How much asana practice is too much, and what problems could it lead to, if any?
I am currently doing about 90mins each day. Some days like today, I thought I wouldn’t mind doing an extra hour at home. Is there any reason to not do this? I wouldn’t do this personally - but would 3hrs a day for example be too much?
Hopefully with your practice you are also developing the awareness to know when you are overdoing it. There is no blanket rule, so I don’t think it’s possible for someone to answer you on a forum and say that you should be doing x minutes a day. But I would recommend focusing more on cultivating awareness through your practice.
To answer your question more directly, I have practiced 3 hours a day with no problems. I’ve seen others do the same and end up with injuries. If you practice mindfully, I would think you could avoid injury.
Do you focus only on asana, or do you practice other limbs (yama, niyama, pranayama, etc)?
Thanks. I am quite a novice, just practicing asana at the moment as well as sitting meditation daily.
Do you think some pranayama may be a good way for me to go and where should I look to in starting to develop this into my practice?
Yes, I think you could learn some breathing techniques under the guidance of an instructor who believes in approaching pranayama at a slow, step-by-step pace. As opposed to some teachers who are like, “beginners’ yoga – antara kumbhaka!!”
If you don’t have a teacher, I think you can practice some basic breathing techniques on your own, like deep breathing and bhramari. Just remember the key element of awareness. Start slow and observe the effect that the practice has on you. If it has negative effects like causing anxiety or getting you out of breath, then adjust the practice accordingly. 
You may also want to read a bit about yama and niyama.
How much asana is enough or too much, is that the basic inquiry?
It is lovely to have a regular daily practice as that builds in the body in much the same way turmeric must be taken to build up before it is effective against inflammation.
For most people in our society it is incredibly difficult to cultivate a daily practice. And for that person maybe 15-30 minutes is enough. Or perhaps that duration is “enough” when one isn’t feeling well, though I prefer rest in that instance.
We know that Iyengar would practice for 8 hours a day. And clearly that was “okay” and appropriate for him at that time. I do not believe he’s practicing at that duration today but it is interesting to note.
I would be far more concerned (re: my own practice were it me asking this) about the how of the asana practice rather than the length of it. To have an aligned, potent practice of 90 minutes (to me) is more fruitful than having a 4 hour session with no alignment at all and only an aroma of potency. So I believe the student has to determine the efficacy of their practice.
If I had four hours a day to practice (and could still attend to my other accepted responsibilities) I would. However I’d like to think I can meet my asana needs in a more economical time frame. Yoga of course I’m trying to “do” all day long.
[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;56186]How much asana is enough or too much, is that the basic inquiry?
“We know that Iyengar would practice for 8 hours a day. And clearly that was “okay” and appropriate for him at that time. I do not believe he’s practicing at that duration today but it is interesting to note.”
I beleive since he is now 92 he has slacked right off:D and does only 4 hours a day now.mostly staying in a few postures for 30 mins at a time , mostly with props. "when I was young I play now I am old I stay " or something like that , im often slightly misquoting BKS Iyengar !
Most of us will not be called to do this amount , of asana ,too much is a mute point , but if as Gordon so eloquently puts you are not attending to your other duties this is not helpful , if your practise depletes you , you are working incorrectly , probably forcing , overworking and probably not following the postures and sequence to enhance you. As Gordon says yoga can be attended to all day , whatever you are doing.
You are blessed to come to this practise.imho
Horizons,
“How much asana practice is too much”
Any method can be used in a million and one different ways depending on the hands which are using them. That is why it is impossible to set any absolute standards as to what is “too much” practice and what is not enough practice. And because every human being is absolutely unique, no two individuals evolve and expand at the same pace. For one, just one year of practice may reveal fruits which others cannot even realize in a whole lifetime. For another, in just a split moment, without any preparation or method, one can come to an awakening. For another, even though one may be practicing with one-pointedness for almost one’s whole life - one has remained just as unconscious and asleep as one has always been.
If you are looking for an escape from the problems of one’s sufferings, then the methods of yoga can provide a quick and temporary fix. But the fact is as long as one has yet to come to a direct insight as to the root causes of one’s sufferings at the level of the mind - no amount of practice or discipline is going to be of much help.
“and what problems could it lead to, if any?”
Asanas are basically methods to purify the gross and subtle energies in ones system to create a prepared vessel for the next phase of work - meditation. Because they deal with controlling and channeling the fundamental energies in ones system in various different ways, if you are deeply involved in the practice and yet without the proper understanding, it can create several problems. Besides just the chakras which are well known along the spinal cord, the lowest which is usually considered to be the muladhara at the base of the spine, there are also various other energy centers which are less well known which exist below the muladhara. Because every state of consciousness is a particular state of energy, the activation of these centers are also corresponding to various states of consciousness. If somehow your prana starts moving towards the chakra centers below the muladhara at the base of the spine, then several physical and psychological sicknesses can arise. What is even far more disasterous is if one manages to awaken the Kundalini, but rather than ascending the spinal cord, it opts for a descending movement below the spinal cord.
So there are tremendous risks that are involved the deeper you go into these kinds of methods, asanas being one of them, which are centered around evolving the fundamental energies which are working through the mind and body. But those kinds of risks are only available to those who are willing to initiate tremendous effort and energy into that kind of work. But if you are just using yoga as a therapy, even then there are risks - although they may not seem so damaging. The basic problem is when one starts using the spiritual sciences just as a means to nourish ones own ego. Then everytime you are practicing, you are basically re-enforcing the identification with your own ego, the same false idea that has been a great source of suffering for oneself and which has been keeping one in a deep sleep. On the outside it will not seem that you are doing much damage, simply because you are satisfied by the practice, you are getting what you want. Whether you are satisfied or not satisfied by the practice has absolutely no relevance as far as the realization of Truth is concerned. And, limited to the workings of ones own ego, one is not interested in anything else except living according to ones likes and dislikes rather than having insight into things as they are.
Thanks for all the replies.
Amir - You’ve scared me lol.
Do you believe I would seriously be at an ‘energetic’ risk by practicing 90 mins a day of yin yoga / bikram classes and some basic postures at home? And if so, what do you suggest?
the practice actually seems to alleviate any soreness, stiffness and joint pain I cause myself during intensive weight training. I have gone into many yoga classes feeling like I can hardly walk due to over-training and walked out feeling rejuvenated and not the least bit sore or stiff. It is certainly possible to over do anything in my opinion and the only measure of that comes form within yourself. You will know when its too much, there is no way to deny that.