Intermediate Class on Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Another fun class this week focusing on forward extensions!

Swastikasana

Adho Mukha Virasana - outer ankles in, stretch back thru inner edge of the foot and big toe, release inner thighs and groins down, extend front body forward and bring back body in

Adho Mukha Svanasana - broaden hamstrings and pin outer femurs in

Uttanasana - broaden hamstrings, press inner heels to bring outer femurs in, concave first, bring back body in, then maintaining concavity as much as possible lengthen trunk down

Padangusthasana - broaden hamstrings, press inner heels to bring outer femurs in, concave first, pull on big toes and plug upper arm into the shoulder socket, bring back body in, then maintaining concavity as much as possible lengthen trunk down

Padahastasana - broaden hamstrings, press inner heels to bring outer femurs in, concave first, pull up on bottoms of feet and plug upper arm into the shoulder socket, bring back body in, then maintaining concavity as much as possible lengthen trunk down

Parsvottanasna to Urdhva Prasarita Ekapadasana back to Parsvottanasana - broaden hamstrings, press front leg inner foot down to bring outer femur in, concave first, then walk hands forward as far as possible, take head down, marry trunk to thigh.  Step into UPEP and pull trunk down, step back to Parsvottanasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana - from Adho Mukha Svanasana, bring back body in, come up high on toes, maintain back body in as you walk in and kick up. Bring back body in, broaden hamstrings and lift tailbone and buttocks up thru the inner heels

Sirsasana at the wall - keep shoulders lifted, lift sternum toward abdomen, broaden hamstrings and lift tailbone and buttocks up thru the inner heels

Eka Pada Sirsasana - keep one heel on the wall, lower opposite leg halfway down keeping outer hip lifted

Padangustha Dandasana - manually broaden hamstrings away from each other and move calves forward. Press hamstrings down to lift trunk up, holding big toes, press inner edges of feet forward as you pull arms back into the shoulder socket to bring the backbody in

Paschimottanasana - from Padangustha Dandasana, bend the elbows to the side and lengthen trunk forward maintaining as much concavity as possible

Upavistha Konasana - press hamstrings down, move buttocks down, holding big toes, pull upper arms into shoulders sockets and bring back body in to lift your chest

Janu Sirsasana

Kurmasana - place shoulders under bent knees, press hands down and broaden the chest, press inner knees down and reach inner heels forward as you lengthen your trunk forward

Bharadvajasana I

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana on a brick

Savasana

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

Becky's Birthday Request Class: Backbends on Thursday, October 7, 2010!

Happy Birthday to Becky, one of my favorite people! I've taught saxophone to two of her amazing children, Ben and Katie, and now I have the pleasure of working with Becky in yoga class every Thursday.

Here's the backbend sequence we practiced in her honor:

Supta Baddha Konasana with the shoulderblades on a block in the "Dandasana" position crosswise - press the shoulderblades into the back body to bring the dorsal spine in and open the chest, press the outer heels together to stretch the knees apart to open the inner thighs

Paryankasana with the block in the "Tadasana" position spinewise in the upper thoracic spine and with the legs straight in Dandasana position - begin with the hands interlaced behind the head and then if the neck feels good take the arms into Urdhva Hastasana position (toward the floor), press the thighs down to lengthen the trunk

Supta Virasana with buttocks and trunk on support, knees supported on blankets if necessary, then take one leg up into Supta Padangusthasana I - keep the tailbone in and the thighs stretching forward, move the shoulderblades into the back to lift the dorsal spine and open the chest. When the leg is extended in Supta Padangusthasana I, keep the lumbar long (the leg won't come up as high) and the opposite knee down

Paryankasana - press the buttock bones, forearms, and crown of the head down to lift the shoulderblades and dorsal spine up

Bekasana - first one leg bent, opposite hand in Chaturanga Dandasana position; then one leg bent, turning palm of hand forward; then both legs - keep the tailbone in and the front-groins down!, move the upper arms up as you bring the shoulderblades into the back to take the the dorsal spine in and open and lift the chest, stretch the thighs back

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana on a chair - first with two lengthwise folded blankets under the front legs of the chair, arms through the chair holding the back legs of the chair, feet at the wall; next same but with the two blankets under the back legs of the chair - move the upper arms down and the shoulderblades in to open the chest, press the thighs down and move the tailbone in

Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana on a chair - foot belted, taking the arms into Urdhva Hastasana position (toward the floor) - move the shoulderblades and dorsal spine in to open the chest, press the lifted-leg's femur into the hamstring and press the opposite thigh down

Pinca Mayurasana - first prep, with partner lifting trapezius with their shins, making sure shoulders stay above elbows; then full pose at the wall - press the forearms down to move the shoulders up and dorsal spine in, lift the thighs and groins up as you walk in on your toes, then kick up and extend up through the legs and move the buttocks toward the heels to lengthen the trunk up

Sirsasana - also Ekapada Sirsasana - press the forearms down to lift the shoulders and to take the dorsal spine in, extend up through the legs and lift the buttocks, keep these these actions as you extend one leg half-way down, press the forearms down to lift the shoulders as you re-join the feet

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Ekapada Rajakapotasana preparation - "shin up the wall" with the toes tucked under, knee under the heel, hand holding a chair - move the tailbone in and lift the pubic bones up as you bent your forward knee, keep moving that foot forward as you move the buttocks down, pull the chair down to lift and open the chest

Front leg in Ekapada Rajakapotasana on a chair at a wall, back leg straight as in Vimanasana (toes tucked under) - draw the outer thighs into the hip sockets to pin the femurs in and lift the trunk, lift the back-leg's inner thigh up, draw the upper arms back and shoulderblades and dorsal spine in to open the chest

Ekapada Rajakapotasana with back toes at the wall and buttock supported on bolster or folded blanket, belt the back foot - pull the outer thighs into the hip sockets to lift the trunk, move the tailbone in and the pubic bones up to lengthen the lumbar spine, move the shoulderblades and dorsal spine in to open the chest, holding the belt near the ankle, rotate the down and laterally then up to further open the chest, take the 2nd hand up to meet the 1st one

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Supported Halasana on a chair - thighs supported on the chair seat with blankets

Savasana