?ka
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Finland
Posts: 1
Hi
I got plenty of time doing yoga, an more I do it better I feel. Is it possible to overdo yoga? In some asanas it is possible to stay only some 10-20 sec while others much longer. Are there maximum times for asanas like Halasana,Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Supta-vadzrasana and Patsimotasana ?
Listen to your body. When it wants to come out of a pose, come out.
[QUOTE=lascar;50526]?ka
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Finland
Posts: 1
Hi
I got plenty of time doing yoga, an more I do it better I feel. Is it possible to overdo yoga? In some asanas it is possible to stay only some 10-20 sec while others much longer. Are there maximum times for asanas like Halasana,Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Supta-vadzrasana and Patsimotasana ?[/QUOTE]
Listen to your body, as mentioned in the prevous post.
I can tell that in restorative yoga some poses are held for as long as 15 minutes
As the other two replies have said it’s all about listening to your body and learning what your limits are. The more you practice anything, the longer you will be able to go before reaching your limit. It also depends on how sore you are willing to be. High amount of physical activity obviously puts a lot of strain on your muscles, while stretching can bring a different type of soreness. All things to consider for yourself!
Hello lascar.
I would be curious how long you have been practicing asana, whether you are practicing more than asana, and what style or styles shape that practice. However the more important question is what intention you have for your practice.
If your intention is the release of fascia in the physical body then there would be one answer. On the other hand if your intention were to do as many sloppy poses in 90 minutes as humanely possible, another answer.
If you are a beginning student then I would likely not be telling you to listen to your body or your inner voice or your instinct or intuition unless you had already cultivated such skills. To direct a neophyte to employ a skill that is not yet cultivated merely fosters frustration and can lead the student down a risky path. Of course an intermediate student could be given such direction AND be able to use it. So if you’ve cultivated that level of awareness, yes please do use it.
What is often missed in the contemporary practice (of asana, since that is the topic and not Yoga) is that it should have a purpose, a “why” or reason - thus the mention of intention. When I sequences a class I have a place I want to direct it and each thing that is done, the duration of that doing, and each thing that is said is carefully chosen (when I am centered, grounded, and focused as I should be) to contribute to that direction.
There is one other component I want to mention. While it is honoring to exit a pose when the voice within you tells you it is time, we must also be working to ensure that is a clean voice - a voice not of the vital or mental force but one of the heart. There is also a tremendous amount of personal growth available to us in posture when we are able to stay one half breath longer than we thought, one minute longer than we thought. It is this process that stretches the sutures of the skull, breaks up samskara, and leads us out of an existence of mediocrity.
Thanks for replys!
I been on and off Yoga for many years. Since I do physical work, I often got back ackeing
and best remedy has been Hatha Yoga. So my intention is to keep body in good shape.
Now that Im getting old and “ache in the places I used to play” I had to take Yoga more seriously.
This listening to ones body, is something Im not very good at, and tho I heard it often, I only lately find out what it might mean. Its also complicated matter, because we are contradictious creratures with one voice saying " Im tierd or I want to eat… other saying I want more and more… Do it,its good for you…
Last sentance of InnerAthlete made me glad. Long ago I reed some serious teatcher, who pointed out that we should not be violent in practising yoga, and since I never had any teatcher, this prevent me from forcing a little bit more. Trying it lately had good effect so far.
Very well put lascar.
A practice that counters your work is brilliant. I wish more people understood the concept of not heaping on to their pile but rather shoveling off of it thus balancing their living. And this balancing - in thought, feelings, actions, eating, this stuff is challenging to cultivate. But the effort or reaching is often more profound than the grasping.
A dedicated and appropriate Yoga practice will assist the human being in developing awareness. It takes time. A sloth-like student needs an occasional prodding. A motivated student needs only some direction.
Sometimes it’s about not doing anything.
Use a reasonable amount of effort but not too much.
Alot of yoga is about letting go and being able to do just that rather than doing anything non-essential.
Too much effort, graspinng etc can precipitate imbalance.And Don’t forget the subtle domain.It’s not necessarily what postures can yo get into but what postuires are you often in mentally and can you maintain these throughout the day.
A few practices done properly with awareness is better than a hundred different methods done too quickly.
I had another answer to this Q. when i first read it but I forgot it…lol
this kind of exercising will help to strengthen your core muscles and improve your posture.
I think Yoga is one of the best grow taller exercises around. This is because we can stretching our body causes it to produce human growth hormones called EIGs (exercise induced growth hormones).
The reason why we have various body parts to do different functions, is the same reason why yoga has 8 limbs and asana happens to be one of them. Similarly, all parts of the body need to work in harmony for us to live a meaningful life; likewise yoga needs to be harmonized towards a goal.
InnerAthlete is absolutely right, know your goal. With advancing age one often looks back at life lived. Goals of prosperity, muscle power, ‘superman’ physique and life without bounds start taking a back seat. More profound questions keep coming up. Yoga helps there as well.
Lascar, are you overdoing asana? May be, but you are certainly underdoing yoga. Under proper guidance, it may be good for you to expand yoga and try other avenues of yoga. Your quality of life will enhance a lot. You should be listening to your body no doubt; but then also listen to your mind and soul. Soon your heavy physical work will reduce. This may be a right time to balance it with some mind-work. Good luck.