Fundamentals Flashcards

Question

Utthita

Answer 1

= Extended triangle pose - Tri = three, Kona = angle, Asana = posture - Come from a wide stance ○ Slightly shorter than ankles under wrist - Turn front foot out and straighten ○ Press through the ball of front foot ○ Lift knee cap, engage quads ○ Unlock front knee, Don’t sink into the knee - Back foot stays at 90 degrees ○ Back buttcheeck on (that's the anchor) - Leave back hip neutral ○ When coming into triangle, back hip can roll down a little - Arms at a T ○ Can be on block - Push the (right/left) rib back ○ Upper bod - Start upright hands wide - Reach body forward to bring hand to the shin - Lean back and bring shoulders in line with front shin - Back hand up to the sky ○ Hands can be at the hips - Gaze: ○ Down to the bottom ○ Up to the hand Engage the core

Answer 2

= Half moon *suggest bringing block to start out with* - Ardha = half, Chandra = moon, Asana = posture - Secretly triangle pose but tipped over - Bottom foot points forward, keep leg externally rotated - Tip the body over - Bend into your front knee, grab a block: ○ Block on the highest leg, want it to be underneath the shoulders ○ Keep a slight bend in the knee - Hand comes out in front of you: ○ Finger tips to the floor ○ Advanced modification: lift the fingertips from the ground - Open up the hip - Back leg is lifted at 90 degrees, in line with the hip ○ Bottom hip (standing hip) externally rotate - Extend the side body and the spine - Top arm stretching up towards the sky - Bring your bottom ribs under and open up your chest Hug the bottom hip in and under

Answer 3

= extended hand to Big toe Pose variation B With a strap - I’m going to go through utthita hasta padangusthasana B or extended hand to big toe pose B - Prior to doing so, I would recommend using a strap and having one near by - maybe stretching the hips and hamstrings prior to get into into pose but it certain s - First I’m going to show it with a strap on my right leg and then without a strap on my left - First staring off in tadasana (or mountain pose) ○ Press through the ball mound of the foot ○ Lift quadriceps/engage thighs - Shift your weight to your left leg, while keeping a soft bend in the knee - Bring the right knee up - Put the strap around the ball mound of the foot (not too close to the heel) - Right arm extended straight, left hand at the hip - Externally rotate the leg (while keeping knees bent) - Hug outer hip in and plug the extended leg it into the hip socket ○ Try not to let that hip jet out - Think about engaging the gludeus medius to hug it in - Straighten the leg on a diagonal - Take it out to the side, aiming for 90 degrees ○ Left hand side of the body is still in tadasana - Reach the left arm up - Plug extended arm in shoulder socket - Keep a steady gaze to help with balance - To come out: you would do the reverse

Answer 4

Tree pose - Externally rotated balancing pose (leg going up) ○ Externally rotate before leg comes up - Can practice by coming to wall - Externally rotate at the hip - Come to the tippy toe - Slide the foot up the leg - Standing leg and foot are opposing forces - Other leg in tadasana ○ Engage the glutes in towards the midline ○ Firm the inner thigh into the foot, and foot to inner thigh - Keep ASIS (front hip points) pointing forward - Keep pelvis forward, use outter gludes to keep knee open - Ground standing foot - Lengthen tailbone down ○ Close the jaw - Lift up through the core - Active flexibility: no force needed to bring leg up - Foot can be: ○ Up on inner thigh ○ Okay on inner knee ○ Shin ○ Ankle ○ Toes on the floor - Hands can be: ○ At the heart ○ On the hips ○ On a wall ○ Eventually --> arms up and overhead - Gaze can be: ○ Forward ○ up/Towards your thumb ○ Eyes closes

Answer 5

= Squat (Garland pose) - Props: towel and blocks ; requires hip, ankle mobility -** Bring your legs shoulder distance apart** ○ Legs are externally rotated ○ Toes pointed out - Knees bend - Come down into a deep squat - Palms at the heart - Elbows pressing into inner knee ○ As the elbows press out, inner knees push in --> gives a nice length through the spine - Heels down on the ground - Spine long - Crown of the head and neck long - Progressions: ○ Take the arm across the thigh, twist the upper arm up ○ Internally rotate both and clast the hands behind the hip ; rotate over the open shoulder - Modification ○ heels not coming to the flloor --> use yoga blanket/yoga matt underneath the heels ○ If experiencing pain in the knees/hip flexion, don’t bring bum to the ground. Find a half squat To come out --> bring fingertips to the floor , straighten the legs

Answer 6

= Low lunge pose - Has the knee down ○ Can use a towel to soften the impact (pad the - Will likely be coming from downward facing dog or forward fold - Opens the hip flexors and prepping for back bend Forward fold: (beginner) - Bring your hands to the ground - Press one leg back - Lower the knee to the ground Downward facing dog: (more advanced) - Lift leg up - Shift forward - Draw the knee close to the chest - Place the leg in between the hands (this will be hard. If it's too hard take the foot and move it forward) - Toes: ○ Can keep them tucked under ○ Press through the top of the foot * (anchors down through whole chinbone; also helps us square the hips/get ASIS pointed in the same direction) - Lift your chest up - If experiencing pain in the knee, can double up the mat or use a towel - Front heel underneath the knee ○ Not going to hurt the knee if it goes beyond the toes ○ To access the hamstrings and glutes, try to track to your heel - Front ribs draw down - To lengthen the hip flexor and working neutral pelvis (ie someone sitting all day) ○ Have them back our (hips over knee) ○ Lengthen and lift ○ **90 degree angle in both back and front leg**) ○ Push down into front heel ○ Both hips go back into socket ○ Want neutral pelvis to get into hip flexor (posterior pelvic tear) ○ Lengthening tailbone down ○ lifting front hip points up ○ Can still be upright with the pelvis and get deeper - Front heels drive down and you pull back to square the opposite hip forward ○ To turn on the isometric: push the front heel down and ground through - When you get into deep back bends: ○ Allow pelvis to pull down as you reach up and back for deep back bend ○ Hands in polymudra ○ Stretch up and gaze up ○ Press down into the toenails of the back foot (that's what's going to stabilize the shape) - Hands can be: ○ On the chins ○ On blocks (either side of the hips) ○ Up towards the sky in flexion - External rotation in the tops of the arms - Shoulder blades elevate and internal rotate - Anatomical: ○ Back leg: hip extension - Glute max and hamstrings ○ Front leg: Hip flexion and knee flexion - When you move the leg back, most people will go into anterior pelvic tilt ○ Press into the front foot ○ Back out of it to align that knee on the ground to the hip - Going deeper or being upright (one is not more right than the other; it depends on what you're doing and where you're doing) - This is a good pose to change up based on what your focused on: ○ Might cue squeeing the glutes - When we have a bent knee, want to push down through the heel ○ Straight leg; press through the ballmount of the foot - Modifications: ○ If balancing is issue: - Using the wall - Slightly widening the stance - Pad the chins with a yoga blanket so the knee cap is off the floor ○ If they cant come down: - Crescent pose - Cuing with anatomy: ○**** Adduct your thighs (to the midline)**** - Squeeze your thighs together ○ Flex your arms to the ceiling - Raise your arms over head - Energy lines: ○ Ground down through the foot and reach the energy up through fingers

Answer 7

= Crescent Pose - Does not have the knee on the ground - Likely coming into it from downdog, maybe warrior 3, unlikely from tadasana - All about the back hip flexor and keeping pelvis as neutral as possible - Lift leg up - Step the leg up or grab the foot ○ Weight is in the front heel - **Squeeze the inner thighs together and glutes - Draw the front hip back, bringing the back hip forward - Pull the front hips back in order to align to pelvis** - When you move the leg back, most people will go into anterior pelvic tilt ○ Place hand on the hip ○ Will need to bend the back leg in order the tilt the pelvic ○ Lift frontal hip points **○ Zip the tailbone down towards the floor** - Lift the arms - If you want to straighten the back leg, push the thigh bone back and resist the tilt of the pelvis (or dumping forward into anterior pelvic tilt) - Gaze: forward or maybe up toe thumbs - To come out: hands to hips, shift bodyweight forward into front leg - Modifications: ○ Struggling with balance: - Hands on the hips - Use a wall - Shortening the stance front to back Widening it side to side*

Answer 8

= Pyramid Pose; intense side stretch - Used to open up the back of the legs and open up the shoulders - Start with blocks – used as modifications for people whose hamstrings are tight (which will be most people) - Slight minor bend in the knees - Legs are on train tracks with pelvis facing forward - Feet: ○ Back foot: - Back foot slightly turned out at 10/11 PM □ Heel will likely be raised ○ Front foot: - Pointing forward at 12pm - Keep a slight bend in front knee ○ Take your feet as far as you can while still having the back heel down - If back feet is heeling, step the feet closer - Feet are likely shorter than warrior 2 (wouldn’t go from warrior 2 to pyramid) - Hands (also depends on there you're headed): ○ Reserve prayer, bring the palms together to touch (full expression) up as high as you can - Modifications: fists, or grabbing elbows ○ On the hips ○ At the hearts center - Roll shoulder heads back - Lengthen tailbone down, close the jaw - Keeping front collarbone open - Internal rotation of the arms - Press down through the ball of the front big toe and anchoring down through the heel of the back foot - Square the hips: ○ Squaring the ASIS to the front of the room ○ Neutral pelvis ○ Pelvis is facing forward - Inhale - With a flat back, hinging torso forward - Continue descent as much as your shoulders can stay open - Stay for 5 breaths - Release hands and place on block - Bring chest towards leg - Modification: ○ Wall ○ Blocks - Draw the front hip back in place - Can bring to various settings ○ Widening the stance ○ Make it harder: - Lift the front toes - Close the eyes

Answer 9

Wide legged forward fold - Pado = foot, prasarita = extended/wide inttense stretch - Likely coming from warrior 2, straighten front leg (lots of ways to get there) - Goal of this pose: inversion, strengthening the quads, hamstring stretch, stretch inner thighs lengthening the spine, pelvic tilt ; head doesn’t need to be on the floor - Abduction of the legs ○ Internal rotation - Feet: ** ○ Toes are turned in slightly to one another, ○**** Heel is slightly apart**** ** - Heels and butt on top of each other - Pelvis is square ; hips facing forward - Neutral pelvis - Lengthen tailbone towards the floor - Open up the chest - Draw the shoulder blades together - Exhale, torso folding forward with a flat back ○ Keep as long of a spine as possible (don’t round the back) - Walk fingertips in line with big toes, bend your elbows (like chaterunga), and use the hands to draw the crown of the head to the floor - Variation for hands: 1) Hands in tripod shape --> take tripod headstand i. Hug inner thighs toward midline ii. Squeezing butt muscles together iii. Actively hugging in, squeezing the glutes 2) Hands are on your hips, with the thumbs moving back to SI joints on the sacrum i. Squeeze elbows together 3) Interlace the hands behind the back (try keeping the wrists together) i. Pull knuckles back behind the back ii. Roll shoulderheads open, tailbowne down iii. Bring knuckles overhead iv. Change the clast of the hands, and take it again with the hands clasped the other way (takes it to opposite shoulders) 4) Grabbing the big toe i. Hands on hips ii. With a nice flat back, come straight down iii. With the peace sign fingers, grab the big toe iv. Place the thumbs on the floor v. Inhale, right to a flat back vi. Exhale, bend the elbows outward and using the thumb to push vii. Lengthen the shoulder blades away from the ears - Want hips in line with your heels - Overtime walk hands back - Stay for 5 breaths - To come out: ○ Walk it out to a flat back ○ Hands on the hips ○ Bend legs slightly ○ Use your core to bring you back up - Not necessary that the head touches the floor - Line of energy: ○ Feet grounded, lengthening the spine - To make this more engaging/harder: ○ Pull through the arms to deepen forward fold ○ Lift the knee caps, engage the quads ○ Actively hug in the thighs (isometric contraction) - Modificaion: ○ Bend your knees Closed chain: both legs on the ground, using gravity Open chain: fighting gravity, only one feet on the ground

Answer 10

= Warrior 3 Pose - Neutral leg balancing posture - Great to use blocks to start off with - Tadasana --> bend right leg - Legs: ○ Standing leg is in flexion (torso coming down) ○ Lifted leg is in neutral pelvis and in tadasana - In relation to the torso it is not in extension but it's neutral - Internally rotate the lifted leg - Dorsey flex/pull the toes to the top of your matt ○ Working towards 90 degree angle - Neutral pelvis ○ Both hip points pointing town - Still need to engage hip extension muscles for that clean line to occur (or else you have ○ Need to engages the glutes ie - Keep the ASIS pointing down - Adduct inner thighs to the midline - Exercise: ○ Bring one leg to the wall ○ Turn around ○ Place block under the shoulders ○ Press foot into the wall - Hands on modification: ○ Push your heel into my hand (will feel their entire leg turn on) - Modification: ○ Chair-/wall ○ Block under the shoulders - Arms: ○ On the hips ○ Hands to arm center ○ Arms forward: Full expression (flexion and external rotation - People may arch the spine --> close the jaw - If someone has weak ankles, want to strengthen their ankles. Hold onto a chain instead - Take the inner thigh and pull it up toward the ceiling - Top of the thighs/quad rotated towards the standing leg - Energetic cue: ○ Making a capital T - Lines of energy: reach the crown of the head forward, reach your heel back

Answer 11

Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose A - UHP A: Straight leg, closed pelvis - UPH B: Leg to 90, open pelvis - Both arms in in flexion - Purpose of this pose: balance, adduction, hip flexion, hip stabilization - Different versions: ○ Bend the leg, grab the knee ○ Shoulder on the wall ○ Strap under the ballmound of the foot - Majority of people need a strap - Bone proportions play a role here (if you have shorter arm and leg) - Come close to a walll - Tadasana (want to keep in mountain pose all throughout) - Bring the knee up towards the chest - Loop the strap around the ball of the foot ○ Arm straight (bring your arm down if needed) - Open across the chest - Squeeze buttchecks of standing leg - With the hands on the hips/wall, straighten out the leg (flex the foot) - Want to aim at 90 degrees straight ahead - Plug shoulder back into shoulder socket - Plug extended hip back into hip socket ○ Drop hip down , keeping the hips neutral - Collarbones wide - Standing leg has a slight bend - Straighten opposite arm straight - Plug upper arm into shoulder socket - Draw the lifted hip down - Extended leg towards 90 degree angle - Opposite lines of energy: pulling the strap, pushing the leg

Answer 12

= Half Splits - Great for the beginning of class - Enter into half split from lounge - Place block on both sides of front leg - Purpose: hamstrings, lengthening the upper body - Back leg ○ Keep the hips in line with the knee 90 degree - Front leg: - Flexing the foot , toes neutral - Hands: - On blocks (various setting) - On the floor - No hands (back) - Arms: in half flexion - Chest up, lengthen the spine - Keep the hips square - Front leg drawing back into hip socket - Lengthen the spine - Two lines of energy: one drawing through your back and another in extended leg - Hip flexion in both hips - Making sure that the hips are facing forward - Modification: - Hands on block - Beng the front knee - Anatomy: - Dorcy flex the straight leg/pull the toes to the shins - Can pull or push the heel depending on where you're going - Reach up and over with your chest ; shine your chest forward Can internally or externally rotate the front leg

Answer 13

Splits (and half splits) (big leap) - Hanuman: king of monkey - Often a tough pose mentally and physically - One hip is in flexion and the other in extension - Square the pelvis by keeping the ASIS pointing to the front of the mat ○ Don’t want to open up pelvis because it will put a lot of pressure in the SIJ - Don’t want to crank on the SI joints (very hard to come back from) (hard to put the ligaments back) ○ Pull front leg back, back leg in - Psoas major biggest muscle that is both flexing and extending (needs to be lengthened and strengthened) - Keep a Neutral pelvis - Full extension is a big back bend pose ○ Extend your spine - Push front heel down and back chin in - Start with a half split - Tuck the back toes under and square back hip forward - Slide the front heel open and back leg backwards - Wrap left hip forward - Dont let pelvis open - Can use block and slide underneath front thigh (under front thigh) ○ Can place it at various settings - Full expression of this pose is a back bend: ○ Bring arms up - Tig the front heel and pull it back - Squeeze everything into the midline - To come out: ○ Push into the foot, slide front leg back ○ Release the block - Counter: hero pose

Answer 14

= Eagle Pose - Hugging everything toward the midline - One of the few standing poses with internal rotation of the thighs - Whatever leg we bring on top, that side arm will go on bottom - Decide if want to do leg first or arms first - Start with a slight chair pose - Come onto tippy toes, bring the knee up and cross over the opposite foot ○ Foot is internally rotating ○ Full expressed, the ankle will hook behind the calf - Adducting the thighs - Arms: ○ Since right leg on top, right arm on bottom and crosses under the left ○ Elbow over elbow, double bind the hands and bring plams together as best as possible ○ Sit back (like chair pose) ○ Move elbows forward and up (spreads shoulder blades wide apart) - Curl the tailbone bone, lift the frontal hip points us - Gaze: between your forearm and hand - May want to fold it forward (elbows in front of knees) - Modifications: ○ May be tough for people with tight shoulders (bring hands to shoulders) With toes on the floor (leg on top) (good for people with tight legs, or with vertigo)

Answer 15

= Standing Splits Pose - Can use blocks - Important to keep the pelvis neutral - Like the splits but against the air, active flexibility – need to use active muscle engagement (which is why people can often get deeper on the floor versus in the air - Tadasana, slight bend in the knees - Forward fold - Hands: ○ Much closer to your feet ○ Hands are in line with you feet ○ No hands on the floor - Both hands to standing ankle - Take one leg back into warrior 3 - See how high you can lift the leg keeping your hips square - Use inner thigh muscle to lift the leg - Keep soft bend in standing leg - Square off the hip, roll it down towards the floor - Squeeze glutes and lift the leg - Drop the head down - Slight internal rotation of leg Gaze: at the toes

Answer 16

King Dancer Pose - Both a balance pose (as we’re going to be on one leg) and a back bend ○ This pose is great to strengthen the legs and opening up the shoulders and chest - I would recommend having a strap to allow you to access different variations of this pose - If balance is a challenge, can start off bringing the hands to the wall Using the strap (Can use loop or the strap - arms in extension) (if someone is having a tough time grabbing the foot) - First staring off in tadasana (or mountain pose) ○ Press through the ball mound of the foot ○ Lift quadriceps/engage thighs - Shift your weight to your left leg, while keeping a soft bend in the standing knee throughout the pose - Bring the right heel towards the glutes ○ Contract the hamstrings to bring the hand to the foot (hands in extension) ○ Use the glutes of lifted leg to kick the foot back into the hand - Keeping the knees in line with each other - Neutral pelvis; lift the front hip points up - Strap the foot - Keep your knees together, Slide your hand down the strap as close to the foot as possible to keep the hand straight - Lift the chest up - Hug the inner thighs together (adduction) as you kick the leg back (hip extension) ○ Find the max amount of extension of the hip ○ Find the max amount of extension of the hip - Lift the opposite arm up to counterbalance (Or as I mentioned placing the hand on the wall) - As much as you kick back, reach up (chest comes up) - Once you have no more room to kick back and no more room to go up, tilt forward ○ Ashtanga/vinyasa: upright more ○ Bikrum: tilted down more - Hold for three to five breaths Modified version - Slight bend in the knees - Knees together, heels to butt - Engage the heel toward the glutes to engage the hamstring - Hands: ○ Grab the outer edge of the foot, or internally rotating the arm (more traditional way to teach it) ○ Can grab the inner edge of the foot, or externally rotating the arm —> if you want to open up the chest - Lift the opposite arm up to counterbalance (Or as I mentioned placing the hand on the wall) - As much as you kick back, reach up (chest comes up) - Once you have no more room to kick back and no more room to go up, tilt forward - Kick it back, chest lifts (tension pull) ○ With every breath you find more of it - Adduct the inner thighs - Keeping the hips squared - Tip it forward Modified version - Start with a light chair pose - Can bring the hands to the wall - Using the strap (Can use loop or the strap - hands in extension) - Strap the foot - Can teach it by externally rotating the arm (inner edge of the foot) or internal rotation ○ If you want to open the chest (external rotation) - Slide your hand down the strap to keep the hand straight Hug inner thighs Full extension (shoulder flexion) - Tough with people with tight shoulders - Slight bend in the knees - Bring the foot behind you - Knees together, heels to butt - Engage the heel toward the butt to engage the hamstring - Strap the foot - Squeeze the inner thigh - Bend the elbow, take the arm out, around, and up so that the elbow points to the ceiling ○ Want the arm in flexion ○ Slide the hand down the strap so elbow is pointing up - Second hand comes to the strap - Walk the hands down the strap - As the leg kicks up and back, chest reaches up - Hug inner thighs in - Eventually grabbing the foot with the hands Afterwards, neutralize the spine ; do some twisting ; twisted chair pose

Answer 17

(longer lever) - Same alignment as tadasana except: ○ Arms are in flexion (halfway through) ○ Protracting your shoulder blades - Pushing the floor away - Hands gripping the mat ○ Some people like index fingers pointing forward or can also externally rotate the arms ○ Pushing the floor away - Hands under shoulders; shoulder distance apart - Protracting your shoulder blades - Front ribs drop down towards puvic bone - Curl the tailbone under, keeping a neutral pelvis - Draw the belly in - lift frontal hip points - Inner thighs and glutes squeeze together - Heels dig back as the crown of your head reaches forward (opposing movements) - Regression: Plank on the knees

Answer 18

- Works the shoulder gurdle , anterior deltoids, ; greater for upper body and core strength - Elbows under the shoulders (to measure clasp opposite forarms) - Protracting your shoulder blades - Front ribs drop down towards puvic bone - Curl the tailbone under, keeping a neutral pelvis - Draw the belly in - lift frontal hip points - Inner thighs and glutes squeeze together - Heels dig back as the crown of your head reaches forward (opposing movements) - Regression: ○ Plank on the knees

Answer 19

Side Plank - Has lots of modifications - Push the ground away; lift up and out of the wrist Variation 1: Bottom leg on the ground - Come on all fours ○ Shoulders and writs aligned ○ Knees underneath the hips - Take one leg back, toes curled under - Back foot pivots onto it's side ○ Inner foot and sole of the foot on the ground - Bottom leg: ○ Shin: Can stay in place (from all fours) - Hug outer hips in and under - Pelvis opens ○ Pull torse up - Extend arm up - Bodyweight on the hands Variation 2: Lift top leg up a. Drive through the heel to keep the core engaged Variation 3: Top foot planted - Starting in plank - Spin onto the outter edge of one foot, stacking the other foot - Bring top foot forward (as a kickstand) ○ Toes of both feet pointing to the side - Push down through the hands - lift up through the hand and outer tip - Lift up through the side core and hip - Take the hand up - To come out: ○ Hand will come down ○ Pivot back foot where it came from Variation 4: Full expression - Starting from plank (or can come from another pose) - Pivot the heels to one side - Stack the other heel on top ○ Feet can also be staggered - As straight a line as possible from the crown of the head to the foot ○ Thighs are slightly internally rotated - Hugging up through the bottom hip - Can lift the top leg or take the arm overhead - Can also stagger the feet - If you have wrist issues: ○ Can come on forearm side plank - Lift the arms up (externally rotates the hand) ○ Angle of bottom hand can be straight ahead (externally rotates the arms) on a diagonal or to the side (more internal rotation) -

Answer 20

Boat Pose - Hip flexion, need adnominal ○ If hip flexors take over, pull the belly in to engage the core - Good for back bends and inversions - People may have round shoulders/upper back - Lift from the center of the chest as if there's a string tied to the sterum - **Begin in seated position - Hold the back of the thighs to lift and lengthen the spine - Lean back onto the sit bones ** - Variations: a. Feet on the ground B. Bring the legs to table top - Keep inner thighs together (adduction) i. Shins parallel to the matt C. Extend the legs: i. Engage the quads ii. Lift the knee caps iii. Hands reach for the feet - Adduction and internally rotate the legs - Ardha navasana (legs can be bent or straight) ○ Lift and length the spine ○ Inhale, open It up - Keep the lower back on the floor - Front ribs in ○ Exhale: - Lift it up ** - Reserve table top is nice afterwards (especially if hip flexors take over)**

Answer 21

= Dolphin pose - Catur = four - Creates strength in upper body and flexibility in the shoulder - Deep shoulder flexion pose - More concerned about finding length in the spine than jamming the legs to straigthen - Can start in forearm plank or downward facing dog ○ Forearm plank: - Find a neutral spine - Bend the knee - Walk the feet in ○ Downward facing dog: - Externally rotate the upper arm bones - Bend the elbows and bring them down on the ground - Hands: ○ Forearms parallel (for pincha) - Can bring the thumbs together (changes shoulder angle) ○ Interlace your hands (headstand) - Elbows underneath the shoulders - Gaze drops down between the thighs but the head does not rest on the floor - If hamstrings are tight, bend the knees - Push the floor away - Bring the chest through the gateway of the arms - Don’t sink down into shoulders ○ Protact the shoulder blades - If possible, walk the feet in - Lower the knees, take a childs pose - To make it harder: Can lift one leg up

Answer 22

= Bridge pose - Supine backbend - working on engaging the posterior chain of the body (But facing up vs. cobra and locus pose) ○ Contracting posterior chain as the anterior chain (front of the body gets lengthened) ○ Activating the legs - Great prep pose for upward facing bow - Lie on back, bend knees and set feet on floor hip width apart (2 fists), - Stack ankles underneath the knees to have the best ability to push straight down into the feet - toes pointed forward - Modifications: ○ Round 1: Place block in between your thighs (Will force you to adduct) ○ Round 2: Hands clasped together underneath - Interlace hands and draw knuckles toward feet ○ Clasp your hands together , retract the shoulder blades and press the shoulder blades up ○ Round 3: supported bridge - great backbend and lower back release (for end of class) - Place on medium setting, underneath the sacrum (flat bone at the base of the spine). If you feel crunching of lower block, place block on low level. - Round 3b: draw one knee in while the other leg is straight (can bring knee out to the side) . Other leg can start off bend or straightened, keep that leg active - To come out, lift the hips up and - Lengthen tailbone forward into a slightly posterior pelvic tilt - Press feet and triceps actively into floor - Palms press towards the floor - Press through heels - Lift hips up one vertebra at a time start to lift off of the ground - Roll shoulders under, press through triceps - Lift pubic bone toward navel - With active feet, engage the glutes (helping you lift) - Dig down through your heels, imagine you're pulling your heels towards the shoulders (for a little, will engage the glutes). If you draw them in opposite direction, may activate the quads - Draw outer hips in - Squeeze inner thighs - Lift sternum up - Widen collar bones - Lift chin away from sternum as sternum lifts toward chin - From the middle upper back, allow the tailbone to be the last thing to get to the mat - Remove block - Counter: ○ Wind shield wiper the legs slide to side ○ Knees to chest - To neutralize: ○ Twist Before going into flexion (i.e. child's pose), neutralize first into a plank and then go into chid's pose

Answer 23

= Locust (legs long and off of the floor, upper back off of the floor) - - Great counter with hands interlaced for handstand - One of the first backbends we get into in a flow/a prep for backbends - A good backbend, teaches the student to engage their middle/upper back rather than dumping into lower back - Start laying down, with forehand on the mat to keep long cervical spine (not chin on the mat) - Hands by the side, palms up - Press down through top of feet ○ Bringing legs wider may be better for people with low back issues - Find a bit of internal rotation in the legs from the inner thighs - Glutes are noted (but not need to squeeze) - Lift knee caps/engage quads - Tailbone lengthening down, creating a slight posterior tilt of pelvis - Keep belly and lower rib on the floor - **Lift the upper back off the floor - Shouldheads lift, shoulders retracting ** - Variations: ○ Palms facing the sky on the ground ○ Arms reach back, (thumbs facing the ground) palms in whatever orientation depending on where you're doing ○ Hands interlaced (not accessible for people with tight shoulders) -** Lift the upper body, belly down in - Add the legs - Stay up for at least 3 breathes ** ○ Hands on the floor - using your push muscles to help you lift - Externally rotate your arms and place palms on the floor with the thumbs pointing out **- Inhale, inflate the belly - Peel the upper body off the floor - Exhale, keep the lift ** - Gaze: down , like you have a string from the back of the skull pulling you forward - Lift the feet - Feet down have to touch but adduct the inner thighs - Lower down slowly - Counter: ○ Turn the head to one side and place cheek on the floor, Windshield wipe legs

Answer 24

= bow pose - Next level up from locust pose (will do this after you've done locust a couple of time) - Requires hip flexion, the legs are the drivers in this shape (lifting up and kicking back) - Variations: ○ Hands by your side ○ Hands under the shoulders ○ Not grabbing the legs, with arms pulling back ○ Reach back for your feet (may not be possible for people with tight banks) - Bend the knees, point your toes - Adduct the inner thighs, with the thighs hip distance - Looking for posterior tilt of the pelvis - Lift the thighs off the floor **- Pressing the hips into the floor** - Hands can be: internally rotated or externally rotated ○ Typically reaching for outer edge of your feet (internal rotation), interior deltoid gets engaged ○ External rotation: Inside of the foot --> pec muscles - If you flex the feet, hold at the ankles - Kick the legs back into the legs (where the power of shape comes from) - Squeeze shoulder blades forward **- Inhale lifts us up (inflating the belly) - Exhale: hold the height that you just created - Kicking back to lift the chest up - Stay for 3-5 breaths ** - Counter: ○ Turn the head to one side and place cheek on the floor, Windshield wipe legs - To neutralize: ○ Twist ○ Before going into flexion (i.e. child's pose), neutralize first into a plank (can be on knees) and then go into chid's pose

Answer 25

= wild thing - Entered from downward dog or side plank From floor: - Starting from seated, bend one knee - Hands down that belong to long leg ○ Allow long leg to externally rotate (coming on pinky edge of foot) - External rotation, depression, and pressing forward (up and in) of the shoulder blades - Hands pointing back, externally rotated - Keep super active hands (hasta banda) - Push down into hand and roll shoulder back, open up the chest, draw the shoulder blades up and in --> causing the chest to open - Press down through backfoot and lift into shape - Think chest - Opposite arm reaches, or place palm behind the head up open up the chest - On the tippy toes of the back foot - Slowly release back down to the floor From side plank: - Downward dog --> Plank --> Spinning onto outer edge of the foot --> spinning arm up - Externally rotate bottom arm, press shoulder blade in and up - **Lift the top leg and bend the knee - Plant the toes behind you - Press the chest up - Place palm behind the head up open up the chest** - Reserve into side plank --> downward dog From 3 legged dog: - Lift the right leg up, bend the knee and open up the hip - Stack the shoulders, Shoulders come over wrist - Spin onto outer edge of the foot - Press into arm - Externally rotate bottom arm - Press shoulder blade in and up - Drop gaze towards extended finger tips - Reverse into downward dog

Answer 26

sphinx pose = supported cobra pose - - Not a easy pose, very active - Push the ground away -** Stacking the elbow underneath the shoulders (90 degrees between shoulder and elbow)** and the forearm down may be tougher ○ Arms can be slightly together - Legs are active - Inner thighs internally rotated - Press down through tops of feet - Lift the chest up and forward - Push down through the elbows, retract shoulder blades and pressing them forward ○ Chest pulling forward through the gateway of the arms - Press down through the forearms to lift up - Traction of pulling back with the hands to pull forward with the chest - Can make it harder by: living the tailbone up - May feel this one in the lower back more - might have a tight a back body but they also need to draw the low belly in and up **- Draw the low belly in and up** (may be lifted off the ground) - Move backbend to middle back - Of the backbends that have the feet on the floor, this has the biggest backbend - If you're feeling this in the lower back: ○ Engage the transverse abdominals (engaging around) ○ Lift your belly button in and up - To get out of it: splay your elbows out to the side, shake the glutes, bend the knees

Answer 27

= upward bow pose (wheel) - Requires a lot of opening through the shoulders, upper back and retraction of shoulder blades to press them up into the chest - Warm up with locust, cobra, camel, and bridge beforehand - **Feet hip distance apart (want the feet pointing forward) - Neutral pelvis, keep adduction of inner thighs - Hands come up, bend your elbows, bring fingers in front of shoulders** - If you have tight shoulders, turn your hands out slightly, allow elbows to go out slightly - Take an inhale, press up to the top of your head (maybe reset your hands) - Inner thighs engaged - adducted , toes pointing forward - On the next inhale, press it up - Work to straighthen arms **- Send chest through the gateway of the arms** - Squeeze the shoulder blades together - Pull the arm bones back as you send your chest through - Five breaths - Use the exhale to slowly bend your elbows, can pause at the top of the head - Windshield wiper the legs - Roll your wrists out - For people with tight wrists: ○ Place block on baseboard ○ Lay down with shoulders by the block ○ Hands come on the block Chest comes towards the wall

Answer 28

= Camel pose - Often felt in lower back ; **want to lift and lengthen and create the bend from the middle/upper back, not lower back** - Want to stabilize the pelvis and to lift the spine upward and find extension of thoracic spine - Stand on knees hip width apart, hands on hips and toes tucked or untucked ○ Feet in a straight line - Lengthen tailbone down to floor - Lift frontal hip points up to ribs - Internally rotate and adduct the inner thighs to lengthen low back - Variations: ○ Stage 1: Walk hands up to ribs, thumbs pressing into back of ribcage ; telling our brain this is where we want to bend ○ Can put a block in between legs ○ Start with the toes tucked under ○ Stage 2: Bring one hand to one heel and release the other hand to the other heel . Externally rotate the arms ○ Stage 3: Untucked toes - May need to shift hips back slightly to reach heels ○ Stage 4: Dancing camel - works into the pose dynamically - Start with tucked toes - Bring one hand on heel - Take opposite arm and sweep it to the side, forward and up - Lift through the arms and lift - Lower the hips, draw circle in front of you - Bring hand to opposite foot and as you reach the foot bring the opposite arm up - After doing this a few times maybe you might bring other hand to foot for full camel - Maybe untuck the toes ○ Variation 5: In front of a wall. You're facing the wall with the pelvis glued to the wall and move upper/middle back without moving the lower back (great for beginners) - On inhale extend spine up, reach sternum to sky - Pull belly in and up - On exhale hinge thoracic spine back, bending above thumbs - Squeeze shoulder blades together and up towards the ceiling - Press heart upwards - Allow head to drop back or keep it lifted - To exit, engage abdominals and quadriceps, lift up slowly, come to sit on heels in vajrasana - Avoid forward bending deeply after camel or any deep backbend. Allow for a twist, or seated cat/cow before second round. - Modifications: ○ Bring blanket or double mat to knees ○ Can bring the block in between the thighs - Bend through upper back vs lower back - Keep the pelvis in line with knees A lot of times these backbends are done 3 at a time

Answer 29

= fish pose - - - Purpose of is to open up the throat and upper chest and back opener - Typically taught after shoulder stand to open up cervical spine - Variations: ○ Passive: With blocks ○ Active: Passive: - One block on the tallest version at the back of the mat (Pillow for the head) - Other block about a foot on medium setting (at bottom tips of shoulder blades) (above where the bra strap goes) - Blocks can also be at low/medium(for more chest opener) or medium/low (More beginner) - Lower block can also support the spine vertically) with upper block on medium setting ○ Engage your core to come up - Can play around with the block to see what feels best - Let the arms externally rotate and open Active: - Lay on back **- Slide hands underneath the butt for support with elbows on the floor and hugging into the sides - Push through your hands and elbows and lift the chest off of the ground - Drop the crown of the head back to the floor - deep cervical and thoracic spine into extension** - Breathe into the chest and throat - To come out: ○ Gently release the crown of the hand ○ Push into the hands ○ Tuck the chin back down - Legs are active Ashtanga version: - Hands are by your side - Push through your hands and elbows and lift the chest off of the ground - Drop the crown of the head back to the floor - deep cervical and thoracic spine into extension - Take one leg up and the other leg up (Into a V) - Could bring the palms together - To come out: ○ Bring hands back down to the ground ○ Feet back down to the ground ○ Draw chins to the chest ○ Release

Answer 30

= one legged king pigeon 1 - Eka = one, pada = legged raka = king/royal kapota = pigeon - Pigeon based - Opens up the little muscle in the butt (peruformus) - Need a strap unless you have a deep back bend and open shoulders (like dancer) - Start in a down dog - Set up knee to wrist and set up single pigeon - Keep the torso forward - Stage 1:Stay upright; lift up and away from the floor - Stage 2: Grab a strap and bend back knee ○ Reach other towards the foot that is bent (not the front leg that is bend) ○ Keep a hold of the strap and bring the strap over the shoulder ○ Kick the leg back into the strap and reach the chest up ○ Grab the strap with both hands, walking the hands down the strap ○ Need to push with front shin in order to stay up, **or you can put a block underneath the front hip** - If they plop down, likely because the hip is not active ○ Elbows are in line with the ears/pointed to the sky - Mermaid: ○ Bend the knee, underhand grib it and wiggle foot to inner elbow ○ If you cant stay lifted, place block under neath the hip ○ Opposite arm goes up, elbow bends, clasp the hands Press the chest forward and turn the torso to the front of the room

Answer 31

= one legged king pigeon 2 - Would be nice with king dancer, sun saluation C, backbends in general - really nice peak pose for a class like that - Lunge based; Deep lounge and backbend - **Typically from Anjanasana** ○ Keeping the pelvis upright, to stretch hip flexors - Allow the pelvis to come down (anterior pelvis tilt) - Try to keep front knee underneath the ankle - Squeeze inner thighs together - Square the hips - Push down through front leg to build stability - Bend back knee (pad it if it hurts) - Hook the strap around the foot and bring it over the shoulder - Point elbow up towards ceiling - Walk both hands down the strap - Lift the chest higher, lean head back into hand - Every exhale is an opportunity to go deeper Nice to come out through half split (it allows the compression of the hip that was just stretched and opens up hamstring )

Answer 32

= revolved triangle pose - Don’t recommend going into it from triangle where the hips are externally rotated vs revolved triangle pose is neutral pose (more similar to pyramid) ○ Recommend going to neutral (possible with pyramid in between) versus going straight from externally rotated to neutral pelvis - All about wringing the body out in two directions; grounding through the pelvis; rotation coming from belly button and up - Recommend block (especially on grounded hand) ○ Can move to tended fingertips ○ Hand on top of foot or outside of the front foot ○ Can also use a block outside of the front foot - Tadadana - Start from pyramid pose - Feet: ○ Front toes pointing at 12 ○ Back foot at 10 ○ Want an equal amount of weight in both legs ○ - Legs: ○ Dig down through back heel and squeezing the glutes of the back foot; will lengthen the spine ○ - Hands to the hips - Lengthen the tailbone under - Lift frontal hip points, find space through the body - Inhale - Exhale - Hinge at the hip - Keep a slight bend in the front knee, engage the quads - Bring left hand down inside of your front foot ○ Bring block at appropriate height so you're not dumping - Hand to hip - Extend/lengthen the spine - Bring right hip back ; pull right hip crease back - Rib cage lift; rotate the torso - When you cant do further in the twist, bring the arm up - Ensure that shoulders are staked - Reach forward through the crown of the head - Draw outter right hip back - Press through ballmound of front big toe, anchor through the back leg - To come out: ○ Soft bend in both legs ○ Hands to hip ○ Rise back up Repeat on other side

Answer 33

= Revolved side angle/crescent pose - Revolved version is a very deep twist (a lot of torque on the back leg) - Come from warrior 2 - Rotate the pelvis and rib cage forward (similar to warrior 1) - Heel down - Bring the arms up, bring the arms to the heart - Hinge forward to a 45 degree angle - Use your core to ensure that spine is straight - Dig back through flattened back foot - Rotate over front leg, hook elbow outside the thigh - Press the palms together and lean back ○ Aim for palms at the center of the chest (lengthening the spine and rotating through the belly) - People end up putting a lot of pressure of the big toe of the back foot --> puts pressure on inner knee ○ Ground through the outside edge of back foot while rotating the spine - Gace: ○ Down on the floor ○ To the side ○ Up towards the sky - More commonly from crescent (back heel is lifted) (revolved crescent) ○ More accessible than revolved side angle, but still not beginner friendly - Would recommend revolved low lunge instead ○ Keep back leg strong ○ Hands: - Can split the arms (one by the foot and the other up) - Bound (one arm behind you, another clasping underneath you) - can also use strap - To come out: ○ Crescent ○ Warrior 2 - Some people cant twist as deeply as other: ○ With more body mass ○ Flrxibility of spine/side body ○ Pregnant woman ○ Modification: - Block underneath the hand and with the other arm up (still revolved) - One hand is pushing the leg to hook the elbow

Answer 34

= Revolved half moon pose - Most commonly entered from revolved triangle but open chain Can from revolved triangle or warrior 3 - Gaze goes down - Soften front leg - Block needs to come forward with you ○ Over time can hover the hand - Shift the weight into front leg - Hand underneath the shoulder - Lift the back leg off the ground - Spine lengthen - Rotate from the belly from the strength of the core - Once you cant twist, bring arm up - Lower body is in warrior 3 - Innger thighs spinning together - Neutral pelvis - Progression: ○ Bend the back leg, reach for the foot ○ Small bend in standing leg ○ Kick the foot into the hand and reach the chest forward as you rotate

Answer 35

= Revolved chair pose - - Want to twist to come from the belly button up (torso), not the pelvis or lower back - Start with utkatasana - Shift weight back into the heels - Hands come to the heart - Inhale, lift the chest up - Exhale - Rotate chest to the right (while the pelvis stays there is is) - Hook the hand outside the foot - Press the palms together, extend the spine forward - Lean back - Make sure that the knees don’t track forward (meaning pelvis has come out of alignment) - Glue the knees together, move the left hip back so that the legs stay in the same plane - Lower the hips - Arms: ○ Hand to chest Can be split (one reaching up and the other down)

Answer 36

= Intense west stretch (Seated forward fold) - Purpose of the pose is the compression of the front body to the lower body; want to hinge from the pelvis not from the upper back - Typically used at the end of the practice (students may be tight in the beginning) - Front of the body: east; back of the body: facing west - Helpful to have blanket or block for the stretch - Important to have a nice long spine in seated poses ○ Lift and lengthen through the spine - If not happening, sit on a blanket or a block (changes the angles; creates a downward slope of the thigh bone out of the thigh bone which demands less hip flexion; makes it easier to neutralize the pelvis) - Legs: ○ Together, adducted inner thighs, slight internal rotation of the thighs ○ Feet flexed, toes pointing up - Inhale, bring the arms up ○ Lift the rib cage up away from the pelvis - Exhale, initiate forward fold keeping length in the spine ○ Bring the hands to the outer feet (if not available, bring the hands to the shins or the knees) - Inhale, lengthen the spine - Exhale, fold back in (deep compression of the front body to the lower body) ○ Keep the chin neutral ○ Bring the nose towards the toes ○ Pull the belly button in and back, send sit bones back, energetically traction the heels forward (to deepen compression) ○ Actively lengthen the legs (purpose of the pose) - If the students knees hurt or if they cant straighten their legs: ○ Knees can be bent ○ Slide the blanket under the knees if they hurt (or blocks) ○ Can also use a strap if the student cant reach their feet - Put the strap under the ballmound of the feet Use the strap as resistance; lift and lengthen and bring the hands down the strap

Answer 37

= Child’s pose - Great for the start of the class or as a break - Knees as wide as the mat ○ Abduction of the femur bones - Hips on heels - Walk forward ○ Hip flexion happening - Hands out in front of you - Forehead to ground - Can place a blanket: ○ on the tops of the feet (will lessen the degree that the feet need to flex) ○ On the back of the knee joint (will less the degree that the knee needs to bend for those with knee pain) - Can also place the head on the block to to less the hip flexion - If there’s shoulder pain, can place the hands besides you - For those with large bellies, can widen the knees Uttita balasana: - Good alternaitive to downdog - Same set up as balasana except the hands - Come up to fingertips, elbows lift off the Matt, arms work towards being straight Goes deeper into shoulders, side body, and back body

Answer 38

Wide Angle seated forward bend - Good to have a strap, blanket, or blanket - Sit up tall - Take the legs to abduction (whatever’s available to you) - Flex the feet, toes pointed up, toes spread apart ○ Might need to internally or externally rotate the thighs depends on how your feet are leaning ○ Cue the knees as well (keep the knees up) ○ Legs are neutral - Take the thigh bones and lengthen them out away from the body ○ Push through your heels ○ Engage the quads and lift knee caps ○ Want an energetic push - Hands are out in front of you - Inhale - Exhale, forward fold while keeping spine long ○ May take some time to get there - Notice what the feet do - Props: ○ If student is feeling inner knee pain: take a blanket and roll it (as needed) and place underneath the knee ; could also use a block (but may be too high) ○ Lengthen the strap and place it underneath the ballmound of the feet, grabbing the strap and using that to bring you forward ○ If students back is rounded, place blanket under the bum to create the downward slope - Modifications: ○ Hands can be behind you if someone has a rounded back ○ Bring hands in front - If someone is rotating, coming from the hips first --> then the knees (kn - Gaze comes down - No bum bum squeezing

Answer 39

= Sage marichi fold - May need a strap - Often a closing pose at the end of class because it requires shoulder flexibility and binding - Start from dandasana - If the student has trouble sitting upright, it’s because they have a lot of posterior pelvic tilt. Place a blanket or a block to elevate the hips and bring the pelvis into neutral, adding a slight anterior tilt. - Take one leg, bend it and bring it to the chest. Bring the heel as close as possible (while keeping the hip grounded back down, some teachers let it elevate) ○ Abi recommends giving yourself the space to fold (opening up the bent leg a little bit) and then bind - Adduct the inner thighs - Take the arm with the bent leg and forward fold inside of that knee ○ Arm is going to slice out inside of the shin, internally rotating the arm, and bend the elbow towards the hips - Can use a stap here: place it behind the body, grabbing with both hands ○ Opposite arm wraps behind you ○ Clasp the fingers together - Hug inner right thigh in and work to square left shoulder down and re-square the pelvis, keeping both hips on the ground ○ Want shoulders parallel/neutral - Lengthen the spine forward, flex extended leg ○ Okay to round slightly - Reach the crown of the head towards the knee or the chins - Keep the inner thigh hugging in - To come out: ○ Lift up ○ Release the arms Can do front body stretch

Answer 40

=Plow Pose - Flipped over the typical forward folds - Typically entered after shoulder stand - Good to stretch out back body and the neck, typically at the end of class ○ If a student has a bulging disk or a spine injury (shouldn’t be putting pressure on the neck), don’t do this pose ○ Requires flexibility in the back muscles to allow the back to come into that degree of flexion - Starting from supine, keep the neck nice and long (neutral cervical spine) - Wiggle the shoulders underneath you - **Hands to the side,** use them to push the legs up (where you get the power of this pose) - Bring the legs to tabletop - Use the lower abdominals to bring the legs overhead - Press the palms to the ground - Tuck the toes under, dig/reach the heels back towards the wall behind you ○ Legs may not get to the floor (that’s fine), just requires more flexibility - Internally rotate inner thighs (creates spine in lower back) - DON’T turn the neck in this pose - Gaze is at the belly button or in between the thighs - This pose is about pratiayara (withdrawing senses) - To come out: ○ Push into the hands ○ Engage the abdominals ○ Start to lower slowly, keep the thighs as tight to the torso as possible Lower the legs all the way or keep the knees bent

Answer 41

= Ear pressure pose - offer it the person who can bring their legs to the ground - Typically at the end of the process and withdrawing your senses (everything is quiet, deepening the breath, bring the energy inward) - Extension of shoulder stand and plow pose - Start from plow pose - Bring shoulders underneath you - Press through the hands - Bend the knees and bring them as close to the ears as possible (want to close the ears) - Squeeze the knees against the side of the face - Toes can be tucked under or toenails on the floor - Get your butt to the sky - Modifications: could put blocks under the knees - Hands: ○ Can be on the flow ○ Wrapped around the legs (knees) - To come out: ○ Hands to the floor ○ Slowly extend the legs to the floor Shoulder stand --> Plow --> Ear pressure pose (often come together) ○ Any time you stand on the back of your neck, do fish pose ○ Biggest compressor here is the neck, then the hips ○ This would be great as counter pose for backbend (would do twists to neutralize before)

Answer 42

- Rounded back/posterior pelvic tilt/may not be able to straighten their legs: may be caused by tight hamstrings ○ Solutions: bend the knees, put something under the knees - Using the strap: doing it to create a line of energy ○ Keeping the tension in the strap, bring yourself forward - DISC injuries/lower back injuries: - Use chin to shin versus of head to knee - Important to: ○ find slight anterior pelvic tilt ○ Lift and lengthen before twisting - Twist through the core - Can you try to remove your elbow and stay in the twist - Thoracic spine is twisting (belly button up) ○ Important to ground the hips down ○ Not crank the neck - Inhale lengthen. Exhale, get deeper in the twist ○ The whole time in the twist Twist in a place where you're still comfortable

Answer 43

Easy/sweet pose - Introductory pose but can be tough given our current lifestyle - Criss cross your feet ○ Knee caps mostly aligned to outer hips ○ Cross will be at the shins rather than at the ankles - Feet will be flexed ○ Outer edges of the feet pressing into the ground - Press the sit bones down into the Matt - Draw the low belly in and up - Lift and lengthen through the spine, want a neutral spine (natural curve of spine) ○ Lift through the crown of the head - Slide the shoulders away from the ear - Draw the front ribs in and down towards the public bone - Hands can be: ○ At the knees ○ Madras (with breath work) ○ Turned up - Want steadiness through the hips, base of the body, lightness and lift through the spine - Equal parts grounding and uplifting - If a student: Cant bring the knees down, grounded spine: elevate the hips with a blanket or block if not enough (requires less hip flexion, legs are more in neutral)

Answer 44

= hero pose - Knees together ○ In deep knee flexion - Feet out wide, a little bigger than hips distance - Bring sit bones in between the feet (thunderbolt (?) you’re sitting on top of your legs) ○ Bring the flesh out behind you (giving us a slight anterior tilt) - Feet: ○ Plantoff flexion , toes on the ground - Thigh bones will be internally rotated and adducted ○ Want the internal rotation to come from the hips and not the knees - Straight spine - Hands rested on thighs: ○ Can also do eagle legs, gentle twists, mudras - Modifications: ○ Can have people sit on a blanket or on a block ○ If the flexion in the ankle joint hurts, can place a blanket underneath the ankle ○ Ardha Virasana: - one leg will be straight out (neutral), can place a block/blanket underneath the front knee other leg in virasana (internal rotation)

Answer 45

reclined hero pose, deeper version of hero - Anatomy: Hips mostly neutral; slight hip exptension, slight back bend, internal rotation of femur bones, - Recommend starting with a blanket for the feet (if you have a thin mat or hard floor) - Start in virasana - Only move to Supta virasana if the students hip bones are on the ground (if on blocks, don’t go to Supta because it will be a lot on lower back) ○ If you keep the block, will exaggerate the bend in the back - Ensure all toes on the mat - Take the hands out behind you and lean back - If no pain, can come to the forearms (may be a lot on the quads) - If no pain, bring the head and shoulders to the ground ○ If the students knees come up, go back to the forearm ** - Both sit bones and knees on the ground** - Hands can be: ○ Overhead: may be a lot on front body ○ One hand on belly, one hand on heart ○ Grabbing the foot - Counter pose: Come to all fours, stretch one foot behind you and then the other

Answer 46

= head to knee pose - - - May use a strap, blanket, or block - Going to be hamstring, groin, and side/lower back stretch - Take one leg out to the side (bring to angle that’s natural to the hip) (extended leg) ○ Want the leg to be neutral, toes up, foot flexed, toes spread apart - Sole of opposite foot nestles on inner thigh (external rotation) - Both sit bones grounded - Lift up out of the spine - Inhale, take the arms up - From the belly button up, rotate toro over the extended leg - Exhale, dive forward with a really long spine and grab the knee, shin, or ankle, hand can grab the opposite wrist ○ Fold the forehead to the knee - Inhale, lengthen the spine - Exhale, fold deeper - Take the ribs that are open and bring it down toward the inner thigh of the extended leg - Avoid the slouch, want to have a baby cobra in the upper back and lengthen - Modifications: ○ Place strap in the middle of the foot, with a straight back lower deeper ○ If someone’s knee is high on the bend leg, place a block or blanket underneath the thigh ○ If inner knee hurts or if they cant straighten the extended leg, make a blanket burrito and slide underneath the knee Progression: place the block behind the foot and grab Janu sirsasana

Answer 47

= seated spinal twist, half lord of the fish pone - All about rooting down the pelvis, lifting up and rotating through the spine, and keeping hips grounded - Extend one leg in front - Bring the other knee to chest, then cross over the other leg placing the sole on the floor (while maintaining lift in the spine) ○ Ground through big toe - Initiate lift in low back - Initiate a twist from the core ○ Want to be able to lift elbow and still keep the twist - Right hand reaches back behind you with tented fingertip or palm flat - Inhale, Take left arm up - Exhale, rotate the spine and hook it outside of the knee - Inhale, lift and lengthen the spine - Exhale, rotate deeper - Spread wide across collarbones - Press the shoulder blades into the rib cage - Bring the gaze over the top shoulder - Take 3-5 breathes - If someone has extra flesh or if they can twist the spine yet, hug the leg - To come out: ○ Take counter twist, bring both hands to the opposite side ○ Round the spine ○ Drop the head Full expression: - Extend one leg in front **- Bring the other knee to chest, then cross over the other leg (while maintaining lift in the spine) ○ Ground through big toe - Initiate lift in low back - Bend the other leg and bring to the outer hip ** **○ Want both hips to ground** ○ Big toe grounds, opposite hip grounds - Initially a twist - Right hand reaches back behind you with tented fingertip or palm flat - Inhale, Take left arm up - Exhale, rotate the spine and hook it outside of the knee - Inhale, lift and lengthen the spine - Exhale, rotate deeper - Spread wide across collarbones - Press the shoulder blades into the rib cage - Bring the gaze over the top shoulder - Take 3-5 breathes - If someone has extra flesh or if they can twist the spine yet, hug the leg - To come out: ○ Take counter twist, bring both hands to the opposite side ○ Round the spine ○ Drop the head - Full expression: arms binded - Can tip it over and go into Koundi B

Answer 48

= revolved head to knee pose - Goal is to open up the side body and slight rotation of therasic spine - Want the tilt to come from the pelvis rather than from the lower back (will put pressure on the hamstring) - One leg out to the side ○ Toes are pointing up, neutral, flexed, drive energy through the heel - Sole of opposite foot nestles on inner thigh - Lift up and out of the pelvis (from the deep core muscles to the spine) - **Take the arm of the straight leg and slide it to the inside of the leg - Inhale, take opposite arm up to the sky (lift and lengthen through the armpit) - Exhale, slide into the side bend** ○ Stretch out of the side rib ○ Eventually will grab the toe ○ Take the gaze up - Eventually, both of the hands will come to the big toe - Want to keep your chest open while trying to grab the foot - Opposite hip may come up, ground down through the sit bone of the bend leg As your stretch to the other side - Modifications: ○ Place strap on extended leg , grab the strap with arm overhead ○ Can make a loop with the strap, inserting inside of the foot and then grab it ○ Can bend the elbow and bring the arm behind the head, lead head back into elbow - Take a couple of breaths in the pose Use core muscles to come out

Answer 49

=half pigeon - Common for people to get emotion in hip opener/pigeon - hip opener ○ Don’t want to feel it in the knees. If someone is - ALWAYS OFFER FIGURE 4 when offering pigeon ○ Externally rotate the leg ○ Place ankle on top of knee (or leg cross over leg if uncomfortable) ○ Bring leg closer to chest ○ Thread the eye of needle ○ Bring legs closer to chest ○ Hands interlace either behind front thigh or in front of shin ○ Drop crown of head on the mat; soften and release - If not possible, bring the leg on the floor or bring block on the back of the head - Stretches puriformus muscle (baby muscles in the butt) - Passive stretch: allowing gravity/external force to get into the shape - Would want to teach pigeon after you've contracted the glutes a lot - warrior 2, balancing, chair pose, outter hip engagement (want to create balance) - Don’t need shin parallel - demands a lot of hip opening - Often from downdog - **Front knee should be outside of the hip (may need to move shin out to the side)** ○ Knee outside of rib cage so you can fold forward and not flopping to the side - Flex front foot (engages muscles all the way up the leg) and press front shin onto the ground (will allow you to lift) ○ May need the block under the hip. If too high, fold blanket 1/2 the height of a block - Back leg is slightly internally rotated ○ May help if the toes are tucked to lift the knees up and helping the hip turn forward --> and then placing the knees down and untucking the toes - Neutral pelvis - Top foot on the floor - Squeeze inner thighs together to find a lift - Hands on the side - Inhale, lift through the spine (full pose is a backbend) ○ Find some height - Exhale, walk hands forward and bring chest towards the floor - Use hands as support ○ Elbows ○ Arms cross and forehead comes down ○ Forehead to the ground - Hold for a minute - Active way (also strengthening muscles that you're stretching): ○ Flex front foot ○ Push front shin into the ground to get lift ○ Inhale and allow gravity to take you down ○ Exhale - lift through front shin and come up - To come out: ○ Use hands to come up ○ Option 1: - Allow hips to come to the side - Allow back leg to swing forward ○ Option 2: - Tuck back toes under - Lift the hip into a three legged dog - If someone is experiencing pain in the knee, likely because of tight hips ○ Hard to say which muscles it is as there are lots of muscles in outer hip complex ○ Knees are in deep knee flexion (Don’t want to feel it in the knee); may be too deep of a hip stretch (muscles are pulling on the knee) - Upright version is a backbend - anterior tilt of the pelvis (have one leg in extension) - Full pigeon: hands in flexion

Answer 50

Firelog pose (double pigeon) - Deep external rotator and hip opener, not accessible to everyone (needs to be supported with props and lots of instruction) ○ Stretches outer hip complex, gluteus medius, and more - Start in seated: ○ Take one shin and bring it parallel to either the top or side of the mat - Flex the foot (engages and wakes up muscles, especially around the knee) ○ Take the second foot and stack it on top of the first leg (ankle over knee, knee over ankle) - Want the ankle to come on top of the opposite knee so the ankle joint is flat - Ideally want the knees to be parallel - External rotation of the thigh bone - Open the knees away from each other - Sit really tall - Inhale, lift and lengthen the spine - Walk your fingers forward and hinge forward (with a long spine) in the direction of a forward fold - Keep the hips flexed as you fall forward - Stay for a couple of breaths - Sole of the feet and the side of the thigh match up - Modifications: ○ Shins parallel in front of each other ○ Figure four shape on the back - Interlace the hands ○ Extend the bottom leg to straight and take the top leg and cross it over - The ankle may be too much on the quad ○ Using blocks/blankets (if both hips stay on the floor but the leg is high) - Place block or blanket underneath the knee ○ If the student cant comfortability sit up (rounded spine), sit on a block or blanket - A nice release is 90/90 (internally rotating back thigh bone, push the inner knee into the ground, engages the outer hip )

Answer 51

=cow faced pose - Deep external rotation in both of the legs , deep shoulder flexibility ; has the deepest compression of all joints (shoulders, knees, elbows - Bend one leg, sole of the foot to the floor ○ Grab the lifted foot with the opposite hand and bring it over to the opposite hip - Shift your weight over to the foot near the hip, bend the bottom leg and bring the foot to the opposite hip - Knees are stacked - Both sit bones in the ground - Small anterior tilt in the pelvic - Have Adduction (thighs are moving into the midline) - Feet are somewhat plantof flexed (depending on flexibility) ○ Feet close to the hips - Whichever thigh is on top, the opposite arm is going to go on top (to prevent a twist) ○ Reach right arm to the sky and externally rotate the shoulder ○ Opposite arm will be internally rotated, moving to the mid-back ○ Bring the hands together, grasping whatever you can get a hold of - Drawing both elbows towards the midline and pulling elbows away from each other - Use a strap if you cant reach - Take forward fold - Modifications: ○ Lower arm will grab elbow of top arm ○ Can sit on a blanket or a block if the student has a rounded back ○ Arms can be in a different position (at a twist, forward in front) ○ Ardha gomukhasana: with one leg extended (can also do twist here) ○ Entrance variation: - Come from all fours - Place the block between the feet - Bring both knees to one side of the block - Cross the right knee in front of the left - Shift the weight block (sitting on the block) ○ Other transition: - Place hands in front of you - Come to the sole of the feet - And then twist around - To exit: ○ Put hands behind you Take the legs out in front of you

Answer 52

= Lotus pose (Padma = lotus) - One of the original yoga places, a seat of meditation, takes a lot of working up to (takes a lot of hip mobility and ability to keep your spine straight) ; make sure to do both sides ○ Stretching adductors, strengthening spine - If anyone has knee injuries or sciatica (or SI joint instability): would not recommend this pose, would make knee or ankle injuries worse - Would recommend sitting on a blanket (tilts pelvic forward) - If pregnant: towards the end the relaxant will relax tendant or make people deeper in the pose than they should (recommend maybe going 50% into the pose) - Can start from: ○ Dandasana (legs straight out in front of you) ○ Take flesh of sit bones out in front of you ○ Knees can be bent or straight - May be more mobile on one side versus the other (depends on hip mobility and abductors (?) are) - Keep left leg straight - Bend right knee , sole of the right foot is in the inside of left side (external rotation and abduction) - Grab right ankle and flex it as much as possible - Bring right heel towards the left hip joint ○ Sole of the foot comes up towards the lower belly (keep the foot active) - Externally rotate the bottom leg - Grab the left ankle, flex the foot, pick the foot up and bring the heel towards the belly - Sole of the foot comes towards the hip crease and top of the foot on the thigh - Knees down, sitting down - Hands on the knees or in a mudra - Want to be in dorsie flexion (trying to draw toes towards the shins) - want active feet going on - Modification: ○ Ardha padmasana (can bring block underneath the knee) ○ Progression: gentle twist, mudra work, meditation May be easier on your back and inverted vs. sitting

Answer 53

bound angle pose - Tarasana: the legs are going to be further away ○ Had more of a rounded spine position - Inner thigh stretch, back body lengthener - Have a block or blanket - Bring the legs to external rotation and abduction - If student has an issue sitting up straight, have the student sit on a block or blanket - Soles of the feet come together, with toes together ○ Feet close to the groin - Can also open up the feet like a book (stretches the ankles) - Hands holding onto the feet - Come to a flat long back - Inhale lengthen the spine - Exhale, hinge forward with a long spine ○ Draw chest forward - Elbows may some to inner thigh, pressing forward - Modification: ○ Sitting on the block - To come out: Allow the legs to close and straighten out

Answer 54

= reclined bound angle pose - - - - Either an opener or closer pose, likely in this pose for a number of breaths: ○ If an opener pose, inner thighs may not be warmed up enough (where having blocks is useful) - Place blocks underneath the outer thighs (holding portion of calf and thigh) (always offer the block) - Many students may be tight in the hips - Lay down - Bring soles of the feet together with the knees apart - Draw the shoulder blades together to open up the chest - Gently lengthen the tail bone forward (closes the jaw) - Neck long - Chin slightly tucked towards the chest - Arms relaxed by the sides - Eyes closed - Modifications: ○ Place blocks underneath the outer thighs (holding portion of calf and thigh) (always offer the block) - Many students may be tight in the hips - To come out: ○ Use the hands outside of the thighs to bring the legs together ○ Bring knees to chest

Answer 55

Frog pose - Blocks or blanket may be helpful - Supper intense, make sure to cue breath ○ A lot of the work is in the head, objective is to release and soften inner groin - Stretches the inner groin and inner hips ○ May lead to more sensitivity to the knees or ankles - Walk the hands forward - Walk the knees to the front edge of the mat (so that feet are still on yoga mat) - Looking for 90 degrees between the knee and the shin - Ankles flexed - Modifications: ○ Blocks may be helpful underneath the elbows - Want to floss the hips back and forth until the student finds sensation - Want to stay in this pose for a while (longer you stay the harder it gets to come out) - Can go in between anterior and posterior pelvic tilt, the sensation may vary - Upper body: ○ While on forearms, press out of the shoulders to find a lift ○ Bring the chest towards the floor - To come out: ○ Army crawl forward ○ Can bring the feet together slowly and press up out of it, bring the knees together ○ May take a bit for the hips to come back together - Counter pose: ○ Extend the legs Make some leg circles

Answer 56

= Lizard pose - - - Deep lunge with lots of space between upper body and lower body (Down on the floor and using gravity to get into posture) - Helpful to have blocks - Can come into it from forward fold, downward dog, ect. Coming from downdog: - Take right leg up - Get the foot outside of the right hand ○ Bring the knee across ○ Shift the shoulder over the wrist ○ Use the core to place the foot down with control (being careful not to swing it) ; can grab the foot - Stage 1: shift back and forwth with back knee up ○ Bring the hands underneath the shoulders ○ Drop the hips down and lift the chest up - Stage 2: Lower on elbows with back knee down (can also lift back knee) ○ One elbow may come down and the other may not if not warm - want to drive down evenly through both arms - If not able to get both elbows, come on blocks ○ Press thigh bone up towards the ceiling (activated leg) ○ Lower back knee down - Stage 3: Bend back knee and reach back and grab the foot (can also take strap) ○ If bending left leg, right hand grabs the foot - Stage 4: Get chest to the floor ○ Walking arms forward or back to get chest on the floor - If class is on adduction (warrior 3, eagle, crescent); would cue to Hug inner thigh to the shoulder - If class is hip opening (outer hip), turn the foot out, allow the inner thighs to swing open ○ activates outer glutes and stretching inner groin ○ Can press inner thigh open as you lean back into the shape - To come out: ○ Press into palms ○ Lift in back knee (Into a lunge) ○ Downward dog From Tadasana/forward fold - will be going backward - Step leg back - Heel toe the feet to the side to bring hands inside the foot

Answer 57

shoulder stand - Known as the queen of the asanas - compresses the throat (throat chakra pose), neck in cervical flexion (of the neck) - if you breathe deeply (ujaji breath), the rubbing of the breath and the vegas nerve connection deeply releases anxiety - Also true of plow pose and halasana - Nervous system pose, connects to Vegas nerve (side of the throat) - Always teach shoulder stand sequence with two blankets (three inches tall) ; helpful to have protection for the neck, reduces pressure and flexion of the neck - Take rolled edges of blanket facing the back (Nat recommends but up to you) - Edge of blanket will come to shoulders, creating a downward slope from shoulder to floor (to reduce the angle of flexion). The head will not be on the towel; neck hanging off the towel. - Place elbows on the blanker - Almost always at the end of class to bring everything together - Inversion - helps with focus, concentration - Major cervical spine flexion, back body needs to be really long/lengthened (need an open back), shoulders extended, shoulder blades retracted ○ May be challenging if someone has a tight back body ○ Forward folds lengthen the back body (would we good prep pose), supported back bend (fish pose) ○ Humble warrior (would do both) - Arms by your side - Bring the legs to tabletop, push down and bring the legs overhead (to halasana) - Work shoulders underneath you - Bring hands to support middle back, moving forwards upper back - Bring one leg up, then the other leg up - Hug elbows in - Squeeze the glutes (extension of the hip) - Want the hips over shoulders - Important not to move the neck, all of our body weight is on the vertibral (very small) - Want to stay in shoulder stand for long enough (20 ish breaths) - Shoulder stand sequence: 1) Shoulder stand 2) Halasana - Plow i. Control legs with core to bring into plow ii. Place hands on the floor iii. Tucking the toes, reaching heels back iv. Bend the knees into kanapidasana 3) Karnapidasana - ear pressure pose - Hug the back of the legs - Release the hands - Straighten the legs - Slowly release 4) Fish pose - deep extension of cervical spine - Counter pose: Fish pose

Answer 58

Viparita = inverted karani = action = action of inversion = Legs up the wall pose - Cools and rests while being inverted (using gravity to facilitate that action) - Nice shape to do after a long day, when feet/ankles are swollen - drains fluid out of extremeties - Often offered from supported bridge pose ○ Block under sacrum - Bring knees in towards the chest - Extend one leg up and the other leg up ; want the legs to be light ○ Want the pelvis nice and neutral - Don’t point or flex; let the legs hang to let gravity pump the blood through the body and rest - To come out: ○ Bend the knees ○ Use the core to slowly place the feet on the floor ○ Lift hips to remove the block - At the wall: ○ Bring hips right at the wall (or say on the side) ○ Swing hips up and over ○ If someone has tight legs, bend the legs ○ Feet at passive ○ Arms extended out ○ If you want more, you can place the blocks underneath the sacrum ○ To come out: - Roll to one side in fetal position - Use the hands to come up - Stay for 30 secs to 1 minute - Can also widen the legs for viparita upavistha konasana

Answer 59

Apana = downward moving air = Wind relieving pose (knees to chest) (aka fart pose) - Great for beginning or end of practice or middle if taking a rest - Great pose if you're having gas or digestive pain or have tight hip flexors (releases them in this direction) - Lay down - Pull one knee to the chest, then the other to the chest ○ How close your knee comes to the chest depends on your knee flexion - Bring hands to the chins - Draw knees closer to the chest - Lengthen tailbone forward and down as the knees come to the chest - Might feel intense in hip flexors if in a tighter body - Don’t want head coming to the knees; want to spine neutral - Can also: ○ take knees wide (might have a different impact on your hip flexors) ○ Rock side to side Can take it into double knee spinal twist, or keep one knee in and extend the other leg

Answer 60

ananda = bliss balasana = child's pose = Happy baby pose - Arms are inside of the knees - Improving hip mobility - outter hip, hamstring, inner groins, opening up the chest and shoulders, lengthening spine; great for releasing tension in lower back (with pelvic down on the ground) - Great alternative for malasana (same pose but on the ground); anada balasana is a regression for malasana - Often put at the end of class, can also put in the front - Not a good pose for pregnant woman (avoid being on her back, not going to be comfortable) - May use a strap ○ Insert strap around the foot and grab the strap - If people have delicate ankles, advise they grab their calf instead Ardha ananda balasana - Lay on your back, feet about hip distance apart - Knee point towards ceiling - Slight posterior pelvic tilt - Arms can be on the side or on hip bones to root down (grounding hip bone down) - Bend right knee ○ Knee by armspit , students tend to over externally rotate - Reach right foot from outer edge ○ Hand is pulling on the leg while the leg is pushing against the arm - Extended leg goes inside the foot - Flex the foot - Other leg: ○ Bent ○ Straight (a lot stronger of an opening in the pelvis/hip) --> flex the foot if the heel is able to come down Ananda balasana - Lay on your back, feet about hip distance apart - Slight posterior pelvic tilt - Tuck the tailbone under - Knees bend towards your chest - Reach around the outside of your feet - Dorsi flex the feet - Bend the knees - Lengthen the tailbone back down to the matt once feet are up - Knee by armpit , students tend to over externally rotate ○ Hand is pulling on the leg while the leg is pushing against the arm ○ Can use the strap if you cant grab the foot ○ Can also straighten one of the legs ○ To exit: ○ Bend both of the knees ○ Gently let you ○ Bring the feet back down to the mat Other variation (for pregnant belly or people who cant be flat on their back) - Sole of the feet on the floor, feet as wide as the mat - Round the spine - Hold onto the feet - Resembling happy baby tipped over Can also work on having a straighter spine

Answer 61

One legged wind relieving pose - Often a transition (before supine twist or happy baby) - Hip is in flexion - Benefits: - Releases gases/has digestive benefits - Stretches hamstrings, hip, glutes, and groins, eases tension - Not recommended after 2nd trimester (since we're laying on the back) - Lay flat on your back - Legs out long - Tuck the tailbone under - Bend one leg - Pull one knee to the chest, interlace fingers around the knee - How close your knee comes to the chest depends on your knee flexion - If someone has a larger belly, can bring the knee out slightly to the side of the belly - Can also do head to knee for core - To come out: - Gently let go of the foot - Let the foot come back down to the floor - Lay leg down - Other side If someone cant lay down: - Can come to a sit - One leg out straight One knee bent, hug that knee in (can move it slightly to the side)

Answer 62

= Supine spinal twist - Often at the end of class, can also put it in the beginning of class - Often need props (blankets, block, maybe a strap) - Great for rotating the spine (helps lubricate the disc), stretches lower back muscles ; brings the spine back into it's normal position - For early pregnancy/people with larger belly (windshield wiper the legs and leave to one side) - Traditionally done with 2 straight legs (but requires quite a lot of core strength) but not often taught - For supine version, bring legs to the left first Traditional variation - active (requires a lot of stability in sacrum, sacrum - not sustainable to do everyday) - not done very often; may just do 1 or 2 - Lay down on your mat - Bend your knees, place feet on the floor - Arms in a T, palms facing up or down depending on your sequence - Slight posterior tilt - Turn the core on - Lift the knees to the chest - Straighten the legs to the ceiling - Inhale to the center - Exhale, legs stay straight and fall to the left - Knees float, they don’t come up to the mat - Come as far as you can leave your opposite shoulder on the floor Core sequence- active - Lay down on your mat - Bend your knees, place feet on the floor - Arms in a T, palms facing up or down depending on your sequence - Slight posterior tilt - Turn the core on - Lift the knees to the chest (knees can be at 90 degrees or slightly more towards you) - Drop the knees to the left, inhale back to center, exhale to other side - Continue Most common - passive - Lay down on your mat - Bend your knees, place feet on the floor - Arms in a T or in calctus (becomes more of a chest opening), palms facing up or down depending on your sequence - Slight posterior tilt - Feet hip distance apart - Push into the feet and lift the hips up - Move the hips a few inches to the right (takes flexion out of the spine; puts it in a rotation) - Lower them back down - Bring the knees up and towards the chest - Drop the knees to the left - Want the knees tracking right on top of reach other - Hips stacked on top of each other - Opposite shoulder down on the ground - If students don’t have a deep enough twist for the knees to come down, place a block under that bottom knee - If bottom knee is down but the top one cant come down, then place block under the top leg - If the shoulder is not coming down, put something under the knee Other regressions: - Straighten bottom leg - If top knee is floating, place block underneath it - Keep opposite shoulder down (if not possible, bend both legs) - Straighten top leg - takes it to IT band and outside of top thigh - Can grab big toe or use strap - Can come from laying on your side - Inhale the right arm overhead - Let the shoulders open and torso roll - Can lift top leg up and down (ankles and knees in line with one another) - works hip abductors (?) - Can keep ankles together and open thighs up and down - Figure four twist - Drop the knees to one side Eagle leg twist

Answer 63

= corpse pose - Releasing all tension and muscular engagement - lay down on your back - Take your hands and feet as wide as the mat - Palms facing up - Let your feet flop open (some people may have less external rotation of the ankles) (have slight external rotation in thighs and in shoulders) - Close your eyes - Let go of breath control - Dedicate 10% of the class (60 minute class = 6 min of savasana) - Could do a body scan, can have the person squeeze and then let go - If you're finding it hard to stay still, place thumb and pointer finger together (to feel hear beat), then move through fingers - If laying on the back is not comfortable (pregnant woman), take a side laying savasana - Roll onto whatever side is comfortable - Take bottom arm, make pillow - Can put a blanket in between the knees if uncomfortable - Take a bolster and place it underneath the knees (takes pressure off the lower back) - For people who have been on their feet all day, place block on highest setting - Place bolster on top of blocks - Place the back of calf muscles on the bolster (calms the nervous system) - To come out of savasana: - Exit gently and slowly - Bring small movements back to the body - Fingers and toes --> wrists and ankles --> arms overhead, stretch the feet out - Knees to chest - In vinyasa class, Abi rolls to the right (allows the left side body to activate). For yin, roll to the left - or ask student to roll over into whatever side is most comfortable - Left hand side of the body/nostril: moon/calming - Right hand side: sun With eyes closed, make their way back into a seat

Fundamentals Flashcards

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