Hatha Flow: Open Hips

75 Minute Hatha Flow on Saturday Morning at Binghamton Yoga

This Hatha style flow maintains a purposeful pace while also incorporating Yin Yoga into the practice. We focused on dynamically warming up the hips, groin, side body, hamstrings, and thighs, and worked towards Agnistambhasana. 

I added in a brief Yin Yoga sequence to find a deeper access to the muscles in the hips, both the stabilizers and the mobilizers with a focus on the piriformis. By relaxing into a pose, Yin Yoga allows the muscles as well as their connective tissue to stretch and release. After releasing the muscles in the hips, the class returned to a more active, dynamic practice. I encouraged them to be mindful of their bodies as they returned to Virabhadrasana II,  Parsvakonasana, and Trikonasana, and more importantly explore where tension may have dissipated. Many found they could deepen their postures without too much strain. Following this we began to work our way into Agnistambhasana with greater success since the muscles in the hips had released from both the dynamic and passive practice.

Type of Class: Forward Bending Props: Strap, 2 Blocks, 2 Blankets

Warm Up/Conditioning:  

• Supta Padagustasana w/ strap: Leg loops => Side to Side
• Laying Oblique Twist => Roll Side => Cat/Cow => Extensions 
• Adho Mukha Svanasana => walk dog => feet to hands
• Interlace Fingers open heart to Sky => Hollow Body => Side Stretch
• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana I => Traction/Sphinx => extended child’s
• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana II => Parsvakonasana => baby cobra

Standing Poses: 

• Blocks: Parsvottanasana => Reverse Triangle 

Yin Yoga (stay in each pose for 2-3 minutes):

• Supta Padagustasana (R/L) w/block supporting calf=> Hug knees => Hinge Legs
• Figure 4 => Hug Knees => Hinge Legs
• Cat Tail => Hug Knees => Hinge Legs
• Happy Baby => Hug Knees => Hinge Legs 

• Return to Standing Poses:
• Balance => Thigh Stretch
• Step Wide => Virabhadrasana II => Parsvakonasana => Trikonasana (Left Side)
• Vrksasana 
• Step Wide => Virabhadrasana II => Parsvakonasana => Trikonasana (Right Side)
• Utkatasana => Pigeon => Twist

Seated Poses (w/blankets/strap as needed):

• Dhandasana 
• Paschimottanasana
• Agnistambhastana (building to calves stacked)
• Marichyasana

Cool Down (Twists/Forward Bends):

• Roll on back => Supported Shoulder Stand w/block under sacrum => Hug Knees
• Supta Chest Opener --> stay for savasana or move into relaxed savasana