Align and Flow: Side Body and Spine Long

75 Minute Hatha style class  on Saturday, March 1, at Binghamton Yoga

In this class, we made our way through the dancing warrior series, engaging the gluteus medius, quadriceps, and hamstrings, while also encouraging the side body and spine to lengthen and extend. After warming up the core muscles and bringing an awareness to the side body, we made our way to Vasisthasana encouraging the same length while also adding strength to the pose. 

Type of Class: Pot Pourri Props: Strap, 2 Blocks, 2 Blankets

What needs to be open? Hips, Groin, Side Body, Hamstrings, Thighs

Warm Up/Conditioning:  

• Cat/Cow => ‘C’ Curve => Extended Child’s Pose
• Down Dog Lunge R/L 
• Adho Mukha Svanasana => walk dog => feet to hands
• Interlace Fingers => Side Stretch

Standing Poses: 

• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana I (R) => Sphinx
• Standing Side Stretch (Left hand clasps Right wrist, bend to Left)
• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana I (L) => B. Cobra/Locust 
• Side Stretch Balance
• Step Wide: Virabhadrasana II => Parsvakonasana => Trikonasana (R/L)
• Prasarita Padottanasana => Revolved Prasarita Pad.
• Tree
• Front of Mat => Chair => Fwd Fold 
• Hinge 3x => Vasisthasana (show variations: using forearm, top leg for support, and full expression)

Seated Poses (w/blankets/strap):

• Down Dog => Child’s posture => seat
• Lounging Sphinx (Psoas Stretch)
• Janu Sirsasana => Revolved open
• Dhandasana => Paschimottanasana 
• Upavistha Konasana => Baddha Konasana

Cool Down (Twists/Forward Bends):

• Shoulder Stand w/block under sacrum => Hug Knees => Happy Baby
• Cross Legs => Twist one side, then other
• Supta Chest Opener --> stay for savasana or move into relaxed savasana

Hatha Flow to Agnistambhasana

75 Minute Hatha Flow on Saturday, February 22, at Binghamton Yoga

This Hatha style flow maintains a purposeful pace while dynamically warming up the hips, groin, side body, hamstrings, and thighs, to work towards Agnistambhasana. In addition to the dynamic movement and muscular stretches, we practiced several yin-style postures to allow time and gravity to affect then joints, muscles, and facia. This allowed everyone deeper access to the muscles in the hips--both the stabilizers and the mobilizers with a focus on the piriformis. After releasing the hips, thighs, and groin, we began to then work our way into Agnistamhasana.

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

Warm Up/Conditioning:  

• Supta Padagustasana w/ strap: Leg loops => Side to Side
• Roll Side => Clam Shells => Side Leg Lifts
• Cat/Cow => ‘C’ Curve => Extended Child’s Pose 
• Adho Mukha Svanasana => walk dog => feet to hands
• Interlace Fingers Behind Head => Side Stretch
• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana I (R) => Traction/Sphinx => Lifted Low lunge (R) 
• Side Stretch (Left clasps Right, bend to Left)
• Sun Salutation => Virabhadrasana I (L) => B. Cobra/Locust=> Lifted Low lunge (L) 
• Side Stretch (Left clasps Right, bend to Left) => Shift Weight to Right Foot, Take Left foot Away
• Down Dog Lunge R/L (Legs in Lunge, Arms extended in Down Dog) => With left foot forward, open to right

Standing Poses: 

• Prasarita Padottanasana => Wide Leg Down Dog
• Blocks: Parsvottanasana R/L => Reverse Triangle R/L

Seated Poses (w/blankets/strap):

• Down Dog => Child’s posture => seat
• Straddle => Butterfly
• Cat Tail => Knees => Hinge Legs
• Happy Baby => Knees => Hinge Legs 

• Dhandasana => Paschimottanasana
• Seated Figure 4 => Agnistambhasana => Gomukasana

Cool Down (Twists/Forward Bends):

• Roll on back => Setu Bandhasana 3x (block b/w knees) 
• Shoulder Stand w/block under sacrum => Knees
• Cross Legs => Twist one side, then other
• Savasana