Teacher:
David Procyshyn
Difficulty:
Beginner
Style:
Hatha Yoga
Gentle Yoga
Equipment:
Strap
Block
Bolster
Blankets
Duration:
20
24
(45 votes)
Thunderbolt pose (virasana) can be particularly hard on the knees and ankles, so David shows you how you can sit comfortably using blankets and pillows, while still getting the most from the pose and maintaining the ability to move into other stretches. He also shows you how to make a bolster if you don't have one. This class is a part of a 'Yoga for Beginners' series, which you can find on our Yoga for Beginners page.
Comments
My lower back aches
dchamorro99 1 month ago
Hi David, thank you for these classes, its my first time with yoga and I've been really enjoying it. When I tried this, after I put both my hands in my back, my lower back started to bend forward, is this normal? I kept pushing it back to make my spine more straight but it hurt when I did. I also couldn't connect my hands when my right one was up, is this a problem? I have bad posture and a low degree of kyphosis, should I keep trying?
Thanks!
Re: My lower back aches
David Procyshyn 1 month ago
Hi there. Yes, you can absolutely keep trying, with the understanding that it's best to find out for yourself what you can do to make your posture and alignment feel good. It's difficult for me to give specific advice without seeing you in person, but what I can say is that you can attempt to adapt the poses to your body using the props. For example, if you find it hard to reach your arms back or up without arching your back, use the strap in a way that allows you to reach back a bit less and maintain the length in your lower back.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Take care.
Thank you
Irenchi 2 months ago
Hi David,
I have been wanting to start with yoga since..ages...I had no time to go to any studio (cause of my work style - long hours and frequent travels) and all the tutorials I have found before were not offering what I was hoping for - explanations on how and why...even for very basics...They more looked like mass fitness sessions (the ones where you have to many attendees so teacher cannot focus on you ate all) rather than what yoga should be (or how I kind of pictured in my head)...I realized that I am spending more time and effort to keep up with the pace and figure out what to do, instead of doing the right thing. So I would quit, almost immediately
That's why I want to THANK YOU sooooo much for making me wanting to continue!!!
Defeated before I begin
creek 7 months ago
I feel so defeated. My knees are arthritic and I cannot bend them anywhere close to the video. Is this pose absolutely essential in order to continue to practice yoga? For now I will stick to the chair poses and hope that will also strengthen my legs and hips.
Re: feeling defeated
David Procyshyn 7 months ago
No, sitting on the heels is not so common that it will become a problem if you can’t do it. Most of the time, you’ll be seated on your bum with your legs crossed, and even if the teacher is sitting on their heels, you can sit cross legged if you need to.
Have you done the beginner class on sukhasana? You’ll be fine if you were able to sit relatively comfortably in sukhasana (cross-legged).
Excellent
Lizzie888 7 months ago
In doing these beginner's classes I have come to realise just how bad my posture has become. I am starting to use muscles that have become lazy after years of incorrect alignment. Thank you David I will return to these fundamentals often to ensure I am not cutting corners.
You know, I've been
sarahreneewolfe 10 months ago
You know, I've been practicing yoga on and off for maybe around twenty years. I've never learned the specifics of these basic concepts and poses. I did the first class in this series yesterday. I've been doing most of these very basic poses incorrectly all these years, which explains so much to me about why my body struggles with many poses. I think just about every person who has ever done yoga should watch these classes, no matter how much of an expert they may be. It's always good to go back and refresh the basics anyway. Thank you so much for these videos! I'm so grateful!
A must to start with
tobyglynn 1 year ago
a great place to start (along with episode 1) before you move into more complicated stuff like sun salutations
No excuses now
chopper 1 year ago
This is a good start for all the people who have not done yoga or just want a nice stretch after a long day at work.
Thank you for the all inclusive videos that you share with the world daily dywm!
Peace
tw