Week 10 Salute the Sun

I thought it would help to inspire if I listed the benefits of Salute the Sun.  

Improves overall strength, flexibility and endurance.

Helps to slim the belly, hips and thighs,improves posture and balance, and promotes graceful movement.  

Increases the strength and efficiency of the heart, improves circulation.

Thoroughly cleanses the lungs of toxic gases and increases lung capacity.  

Tones the digestive system and abdominal organs.  

Stimulates the endocrine glands, particularly the thyroid.  

Tones the reproductive organs.  

Relieves tension, calms the mind and develops concentration .

Tempted? if you send me a request I will e-mail a Salute the Sun worksheet.

Week 9 Backbends 2

One way to look at a backbend is from the viewpoint that you are opening and lengthening the front of the  body.  A backbend should be one long smooth arc of the spine, there should be no kinks.  Kinks can weaken vulnerable areas such as the neck or the lower back.

Whilst working on a backbend focus on breathing into the front of the body.

A simple backbend.  Stand with the back of the hands resting on the back of the thighs, as you focus on the breath in the front of the body, let the chest open and gently lengthen the front of the body. Once you have reached a smooth arc and the hands have slid down the legs as far as is right for you. Slowly come back to upright.  Repeat twice more.

Week 8 Balance

A lovely pose for you to enjoy.  Place a block under the sacrum and raise the legs.  Letting the thigh bones balance and sit comfortably in the hip socket.  If you wanted to take this further you could raise the arms above the head along the floor on an inhale, and release down on the exhale.

To put movement into the hip socket., make small circles with the legs, introducing a gentle movement in the hip socket.

This is a relaxing pose for the spine and the legs.

Week 7 Core

To extend the core work given in Week 3.

Lie on back, knees bent and feet on the floor.  Breath in and out, then pull up the pelvic floor muscles, draw the navel back to the spine, hold the muscles in position for 2 - 3 breaths, then release.  Repeat two times.

Follow this with lifting the feet off the floor and then taking the toes as close to the floor as you can, if there is any back twinge take the feet higher.  Hold for 3 - 4 breaths and repeat twice.

Two poses in cat pose, an alternative for the arms could be dolphin arms.

Pelvic lift - breath in and out, then pull up pelvic floor muscles, draw the navel back to the spine, hold the muscles in position for 2 - 3 breaths, then release and repeat twice.

From cat pose walk the feet back into plank, bring the hips down into a straight line, hold for 3-4 breaths and repeat twice.

week 6 Standing 2

Some ideas to increase or alternate the work given in week 2.

To stretch the toes with our kneeling toe stretch, holding for 3-4 breaths, release and then repeat.  Dog pose will help to release leg muscles and can also be used to work the toes.  Lengthen the back of the legs one at a time, making the movements slow and controlled and taking the heel as close to the floor as is comfortable for you.  Lengthen and release a few times, then take both heels as close to the mat as is right for you.  Keep the back long and the imaginary tail lifted upwards, lifting up and away from the hands.

Week 5 Backbends

With the cold temperatures in the winter months there is a tendency to close down the front of the body, to help to protect it and to shelter it from the cold.  When the longer daylight days arrive and the temperature starts to warm up, it is a good time to work on opening up the front of the body, to create space for all the organs that sit at the front of the body.  Backbends  help to encourage the front of the body to become more open .  Backbends help to strengthen the spine and increase the range of movement in the spine.  Backbends rejuvenate.

Two poses that we did in class for you to work on.  The opposite arm and leg raise, working with the breath, lifting and holding for 3 to 4 breaths each side, then taking a rest. Then pulsing for 4 breaths each side and then taking another rest. The second pose to work on is the locust pose which can be held for 3 to 4 breaths, repeating 3 times with short rests inbetween.

Finish with 2 twists of your choice, choosing from a seated chair twist, a lying down twist, or any of the seated or standing twists of your choice.

Week 4 Balance

Yoga brings balance to the body.  Working through the stretches, the releases and the poses helps to encourage the muscles to work evenly on both sides.  This in turn reduces the impact of one side being more dominant or weaker than the other.  By becoming aware of an imbalance we are already on our way to correcting it.

Holding the body in a balance pose either standing or seated requires concentration and muscle tone.  

Practice standing on one leg, then changing over to the other leg, make a note if one is stronger.  To take this further you can repeat but with your eyes closed, more challenging.  Try and hold the balance for 4 - 6 breaths then see if you can do the same on the other side. You could take this further and into tree pose if the challenge is going well.  Remember balance can change from day to day, always worth trying on another day and comparing.

The seated boat pose balance. Hold for 3-4 breaths and repeat 3 times or more.

Week 3 Core

Back pain can sometimes be a result of weak core muscles. It is important to tone the core muscles but it is also important to maintain a flexibility in the core, to keep a freedom of movement. We will look at 2 poses to tone the core and 2 poses to maintain a flexibility in the core.

Dolphin plank - hold for 3 - 4 breaths and repeat 3 times

Navasana - boat pose - hold for 3 - 4 breaths and repeat 3 times

Follow these poses with one or both of the following

Churning mill, churning 6 times in one direction and then 6 in the opposite direction

Seated twist or supine twist.