Ashtanga Yoga Postures Should Never Be Painful

Doing ashtanga yoga postures in class should never become a competition.  Everyone will do the best they can with the body that they have.  This means that some people will look like the instructor and some will look like anything but.  Before you attempt any ashtanga yoga postures or take any yoga classes, you should ask your doctor if you are well enough to perform yoga.

Talk To Your Instructor

There are some things about your physical condition that your instructor is going to need to know about you to have you safely perform ashtanga yoga postures.  It’s not enough to have a designer jute mat, a headband and fancy organic yoga clothing.  You also need to be honest with your instructor.  You need to tell him or her if you are pregnant, have low blood pressure, have arthritis or have had any surgery.

You also need to let them know when it hurts at any time you do ashtanga yoga postures.  When you are warmed up and reasonably healthy, none of the ashtanga yoga positions you are asked to do should hurt.  If they do, you have to stop.  You won’t get any extra yoga class points by continuing ashtanga yoga poses of they hurt.  The only thing you’ll win is a day in the hospital.

Modifying Positions

One of the usual things you will be asked to do is to touch your toes without bending your knees.  This is physically impossible for some people.  Therefore, their ashtanga postures needs to be modified by the instructor.  You can either bend your knees, or just bend down as far as you can go, even if your fingertips seem miles above your toes.

You may also be allowed to lean against a wall or a sturdy chair in order to help train your body into doing other ashtanga yoga postures.  Sometimes, you are allowed to bring a yoga ball to class and use that in leg lifts or sitting exercises when you can’t do the poses in the usual manner.  These balls are sometimes called “Pilates balls” or simply “exercise balls”.

In conclusion, you are attending a yoga class or instruction for the good of your health, not to hurt your health.  If any pose hurts, stop the pose and tell your instructor.  The instructor would rather see you do some other pose rather than get hurt.  After all, you can’t be one with the universe when you have whiplash.