Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Answer and query

ANSWER: Yes, Sonia, right said!
Static poses are very difficult. In fact, even if you practice regularly, but take a gap and return to the mat after a few weeks, they become challenging. Fast-paced ones are used for beginners, so they can do the pose thrice, to get the form and stamina in place before moving into the static holds. This may explaint the peculiar culture of the misnamed power yoga in Mumbai, where people are made to do asanas fast, just to keep them happy, but they never reach the stamina that real power yoga -- as the term is used abroad. Power yoga abroad is normally associated with ashtanga yoga, which is difficult even for advanced students. So, this power yoga in Mumbai is a bigtime sham and scam.. :)

QUERY: What forms the tripod in the shoulderstand? I mean which of the three parts of your body create the tripod -- which, incidentally, is the same for the headstand?

3 comments:

pallavi symons said...

In the shoulder stand/head stand, the body is held up primarily by the shoulders, elbows and palms. Would I be right in suggesting that the neck is an accessory and not the meant to be the 'weight bearer'? From my personal learning experience, I found that relying on the neck hinders 'floating up' easily into these poses, while focussing on creating 'the tripod' actually eases the transition and maintains steadiness while allowing easy breathing. I hope to God am right, otherwise am going to do sit-ups for the entire duration of a class :D

sonia samtani said...

Tripod is formed by the elbows n the head

pv said...

elbow and shoulders