Ashtanga Yoga (with pics :))

I've done various styles for the past 12 years. Had a great ashtanga teacher for almost two, and practiced 3-5 mornings a week. It's a hell of a work out. Then I moved and what I do now isn't the same. The local class is very basic, and on my own, I do the primary series some of the time. Haven't progressed in that style.

 Lovin' the porn though. Is the first one just a really whacked crow?

Oh, and I haven't been able to hold a handstand well since I was in gymnastics in my teens (five years ago or so   )

It is: Parsva Bhuja Dandasana

and I have no idea what that means ... or how that is even physically possible...

Here is a link to a site with pics of the poses to all the series..

Ashtanga Yoga Link

Supta Hasta Padangusthasana

Is this the one?  I like that one too.  Of course my legs don't bend like that... yet

That is an excellent site--thanks for posting the link!

I'd even be motivated if I weren't so freakin' tired.

autumn - 2007-03-06 5:03 PM i did ashtanga yoga once a week with a friend who was training. it was fantastic... and i did the above poses ALL the time.

ya I like to pull out a few of those in T2 to loosen up a little bit  

You win  

Just so we're clear - the added muscle did not make you stiff. Not working on your flexibility made you stiff. 

Tri training is definatly the cause of the stiffness either directly or indirectly.  I was pretty much like gumby before I started yoga.  I could naturally do side splits and easily touch my palms to the ground with an arm bend in a forward fold before I tried yoga.  Now I can barely touch my palms to the ground I wouldn't even attempt a side split. 

Maybe some other aspect of training is causing my body to become more stiff, but the only real change on my actual body is a whole lot of extra muscle on my legs.

Pity all that muscle made him so inflexible  

(van damme.jpg)

So after a quick discussion with my wife who studies muscle mechanics in school I am told you are correct.  

Muscle in itself does will not make you inflexible, but how you put on the muscle and use it will.  So yes my inflexablity is a result of my putting on muscle and tri training, but the addition of muscle does not in it self make one inflexible...