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Studio
Photos |
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Classes in the Iyengar method and at Friendship Yoga are organized by skill/ability levels. Most students begin with an Intro class and everyone is encouraged to progress to Level 1 and beyond. Please See the class
descriptions for the pre-requisites for the Level 2 and 3 classes. The Ageless class is for older students or anyone who needs a less challenging, gentler class.
The
photos shown here on the website portray how students of
different levels (Ageless to Level 3) approach the same
pose with more or less props depending on their ability.
These photos are artificial in the sense that it was an
arranged session, not a real class. I invited 1 or 2 students
of each level to demonstrate to the viewer (and hopefully
prospective student) that Friendship Yoga welcomes students
of all ages, and levels of fitness.
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Nancy Footner
"Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence, benevolence of spirit."
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
"Practice of yoga is to remove weeds from the body so that the garden can grow. If the ground is too hard, what life can grow there? If the body is too stiff and the mind is too rigid, what life can it live?"
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
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Level
3 students practice adho muka vrksasana (full
arm balance) at the wall.
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Up they go! |
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Real men practice Iyengar yoga and use props when appropriate.
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An older student can practice with more support. Nancy adjusts Barby’s hips so that she can use the wall to support her balance. Iyengar yoga teachers are trained to modify the poses for the individual student while keeping a class working in a unified fashion.
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Students
of varied levels practicing prasaritta padotanasana (legs
spread wide apart, Intense stretch). The closer the head is
the the floor, the more challenging the pose. Eve demonstrates
a more advanced variation with her hands in pachima namaskarasana,
so her legs and head must work hard to maintain her balance.
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Students of varied levels practice supta pandangustasana with
the appropriate support so as to work safely to stretch legs and
bring mobility to the hips. Many people's back problems originate
from tight hamstrings. Runners, bicyclists and anyone who spends
a lot of time sitting can suffer from stiff legs and hips.
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Uttanasana (standing forward bend) practiced with and without support. |
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Adho muka svanasana practiced by students of varied levels. Stiffer students can use ropes to help then lift their hips and buttocks. Placing your hands on a chair or block helps to bring the weight to the legs with less strain for those with weak arms or legs. Everyone benefits by taking their head down below their heart.
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Students practicing a beginning version of adho muka vrksasana builds strength, courage, determination and a strong will. |
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Here
are two students practicing backbends appropriate to their
levels. Gerry, an Ageless student uses props to open up his
chest, while stabilizing his legs at the wall and a block
supports his head. Eve practiced urdhva dhanurasana (upward
bow pose), without support.
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Students of varied levels practicing supported and unsupported backbends.
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Students of varied levels practicing supported and unsupported backbends.
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Many suffer neck problems from stiff shoulders. With block under his head to stabilize the cervical spine, the stiffer student can begin to open his shoulders, upper back and chest . Gradually with persistent practice the shoulders become more mobile, and the neck will benefit.
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Students practicing variations or levels of sirsasana. |
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Students practicing variations or levels of sirsasana. |
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A student with neck issues can still practice sirsasana (head balance) either with chairs or ropes.
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The study of inversion begins with sarvangasana (shoulder
stand). Preliminary to that Is settubandha or bridge
pose. Sarah inverts the bridge pose at the wall.
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Steven practices supported halasana (plow pose) with a chair.
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Sue demonstrates a variation of sarvangasana with chair support.
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Barby, with stiff knees show us how to get up off the floor with her brilliant invention.
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"You
are as young as your spine is flexible. Maintaining the health
and Integrity of the spine is the central theme of Iyengar
yoga."
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