My Meeting With Yogi Yanni On South Beach

My Meeting with Yogi Yanni on South Beach
October 9, 2015

Today on my exercise bike ride to South Beach I saw this yogi in Lummus Park. His name is Yanni De Melo and it is always a pleasure to see what the human body can do with practice. (OK, he's also a cute young man - that is a pleasure to see as well).

Yanni has studied yoga in India and teaches it here.

Namaste


I first saw Yanni working on the bars, which is in this section of the park that I call Muscle Beach because of all the guys who workout here.

On Bar


He went thru several Asanas and I asked if I could get some pix as he did some of the things with his body that I have never been able to do, even when younger. It is a matter of training your muscles to respond as they were meant to do.

Handstand on sand str8 up


Many ppl can do handstands, but to do it with such ease, as if your arms were meant to support your whole body weight is what impressed me.

Handstand on Wall Legs Out


I mentioned to Yanni how I met a young yogi in India who, when sitting on a lawn to talk with me and my partner, put his legs in a full lotus position without using his hands. I had assumed his bones had formed that way from childhood. But, I noticed Yanni did the same and he said he has been doing yoga for only 4 years.

 

This impossible contortion of the body appears so comfortable to a person who has trained his body to assume it.

Legs Behind Back Sitting


Again, supporting his body on his arms but also flexible enuf to bend his legs to impossible positions.

Handstand Legs Under Arms


Supporting your body weight on your arms, while having your feet on top of your head.

Who couldn't do that?

Handstand Feet on Head


Most ppl find it difficult to stand on one leg for any duration of time. Try it with the other leg behind your back.

Stand 1 leg 1 behind back

 

makes me wish I was more diligent in my yoga practice, I started doing yoga 8 or 9 years ago and I can't do most of those poses because I don't practice every day. But it is amazing how quickly your body can adapt and change when you do a daily practice