Ashtanga Yoga. Gregor Maehle

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СКАЧАТЬ in Upavishta Konasana.

      The third foot position is to have the feet pointed (called plantar flexion, which means that the surface of the foot draws away from the shin). Pointing the feet gives maximum protection to the hamstrings. This position is employed in the most intense group of forward bends, which includes Hanumanasana, Trivikramasana, Tittibhasana, and Vasishtasana.

       Purvottanasana

      INTENSE EASTERN STRETCH¹⁵

      Drishti Nose or third eye

      Purvottanasana is the counter and complementary posture to the Pashimottanasana series.

      Vinyasa Seven

      Inhaling, jump through to sitting. Place the hands shoulder width apart on the floor with a hand’s-length space between your fingertips and your buttocks. The fingers are spread and pointing forward, toward the feet.

      Vinyasa Eight

      Inhaling, broaden the shoulders and draw the shoulder blades down the back. Straighten the arms and free up the chest. Lift the heart high and tip the chin toward the chest.

      

      Purvottanasana, vinyasa seven

      The legs are straight and strong. Point the feet. Drop the coccyx toward the heels and dig the back of the heels down into the floor. This engages the hamstrings and the gluteus maximus. Lift the pelvis and uncoil the spine. Work the toes toward the floor until the soles of the feet cup the floor. Once up in the posture, the hamstrings can take over and you can release the buttocks; to go on contracting them would place a strain on the sacroiliac joints. Keep lifting the chest and continue to open it by positioning the shoulder blades broad and drawing them down the back, and by arching the upper back (erector spinae).

      The head is the last to go back. Release the front of the throat and allow the head to hang back, relaxed. Gaze to the tip of the nose to keep the back of the neck elongated. This head position should not be adopted, however, if the student has neck problems or has suffered whiplash. The old pattern of a whiplash injury could be set off in the transitions in and out of this posture.

      Instead, one can gently place the chin on the sternum and keep it there throughout the posture. Gaze toward the feet. The head should be lifted only when one has come back down to sitting. Done in this way, the neck muscles are not provoked into a spasm reflex. Hold Purvottanasana for five breaths.

      

      Purvottanasana, vinyasa eight

      Vinyasa Nine

      Exhaling, exit the posture by first replacing the buttocks on the floor, then bringing the head back upright. Finally, the hands come forward.

      Vinyasa Ten

      Inhaling, lift the feet between the hands.

      Vinyasa Eleven

      Exhaling, jump back into Chaturanga Dandasana.

      Vinyasa Twelve

      Inhale into Upward Dog.

      Vinyasa Thirteen

      Exhale into Downward Dog.

       Ardha Baddha Padma Pashimottanasana

      BOUND HALF LOTUS FORWARD BEND

      Drishti Toes

      Ardha Baddha Padma Pashimottanasana starts a new cycle of postures that combine forward bending with hip rotation. The Primary Series mainly consists of these two themes.

      The postures are grounding and rooting, and they form the basis of the more exhilarating themes of backbending, leg-behind-head, and arm balances, which form the subject of the Intermediate and Advanced Series. From a yogic point of view the foundation must be properly prepared before we advance to a more complex practice.

       Rotation Pattern

      The next five postures establish the rotation pattern of the femur for the Primary Series. Sown here, this seed can eventually fructify in the performance of such complex postures as Mulabandhasana (the most extreme medial rotation) and Kandasana (the most extreme lateral rotation). The rotation pattern is as follows:

      • Ardha Baddha Padma Pashimottanasana — medial rotation

      • Triang Mukha Ekapada Pashimottanasana — lateral rotation

      • Janushirshasana A — medial rotation

      • Janushirshasana B — lateral rotation

      • Janushirshasana C — medial rotation

       ANATOMICAL FOCUS

       The Paradox of Active Release

      This is an important understanding that needs to be grasped in order to master the art of working deeply and harmoniously in all postures. Active release derives its effectiveness from the following principle: To enter a posture we use prime muscle groups that perform particular actions. Once in the posture, we must release those muscle groups and engage their antagonists to work harmoniously and more deeply into the posture.

      For example, to go into a backbend we engage the trunk extensors (erector spinae, quadratus lumborum). Ultimately, however, these muscles limit backbending. They shorten the back and pinch the spinous processes of the vertebrae together. Once we have arrived in a backbend we need to release the trunk extensors and instead engage the trunk flexors (abdominal muscles). This lengthens the back, creates space between the spinous processes, and deepens the backbend.

      The same principle is applied in hip rotations such as Ardha Baddha Padma Pashimottanasana and Baddha Konasana. We laterally rotate the femur to go into hip rotations, but when in the posture we release the lateral rotators by medially rotating the femur. This action takes us much deeper into the posture. In all forward bends such as Pashimottanasana we engage the hip flexors, particularly the psoas and rectus femoris, to go into the posture. Once the hip joint is flexed to about 160° we won’t be able to close the joint any farther because the bulging hip flexors are in the way. To illustrate, try out the following: Standing, bend the knee joint by merely contracting the hamstrings and the calf muscles. You will not be able to close the joint completely because the very muscles that perform the action also prevent its completion. Now use your hand СКАЧАТЬ