Today is World Yoga Day, and to celebrate, we’re highlighting the elves’ Rimgar: a series of exercise techniques used to prepare the mind and body for battle.
The Rimgar, also known as the Dance of Snake and Crane, is a multi-leveled series of elven exercises involving stretching and maintaining strenuous positions. Originally conceived for elven Dragon Riders, Rimgar has since become the favored exercise program for all elves.
We first encountered the Dance of Snake and Crane as Eragon began his Rider training with Oromis in Eldest. While the elven Rider had mastered the technique long ago, Eragon struggled advancing beyond the first of four levels, finding his lack of flexibility difficult to overcome. Throughout the rest of the series, Eragon worked to master the second and third level of Rimgar. It’s unknown if the Rider ever managed to complete the fourth and final level.
In real life, Rimgar is similar to a sequences of yoga poses. Christopher Paolini’s official website suggests Sun Salutations as a fun exercise similar in nature to Rimgar. Originating in India, the Sun Salutations (or Surya Namaskara) are a sequence of twelve yoga movements combining physical exercise with meditation:
Sun Salutations, similar to the Inheritance Cycle’s “Rimgar”
Take some time out of your day today to try the real life equivalent of the Rimgar to prepare to become a Rider in training!
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