The question as to whether Ashtanga is designed just for young boys has been floating around for the last few months in particular.
This picture of the original Mysore palace Shala suggests there might be something to that.
However now we have this from Krishnamacharya's 1941 text Yogasanagalu
'Yogasanas that are suitable for obese body, lean body and underweight body have been listed in the yoga shastra texts ( listed in the table coming up)
Yoga practitioners must perform pranayama on an individual basis. However, yogasanas can be performed individually or as a group. When teaching yoga in a group, it is advised to separate people with obese, lean, and short body types. Otherwise, they will not get their desired results. People with obese body naturally want to get lean. Drill and other exercises also follow this rule. All can not perform all types of practices (sadhanas). Can an obese person run like a lean man? Can he raise and bend hands and legs (in the same fashion)?. For instance, if he runs hard due to drill masters orders, he could be put in danger due to elevated heart rate.
In yoganga practice, asanas that are possible for a lean person are impossible for an obese person. However, we don’t need to increase the number of yoga instructors. Yoga practitioners may be divided approximately on the basis of body type and the same instructor can teach them. In the same way, practitioners with common disease types may be divided and treated (with yoga). Yoga sadhana is without risk compared to many of the body exercises that require equipment'.
from Krishnamachrya Yogasanagalu p14 (screenshot)
Perhaps as the translation continues there will be more on this, which asana, vinyasas, breathing and general approach to take dependent on ones condition.
This picture of the original Mysore palace Shala suggests there might be something to that.
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| Krishnamacharya standing on the young Pattabhi Jois. From the Yoga Makaranda (1934) |
'Yogasanas that are suitable for obese body, lean body and underweight body have been listed in the yoga shastra texts ( listed in the table coming up)
Yoga practitioners must perform pranayama on an individual basis. However, yogasanas can be performed individually or as a group. When teaching yoga in a group, it is advised to separate people with obese, lean, and short body types. Otherwise, they will not get their desired results. People with obese body naturally want to get lean. Drill and other exercises also follow this rule. All can not perform all types of practices (sadhanas). Can an obese person run like a lean man? Can he raise and bend hands and legs (in the same fashion)?. For instance, if he runs hard due to drill masters orders, he could be put in danger due to elevated heart rate.
In yoganga practice, asanas that are possible for a lean person are impossible for an obese person. However, we don’t need to increase the number of yoga instructors. Yoga practitioners may be divided approximately on the basis of body type and the same instructor can teach them. In the same way, practitioners with common disease types may be divided and treated (with yoga). Yoga sadhana is without risk compared to many of the body exercises that require equipment'.
from Krishnamachrya Yogasanagalu p14 (screenshot)
Perhaps as the translation continues there will be more on this, which asana, vinyasas, breathing and general approach to take dependent on ones condition.
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