Edge of tomorrow - Yoga pose.
July 14, 2014 5:37 AM Subscribe
Is the yoga pose shown in Edge of tomorrow possible?
I do yoga, learned a little bit in Yoga to the people in New York and later followed the Man Flow Yoga videos. (lots of free stuff on youtube).
Recently I saw edge of tomorrow. A yoga pose was shown there that looked intriguing to me. I tried it and it seemed impossible to me. I googled a little bit, it may be a "planche pose". Unfortunately I don't find much about it. I found this picture. I tried it. It is hard but seems doable.
But in the movie her hand seem to point not to the back but to the front. Is this possible or was this "movie art"? If it is possible, where do I find more information?
I do yoga, learned a little bit in Yoga to the people in New York and later followed the Man Flow Yoga videos. (lots of free stuff on youtube).
Recently I saw edge of tomorrow. A yoga pose was shown there that looked intriguing to me. I tried it and it seemed impossible to me. I googled a little bit, it may be a "planche pose". Unfortunately I don't find much about it. I found this picture. I tried it. It is hard but seems doable.
But in the movie her hand seem to point not to the back but to the front. Is this possible or was this "movie art"? If it is possible, where do I find more information?
Response by poster: Yeah, It is peacock pose. I am a guy, my boobs won't be a hindrance. But I don't see any picture with the hand pointing toward the front. This must be impossible.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:45 AM on July 14, 2014
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:45 AM on July 14, 2014
The hands-forward planche position is the more common one that I've seen. Yes, it's doable.
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:49 AM on July 14, 2014
posted by Metroid Baby at 5:49 AM on July 14, 2014
Response by poster: @ Rainydayfilms
Yes, the teacher does something similar. But his legs are elevated, his body is not planar. The weight is much more distributed towards his center by doing this.
@ Metroid Baby
Close. This guy is close. But I doubt he could stay in this pose planar. He is there for less then a second each push up. In the movie she seems to meditate in this pose.
I still think that is physically impossible to do.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:56 AM on July 14, 2014
Yes, the teacher does something similar. But his legs are elevated, his body is not planar. The weight is much more distributed towards his center by doing this.
@ Metroid Baby
Close. This guy is close. But I doubt he could stay in this pose planar. He is there for less then a second each push up. In the movie she seems to meditate in this pose.
I still think that is physically impossible to do.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:56 AM on July 14, 2014
Response by poster: I mean, do this what this guy does with his hands pointed forward:
http://www.yogatrail.com/yoga-poses/media/2013-11/yoga-pose-peacock-pose-6230-1.jpg
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:59 AM on July 14, 2014
http://www.yogatrail.com/yoga-poses/media/2013-11/yoga-pose-peacock-pose-6230-1.jpg
posted by yoyo_nyc at 5:59 AM on July 14, 2014
It is not physically impossible to do. I have seen with my own seeing eyes my yoga teacher do it with both hands forward and hands facing backwards. Also hands facing outwards/sideways, while holding on to the sides of a yoga block.
posted by elizardbits at 6:03 AM on July 14, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by elizardbits at 6:03 AM on July 14, 2014 [5 favorites]
I just watched this clip from Emily Blunt's appearance on Conan O'Brien's show where she talks about doing that pose. What I gathered from it was that she could actually do it for not-insignificant lengths of time, although for long shots she had wires around her ankles.
posted by undue influence at 6:21 AM on July 14, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by undue influence at 6:21 AM on July 14, 2014 [4 favorites]
I didn't see the film but there's a post about her posing here (including a video of the scene) and she has one hand outstretched for balance. The wires around the ankles also makes sense. If you watch the video, at 43 seconds there is the scene of her holding the pose.
Far away screenshot of the pose here.
"I mean, do this what this guy does with his hands pointed forward:
http://www.yogatrail.com/yoga-poses/media/2013-11/yoga-pose-peacock-pose-6230-1.jpg"
She isn't really doing that either though? Her body is on much more of an angle. And one hand is outstretched.
posted by the webmistress at 6:31 AM on July 14, 2014
Far away screenshot of the pose here.
"I mean, do this what this guy does with his hands pointed forward:
http://www.yogatrail.com/yoga-poses/media/2013-11/yoga-pose-peacock-pose-6230-1.jpg"
She isn't really doing that either though? Her body is on much more of an angle. And one hand is outstretched.
posted by the webmistress at 6:31 AM on July 14, 2014
Yes this is definitely possible and not so uncommon. It's a peacock variation and I've seen advanced yogis do it many many times.
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:34 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:34 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Yes, this is totally possible and more frequently done by gymnasts and strength athletes.
If you want to spend 6 months or so learning to do it, this gymnastics coach shows progressions and variations.
http://www.dragondoor.com/articles/building-an-olympic-body-through-bodyweight-conditioning/
posted by littlewater at 6:35 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you want to spend 6 months or so learning to do it, this gymnastics coach shows progressions and variations.
http://www.dragondoor.com/articles/building-an-olympic-body-through-bodyweight-conditioning/
posted by littlewater at 6:35 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
When your hands are pointed towards your toes you are able to support your body on your elbows. With your hands pointed forward, most people will no longer be able to tuck their elbows under their body. It then becomes a bent arm planche which is gigantically more strength-based rather than balance based.
It's like the difference between crow pose and a tuck planche.
posted by swashedbuckles at 6:57 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's like the difference between crow pose and a tuck planche.
posted by swashedbuckles at 6:57 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
It's a mayurasana variation -- here's a photo 1, photo 2.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:39 AM on July 14, 2014
posted by DarlingBri at 7:39 AM on July 14, 2014
Count me as another who has personally seen yoga instructors do exactly the pose you are unconvinced is physically possible.
Also human hand-balancing acts.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:02 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also human hand-balancing acts.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:02 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Absolutely possible, very difficult. I'm actually working on a straight arm plange right now myself and I wouldn't have thought that was possible until I saw an amazing breakdancing friend do it. Stop questioning and practice so you can do it. It's going to take a lot of core and control to balance out straight like that.
posted by Marinara at 8:04 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Marinara at 8:04 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]
Here are people that probably work out 4 hours a day doing this trick and many others.
At 1:27 or so a massively strong man does this in a variation series. Where are his hands pointing? I can't tell but this man can hold the pose with any hand position, I'm certain. He can probably do it without fingers. He's a beast.
Others do the pose on bars, rings, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QRXLOqQTEI&sns=em
posted by littlewater at 9:22 AM on July 14, 2014
At 1:27 or so a massively strong man does this in a variation series. Where are his hands pointing? I can't tell but this man can hold the pose with any hand position, I'm certain. He can probably do it without fingers. He's a beast.
Others do the pose on bars, rings, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QRXLOqQTEI&sns=em
posted by littlewater at 9:22 AM on July 14, 2014
A planche is a very difficult static gymnastics position performed with straight arms on the floor or rings. Achieving a full planche generally takes many years of dedicated training.
If the elbows are bent and pressing against the sides of the torso, the position is called an elbow lever (tutorial here). The elbow lever is much more accessible than the planche and more about balance.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:45 AM on July 14, 2014
If the elbows are bent and pressing against the sides of the torso, the position is called an elbow lever (tutorial here). The elbow lever is much more accessible than the planche and more about balance.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:45 AM on July 14, 2014
Oops, but in the "Swan Pose" video he uses his elbows for support.
posted by mbrubeck at 12:06 PM on July 14, 2014
posted by mbrubeck at 12:06 PM on July 14, 2014
Mod note: A few comments deleted. yoyo_nyc, you need to stop threadsitting. Let people answer and just take whatever is useful for you. This isn't a debate area.
posted by taz (staff) at 12:10 PM on July 14, 2014
posted by taz (staff) at 12:10 PM on July 14, 2014
I assure you that the full planche is possible, although difficult, and is not the most advanced gymnastics move in existence. A maltese, for instance, is more difficult than a planche.
You can see planches being done in pretty much all elite men's gymnastics rings and floor routines. Here's the video from which the image I linked earlier was taken. Here's a full planche on the rings. Most elite male gymnasts are relatively short, which gives them an advantage over taller men in moves like the planche. I've heard some say that the best a 6'+ man can aim for is a straddle planche -- easier because it effectively shortens the body -- although there are probably some exceptional tall guys out there with full planches.
As I mentioned, elbow levers are much easier than planches and you can find lots of videos and tutorials about them.
posted by ludwig_van at 12:19 PM on July 14, 2014
You can see planches being done in pretty much all elite men's gymnastics rings and floor routines. Here's the video from which the image I linked earlier was taken. Here's a full planche on the rings. Most elite male gymnasts are relatively short, which gives them an advantage over taller men in moves like the planche. I've heard some say that the best a 6'+ man can aim for is a straddle planche -- easier because it effectively shortens the body -- although there are probably some exceptional tall guys out there with full planches.
As I mentioned, elbow levers are much easier than planches and you can find lots of videos and tutorials about them.
posted by ludwig_van at 12:19 PM on July 14, 2014
I see it listed here as Swan (Hamsasana) as opposed to Peacock (Mayurasana), the hands-backward pose. The blogger appears to be a yoga teacher working through the seminal modern yoga text Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar.
posted by hollyholly at 2:22 PM on July 14, 2014
posted by hollyholly at 2:22 PM on July 14, 2014
I can actually do this pretty easily with elbow support. It's some strength but mostly balance and faith in your arms honestly. Without elbows I couldn't do it unless I was in much better shape.
I just got on the floor and did one, probably the first time in 5 years. The only real difficulty I had was the stupid dogs.
posted by fshgrl at 9:01 PM on July 14, 2014
I just got on the floor and did one, probably the first time in 5 years. The only real difficulty I had was the stupid dogs.
posted by fshgrl at 9:01 PM on July 14, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
It's called peacock pose.
posted by elizardbits at 5:41 AM on July 14, 2014 [1 favorite]