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PJ's 30 seconds

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Once more my question. Somebody had posted here

to held every posture longer than 45 seconds. Now,

armed with a nice clock, I counted the seconds in the

video, where P.J. is guiding Richard Freeman and the

other 5 boysn'girls. In every posture P.J. gives them

only 30 seconds! Only 30. - Therefore it makes surely

a great difference in practice I wonder how long to

stay in every posture? What do you think, what do you

do? Lu

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Lu, <br><br>we count the breaths. Usually, we

hold an Asana for five breaths (in and out). Some

Asanas are supposed to be held for ten breaths. Some for

twenty-five. One for one-hundred (sic!). As far as I remember,

the number of breaths for each Asana is indicated in

the books by, e.g. Lino Miele, John Scott and David

Swenson. <br><br>(Don´t be surprised if they contradict

one another in some details)<br><br>Gruesse<br>Thomas

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Thomas, 5 breaths are okay (and in some other

postures some more). Anyhow there is the thing with the

time-time-time. If (like somebody posted) you have to held the

posture for at least 45 seconds, I suppose we have to

breath slowly. Of course, I know that the "right"

breathing is not too slow and not too quick. The velocity

of the breathing seems to be important. But this

depend again how intensive the practice is. - May be we

are talking about nothing. 5 breaths, everyone in his

own rhythm, that's it. But then somebody says 45

seconds to held while P.J. counts only for 30 seconds. A

little bit confusing. I'm sure that there is a great

difference if you held a posture for 30, or for 45 seconds.

But, the result has probably to be: 5 breathing, not

too quick and not too slow, in an own steady rhythm

with no obstruction in the breathing. If then there

are 30 or 45 seconds - who cares? Right?<br>- Thanks,

after 3 days, 6 hours and 25 minutes I leave now

parivritta trikonasana... (uuhh!) Lu (going to

breakfast)(and marry next month)("uuuh" once more)

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HI Lu<br><br>But who the heck tells you to hold a

posture "for at least 45 seconds"? 20 to 30 seconds

should be enough, I say. Never practised with a

stopwatch myself - does anyone here? - but I guess this is

also about the time it takes to breathe 5 times in &

out in ujjayi. But I agree: "5 breaths, everyone in

his own rhythm, that's it." If it takes you 45

seconds instead of 30 to take those 5 ujjayis, so what? I

would also like to add that the longer you practise

astanga yoga, the deeper your breath will become - maybe

due to the stretching effect on the lungs - and the

more time you will need to take the prescribed amount

of breaths. (Fröhliche Hochzeit!)<br><br>Oh, and I

apologise in advance to Khushtanga, Sunfunmoonjune,

Yomamasana2001 and Boredcthis for having so inconsiderately

interrupted their most interesting conversation on Astanga

Yoga. Please go on.

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<<But who the heck tells you to hold a

posture "for at least 45 seconds"? 20 to 30 seconds

should be enough, I say. >><br><br>Why should 20

to 30 seconds be 'enough'? In many other yoga-styles

the postures are held much longer to facilitate

opening of the muscles. Sometimes when I've had a break

in my practise I take 8 breaths in some asanas,

which makes a *big* difference on how far I can

stretch.

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HI<br><br>I myself never take more than the

*officially* prescribed amount of breaths, which in most cases

means 5 ujjayis. But if you like to take more, you are

free to do so, of course.<br><br>However, I think the

original question - I admit to not having followed that

thread too closely - was not "how many breaths are you

supposed to take in a posture?", but "how long does it

take to do the 5 ujjayis?". "At least 45 seconds", as

someone here seems to have suggested, is some seconds too

much, I say. No mistake, you are free to stretch as

long as you like in the poses (I myself practise at a

veeerry slow pace), but then, doing the series this way

risks becoming a never-ending story, don't you think?

(Not all people here have 2-3 hours available for

their daily practice.)

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In Yoga Mala, doesn't it say 5 - 8 breaths for

many of the postures? I don't have it in front of me,

so I may be mistaken, but I'm thinking that's what

it says. So there is some latitude. No need to get

out stop watches, LOL! <br><br>I've heard that on

Sarah Powers' Ashtanga video, she advises to "aim for"

5 seconds on each inhale and each exhale. If you're

following that advice, and using 5 breaths, 45 - 50 seconds

is about what you'll end up spending on an asana.

Depending on how close your aim is.

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>From "The Science of Flexibility", Yoga Journal,

April 2000:<br><br>"Julie Gudmestad, a physical

therapist and certified Iyengar instructor, uses prolonged

asanas with patients at her clinic in Portland, Oregon.

"If they hold the poses for shorter periods, people

get a nice sense of release," Gudmestad explains,

"but they aren't necessarily going to get the

structural changes that add up to a permanent increase in

flexibility." According to Gudmestad, stretches should be held

90 to 120 seconds to change the "ground substance"

of connective tissue. Ground substance is the

nonfibrous, gel-like binding agent in which fibrous

connective tissues like collagen and elastin are embedded.

Ground substance stabilizes and lubricates connective

tissue. And it is commonly believed that restrictions in

this substance can limit flexibility, especially as we

age."

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Hey Screwgee - Thanks a lot for your

informations. I never thought that you are "criminal" of any

sort, and if you felt insulted by my posting, I

apologise for that. Of course, everything I put down here

is my personal opinion only, and I am thankful if

someone cares to correct me if I am wrong.<br><br>Thanks

also to Swan1us: a reminder that I should get the

"Yoga Mala" once and for all.

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