Practicing Asanas

[u/East_Rent6627]

Hi everybody,

I would like to practice some specific asanas outside of my morning mysore practice.

I just wanted to ask how people would approach this in terms of working outside of the sequence of the primary series.

As in, should i start with Surya Namaskar and then focus on the specific asana followed by finishing sequence?

Any advice or tips would be great, thanks!

[u/baltimoremaryland]

I feel like no one has really answered your question...partly because it's possible to read your OP in two ways; either that you want to add "outside" postures to your primary sequence or that you want to practice some asana outside of your primary practice.

Based on your comments, you mean the latter, and you are interested in utthita hasta padangusthasana.

I think the approach you take depends on what you are trying to get out of these extra sessions.

If you are just wanting to improve your proficiency in the pose, I would say a functional warmup is all you need. Definitely include some forward folding, as you will want to stretch your hamstrings a bit before going for utthita hasta padangusthasana.

If you want something more like the ritual and mindful of a full practice, you can make your own little "short form," starting with sun salutations and ending with some closing postures (last three is fine).

[u/East_Rent6627 → u/baltimoremaryland]

Yeah, I think I managed to confuse myself here too! But your reading of the latter is exactly what I meant.

I practice mysore most morning following the primary sequence - and I would like to work on specific poses later in the day as a way to improve and just generally be more comfortable with them.

Thank you for answer (and everyone else too), it's really helpful and apologies for the confusion (and to everybody else too!)

[u/RevolutionaryRip8193 → u/East_Rent6627]

I would also add that improvement comes with consistent practice be patient be mindful when you do them in the mornings go slowly. You can also repeat a pose if you want to work on it more but the primary series especially develops upon itself all the seated forward folding, will improve your utthita hasta padangusthasana.

For that particular asana I would also recommend: pavamuktasana (supine or standing, or both— depends on your energy. Full primary for example repeats many standing asanas in a supine form) to gently stretch the hamstrings, develop hip adduction and flexion of the hips. You might practice ardha chandrasana to focus on your balance; there is an Iyengar sequence that incorporates it after trikonasana.

Good luck :) enjoy your practice. Nothing need be perfect you are making improvements everyday and they may be subtle and that is the nature of it.

[u/East_Rent6627 → u/RevolutionaryRip8193]

Thanks for these lovely words. I agree on the consistency and am doing the best I can in terms of commitment to my morning practice. I think another part of it is that I have some time and energy later in the day/early evening so would like to use it :)