Kino, splits from Ashtanga. Trivikramasana, Supta trivikramasana, Hanumanasana, Sama konasana, Paschimottanasana

"37 Trivikramasana (Figure 4.85)
This has 7 vinyasas. From the 1st to the 5th vinyasas and then the 7th vinyasa, practise following those for utthita hasta padangushtasana. Practise the 2nd and 7th vinyasas as shown in the picture (study it carefully) and remain in these positions. The 2nd vinyasa is the right-side trivikramasana sthiti. The 6th vinyasa as shown is the left-side trivikramasana sthiti. The picture shown here only demonstrates the left-side trivikramasana. It is important that equal recaka and puraka kumbhaka must be carefully observed while practising this asana. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. Both legs must be held straight and must not lean or bend to any side.

Benefit: Not only will it maintain the body in an equal balanced sthiti, it will rapidly awaken kundalini. " from Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda

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Have to admit I was all Kino'd out for a while there.

So many videos, felt like a new one released everyday, too much.

All good stuff of course, Kino has the BEST practice tips, hopefully these will have found their way into her upcoming book, The power of Ashtanga yoga.

Wish she'd been making and releasing all these videos back when I first started, as it was I had to pretty much work it all out for myself. With Kino and David Garrigues's short video tutorials on Youtube and Vimeo, Home Ashtangi's just coming to the practice are spoiled for choice.

This is a good thing right, or does it encourage/allow us to move on to yet another posture and then another more quickly than perhaps we should.

Speaking personally, I raced to and through Advanced B, thinking perhaps that my age was against me ( being mid 40's ) and if I didn't hurry I'd be too old for the later series ( I know, don't say it). Once I got there I slowed right down, dropped most of the fancy stuff and went back to basics. Quite happy currently re exploring Primary and a little back bending on the side. Sometime after Manju's course I'll probably go back to full 2nd, tend to think of the Advanced series now more in the sense of spice, add the odd Advanced posture to something in Primary or 2nd as an extension.

One thing I never could work out for myself though was the splits, ....actually that's not true, I managed Hanumanasana eventually and even Samakonasana, although I haven't tried either for a year or so, both long gone.

Trivikramasana and supta trivikramasana were the two postures from 3rd, or Advanced A, that I never felt I really nailed, they were lame attempts and perhaps the only postures left in Ashtanga that I thought would always be beyond me, just didn't believe I was built for them.

How often have we said that but here's Kino making you think that perhaps I spoke too soon. As ever she makes the impossible sound possible, plausible, even probable with the appropriate amount of practice and dedication.

So here are all Kino's recent split videos in one place. If you only have time to watch one I recommend the second on Supta Trivikramasanathat's, the one that blew me away(so that's how it's done) and reminded me why Kino still rocks.

Fot the first couple of years I used to work at certain postures or 'moves' away from my regular practice. So I would do my main practice in the morning and then in the evening work on jump through's or floating to standing, back bending, splits, whatever. Vinyasa Krama helps here as you can employ a subroutine that leads you up nicely to the posture your working on. I'm currently trying to keep my backbends ticking over while I focus on Primary for Manju's workshop in August. So I'll do some of the Vinyasa Krama Bow and Meditative sequence subroutines leading up to Kapo and then hang out there for a longer stay followed by a counter posture or two. That kind of approach to working on something new seems to be a better approach then buggering up the rhythm of your main practice and makes a nice lead in to my main pranayama (which centres the mind after all that work on/towards a particular posture) and meditation practice.

If your still relatively new to the practice then don't even think about trying this (love you hamstrings, be good to them, the slightest pull will make practice uncomfortable for months and I won't even think about trying these again until after Manju's workshop in August.) but instead note that in all of these I think she stresses the importance of a good forward bend. Paschimottanasana that first asana in Primary series (apart from danadasana) that we so often take for granted ( know I used to ) still perhaps the greatest asana in all the Ashtanga series....with perhaps the exception of Samasthith.

Kino's Paschimottanasana video is at the end and I've also included Mark Darby's because it's excellent.

Nice Supta trivkramasana at the frount of this picture of Krishnamacharya 1930's Mysore palace school. A young Pattabhi Jois supposedly being stood on by Krishnamacharya while in Kapo.

And Tomorrow...

Tomorrow is my Day off,

Research day!

Last week was this post

Research: Full Vinyasa Primary, 10 long slow full inhalations and exhalations in every asana. How Long?

Last week was just too much at 3 hours 40 minutes. Trying to decide how to approach it tomorrow.

A full Vinyasa with the long slow inhalations and exhalations?

or

a regular primary but with 10 breaths in every posture?

UPDATE
Full Vinyasa with the long slow inhalations and exhalations (8 seconds each)? it is.