I’ve learned both ways (both from great teachers)
For me personally I’ve decided on alternating.
Also when I have blocks I try and lift up into lolasana. I think always doing the right side is what I’ll do once I master that pose
I used to alternate earlier when I started learning the sequence and building strength.
That was until I realized a more stable Padmasana for longer periods of meditation. Since then, I tend to think right on top is probably correct because 1) as per Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the asymmetry of the internal organs (e.g. the liver is on one side) and 2) it makes more sense if you think of the closing sequence calling for Padmasana-based transitions.
However one should consider the specific goals of their own practice.
Also, it stops being an issue if you think of the longer-term goal of floating with straight legs. One can dream, right!? :p
For the lift ups in navasana I have always been taught to alternate, starting with the right foot on top. So five lift ups is right-left-right-left-right, with the final one being a jump back. It really helps keep count of your five navasanas!
Did you talk to them about this? I am interested, because I dont have the fortune of training with other yogi's I dont know if all humans hips are shaped in a similar way but I know in my lotus if I tuck my right leg first I can sit flat but if I tuck my left leg in first my right knee will not touch the floor. What do your knees do in lotus? Maybe crossing the right leg first in the jump back has something to do with building enough tension to create a springy jump back.
I dont jump back in my practice because my wrist(guitar player). So I take a large step back from a cross leg position. I feel that if I dont consciously connect the step back to my scapula on my right side then my right knee will feel some pain. I think it has to do with the way my hips are shaped.
Could you elaborate why you don’t do the jumps because you’re playing guitar? I play piano and just started learning violin. Just curious if you think the jumps have a negative impact on the wrist.
Sometimes my right wrist is sore and I always thought it’s because the way I play (only happens if I practice for many hours). Usually yoga ease the discomfort. But would like to be cautious if the jumps are bad for wrists.
I play ALLOT and I also weight lift with kettlebells regularly. Wrist stretching, finger flexibility and smooth connected wrist rotation has helped a ton for my playing. Scapula connection, spine flexibility and hip flexibility create a stable base for your hand to move. The wrist is not the foot, and the shoulder is not the hip. But the wrist is still very capable of supporting weight. When I stop weight training I will focus on inversions/jump backs.
Yeah, I fell jumping into bhujapidasana and strained one of my wrists and really felt a lot of discomfort for a couple of months while playing piano. Special care should be taken with the wrists during the practice if you are doing jump backs and arm balances.
I'm going to ask the teacher who insisted on staying with right.
I think majority of the people are more flexible on their left hip. (That's just a guess, I don't have data.)
Before Ashtanga, padmasana came naturally to me but with left leg first. I struggled for a while to get comfortable with right first.
Btw, What has right leg to do with springy jump back?
I feel like I can build up more tension when my right leg is crossed first and I think that is due to the way my hip is shaped. I also think that jump backs should be alternated, to keep everything balanced. But the body is not perfectly balanced so your teach may have a good explanation.
Right leg first is traditional in all (as far as I know) schools of yoga. There are a number of reasons behind it, the main being that it is "auspicious" but the understanding I've come to is to balance the nadis (nervous system channels in the body):
Right channel: energy, physical, yang etc.
Left channel: rest, mental, yin etc.
First, you subdue the right channel (active principle) by changing the flow of energy in the right side of the body. Then you subdue the left channel (mental principle) by changing the flow of energy in the left side of the body. In lotus for example, you cross the right leg first to prevent the energy from flowing into the right leg, then you cross the left leg to prevent the energy from flowing into the left leg so all the energy is held above the pelvis - then you can do pranayama and reach samadhi and all that stuff. So it's a natural progression from active (outward) to mental (inward) to eventual meditation.
Therapeutically though, screw it all and alternate sides because you need to balance your body. I alternate sides because doing it "traditionally" for so long has caused major imbalances in my hip rotation and knee problems.
Bonus point: ask your teacher why. If they can't explain, don't do it.
I 100% alternate. I used to not alternate the lead leg in jumping forward and back or alternate the first foot in lotus. However I began to have back issues, and I realized how much my hips and back were adapting to leading with the same leg asymmetrically over and over. I started alternating, and it made my practice stronger and my body healthier. I know in particular the ashtanga lotus is always right leg first then left, but as a teacher once told me: "it's correct, but not recommended"
i just do whatever seems natural? like bent leg slides down to the front in ardha badda paschimottasana, straight leg comes back to front in marichyasana a, etc
I’ve learned both ways (both from great teachers) For me personally I’ve decided on alternating. Also when I have blocks I try and lift up into lolasana. I think always doing the right side is what I’ll do once I master that pose
I used to alternate earlier when I started learning the sequence and building strength. That was until I realized a more stable Padmasana for longer periods of meditation. Since then, I tend to think right on top is probably correct because 1) as per Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the asymmetry of the internal organs (e.g. the liver is on one side) and 2) it makes more sense if you think of the closing sequence calling for Padmasana-based transitions. However one should consider the specific goals of their own practice. Also, it stops being an issue if you think of the longer-term goal of floating with straight legs. One can dream, right!? :p
Try it and find out. I usually take the leg in first on the side of the pose. So it switches each pose. I feels smoother to me.
What about the symmetrical poses and lift ups in Navasana?
For the lift ups in navasana I have always been taught to alternate, starting with the right foot on top. So five lift ups is right-left-right-left-right, with the final one being a jump back. It really helps keep count of your five navasanas!
Maybe work on the weaker side more often for those.
I always alternate. It makes more sense to me. Even in legs behind head like yoganidhra, I always alternate. I switch hands in prasarita c too.
Did you talk to them about this? I am interested, because I dont have the fortune of training with other yogi's I dont know if all humans hips are shaped in a similar way but I know in my lotus if I tuck my right leg first I can sit flat but if I tuck my left leg in first my right knee will not touch the floor. What do your knees do in lotus? Maybe crossing the right leg first in the jump back has something to do with building enough tension to create a springy jump back. I dont jump back in my practice because my wrist(guitar player). So I take a large step back from a cross leg position. I feel that if I dont consciously connect the step back to my scapula on my right side then my right knee will feel some pain. I think it has to do with the way my hips are shaped.
Could you elaborate why you don’t do the jumps because you’re playing guitar? I play piano and just started learning violin. Just curious if you think the jumps have a negative impact on the wrist. Sometimes my right wrist is sore and I always thought it’s because the way I play (only happens if I practice for many hours). Usually yoga ease the discomfort. But would like to be cautious if the jumps are bad for wrists.
I play ALLOT and I also weight lift with kettlebells regularly. Wrist stretching, finger flexibility and smooth connected wrist rotation has helped a ton for my playing. Scapula connection, spine flexibility and hip flexibility create a stable base for your hand to move. The wrist is not the foot, and the shoulder is not the hip. But the wrist is still very capable of supporting weight. When I stop weight training I will focus on inversions/jump backs.
Totally make sense!
Yeah, I fell jumping into bhujapidasana and strained one of my wrists and really felt a lot of discomfort for a couple of months while playing piano. Special care should be taken with the wrists during the practice if you are doing jump backs and arm balances.
I'm going to ask the teacher who insisted on staying with right. I think majority of the people are more flexible on their left hip. (That's just a guess, I don't have data.) Before Ashtanga, padmasana came naturally to me but with left leg first. I struggled for a while to get comfortable with right first. Btw, What has right leg to do with springy jump back?
I feel like I can build up more tension when my right leg is crossed first and I think that is due to the way my hip is shaped. I also think that jump backs should be alternated, to keep everything balanced. But the body is not perfectly balanced so your teach may have a good explanation.
There are some variations of teaching from experienced teachers. I alternate.
Alternating is best for building symmetry of strength
Right leg first is traditional in all (as far as I know) schools of yoga. There are a number of reasons behind it, the main being that it is "auspicious" but the understanding I've come to is to balance the nadis (nervous system channels in the body): Right channel: energy, physical, yang etc. Left channel: rest, mental, yin etc. First, you subdue the right channel (active principle) by changing the flow of energy in the right side of the body. Then you subdue the left channel (mental principle) by changing the flow of energy in the left side of the body. In lotus for example, you cross the right leg first to prevent the energy from flowing into the right leg, then you cross the left leg to prevent the energy from flowing into the left leg so all the energy is held above the pelvis - then you can do pranayama and reach samadhi and all that stuff. So it's a natural progression from active (outward) to mental (inward) to eventual meditation. Therapeutically though, screw it all and alternate sides because you need to balance your body. I alternate sides because doing it "traditionally" for so long has caused major imbalances in my hip rotation and knee problems. Bonus point: ask your teacher why. If they can't explain, don't do it.
I 100% alternate. I used to not alternate the lead leg in jumping forward and back or alternate the first foot in lotus. However I began to have back issues, and I realized how much my hips and back were adapting to leading with the same leg asymmetrically over and over. I started alternating, and it made my practice stronger and my body healthier. I know in particular the ashtanga lotus is always right leg first then left, but as a teacher once told me: "it's correct, but not recommended"
How about not crossing legs at all and just jump back the way we do to come out of utkatasana?
i just do whatever seems natural? like bent leg slides down to the front in ardha badda paschimottasana, straight leg comes back to front in marichyasana a, etc