Today we worked on poses that open the ankles, soften the calves, and firm the outer thighs in preparation for twists next week!
Vajrasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Uttanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Tadasana
Utkatasana
Garudasana
Utthita Trikonasana → Ardha Chandrasana
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana – Heel at the wall
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Salamba Sirsasana
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana
Jathara Parivartanasana
Vajasana with rolled sticky mat behind knees
Lolasana
Gomukhasana
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Savasana
Beginner Class on 29th April: More Standing Poses!
Swastikasana (cross-legs pose)
Parvatasana in Swastikasana (upward inter-locked fingers in cross-legs pose)
Adho Mukha Virasana (downward facing hero pose
Ardha Uttanasana (half intense stretch pose) – hands at the wall
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdhva Hastasana in Tadasana (upward arms in mountain pose)
Utkatasana (fierce pose)
Gomukhasana arms in Tadasana (cow face pose arms in mountain pose)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior II pose)
Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose)
Utthita Parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose)
Vimanasana (airplane pose)
Parsvottanasana (sideways intense stretch pose) – concave spine, hands on waist
Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog pose) – hands to a chair
Bharadvajasana (twist named for a sage, Bharadvaja) – seated on a chair
Savasana (corpse pose) – legs on chair
Opening the Heart
This morning we practiced a sequence of chest and shoulder openers with an emphasis on keeping the lumbar spine long.
Swastikasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Uttanasana
Tadasana
Urdhva Baddhanguliasana
Urdhva Hastasana
Utkatasana
Virabhadrasana I
Paschima Baddha Hastasana
Parsvottanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Salamba Sirsasana
Virasana in Sirsasana
Adho Mukha Virasana
Supta Virasana
Paryankasana on a brick
Paryankasana keeping elbows on the floor
Eka Pada Bekasana
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana on a chair
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana hands on block, pelvis on blocks or bolster
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Salamba Sarvangasana
Savasana
What We Practiced in the Beginner Class
This is the sequence I taught in the beginner class on Monday, 22nd April.
Swastikasana (cross-legs pose)
Urdhva Baddhanguliasana in Swastikasana (upward interlocked fingers in cross-legs pose)
Adho Mukha Virasana (downward facing hero pose)
Tadasana (mountain pose)
Urdhva Hastasana (upward arms pose)
Utkatasana (fierce pose)
Utthita Hasta Padasana (extended arms and legs pose)
Parsva Hasta Padasana (sideways arms and legs pose)
Virabhadrasana II (warrior II pose)
Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose)
Parsvottanasana – turn only (sideways intense stretch pose)
Ardha Uttanasana – hands at wall (half intense stretch pose)
Dandasana (staff pose)
Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose)
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana – legs up the wall (upward extending legs pose)
Savasana – trunk on support (corpse pose)
Quick-Release Yoga Belt Technique
I learned this technique for releasing a buckle on a “Pune” belt in class a couple of months ago. It is very convenient for coming out out supported restorative poses such as Supta Baddha Konasana .
1. Put on the belt in the usual manner.
2. Double the belt back through the buckle.
3. Tighten the belt by pulling on the underside of the loop you just made.
4. To release, pull on the end of the belt.
5. The loop comes out of the buckle and you’re free!
Eka Pada Sirsasana sequence
Here’s what I remember of Mary’s lovely hip opening sequence to prepare for Eka Pada Sirsasana. My hips feel so happy now!
Swastikasana
Swastikasana forward
Adho Mukha Virasana
Adho Mukha Svanasna
Adho Mukha Virasana – feet apart
Uttanasana
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Supta Baddha Konasana – flat, begin by holding ankles, then release hands and turn palms up as in Savasana
Supta Tadasana
Supta Padangusthasana I, II, III – without arm behind head in III
parter work in Supta Padangusthasana III – partner helped by manually turning the bent leg thigh out and moved outer ankle toward opposite armpit
Supta Padangustasana I, I classic with lift of trunk, III with arm behind head, II
Malasana – looped belt around waist to hold if clasp isn’t attainable
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Parivrtta Paschimottanasana – 1st time legs together, 2nd time with legs hips’ width apart
Kurmasana – arms back with palms up
Akarna Dhanurasana I, II
Eka Pada Sirsasana
Supta Eka Pada Sirsana – bolster sideways under upper thoracic spine
Purvottanasana – hands on blocks
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – block under sacrum
Supta Swastikasana
Padmasana (lotus pose) work
This is the Padmasana preparation sequence Mary Heath taught Friday. Enjoy!
Swastikasana
Swastikasana forward – feet under knees, lengthen trunk forward
Upavistha Konasana – extend inner foot as if to bulge the arch away
Baddha Konasana – keeping trunk upright, head directly above pelvis, press hands down and lift buttocks off floor; descend outer thigh and buttocks as you lower back down to floor; open soles of feet to ceiling
Baddha Konasana forward – deepen crease behind knee into the joint as if pulled by ropes; keep length of front body as you bring your chin toward the floor
Adho Mukha Virasana – deepen crease behind knee into the joint as the skin of the calf and hamstring moves away from the knee toward the hip; broaden and descend back groin
Adho Mukha Svanasana – open back groins
Uttanasana – walk hands back from AMS to Uttanasana to keep action and length of legs
Tadasana
Jumpings a la Surya Namaskarasana:
•Tadasana
•Urdhva Hastasana
•Uttanasana
•Adho Mukha Svanasana
•Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ↔ Adho Mukha Svanasana
•Chaturanga Dandasana ↔ Adho Mukha Svanasana
•Utthita Trikonasana – lift the back leg hip to increase length of front leg
•Virabhadrasana II
•Utthita Parsvakonasana → Utthita Trikonasana – straighten the knee by pulling the thigh up and firming the femur head into the socket
Gomukhasana arms
Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Vrksasana – keep standing leg vertical by firming outer thigh to mid-line
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana – keep standing leg vertical by firming outer thigh to mid-line; broaden back groin of the Padmasana leg from inside out
Janu Sirsasana – keep the back groin of the bent leg broad to soften the outer knee
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana – from Janu Sirsasana sneak outer ankle to opposite groin
Upavistha Konasana
Sirsasana
Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana – legs like scissors, don’t let either leg cross mid-line
Salamba Sarvangasana
Urdhva Padmasana in Sarvangasana – legs up, tailbone in
Savasana