Asana – Comfortable, stable pose
‘Asana' is the third of the eight limbs of the tree of Yoga. The word asana means comfortable, stable pose. Asanas influence the body in various ways. They purify, strengthen and give flexibility, steadiness and discipline to the body. They balance the endocrine, nervous and circulatory systems. Practising asanas prepare the body for the next stages.

Patanjali tells us that the mastery of asanas occurs when practice becomes effortless - "Prayatna saithilya ananta samapattibhyam.” B.K.S. Iyengar translates this sutra as, "perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless" Is it not the same when we see a climber whose movement is fluid and effortless, easy, elegant and aesthetic? Legendary climber John Gill looked for the effortlessness and the aesthetics of pure movement on the rock. He tells us, “a boulder problem is not truly solved if it is not mastered with elegance and grace.”

Brian Cooper explains, “the essence of asana is sometimes described as ‘Sthira Sukha’, meaning strong and comfortable.” Asana and vinyasa must be practised with a balance of strength and relaxedness, effort and surrender. A climber’s movement is the same. A climber must be powerful and strong, but also relaxed and fluid.

The Bhagavad Gita tells us that; "Yoga samatva uchyate." – “Yoga is the state of balance.” Maintaining balance and fluid movement is essential in climbing or when practicing vinyasa or balance postures. When you let go of one hold and reach for the next you must maintain balance, often on tiny holds. When you bring your foot forward into Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) during Surya Namaskara Kha (Sun Salutation B) and reach up with your hands, you must stay in balance.

Jumping in and out of postures, as in Surya Namaskara, keeps the mind alert and improves co-ordination as does keeping in balance on a smooth, slabby climb. Shiva Rea explains that vinyasa is not just a sequence of postures but is the “intelligence that connects one moment, one breath, one action to the next.” Through vinyasa a climber can cultivate a meditative state in a relaxed setting away from the rock, develop a continuity of awareness of breath and become familiar with how it feels to be focused, confident, fluid and continuous from one movement to the next. These subtle proprioceptive insights can be carried over into climbing.

To make smooth transitions and weight transfer when climbing or practicing asanas we must be conscious of our relationship to gravity. Our center of gravity shifts with each movement we make. Aline Newton writes; “Like the air around us, our relationship with gravity is so basic, so fundamental, that we rarely think of it. Yet it underlies - sets the tone for - every one of our actions and behaviours.” Exploring our centre of gravity in asana practice is helpful for climbing. For instance moving from Trikonasana (Triangle) to Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) we learn to transfer our weight onto one foot. This is a similar move to climbing when we step up and transfer our weight onto a foothold and then counterbalance with our free leg to maintain balance.

Precise footwork is one of the most important techniques to master in climbing. Strong, supple feet and mobile ankles are important for climbers. Yoga teaches us to be aware of our feet. Accurate foot placement and alignment is crucial. Brian Cooper says, “As in all asanas, the placement of the feet are fundamental to maintaining lightness, stability and dynamism.”

The same is true for climbers. Tias Little also agrees that, "Every so often, it's a good idea to make your feet your primary focus through a whole Yoga practice. Almost every Yoga pose engages the feet and reflects their actions up through the body in a slightly different way."

Strong legs also play an important role in pushing when climbing. Balance postures “make the leg muscles powerful and gives one steadiness and poise.” One-legged balance postures such as Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Extended Hand to Big Toe Posture) train the proprioceptors in your legs, feet and ankles and cultivate concentration.

Asanas such as Plank, Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff Pose) and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog) support and balance a climber’s antagonist muscles, helping to avoid injuries. Chaturanga Dandasana also helps a climber to understand subtle ‘push and pull’ forces and their relationship to gravity. Brian Cooper tells us, “this asana (Chaturanga Dandasana) means ‘four limbed stick posture’ and the aim is to make the body as rigid as possible. This makes it a highly effective asana where opposing forces must be used intelligently to counteract gravity.” Iyengar tells us, “this pose strengthens the arms and the wrists develop mobility and power.” Wrists, elbows, shoulders and forearms take a lot of stress when climbing. Iyengar tells us that Parsvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch), “relieves stiffness in the leg and hip muscles…… the wrists move freely and any stiffness there disappears……..the posture also corrects round and drooping shoulders.” This asana brings balance to a climber’s overworked back muscles.

A strong core allows us to have smoother, more efficient and better co-ordinated movement. It is as important to have a strong core to stop your feet swinging off when climbing on steep rock as it is to have a strong core in asanas such as Plank, Vasishthasana (Side Plank Pose), Chaturanga Dandasana (Four Limbed Staff Pose) or Purvottanasana (Intense Stretch of the East). Moving from a strong core is essential to climbing fluidly, without effort. Liz Koch explains, "true strength, stability and autonomy comes when the connection between the various parts of you work in harmony.” It is important to be aware and active throughout the pose or a climbing move and not just to maintain tension in one area, such as the arms. The tension can also run through the core, connecting feet to hands. Working with the bandhas, Mula Bandha (Root Lock), and Uddiyana Bandha (Flying Upwards) throughout the practice creates core stability and strength. David Coulter talks about core strength: “A sure way to develop what yogis call inner strength is to tone the abdominal region. If energy in the arms and shoulders is weak, a strong abdomen can give you an extra edge, but if the abdomen is weak, look out, because even the strongest arms and shoulders are likely to fail you.”

B.K.S. Iyengar tells us that “the right method of doing asanas brings lightness and an exhilarating feeling in the body as well as the mind and a feeling of oneness of body, mind and soul.” The same feeling could be said for a climber who has made the right sequence of moves on a challenging climb, where they have worked with gravity and experienced lightness, flow and focus.

Asana sequences for Climbers

Yoga for shoulders, elbows and wrists

Hip Openers, Hamstrings, Adductors & Psoas Sequence

Yoga for Core strength

Yoga for balance/ strength sequence

Yoga for feet (foot awareness for climbers)