How long shall one hold an asana?

The different yoga styles have different answers.

• When practicing Ashtanga yoga the asanas are held for 5 breaths. In the early years an asana was held for eight breaths. This makes a long practice even longer. So one day one must had made a decision: 5 breaths are enough.

• The Sivananda yogis hold asanas much longer. The more experienced a yogi is the longer he hols an asana. 5 minutes are standard also for beginners. 10 minutes in headstand is part of the advanced practitioners.

• The BKS Iyengar students also don’t count breaths. They stay in an asana with all the props for quite some time. It makes no sense to get in and out of a composition of body, blocks, straps, chair, wall and whatever. Once you’re in, you stay. Voluntarily.

• In Yin Yoga the asanas are held very long. Once I was in a yin yoga class. To hold the asanas for an ‘eternity’ can be rather challenging. The class was about bearing the pain for me. But that’s what stretching is. I prefer the word discomfort, but discomfort is part of stretching.

Those girls and boys who train for gymnastics know that when they want to stretch, they have to hold positions rather long. The nerve system must feel safe. Stretching happens best when mind and body are relaxed. To create a calm and nice atmosphere with even candles can make sense. A relaxed face, perhaps even a little smile on the face might create miracles.

After today’s gravity class created by Luccas (Bodywork) someone asked if the gravity training is like yin yoga? The answer was' ‘no’. It rather belongs to the gym. Yin yoga shall stretch the ligaments. I don’t know if this is true, I cannot imagine this.

All the training is supposed to complement whatever someone is doing as sportive activity: yoga, running, weight lifting and so on.

I experience a certain imbalance in my body. This is not new. All the forward bending asanas are rather easy for me. Stretching the hip flexor hurts and is a challenge. I did too long primary only.

Learning never stops. I also learn through my mistakes. They are part of every learning process no matter what it is.

Keep practicing, keep learning.