga Poses

The extent to which I know yoga is from my wii fit (please don't flame me!). I was wondering what other poses are out there for me to practice with. Personally I like the Dance pose, Cobra pose and (not sure if this is yoga) Spinal Twists. I seem to have trouble with the Tree pose - not holding it, but holding it correctly.

What poses do you enjoy doing?

hey i think the wii and the wii fit are great; if it gets you up and moving, why not?

the wii really makes video gaming interactive in a way that hasn't ever been done on this scale or level.

anyway, while you certainly can do Yoga solo (actually I believe "Yoga" is derived from the sanskrit word yuj which means "to yoke" the body and mind thru the breath so... you may being doing it now... that is if you are breathing and your body & mind are cohabitating ), imo there is no substitute for taking a class to see yoga being done in person 3D, get you started, and keep you on track. plus there can be a wonderful energy when a group of people practice together and with the guidance and compassion of a teacher. the other day i was able to share the experience of doing yoga in times square NYC with a wonderful teacher Connie Chan, it was truly an ethereal experience. i used to practice at Sivananda and currently i am taking yoga at Yoga Sutra also in NYC. i'd say if you can, try to take a class (or 2 or 3), that'd be excellent even if it's on an occasional basis. if you are low on dough, many communities/yoga centers/gyms have inexpensive and free classes for all levels.

as veganmomma suggested yogajournal.com is an excellent resource.

there are also a lot of excellent other resources online (http://yoga.about.com, http://www.abc-of-yoga.com, http://www.yoga.com/, http://www.exercisetv.tv/, http://www.youtube.com), TV (Priscilla's Yoga Stretches, Wai Lana Yoga), books (The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devananda, Yoga: The Path To Holistic Health by B.K.S. Iyengar), and DVDs (Rainbeau Mars, Rodney Yee, Patricia Walden).

the main things that i've read, heard, that stick with me regarding yoga are:

If you're alive, you can do yoga.

Don't conform to the pose, let the pose conform to you.

Let the pose come to you.

You are never too old, never too sick, never too bad, never too late to do Yoga.

Wherever you are, just be there.

If you don't ever fall or lose your balance, you're not doing Yoga.

yes, you may do yoga for the physical aspect, but some amazing things may happen when you step off the mat or come out of the pose and back into your life...

as for your question, there are some poses i enjoy because they come easily to me like plank, bridge, cobra, and tree but i have to say the ones that are more challenging like downward dog, back bends, and shoulder stands are really rewarding, as well.

ultimately my favorite pose is savasana aka corpse pose http://yoga.about.com/savasana.htm, http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/thecorpsepose.asp; it's all about total surrender and the ultimate relaxation thru discovering the tensions and releasing them. that is the easiest yet most challenging for me!

as for spinal twists, i'm sure a variation of them are yoga but they also can be found in other magnificent moving meditations such as tai chi and chi kung, too.

I hope you experience joy and bliss in your practice and namaste (the spirit in me salutes the spirit in you). btw i checked your website out, very cool and helpful.

Thank you both! I'll be sure to browse through and try some poses out tonight.

try it out, have fun, don't overdo it, underdo it and then work your way up slowly, remember to breathe!

breathing is often automatic but when done consciously and with awareness, it can change ones mind, mood, life, energy, and essence. i often forget to breathe (consciously) and then i get angry or stressed or tense then i remember to breathe, to let it out to take it in the new, the open, the free...

that's probably the heart of yoga, to remind one to breathe and move and to be with oneself.

another great pose is warrior (there's actually several) http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/info/warrior-pose2.asp. what i love about this pose is as one of the teachers i practice with used the metaphor of the mat as the battlefield and the war being within.

hey i saw in an earlier post of yours you're in NY, is that NYC or NY state...whereabouts exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking?

Anyway wherever you are, that's the place to be... at least at this moment.

my recommendations, from a decade long drop-in ad-hoc irregular student of Yoga, among other things, is taking class; it could be an experience worthwhile on an ongoing or occasional basis!

but keep in mind it's like going out to dinner; there are different schools, centers, styles, classes and teachers etc. so i'd try a few at different places.

ultimately my foundation is solo training (yoga, running, weights) but i find occasional classes to be refreshing and rejuvenating.

I'm from Long Island, towards the middle about 1 1/2 hours away from NYC. Yoga classes aren't in my options right now but I'd consider them for the future.

My current take on Yoga is just using it to become more aware of how my body functions and enhancing that "mind-mucle connection" we hear about from time to time

I tried the corpse pose and crescent pose last night. I'm not entirely sure I did the corpse correctly but it was a different way of feeling things so I felt like it was a positive experience I'll try again. Crescent pose was also something I'd like to repeat.

How about some yoga dvd?

I'm from Long Island, towards the middle about 1 1/2 hours away from NYC. Yoga classes aren't in my options right now but I'd consider them for the future.

 

My current take on Yoga is just using it to become more aware of how my body functions and enhancing that "mind-mucle connection" we hear about from time to time

 

I tried the corpse pose and crescent pose last night. I'm not entirely sure I did the corpse correctly but it was a different way of feeling things so I felt like it was a positive experience I'll try again. Crescent pose was also something I'd like to repeat.

not to force the issue, but that's exactly why a class could come in handy; because corrections and adjustments might be administered when and where needed.

on the flip side, many people are self taught at everything from baking to yoga, so it certainly can be done. a lot of dvds and books will even show you the wrong way along with the right way.

actually one could say there is no wrong way... my main advice is as i posted earlier, really really try not to overdo it; seriously, if anything underdo it; then increase your comfort zone in small increments. this way you will minimize your risk of injury.

happy trails

Well I do use my wii fit to make sure I'm doing some of the poses correctly, but it only helps in regards to your center of balance, which you can manage to hold with the wrong posture incidentally. It's a good general guide though and if I can feel that center when I move into poses off of the balance board it should help me. Practice makes perfect right?

I'm very much a DIY type of person (not as much as others) and I enjoy learning without formal classes. Maybe it's my pride but I like feeling as though I can compare myself with people who were trained and see things in common.

I use to do Ashtanga yoga for about a year and a half till I hurt myself. I then switched over to Anusara yoga and found out that I was doing alot of poses wrong! No wonder I hurt my lower back and shoulder girdle!. I have not seen the wii's yoga game yet, so I do not know what it all entails. I could help you in some poses if you want. Just pm me on the pose.

As some have seen during VV2007 my fevorite pose is the scorpion.

I love it and it feels perfectsly right when I do it.

Flanders doing a scorpion

I haven't tried it but that's sweet Flanders!

I still seem to be having trouble with the tree pose. My foot seems to slip down my leg as I'm holding the position and it throws my balance off. Does anyone have any tips?

you can't be a tree overnight!. actually that's not true; some people are amazingly flexible and balanced either due to genetics or perhaps prior experience in gymnastics or dance... but it takes time for most of us to get there, so laugh and enjoy the ride!

remember: start out as a seed, sprout then a sapling... grow every pose little by little day by day week by week or try to do it all in one day or an hour, you choose

if you haven't mastered the tree pose with the leg low then try starting out there ie with your leg placed just above the ankle.

have your hands at your side preferrably near a wall or table or chair (so if you fall, you can stop the fall), remember to breathe

and remember if you're falling; this is okay, be patient you most likely will steady with time... and still on occasion you may shake and even fall after years it's fine, yoga is also about the mind and mindfulness, too, and especially about balance between the body and the mind

next, work your hands to your hips, enjoy that

after you can do that, bring your hands up to your heart

last variation: outstretch your hands above.

okay now you can work your leg up towards the knee or eventually thigh repeat with the same baby steps mentioned above...

another question that could lead to a tip, are your legs uncovered?

are you barefoot?

certain fabrics grip while others slip

try doing it with different attire or no attire at all

i remember when my son met rodney yee, he asked him why he was almost naked when he did yoga?

rodney laughed and said that the reason he does yoga like that was so he could really see and be attentive to what his body was or wasn't doing.

have fun

Thank you for your tips I'll have to try them out and practice. I've tried all kinds of different clothing and I've always been barefoot but it seems my skin has no friction lol. Well that's not true of course but I've been doing it on my wii fit and although I can hold the pose (they have you hold hands stretched above your head) I seem to wobble a lot more than I'd care to. It makes me question if I'm doing something wrong. I've reasoned that it must be my sliding foot distracting me and offsetting my balance. I'll try it with my foot by my ankles as you've said though and see if that gives me any further indication.

The wii fit also sorta quickly moves through the poses which is a shame because some of them you really need to slowly work through to feel what's going on.

Thank you for your tips I'll have to try them out and practice. I've tried all kinds of different clothing and I've always been barefoot but it seems my skin has no friction lol. Well that's not true of course but I've been doing it on my wii fit and although I can hold the pose (they have you hold hands stretched above your head) I seem to wobble a lot more than I'd care to. It makes me question if I'm doing something wrong. I've reasoned that it must be my sliding foot distracting me and offsetting my balance. I'll try it with my foot by my ankles as you've said though and see if that gives me any further indication.

 

The wii fit also sorta quickly moves through the poses which is a shame because some of them you really need to slowly work through to feel what's going on.

i actually did some tree poses this morning, and i thought about you and another tip:

when you get steady, then your foot will be even with your body (so it will be a 90 degree angle) but for now don't worry bout that, try it with your leg maybe at around a 45 degree.

also, regarding material i remembered reading about these (or something like them)

http://www.yogastickysocks.com/home.html

http://www.amazon.com/Crescent-Moon-Non-Slip-ExerSocks-Value-Pack/dp/B000HDJQGO

i don't have 'em but may get some (actually, come to think of it, when the kids were lil' they used to have these non-slip socks with a similar grip texture on the bottom)...

When doing tree, it is where you put your focus. Get your foot on your leg in a spot you like (I like my knee, but I get yelled at by my teachers because it can hurt my knee. So I just put it low on my calf. I am not flexible enough (or my quads/hams are too big!) to get my foot in my groin!). Once in this position, put your hands together at your heart center. Now establish a balance. Think that from you foot to the top of your head is a pole. Hug your body's muscles to this pole on an inhale, then breath a release on the exhale. Also put some emphasis on the big toe and the inside of your food (the part closes to the invisible pole), maybe by pressing harder at this part. With this established concentration to the Earth, see if you can "root" and grow your branches up to the sky (hands go up when you have a good balance). Hope this helps.

Inhale hug and root, exhale and extend the organic energy out

Firm foundations lets you give, give, give, without giving your Self away (falling over).

When doing tree, it is where you put your focus. Get your foot on your leg in a spot you like (I like my knee, but I get yelled at by my teachers because it can hurt my knee. So I just put it low on my calf. I am not flexible enough (or my quads/hams are too big!) to get my foot in my groin!). Once in this position, put your hands together at your heart center. Now establish a balance. Think that from you foot to the top of your head is a pole. Hug your body's muscles to this pole on an inhale, then breath a release on the exhale. Also put some emphasis on the big toe and the inside of your food (the part closes to the invisible pole), maybe by pressing harder at this part. With this established concentration to the Earth, see if you can "root" and grow your branches up to the sky (hands go up when you have a good balance). Hope this helps.

 

Inhale hug and root, exhale and extend the organic energy out

 

Firm foundations lets you give, give, give, without giving your Self away (falling over).

Great advice & visualizations, Gaia; as it is said, let the pose conform to you as opposed to you conforming to the pose... and also wherever you are today, is fine.

i especially dig (pun intended) your "...give give give...", reminds me of that timeless classic, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein which blurs the distinction between wants & needs, selfishness & selflessness, and may be the ultimate metaphor for humans and the planet.

Namaste paulcats!

I am blessed to have such super teachers. They are always instilling in us visualization and alot of workshopping advice during the classes. They love visualizations, themes, and proper alignment.

Namaste paulcats!

 

I am blessed to have such super teachers. They are always instilling in us visualization and alot of workshopping advice during the classes. They love visualizations, themes, and proper alignment.

yeah, teachers rock!

i prefer to take class with the interactivity of a teacher and the collective energy of the yogis & yoginis present but that doesn't always work out due to time & schedule.

still with technology today, it's amazing; one can "study" and "practice" with teachers worldwide both past & present via books, tapes, DVDs, and the internet (ie just do a youtube or yahoo video search).

just this morning i took a wonderful "Zen in Your Den" class with Jennifer Galardi via cable TV (http://exercisetv.tv/studio/videos/player.php?id=688081363) and she said some really profound things that, on one hand, were obvious but, on the other hand, i quite often forget (like the most important thing in yoga is breathing... to connect breath with movement... how whatever you're doing today is fine for today... and the great thing about yoga is it's never perfect...".

namaste to all and happy trails

Thank you all! I believe with your help I'm performing better and becoming more aware of how my body works.

Thank you all! I believe with your help I'm performing better and becoming more aware of how my body works.

you know that's where it's at: awareness... of how the body works, how we breathe, how we move, how we eat, how we rest... in a nutshell, how we live

Namaste

Yoga vs. Bodybuilding

Yoga vs. Bodybuilding

Wow, that is a cool video ; i didn't know what to expect, the music was funny but perfect for it. It really shows the similarities and differences between the two bodytypes commonly built (big diesel bodybuilder and lean shredded fitness type).

Maybe they will do a side by side one next time, but then they'd need someone to run the camera?

Personally, I like his build better than his bodybuilder friend but that's a matter of preference; big or lean, functional vs aesthetics, etc...

Is Michael-Paul a friend of yours?

I checked out his site http://www.timelesshealth.net , it is very interesting.

What is his eating plan currently cos it seems like he was raw or vegan for a while but that didn't work out long term?

He has additional videos on a "Yoga Diet" which I'd guess is Vegetarian if not Vegan, maybe it is lacto-ovo or just lacto?

Thanks for sharing.

Fun stuff . . . I found the BB lacking movement ability, thus making him harder to watch. Way too much effort shown for simple poses . . . but that's the ex-dancer in me talking. Although thin, the yoga guy had better overall symetry.

Fun stuff . . . I found the BB lacking movement ability, thus making him harder to watch. Way too much effort shown for simple poses . . . but that's the ex-dancer in me talking. Although thin, the yoga guy had better overall symetry.

the question is, does the dance ever end?

metaphorically speaking, that is.

but actually you bring up an excellent good point, movement ability is an oft overlooked part of our physical being; with all the focus on strength, speed, and flexibility. Yet we continue moving all day and all of the night in one way or another, after we leave the gym or step off the yoga mat... movement is something that we can all work on and benefit from.