Krishnamacharya's Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga at Home: Completely pointless yoga party trick # 7 : Lotus without hands UPDATED with list

Friday, 27 May 2011

Completely pointless yoga party trick # 7 : Lotus without hands UPDATED with list

Perhaps it was all the popping into lotus without hands at the lake last week (see previous post) but I popped into this first time trying this morning, must have stuck in muscle memory.

I just about learnt to do this last year ( see this post )after seeing Chris and Wyatt from the VK TT course do it, I managed it but only after a lot of bruises from smashing my heel into my shin.

Completely pointless as far as I can tell but amusing and fun to do.

Clumsy straight leg jump through, wasn't concentrating, slightly better one here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update 22/06/11
Perhaps not so pointless because once you can do that then this becomes possible

and isn't that in Advanced B
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, and what are the other six pointless yoga party tricks?

Suggestions on a postcard, or at least in the comment box.

UPDATE
Ok, after much consideration ( five minutes ) here's MY list of the...

10 most pointless yoga party tricks ( in no particular order ).

1. Tittibhasana B ( the walking one )
2. Dropback
3. Straight leg jump through
4. Most of the arm balances from 3rd series ( Ok I'll give you the Kukkutasana's )
5. the seven deadlies ( 2nd series headstands)
6. Sayanasana
7. No hands lotus (above)
8. Tictac
9. Chakra Bandhasana (enough is enough)
10. Handstand to Hanumanasana

This is not to say that I don't love them or wish I could nail the last three but really : )

15 comments:

Grimmly26 May 2011 09:10
Yeah I know, jump through was clunky here, they're usually prettier, honest.
ReplyDelete
Quentin26 May 2011 14:05
engaging mula bandha is suggested for improvement, brings out more graceful movements and air.
ReplyDelete
maya926 May 2011 16:10
Yoga party trick #42: My daughter, 7 yrs old, when asked yesterday by her aikido teacher if she "did yoga with her mom" answered by dropping back into a gorgeous back bend on the spot and then standing back up with a smile. He says, "Wow. I guess you do."

(She did a full primary with me today for the fun of it. That kid knocks my socks off.)

Great Athens pics, by the way! I'm not jealous. Not at all.
ReplyDelete
Grimmly26 May 2011 18:34
Concentrating helps even more Quentin : )

I have the dropback at number 6 maya (and the straight leg jump through at number 5 Quentin). Wish I'd been a fly on the wall to see her do that Aikido ( like yoga vic in the King of the hill cartoon doing the rounds). Surprised she's allowed to practice Aikido already. In my day they drew the line at ten to protect the joints.

Came up with a great idea for a novel in Athens Maya trouble is your posts put me off trying to write it, sounds such a grind.
ReplyDelete
Nobel26 May 2011 22:24
Very impressive, Grimmly! Well, maybe getting into lotus while standing on your head is also a yoga party trick :-)
ReplyDelete
Claudia27 May 2011 00:19
OK, of course you know this is appealing to me, so I must answer.

The five other party tricks are:
Headstand with the legs at 90 degrees. Priceless
Titibasana
Tic tacs
Dropping from standing to backbend as demonstrated by maya9's daughter who is obviously adorable
And... of course...
Samastitihi, Tadasana, or standing... leave them wondering... hee hee
ReplyDelete
Grimmly27 May 2011 08:40
Ahh, your referring to the picture from yesterday Nobel? that's actually the enty to the first Urdhva kukkutasana. I have the 2nd series headstands in my updated list but I do like Ramaswami's inverted series where you do all kinds of postures while in headstand. handy if you cant put weight on a leg or something.

Just updated the post with my own list Claudia, tittibhasan B makes mine too, just plain silly and scares M.
ReplyDelete
エスタ27 May 2011 10:14
Nice, handsfree lotua, only in my dreams, but for some reason in headstand...I can pull it off. Weird that one. Love the party trick list, my top one to nail would have to be nauli, or a full on paper thin waist uddiyana.... oh and thanks for the bakasana tips. Lifting up and balancing are fine, it's just I haven't quite stabalised landing....it's a mind thing, as I can always do it third time.... ; D
ReplyDelete
daydreamingmel27 May 2011 12:40
dropping back doesn't seem like a pointless party trick when it's the gateway to second series...
ReplyDelete
Grimmly27 May 2011 18:08
Only in your dreams because of your knee エスタ ? My left knee is weaker from old ops, can't get it as tight in mari D , janu C, or bind left side of Purna matsyendrasana. So maybe one day. Think this no hand lotus is just a trick, getting the timing right so you never know.

re landing bakasana, try doing it just in frount of a sofa, takes away the fear of leaning too far forward and toppling over, found that helped, perhaps should do a post on it with a video to show what I mean.
ReplyDelete
Grimmly27 May 2011 18:10
Hi Mel. My list is pointless 'YOGA' party tricks not 'Ashtanga' party tricks. My criteria for dropback was that if you can already push up into Urdhva Danurasana then whats the poing of dropping back into it, plus I had Yogi Vic in my mind : )

Was just a bit of fun, we both know that dropping back is excellent for opening the back, strengthening the legs, overcoming fear, lengthening the back and stretching from toes to fingertips, nice prep for Kapo too (although I learned kapo before I dropped back and actually think it makes more sense that way around but hey)......

Could of course make similar lists for all the other pointless party tricks. I remember somebody being a little dismissive once of my lotus jump back only to hear a year later that they were working on it as useful prep for Urdhava Kukkutasana.
ReplyDelete
Yyogini27 May 2011 19:37
Since I can't do most of the stuff on your list, my only yoga party trick is a full uttanasana. That seems to impress people, but scares them away from yoga at the same time. I try to explain that I didn't believe I could ever achieve this pose either before I met my Ashtanga teacher, but nobody would believe me. Sigh...
ReplyDelete
maya927 May 2011 20:46
Haha, I like the growing list. I always thought the forearm stand, can't think of the name right now, was an impressive party pose. Saw a gal kick up into it once around a campfire and was wowed. Or just plain ole handstand walking, always good for a thrill.

Yes, actually my daughter has been doing aikido since she was 4--I don't think there's a joint concern at the level the kiddos practice, it's all fun and games and throwing people.

I wanted to tell you though, that she got the dropback/stand up from your vid, the one you did for me a month back. I said, "Oh hey, look, Grimmly did a video for me," and she watched it with me and then said, "Oh, it's the legs. I can do that." And did it. And has been able to ever since. Oh to be 7 again! I wish your vid had had similar magical dropback bestowing properties on ME, but no luck.
ReplyDelete
Grimmly28 May 2011 08:19
it's true yyogini the poses that often get people to sit up and lookat yoga are also the ones that make them think they'd never be able to do it so also turn them off. The line between cool and weird is a thin one : )

You mean Pincha mayurasana Maya, the one before the dreaded Karandavasana. In the dvd i think Sharath has you lift your head off the ground in headstandwhic is pretty much it although the arms are at a bit of a different angle. Worth trying at the wall.

Love the story about your daughter getting her dropback from my Video, but you still should have given he a clip round the ear, took me ages to be able to do, Kids, gotta love em (though gritted teeth : ).
ReplyDelete
daydreamingmel28 May 2011 17:01
no worries grim, just needed it to be said :) and yes, i think learning to dropback (for most people - those who can just do it straight off are excluded here!) is more about learning persistence in the face of seeming impossibility (and yes, overcoming fear and opening everything up too).
This is of course not to say that I'm averse to party tricks myself, the lotus jumpback being a perfect example as i just learned it! i've found that the things you do to try and impress people (if you're ever that way inclined!) generally don't do it, but the simple things, like a really deep standing forward bend, or walking in to prep for headstand get them every time!
ReplyDelete