When practiced consistently and for a long period of time, yoga can make the seemingly impossible possible, right?

Have you ever witnessed a yogi demonstrate a jump back or a jump through? They make it look so simple and graceful (maybe you’ve experienced a few “crash and burn” attempts yourself—I know I have). For those of us who haven’t given up and are still working on this transition, the road tends to seem long and steep—and from time to time our toes and egos may get a little bruised.

Level-2 Authorized Ashtanga Yoga teacher and co-owner and director of the Ashtanga Yoga Centre of Toronto, David Robson, has recently released the second series of Learn to Float. This DVD is an instructional video on jumping back and jumping through.

Rest assured, these transitions aren’t meant to be easy—as David says, “they can be really, really challenging.”

In the DVD, David reminds us that, by simply attempting these transitions, we create a deep internal heat, which in turn promotes a deep detoxification and purification. I’d like to add, that a sincere attempt also includes a profound possibility of recalibrating our perception of what is possible—and, you know the saying, “practice and all is coming.”

In this DVD, David reminds us of two key alignment principles from the first Learn to Float DVD:

1. Movement follows breath—”maintain a calm breath and calm mind will follow”
2. Make each vinyasa a straight line—“with a steady focus and a calm mind, samskaras can be burned away by the heat of the practice”

David then shares five different ways to jump back and jump through as well as key exercises to develop strength and flexibility, including hints and tips. The five ways to jump back and jump through progress in level of difficulty from basic to advanced. There’s something for everyone at every level. The exercises that David shares are challenging (and dare I say fun!?). And yeah, David says, they’re meant to be hard.

This DVD is about 30 minutes long and I recommend it to teachers and to students wanting to go deeper.

“A trained body is not necessarily a sign of a trained mind.” —David Robson

Also read:

Guaranteed Transformation, If You Want It.

Correct Vinyasa: It’s Really, Really F*cking Hard.

Yoga DVD Review: Learn to Float.

David Robson leads one of the world’s largest Mysore programs at Ashtanga Yoga Center of Toronto (AYCT). For more information, please visit the AYCT website.

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