Standing Asana Intensive with Focus on Ankles, Leading to Bhekasana (Part1 of Back Arches Weekend Intensive)
Focussing on calves, shins and ankles as the foundation for standing asanas. Progressing to the basic back arches. Level: Experienced Beginners, Intermediate Duration: 120min Props required: no props are needed, blocks are optional This session is part of the Short Course Standing to Back Arches Short Course (Weekend Intensive; Level: Experienced Beginner, Intermediate)
Back arches: Fast Movements Using Supports
This session explores how short bursts of fast movements effect back arches. The movements are chosen so that the kinetic chain along the back of the body is activated in a way quite different than holding passive stretches. Supports/ props are used to maintain momentum, rather than for ease of execution. Level: Intermediate Duration: 90 […]
The Muscle Conversation: Listening and Responding to Subtle Cues
When we try to exercise a part of the body (or the breath or mind) we are necessarily trying to control or regulate that part. An asana, on the other hand, is a two-way process, where one is constantly engaged in interaction with the body (or breath or mind). We don’t just try to regulate, […]
Beginner Back Arches Part1: Strengthening Arms, Shoulders and Legs to Prepare for Back Arches
Preparing the arms and shoulder leading to virabhadrasana I (connecting arms and shoulders to the hip and the lower limbs) This can be done as a stand-alone session, but we recommend following this up with the session Beginner Back Arches Practice Part 2: Urdhvamukha svanasana, Chatuspadasana, Purvottanasana Level: Beginner/ Experienced Beginner Duration: 60min Props needed: […]
Hip Health: Flexibility, Firmness, Dynamism
Stiff/ ‘tight’ hips, are connected to lower back pain, wearing out of the hip socket, arthritis of the knee, menstrual discomfort etc. To maintain the overall health of the hips, it is important to include many kinds of hip actions in our practice. Asanas like baddhakonasana and supta baddhakonsasana, upavistakonasana and padmasana, are often referred […]
Recovery After a Road Trip: a Short-burst Follow-along Session
Bringing movement to spinal muscles, connecting the arms to back – a short session comprising standing asanas and back arches. It is meant to be a follow-along session. Level: Experienced beginners, Beginners Duration: 30min Props needed: yoga strap, couple of blocks (optional)
Brisk Back Arches and Inversions
An invigorating and energising short session of back arches and inversions Level: Intermediate Duration: 45min Props needed: chairs and blankets are needed to set up for chair sarvangasana and supta konasana. Other props like blocks are optional
Surya Namaskar Part 3 for Experienced Beginners: The Back arches and Alternatives
The sessions in this Short Course and good stand-alone sessions by themselves. This session explores the back-arch of Sun Salutation: urdhvamukha svanasana. In this session we do the full cycle of surya namaskar multiple times. Level: Experienced Beginners, Beginners Duration: 45mins Props needed: yoga strap, access to a wall, props like blocks are optional This […]
Challenging Your Standing Position: Forward Extensions
In this session, we explore a small part of the latent potential in our legs and feet in the standing positions: that of standing forward extensions. Although this may be done as a stand-alone session, it fits in very well with a a few other sessions on forward extensions that were recorded in a series […]
Ribs, Shoulders, Quadriceps, Breath: The Front of the Body in Back Arches
Back arches are categorised as ‘purva pratana sthiti’ (expansion of the frontal plane) in Sanskrit. This session explores the involvement of the frontal plane of the body as we prepare for back arching Level: Experienced Beginners Duration: 50 mins. Props needed: yoga strap, a couple of blocks, one blanket
