Organized training - Superior training

To show again the superiority of organized training(gymnastics, circus, etc) as opposed to recreational training (bboying, capoeira, Yoga, etc) here are a couple of old clips of some handbalancing feats. Mainly one arm handstand hops.

The first one is of a guy jumping down stairs on one arm. No bboy that I have seen to this day has the accurecy, strength and balance to perform that. The performer stops for a brief one arm handstand after each hop. Then... He jumps up the stairs. We are talking about a staircase that would be difficult for some people to jump with one LEG...

Notice the full body explosiveness that passes like a wave through his body:

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By the way, the other feat that follows is not an easy one also...

The next clip is of some amazing handstand control, including a more than 6 min one arm handstand work without comming down, various jumps on one arm, over sticks, and more and more...

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Enjoy,

Ido.

Great find Ido. I loved the first one. I really liked the two handed jumping down the stairs with his partner doing a one arm handstand on his neck! I also liked the intense V-sit with the partner doing a handstand on his feet! 8)

niftyvt said:

Great find Ido. I loved the first one. I really liked the two handed jumping down the stairs with his partner doing a one arm handstand on his neck! I also liked the intense V-sit with the partner doing a handstand on his feet! 8)

Oi Gevahlt!!!!!!!!

Great vids Ido! but I have seen bboys doing the jumps downstairs in one arm. Anyway, is true that organized training is superior than recreation, but many bboys have understood it and aply it in some things nowadays, as I do.

Spanyard, provide a video link for a bboy jumping up stairs on one arm (I will let go of the cane requirement - the circus performers are jumping on a 3 " X 3 " size cube, but lets be nice) and I will eat my hat.

Until then, please understand - the one arm jumping skills that are performed on these videos goes light years ahead of even the best one arm bboy hopper. Height, power, accurecy, balance, control, body line, control of the direction of movement, effeciency, ease, performance stability (every night on stage), and more and more and more.

These chinese performers put up more time on their hands than most people put standing up on their feet during their lifetime.

Ido,

But for one pose, there are generally no dynamic strength poses in the ashtanga vinyasa yoga tradition.

However, the fourth pose in the 5th series is called eka hasta vrksasana, or a one-handed handstand.

I am afraid you will have to journey to Mysore, India, or study with a teacher who has completed the fifth series in order to learn it. I only know of four.

Similar to gymnastics strength progressions, within the auspices of the Mysore tradition you would also have to progress sequentially through the previous four series.

best,

jason

Those are good videos, I found a link to the fifth series of the ashtanga system with pictures and a description of how to breathe while doing it. Yoga looks fun and I took classes for about two weeks a few months back but I feel like strength should be a higher priority at the moment. And I doubt anyone in Utah is past the 2nd series anyway.

http://www.absolutelyashtanga.com/yoga_5.html

Jason, brother,

Interesting information, I was searching for a long time for a Yogi who can stand on one arm and didnt find any.

Headlock, in the photo you provide, the woman demonstrating cannot maintain this position for more than a second. She is not aligned correctly. 5 breaths? Not in that position, my friend.

I am sure some Yogis were able to achieve the one armer, the more talented ones that trained specificly for it, but of course Yoga is not the road you want to take if you are after such goals. It can help with some issues, but there is knowledge accumulated on the subject that you want to aproach directly and invest some serious training time using it.

Ido.

Ido,

Of course you are correct.

Students would ask my Indian teacher, Pattabhi Jois, who has recently passed, about fifth series. Most people are significantly challenged by the first 2 series. He would laugh and say, "Fifth series? Circus performers only!"

best,

jason

Mata,

This is the problem with the web. The sequence of poses to which you have posted is not the fifth series of ashtanga vinyasa. The fifth series as I have seen it taught in Mysore is very different than this.

That web site is a Western teacher's best reconstruction of what he could piece together; the photos are of various students approximating the poses.

This web site caused a bit of, shall we say, discussion in the ashtanga community when it first appeared. It does attempt to demystify and present in an approachable fashion some of the more advanced poses, which is commendable.

The video below is of Sharath performing 2-3 asanas each from second, third, fourth and fifth series of ashtanga. Unfortunately, there is no one-arm handstand.

But it provides an idea of the rigorous progressive practice of these asanas. It also really drives home the fact that asana practice is not performance-based --- Sharath practices with an almost disregard for external form. Arms aren't locked out, feet aren't pointed, etc, etc. It is utilitarian to an extreme.

best,

jason

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I own Sharath's primary series DVD and plan to incorporate it into my routine eventually, thank you for the clarification on form, I don't understand the finer details of all the movements. I have heard that Iyengar practices asana's with a focus on proper form would this make a difference? And why do you think Yogis don't emphasize external form? I realize yoga has other goals then performance but why wouldn't performance be included?

Adam

mata_leao said:

I own Sharath's primary series DVD and plan to incorporate it into my routine eventually, thank you for the clarification on form, I don't understand the finer details of all the movements. I have heard that Iyengar practices asana's with a focus on proper form would this make a difference? And why do you think Yogis don't emphasize external form? I realize yoga has other goals then performance but why wouldn't performance be included?

Adam

In answer to your last two questions, I'll quote a bit from Shandor Remete (founder of the Shadow School),

The process of enlightenment is a dynamic evolving activity, and not a fixed state of attachment, as many conceive it to be. The practice of yoga requires an open, fluid and sensitive mind, which should not be confused with an emotional mind. Although many present day styles describe themselves as both fluid and flowing, the focusing on any one quality or attribute concels a very lack of openness and fluidity. Whether it be flowing style, power-based or alignment-oriented, the very focus demonstrates that the mind is infatuated with one aspect of the practice. This leads to excessive use of techniques or movements or points of adjustment that results in an unnecessary waste of time and energy. The complex and attractive appearance of such styles conceals a lack of roots. Hatha Yoga is a system of self-cultivation by which the individual frees himself from the burden of the world and its bondage.

Yoga's final goal is to differentiate the soul from everything that is not the soul. Performance with this in mind becomes an attachment.

Adam,

My experience with the yoga has been: it doesn't matter which methodology you choose, ashtanga, Iyengar, viniyoga, etc, etc. Some systems tend to have more depth than others.

Just pick one style and stick with it.

As for the performance aspect --- this question ties into the fitness and therapeutic value of an asana practice. Yes, the asanas can be made to look pretty, they can make you fitter in certain areas, and they can help you recover and rehabilitate injuries.

However the point of yoga is yoga. It is both the means and the end. Any other benefits are secondary or ancillary.

The standing sequence of the first two series of ashtanga vinyasa would be a terrific practice for anyone looking to safely and consistently increase their flexibility.

best,

jason