Ashtanga Yoga. Gregor Maehle

Chaturanga Dandasana.

      Vinyasa Five

      Inhale into Upward Facing Dog.

      Vinyasa Six

      Exhale, draw back and up into Downward Facing Dog.

      These last four vinyasas are the same as in Surya Namaskara A.

      Vinyasa Seven (Virabhadrasana A)

      At the beginning of the inhalation, turn your left foot on its ball and place the heel on an imagined center-line of the mat. The left foot becomes positioned at a 45° angle.

      We now step the right foot forward, with a straight line going through the second toe, the heel of the right foot and the heel of the left foot. The placement of the right foot is crucial. Even when it is only slightly turned out, the tibia (shinbone) will externally rotate, disturbing the subtle balance of the posture. The front knee is bent and remains tracking directly above the ankle. To track the knee farther out beyond the ankle would promote forward travel of the femur (thighbone) on the tibia. Although this movement is prevented by the posterior cruciate ligament, it places undue strain on it and should be avoided. Likewise, to have the knee fall inward or outward of its position above the ankle, while it bears weight, places unnecessary stress on the inside (medial) and outside (lateral) collateral ligaments of the knee joint.

      

      From left, Surya Namaskara B, vinyasa five (Upward Dog) and vinyasa six (Downward Dog)

      

      FIGURE 5 GLUTEUS MAXIMUS

      The low squatting in Utkatasana develops the gluteus maximus. This muscle performs the action of hip extension together with the hamstring group. The hamstrings are the prime hip extensors when the hip joint is flexed less than 15° and the legs are extended. This happens during activities such as walking. If we bend the legs more than 15°, the hamstrings become inefficient since they are two-joint muscles, reaching over the hip joint and the knee joint. This means that we need to squat down low in order to exercise the gluteus maximus.

      

      Work your hips toward being completely square. This aids in stretching the hip flexor group of muscles, which run over the front of the hip joint. Bring the torso vertical so that the shoulders hover above the hips. Be sure to engage the abdominal muscles to draw the lower ribs in, as the back of the chest below the shoulder blades stays broad. The sit bones are heavy and sink toward the floor.

      

      Surya Namaskara B, vinyasa seven (Virabhadrasana A, right side)

      The strength of the back (extended) leg is important in supporting the softening needed to bend deeper into the front hip. This is achieved through totally awakening the back foot by spreading the base of the toes and keeping the outer arch of the foot grounded. Extending out through the heel of this foot will automatically position the foot at the perfect angle complementary to the direction of the knee of that leg. This also enhances the inward (medial) spiraling required by the back leg in this posture. The bent leg spirals outward (laterally) to complement its partner, until a neutral position is reached — that is, when the hips are square. Although there is an obvious preponderance of weight distribution into the forward leg, maintain the action of distributing weight back into the back foot by grounding the heel of that foot. This will create equilibrium between the flow of action in the legs. The strong support of the legs creates a vector of energy that supports the base of the spine and activates the bandhas, enabling the core of the body to rise.

       YOGIC CONTEXT

       Importance of Correct Foot Position

      All foot positions given in the standing postures mirror the direction of the knee at its final position in the posture. In Virabhadrasana A, we attempt to square the hips to the front foot. The knee will eventually face approximately 45° toward the front. If the back foot were, for example, placed at 90°, the knee would have to mediate between a thighbone (femur) that rolls in and a shinbone (tibia) that is turned out. In other words, the knee joint would do the rotation needed to accommodate the position of the foot. A 45° angle is therefore necessary on the back foot to work the hip into the required position. To place the foot so that it faces in the same direction as the knee protects the knee joint from excessive rotational force.

      While arriving in the final posture, the arms are simultaneously being raised above the head. Gaze upward beyond the folded hands.

      Vinyasa Eight

      With the exhalation, lift the left heel off the floor, lower the arms out to the side, drop the sit bones farther, and eventually place your hands down on either side of the front foot. When the hands touch down, step your right foot back to the left foot, feet hip width apart, and lower down into Chaturanga Dandasana.

      Vinyasa Nine

      Inhale into Upward Dog.

      

      From the top, Surya Namaskara B, vinyasa eight (Chaturanga Dandasana), vinyasa nine (Upward Dog), vinyasa ten (Downward Dog), vinyasa eleven (Virabhadrasana, left side), vinyasa twelve (Chaturanga Dandasana)

      Vinyasa Ten

      Exhale into Downward Dog.

      Vinyasa Eleven (Virabhadrasana A)

      Turn the right heel into the center, step the left foot forward, and repeat Virabhadrasana on the left side. The complex movement of stepping forward, lifting the torso, and raising the arms should all be completed on one inhalation without haste. It is a great tool for learning the extension of breath.

      If you run out of breath on the way up, do not hold the breath. Beginners may need to commence by stepping the foot into position at the end of the exhalation in Downward Dog. Otherwise an additional short breath may be taken. You will soon be able to do the movement on one breath. In Ashtanga Yoga, movement is never done during kumbhaka (breath retention).

      Vinyasa Twelve

      With the exhalation, lift the right heel while placing the hands down, step the left foot back, and lower down. Again, this is a movement that requires us to extend the breath.

      Vinyasa Thirteen

      Inhale into Upward Dog.

      Vinyasa Fourteen

      Exhale into Downward Dog. This last Downward Dog is held for five breaths, while the other two are only transitional.

      Vinyasa Fifteen

      On the inhalation, hop forward, landing with the feet together, lift