Just a reminder that I'm a complete beginner to ashtanga yoga, and been practicing regularly (6 days in week) since a month or so. I'm obviously dealing with the primary series here :) this post here is not to complain, but to simply show what problem do I have in some of the asanas, and what is here to work on. Maybe somebody can sympathize with it ;)
Chaturanga Dandasana in vinyasa
Although I've been familiar with that asana before and performed it with not much of a trouble, when the class progresses until the end and we do vinyasa over and over again, my arms started to weaken and that is what was happening:
So many times I hit the ground before my muscles got a little stronger and my
alightment a little better. I no longer fall in chaturanga. Well... At least not on regular basis ;)
Prasarita padhottanasana C
(Bending over with legs spread apart and hands together behind the back)
This is like, I should write a poem about my troubles in that asana. Especially when my teacher comes to correct me. The problems are: my head doesn't want to release, my weight doesn't want to go forward, I'm afraid of falling over, and my legs go toward the split when they should stay in place. I have problems with locating and holding my inner tights in parallel position. Oh and also did I mention that my feet go on their outside edge?
I feel like I have a lifelong task with that asana :)
Utthita hasta padangusthasana
(Standing balance position)
This is a great asana to practice jumping.
(Just kidding. My inner comic never sleeps ;)I heard a lot of people having trouble with that. It's very hard asana for balance. I found it especially hard when you have to take the leg to the side and look the other way, and the only thing that is in front of you is a white wall. Only worst if someone is wobbling in fort of your "concentrated gaze". I have hard time concentrating in that asana. Maybe it is the part of why I'm wobbling.
Marichyasana C and D
(Sitting and twisting position)
In C, without teacher , it is sometimes hard for me to reach for my wrist. But it so much depends on a day! One day it is no problem, and on the other one, I am so stiff that it is hard to even reach for fingers. Also keeping the "standing" foot strong is sometimes a challenge. I also tend to forget about keeping the other foot active.
Marichyasana D continues to be a puzzle for me, I'm pretty much unaware of what's going on there, not to mention that I can't reach for my hands yet.
Maybe the understanding will come with time ;)
Urdva Danurasana
(Bridge position)
While I did bridge before and hadn't had any problems with it, it is quite different in ashtanga yoga than in acrobatics (yes, long time ago, I did acro ;)
Your heels have to go outside, you gotta push really hard with your legs and what is still hard to understand for me, straighten your elbows and push with the hands.
Trying my best, but I guess my elbows are still bent. How about breathing Jin Urdva Danurasana? What about it? ;)
And to go up in inhale! Its so many things to remeber!
Urdva Padmasana
(Shoulderstand with the lotus)
Is an everexisting struggle to not roll over. Also getting to the position from Sarvangasana isn't easy, the lotus position should be probably done without using hands, but while I can't do it yet, I hold my back with one hand, and manipulate my feet with the other, trying very hard to not roll over ;)
And then in the position, to keep your elbows straight..
.
Sirsasana
(Headstand)
While I do manage to stand, and straighten the legs, I do have troubles with gagging if I am already vertical or not yet. If I am vertical and I think that I'm not, then I go over and fall. ;)
I try to remember about keeping my shoulders down and my elbows and forearms towards each other. And my belly strong! Also it is a challenge to breath in that position, but I try.
Utpluthih
Very hard to lift yourself up and keep it there! And breath....
Savasana
Yes, you heard me right. I have problem with Savasana. Relaxing is one of my main problems , and also the drifting away in thoughts rather then clearing up the mind happens. It's hard to relieve muscles from constant tension and stress.
Vinyasa
The entire vinyasa sequence, the one in between sitting positions, is really challenging for me. I just recently learned how to roll my feet in between "da dogs" (not just one at the time). Obviously the jump back - jump through part is very challenging for me. I just started working by walking a little back and then jumping, and keeping the hands shoulders width apart is one of the worst challengers ever :)
Also from the chaturanga to upward facing dog, I just have to touch the ground with my upper legs, no matter how much I try to not to. I keep on repeating to myself, everything slowly, one step at the time :)
Well, that was long. It's actually fun to write down all those things. It's quite amazing how some problems in the asanas reflect my problems in "the the real life".
Luckily, yoga is a real life too!
Hope you enjoyed this post with a little bit of humor.
Enjoy your practice, cheerish the journey, and get 1/4 of milimetr better every day :)
Joanna
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