r/ashtanga
Vashistasana or vishvamitrasana??
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The Question
So I'm a bit confused, because I was given this pose as vashistasana, then looking it up online i saw that it is actually callesd vishvamitrasana in the ashtanga yoga tradition. And then I went to a workshop and the teacher called is vashistasana again. Please help https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp1-de5pzpg
— via r/ashtanga
Our Response
Okay.
Vishvamitrasana is the Ashtanga name. It's in second series.
Vashistasana is side plank. Totally different pose.
What's happening here is simple: whoever taught you first got it wrong. Then the workshop teacher got it wrong too.
This happens all the time. Teachers outside the Ashtanga tradition see a pose with your leg behind your shoulder and call it whatever they learned somewhere else.
Not their fault. They just weren't taught the Ashtanga names.
Here's what you need to know: in the system you're practicing, it's Vishvamitrasana. Leg behind the shoulder. Facing forward. Arm through.
Vashistasana is completely different. Side plank. Stacked feet. One arm down.
If you're practicing Ashtanga, use the Ashtanga name.
If you want to see the full breakdown of where Vishvamitrasana shows up in second series, check the Intermediate Series study guide on the site.
You're not confused. You just got bad information twice.
Now you know.
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