Effortless Effort In Iyengar Yoga, Online Or In-studio
Online yoga Iyengar style: less grunt, more calm
When I first started yoga, I wore out CDs and cassettes trying to learn it from a distance, and I sweated heaps. I tried so hard that I got in my own way. Online yoga Iyengar style, or in the studio, works best when you manage your effort: enough to be steady and awake in a pose, not so much that you grunt your way into it. In the yoga tradition this is called “effortless effort”, and in my experience less grunt leads to more mindful reflection, and to progress.
Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. This article sits in our Iyengar yoga and philosophy notes.
This note in short form
- The idea: in the tradition, a pose comes to perfection as unnecessary effort drops away.
- My story: a frightening arm balance, a lot of wall bashing, and the day I backed off.
- Props: they let you enter a pose without straining, and stay quiet and reflective.
- Backbends: hard work at first, and calmer once breath and refinement arrive.
- The balance: real effort, without the puffing and panting.
- Next step: try a class in the studio in Darwin, or LIVE online.
A backbend beside a creek. Online or in the studio, the aim is steady and calm, not strained.
What is effortless effort in yoga?
It is the idea that a pose becomes perfect as the unnecessary effort drops away. It is an old idea in the yoga tradition. It is a teaching from practice, not a finding from research, and many students find it matches what they feel.
It does not mean letting everything go loose or floppy. In a pose you are steady, alert, quiet and reflective. You can observe yourself, and reflect. Effortless effort definitely requires effort. It is just not the puffing and panting kind.
Half moon builds balance, leg strength and trust.
How did I learn to manage my effort?
When I was younger, I put a great amount of effort into learning the poses. In those days the closest thing to online yoga Iyengar style was CDs and cassettes, and I wore out some of each. I used to sweat heaps.
Full arm balance frightened me. I would wear myself out throwing myself at the wall, time and time again, trying to lift both feet off the floor. This is the pose we now call forearm balance (Pincha Mayurasana).
At some point it gradually dawned on me to back off a bit. I tried to become calmer about what I was attempting. Then I gained new insights, and began to enjoy my practice even more. Managing effort turned out to be key to progress.
A wall and a block let the effort go where it belongs.
How do props help with effortless effort?
Props let you enter a pose without spending so much effort. Once you are in, they let you stay in a way that becomes quiet and reflective. That is the heart of it. You can step back from the pose and see how to do it better.
In forearm balance, for example, you need to be able to stop, step back and reflect. That is hard to do while you are still fighting to get your feet off the floor. For more on how we use blocks, belts, chairs and ropes, see our note on using props in yoga.
Lifting the arms feels light when the legs are steady.
What about backbends?
Backbends were another lesson. Another teacher once told me that when they first started practising backbends, they found it near impossible to lift up. I agree with them. At first it took so much effort that it was hard to imagine the pose could ever feel calm.
But over time you learn to refine your effort. You learn to use your breath so that you can decrease muscular effort, and then you can come into the pose, and stay in it, in a calm way that lets you enjoy the experience.
A chair can take the pose to another level, for example by starting with the feet raised up on a chair. You will need to find the balance between building arm strength to lift up and staying calm, so that you do not overdo it and bring in the wrong tension. Our note on backbend yoga and our note on wheel pose go through the stages.
A backbend on a jetty. Effortless effort is about finding calm while the body works.
What does effortless effort feel like?
It is about finding a point of relaxation, moment to moment. It is a clarity and calmness that you bring to the practice. In forearm balance, it lets you see how to do the pose better, so you can make further improvements.
You are also not goal driven in the way many of us usually understand goals. Yoga is not about achieving the pose, or a level of perfection, as a goal in itself. You are working to become more meditative in your actions. At the same time, you can step back and reflect.
Without that quality of attention, a pose is only physical effort. The mindfulness that comes from effortless effort is also what many students link with mental relaxation and calm intention in their practice. For how long to stay in a pose, see our guide to how long to hold yoga poses.
Chair pose asks for effort in the legs and ease in the face.
Practise this at Flametree
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in the studio at Woolner and Coolalinga in Darwin, and LIVE online.
- New to Flametree? Your first class is free. In the studio, just come along. Online, go to our online class list, click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.
- Beginners: new students, and anyone who has been away three months or more, can get a half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, to use online, in the studio, or both. See the beginner half price pass.
- Already practising yoga? The same half price 10 class pass with 2 extra classes free, for new students and for anyone away three months or more, is also available as the non-beginner half price pass.
- See every class time, including online classes, on the timetable.
Can’t make a class? Practise at home with our video courses.
Online yoga Iyengar style: frequently asked questions
What is effortless effort in yoga?
It is the idea, from the yoga tradition, that a pose comes to perfection as the unnecessary effort drops away. You still work, but you stay steady, alert, quiet and reflective instead of straining.
Does effortless effort mean no effort?
No. It definitely requires effort, but not the puffing and panting kind. In a pose you are steady and alert, not loose or floppy, and you can observe yourself and reflect.
How do props help with effort?
Props let you enter a pose without spending so much effort, and let you stay in it quietly. A chair, block or belt supports the work you cannot do yet, so you can concentrate on the pose instead of fighting it.
Why do I strain and sweat so much in yoga poses?
Many new students try very hard to understand a pose, as I did. Backing off a little and becoming calmer about what you are attempting often brings new insight. A teacher who can see you can help you find how much effort a pose really needs.
How can I get into backbends with less effort?
In our experience, effort drops as you refine the action and learn to use your breath. Props such as a chair can help, for example by raising the feet on a chair. Find the balance between building arm strength to lift and staying calm, so you do not overdo it.
Is yoga about achieving the pose?
In the Iyengar tradition, not as a goal in itself. The aim is to become more meditative in your actions while you work, and to step back and reflect. The pose is the means, not the prize.
Can you learn Iyengar yoga online?
Flametree teaches LIVE online classes, where the teacher can see you and guide you, as well as classes in the studio. Tell your teacher about any injury or health condition before class.
Where can I do online yoga Iyengar style in Darwin?
Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin, at Woolner and Coolalinga, and LIVE online. Your first class is free if you are new to Flametree (in the studio, if you have lived in the NT for three months or more; online, anyone new): in the studio you just come along, and online you click the class time you want and we email you the link to join. The half price 10 class pass is for newcomers and for students who have been away three months or more.
We post more about our classes and teaching on the Flametree Yoga Facebook page.
Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and live online. This article is general information and not medical advice. It describes the experience of one teacher and the teaching of the Iyengar tradition, not research findings.
