YOGA SPECIFICS
Breathing: Ujayyi Breathing
• Purpose: Make breathing conscious, mindful and more completed (nourishing)
• Darth Vadar Drill (nose then mouth, hand in front – then no mouth)
Body positioning:
• Protection of the spine, proper alignment of the spine, proper breathing
• Review: Active core (neutral spine) / active shoulders
DOWN POSES
SEATED PALM
• Breathing / Knees in line with hips
• Sitting cross-legged with ankles crossed
CAT
• Purpose: Flex the spine
• Knees as wide as the hips
• Exhale, then flex the spine
• Work to pull below button towards the head
EXTENDED CAT “COW”
• Purpose: Promote spinal extension
• From an all fours posture, inhale onto the toes and look forward or
slightly up.
• Allow the belly button to drop towards the floor as if a light weight were
placed on the lower back.
• Control the concentric phase (lowering down) using the spinal erectors with the inhalation. The
chest lifts slightly as the shoulders move down and back as if to touch the hips.
• Think of pointing the coccyx towards the ceiling. Return to neutral through exhalation while
plantar flexing the feet.
CHILD
• Purpose: flex spine, mild inversion practice, allow forehead to bear
some weight
• From a kneeling position, allow the gluteals to remain in contact with
the heels by sitting back.
• Trying to maintain this connection, allow the hips and spine to flex forward until the forehead
center is on the floor.
• A rolled towel or mat may assist the connection between the forehead and the floor, and/or
between the gluteals and the heels, although not reaching is also an option.
• The hands, palms up, lay by the feet without tension in the shoulders.
Page 1 of 4
STAFF
• Purpose: promote lengthening of the posterior chain and upper body
stability
• Hands pointed towards the feet, behind the hips
• Open fingers – promote stability
• Progression: Move spine closer to knees, bring hands closer, imagine (L) position
COBRA
• Purpose: Promote spinal extension, promote stability in our shoulders
• Keep the lower body active, toes pointed, pushing quads to floor
• Squeeze the glutes
• Easier: spread the legs apart, release the glutes
• Progression: put less weight on your hands
DOWNWARD DOG PREP (PUPPY POSE)
• From all fours, keep knees at 90 deg, toes pointed
• Work to lower the chest to the floor with each exhale
• This is prep for downward facing dog
DOWNWARD FACING DOG
• Purpose: Invert the spine, balance effects of gravity,
• From hands and knees, extend the arms forward (flexing the
shoulders), palms on the floor.
• Extend the knees and lower the upper torso towards the floor, extending the spine.
• Keeping the shoulders down and back as in mountain.
• Imagine an upside down letter “V” and invite this position into the body as the hips raise and
the heels lower. One diagonal line connects head to hips, and another diagonal line connects
hips to heels.
• Focus on breathing here
• Easier: Downward puppy
• Progression: Encourage feet to be flat on the floor
SEATED PALM LEAN
• Abduct the arms to 90 deg, turning the right palm down and the left palm
upwards.
• Right palm touch the floor by the right leg and slowly walk the fingers out
towards the right as the left arm raises.
• Keeping both gluteals on the floor and both knees from moving. Repeat
other side.
LIGHTNING BOLT / HERO POSE
• Sit with the knees flexed, hips on the heels. Feet may be dorsiflexed or
plantarflexed (bent forward or back at the ankles).
• Sit extended as in SEATED PALM from the hips to ears.
• Easier: Add props
Page 2 of 4
PLANK
• Start on knees bent, hands under shoulders, lean forward
• Extend one leg at a time
• Feet and knees together if possible, try to open fingers and place weight on
palms
• Easier: Elbows to the floor, weight on knuckles
REVERSE PLANK
• Fingers pointing toward the feet if possible, feet pointing down (PF)
• Extend hips, point chin towards the sky to align cervical
• Open fingers if you can
• Easier: Elbows or lower hips
SIDE PLANK (Both Sides)
• From PLANK position, bring hands together under the chest and turn to the
side – Active shoulders
• The body resembles the letter “T”.
• Feet may be stacked so one foot rests on the lower foot, or “in scissor” so
ankles and sides of the feet touch the floor. Repeat other side.
• Easier: Elbows or lower hips
BRIDGE
• Knees and feet together if you can, shoulders active, palms down
• Bridge hips, squeeze glutes and Hamstrings
• Hold position and breathe
• Easier: Spread feet apart
• Harder: Reach one leg out at a time, touch knee, etc.
CORPSE
• Quiet the brain, body and breath and induce mindfulness
• Soft pillow/towel for neck if needed
• Work on full inhalation and exhalation
STANDING POSES
MOUNTAIN (Standing posture reset)
• Big toes together, knees together, contract/squeeze quads,
• Squeeze glutes pull belly button to the spine (neutral)
• Imagine: Being lifted into the air
• Hands in front praying – Namaste triangle
Page 3 of 4
TREE
• Start in mountain, but hands close to your body, hands facing in
• Deep breath, bring foot onto lower leg, higher if able by grabbing your ankle
• Drive your foot into your leg, face hips straight ahead
• Bring your thumbs together in front of your heart
• Inhale: lengthen torso, engage shoulder blades to open chest
• Abduct arms to shoulder width apart, breathe and balance
• Easier: Open leg can lightly tap the floor
CHAIR
• From Tree, bring feet together, lower arms to hips, sink hips down like a chair – bring
chest forward
• Active shoulders, active core, bring hands to the chest from the knees if able
• Harder: Arms overhead: Behind ears – stay active
• Easier: Widen the feet
EAGLE
• From MOUNTAIN, put all weight on the right foot and cross the left leg in front of
right
• Bring the toes close to the right foot. Wrap the left toes behind the right ankle if
possible or simply lift the toes off of the floor to balance on the right foot
exclusively.
• Flex the right knee and the hips.
• Flex the shoulders in front of chest while crossing left elbow over the right elbow.
• Flex elbows to 90˚, cross wrists and place palm over palm.
• Repeat other side.
WARRIOR ONE-BOTH LEGS
• From MOUNTAIN, step straight back with the LEFT Leg
• Slightly flex the RIGHT knee.
• Bring the arms overhead, depressing shoulders\
• Easier: Split lunge, progress to straighten the back leg
• Harder: work to spread feet or sink deeper
• Other side: bring arms down, Slowly bring the feet in to MTN, then switch opposites
WARRIOR TWO-BOTH LEGS
• MOUNTAIN – walk legs apart
• Point forward foot forward, heel lines with mid foot of back foot
• Feet are aligned along the same line
• Abduct arms to same height, palms down, neutral spine
• Harder: work to sink lower
Page 4 of 4
