Pavlov's dog

Metal Yoga Skeletons 

Sunday I felt like one of old Pavlov's dogs with Virabhadrasana as the little bell.

After a short tadasana Subroutine I tend to stick to a pretty standard Ashtanga standing sequence even when practicing Vinyasa Krama. I might add in a couple of bits here and there, a one legged squat perhaps or standing marchi but otherwise it's pretty much by the book.

I trust it, the standing sequence that is, couple of years practicing ashtanga without injury, you have to put some of that down to the warm up. I've tried practising without it, just the Vinyasa Krama triangle sequence say before moving on to seated or asymmetric, never feel comfortable but then again, in the same way, I include the short tadasana subroutine as soon as I get on the mat and for both VK and Ashtanga

Don't feel dressed without it.

That said, I don't tend to bother with virabhadrasana anymore, sort of got dropped when I started Intermediate. It seems it's common to stop the standing sequence at Utthita Parsvottanasana in 2nd. I've always included the Utthita hasta padangusthasana subroutine though, mainly because I hate it so much and Ardha baddha padmottanasana as well because I have a dodgy knee and think it's good to warm it up early.

Last week I did a post on the five minute Utkatasana and how it's good for waking up the bandhas so I now feel obliged to include that too. Sunday, being Sunday and having more time to practice I decided to throw in the warrior postures, why not, included everything else.

The plan for practice had been half of the VK asymmetric sequence and half of the seated, not a million miles away from Ashtanga primary. After a couple of weeks working on Supine and the gentle backbends I wanted to move on to some forward bending

So off I go merrily through Standing, padangusthasana... da di da di da.... utkatasana, boom bi boom. Virabhadrasana  la li la li la, paschimottanasana....jump back, jump through, Purvottanasana, hum di hum, jump back jump through ....Ardha baddha padm....... HANG ON A SECOND #$%^ How the heck did I end up in Ashtangaland, (EX) ashtangi remember...... oh well why not, carried on and did Primary instead.

It's that pesky Virabhadrasana, I'm telling ya, programmed, hardwired in, new neural pathways or what have you.

Tried it again Monday.

Now, as a rule, in VK you tend to do the asymmetric postures before the Seated paschimottanasana ( actually not a rule at all, very few rules in VK) but no, virabhadrasana and you just HAVE to jump through into paschimottanasana anything else feels wrong, just plain wrong.

I'm brainwashed, one warrior pose, OK two, and I'm salivating for those paschi endorphins, gimmi my treat and gimmi it now master Pavlov.

Megan says that watching my relationship with Ashtanga is like watching some Mexican soap opera ( oh and ten points for bringing in soap opera in the context of a Mysore soap post).

'Hehe, witnessing your relationship (or lack thereof) with Ashtanga is like watching a Mexican soap opera. I know Vinyasa Krama will treat you right, but I can't help but root for crusty old Ashtanga to win your heart in the end ;)'.


No plans to change my blog title and go back to old crusty as yet.

....... and so to practice, Bow and Meditative sequences with a little of that pelvic thrusting from Supine

*The skeleton above is from HEAVY METAL YOGI blog the link under the picture takes you to more of his (?) skeleton posture pictures.