Yoga for Life

By

Nancy Dale, Ph.D.

May 6, 2019

Yoga – Modifications to Learn Posture Form

When initiating a new posture, it is important to slow down and evaluate the pose in the mind before attempting to initiate it in the body.  Yoga postures require thought and correct initiation o to obtain the most benefit.  Rushing through poses just to do “Yoga” defeats the purpose.  All new learning takes time and practice in re-shaping thinking, which over time, will show effects in the body.  Modification while learning postures is a great inspiration to any new practice and brings a sense of accomplishment taking small steps to achieve a goal.  Iyengar Yoga which stresses “form” takes patience and fortitude.  Let’s look at “Revolved Triangle” with the 10:30 a.m. YMCA Yoga class using a block for modification to achieve success.

As demonstrated, the “Revolving Triangle Pose” is a standing posture involving a twist to the opposite side of the leg/body and extending one arm into the air.  Study the posture and see if you can initiate it with a block to support balance.

Yoga involves cognitive functioning and retention of information.  If when taking a Yoga class some postures are difficult to initiate, the teacher may suggest the use of a “prop” like a block for support in a standing pose or placing a blanket underneath a thigh or hip if a sitting pose.  A straight back sturdy chair may also be used as a prop to improve balance and stability.  If the teacher notices a person who is listing or favoring one side, this small almost imperceptible tendency may indicate a weaker side as the body may be compensating for a previous injury.  Thus, when initiating a pose, it may be useful to stand in front of a mirror to observe if the shoulders are even and the hips equally distributing the body weight.

To work on strengthening physical weakness in the body, the Practitioner must become conscious of it then adjust the pose and props to even out weight distribution.   Some new-to-Yoga students feel a sense of overconfidence that they should be able to do all the poses immediately which is a false assumption. The body needs time to adjust and balance out discrepancies such as redistributing the weight of the body, lengthening the spine and breathing deeply and slowly while internally making external adjustments.

Each person adapts their practice to where they are at the present moment.  We are not attempting to look like models in Yoga magazine as we begin and we may not be able to initiate all the poses due to our anatomical structure.  We do what we can do and it will still provide a physical benefit.

The magic of Yoga is that we adapt and learn.  Yoga is our individual path to awareness and expansion.  We learn along the way as we improve the way we walk, stand and even sleep more peacefully. 

NANCY DALE  IS A CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR AND WRITES THE COLUMN PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY IN THE HEALTH SECTION OF THE HIGHLANDS NEWS SUN.  SHE TEACHES YOGA CLASSES IN SEBRING, FLORIDA.  CONTACT:  NANCYDALEPHD@GMAIL.COM FOR SCHEDULE