Align & Flow: Back Bending

75 Minute Align & Flow Class on Saturday morning at Binghamton Yoga

This sequence is punctuated with a slow, intentional pace, picking up where we left off with last week's class. I found that everyone's postures truly benefitted from the extended pace, allowing them to settle into each posture after 5-6 breaths. The warm up is longer than others I've done in the past, but many of the yogis were able to find a more successful backbend after taking the care and attention to prep their bodies effectively. As a back bending class, the sequence targets the hips, thighs, shoulders, and chest, as a way to lead up to the pinnacle posture, Ustrasana.

I began class with a focus on releasing the Iliopsoas muscles, which are the strongest muscles of the hip flexors. A tight iliopsoas leads to a tight abdomen, which prevents an open and successful backbend. After this I emphasized an open chest and active shoulder to support a strong Ustrasana. 

Type of Class: Back Bending Flow Props: Strap, 2 Blocks, 2 Blankets 

What needs to be open? Hips, Thighs, Shoulders, Chest

Warm Up/Conditioning: 

• Supine Chest Opener: a block between shoulder blades and one to support head, arms extended out (5-10 min)
• Roll on Right Side, extend left leg long and reach left arm over head => deeper stretch bring left leg to left corner of mat => Repeat on Left
• Cat/Cow => Anahatasana (Extended Puppy)
• Ardo Mukha Svanasana => Walk Dog => Feet to Hands
• Standing Neck/Shoulders Activation: Neck Rolls, Arm Reach, Cover/Reveal, Pec Squeeze, Bicep Curls
• Extended Puppy => Spinal Rolls => Traction => Sphinx
• Bridge => Tailbone Tuck => Tuck and Lift Hips => Extend One Leg and Lift with Tailbone Tucked

Standing Poses: 

• Tadasana C => Sun Salutation => Crescent => Baby Cobra => Salambasana
• Tadasana C => Sun Salutation => Anjaneyasana C => Cobra
• Step Wide => Virabhadrasana II => Reverse Warrior
• Standing Balance (Knee perpendicular) => Standing Thigh Stretch: clasp ankle behind butt
• Step Wide => Trikonasana

Seated Poses:

• Ustrasana (3x building deeper into pose)
• Ardha Dhanurasana (L/R) => Dhanurasana
• Bridge A => Bridge C => Block

Cool Down (Twists/Forward Bends):

• Hands Behind Thigh => Slowly Press Straight
• Knee to Shoulder => Half Happy Baby => Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby) 
• Hug Knees to Chest => Laying Twist, Knees Together, Arms in ‘T’ Position
• Savasana