Beginner Class on Monday, January 10, 2011

I really enjoyed last night's class and feel like my personal life is finally settling down a bit, so I'm back to blogging sequences! Last night we worked on increasing hip flexion!


Swastikasana - press sitting bones straight down and lift up thru the trunk and crown of the head, roll upper arms back and move the shoulderblades into the back ribs

Adho Mukha Virasana - join big toes and widen knees, sit on your heels (or blanket on your heels), maintain contact of the buttocks to the heels (or blanket) as you extend your trunk and arms forward

Supta Padangusthasana I - bent leg variation

1. Extend the "down" leg thigh and inner heel forward to descend the leg into the floor, keeping that leg down, bend the opposite knee into the chest
2. Same as above but with a long belt around the extend leg heel and bent leg groin to maintain the levelness of the hips

Adho Mukha Virasana

Malasana - sacrum at the wall - press your inner heels down and descend your thighs as you lift up thru the sides of your trunk, pull the upper arms back to broaden the chest

Malasana - heels on blanket - work down from two folded blankets to as low as possible - same actions as above

Adho Mukha Virasana

Supta Padangusthasana I - extend "down" leg thru the inner heel, keeping that thigh low, bent the opposite knee to chest and belt the foot, press foot into belt to move hip and femur forward, keeping that action extend the knee (don't take more belt than you need!)

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana -

1. heels at the wall: press your heels down and back into the wall to lift the thighs and move the front thighs into the back thighs
2. hands at the wall with a partner holding blocks into the upper hamstring: stongly press your hamstrings into the blocks 
3. hands at the wall independently

Adho Mukha Virasana

Marichyasana I - twist only

Paschimottanasana

Savasana - feet into a bolster at the wall, head supported on a folded blanket