when to split?
When David Garrigues came to visit our yoga studio, he added Bakasana A & B, Bharadvajasana, and Ardha Matsyendrasana to my daily practice. These additional poses pushed my practice over the 2 hour mark. And although I have the ability to make time for it, the length of my practice has started to wear on me.
Admittedly, I have been looking around the Mysore Room (on occasion) and noticed a few of my fellow ashtangis “splitting their practice.” Knowing that everyone’s practice is tailored, to a certain extent, to meet their needs, I figured that my teacher, Erika Abrahamian would let me know when I could also split off from primary before completing all of the poses and begin second.
Well, the desire to split my practice has been growing for some time now – and there has not been any indication from my teacher that a change would be coming. I began to wonder if there was a reason she wanted me to do all of the poses. I didn’t think it was to build endurance. I think I have shown that to her. Oh, but I AM tired. Perhaps I haven’t shown that outwardly, but indeed I am. Maybe, the reason she keeps me doing the entire primary plus all my given 2nd series poses has something to do with my hamstrings or my hypermobile joints. Whatever the reason: I didn’t know. To be honest, a part of me was afraid to ask. Yet, knowing the reason why would be helpful for me to continue on for from my perspective I have reached a point of “diminishing returns.”
I finally got up enough courage to ask about it. I told her that it was not that I didn’t have the time allotment, or the endurance. It was just that I am always sore and am often tired at the end of my practice. I told her that I tried easing up on the effort on alternating days by skipping vinyasas in the seated poses or not worrying about working the seemingly-impossible jump-back – without any change in my achiness. If anything, I was even more sore. I have since returned to working the jump-backs consistently. Now I am tired AND sore.
Well, guess what she said?
She said “okay.” I can move to Pasasana after Navasana, Supta Kurmasana, Baddha Konasana or after completing all of primary.