Yo! GAH!!

Observe this man:

The text reads: "This version of the posture requires considerable strength in the neck, shoulders, and back requiring years of practice to achieve. It should not be attempted without supervision."

Actually, it should not be attempted at all.

In this position, blood pools in the head (the head does not have valves within the veins for venous return to occur to force blood back towards the lungs for re-oxygenation).

Also, the cervical vertebrae are literally being compressed and crushed.

Furthermore, it does not take great strength in the arms, shoulders and back to do this 'position.' In fact, it takes no strength at all.

But it takes great strength to get out of it!

I have no real beef with Yoga. But I do take issue with people putting themselves into positions or performing certain exercises for the purposes of improving their health that actually cause them harm.

Hey I care! So sue me!

Comments

[military]

I've just been letting everything wash over me recently. So it goes. What can I say?

[john]

More or less nothing seems important. It's not important. Shrug. Whatever. I've just been hanging out doing nothing, but eh. I can't be bothered with anything lately.

[John]

The government should be persuaded to pay for all healthcare

[alerating]

People should be allowed to go naked in certain recreational areas only

[lazur]

Nirav, Yoga's been around a while, but all of it was "invented" by "someone". This photo is of BKS Iyengar, founder of one of the two major styles practiced today,(the other being Ashtanga). If he "invented" this pose, who's more qualified? The 89-year-old yogi bases all of his "inventions" on a solid foundation of yogic principles. As far as safety, please consider: 1/ This is an advanced pose, for those with awareness of the dangers and conditioning & knowledge to avoid them. 2/ It's held a very short time, in a continuing series, including movements that "reverse" the effects of this pose, as is common in yoga. 3/ The strength, referred to above, that it takes to get -out- of this pose is the same strength being use -in- the move, to keep it safe; pressing in the opposite direction of what seems apparent. 3/ Although anything can be injurious if done incorrectly or unpreparedly, such poses have a long history of use with no ill effects, (note that Iyengar is close to his current 89 year in this photo)... Why not use theory to explain why the things that work, -do- work, instead of why they don't.

[Fred Hahn]

Nirav,

Thanks for your respose.

'Youge' is it? Wow. Everyone in America that I know of pronounces the word Yoga with 2 syllables - Yo-ga. Thank you for the correction.

And yes I know what Yoga is supposed to be about and for. It is one of the reasons why I wrote the blog.

[Nirav]

Dear Sir,

I don't know whether it matters, but I would like to point out that the correct pronunciation of the word "Yoga" is "Yog" (rhymes with 'vogue').

Well, regarding the 'position' shown, it looks to me as if this one is invented by someone and labelled one of Yoga.

As far as I know about basic Yoga, it is less about a positions (the original words is an 'āsan'). Yoga is more about the way we breathe in and out, while keeping the body in a relaxed position.

Regards,
Nirav
Mumbai, India