Suptabadha Konasana – Supine Bound Angle Pose Variation
Benefits: Emphasizes the natural lumbar curve, opens up the hips, chest and upper back, which is thought to relax the mind.
- Sit on the floor with a bolster running the length of the spine behind you, positioned against your sacrum.
- Lower yourself onto the bolster with your hips on the floor. If this is too much, put a blanket under the hips to elevate. A blanket under the head may also release tension in the neck and shoulders.
- From here, draw the soles of the feet together and allow the knees to release wide towards the floor, catching them with a block under each knee if they do not release all the way to the floor.
- Breathe deeply in and out of the nose, taking the breath all the way into the belly and pelvic floor. Stay for 5-10 minutes.
Chakravakasana – Cat/Cow Pose STEP 1
Benefits: Warms up the spine with motion, stretches abdominal wall, shoulders, stretches the spine, and links movement with breath.
- Start in a kneeling position with hands below shoulders, shoulder width apart, and knees below hips, hip width apart. Align the spine parallel with the floor.
- On an inhale, start by lifting the tailbone and rolling the spine one vertebrae at a time towards the earth and focus on opening the heart down and through the shoulder girdle into a ‘cow’ position. Lift your gaze slightly.
Chakravakasana – Cat/Cow Pose STEP 2
- With the exhale, begin movement with the tailbone, curling the spine one vertebrae at a time towards the sky, focusing on the opening in the lumbar spine with the breath for ‘cat’ position. Gaze towards knees slightly.
- Repeat for 10 rounds, moving the spine like a wave with the breaths.
- With the exhale, begin movement with the tailbone, curling the spine one vertebrae at a time towards the sky, focusing on the opening in the lumbar spine with the breath for ‘cat’ position. Gaze towards knees slightly.
- Repeat for 10 rounds, moving the spine like a wave with the breaths.
Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward-Facing Dog STEP 1
Benefits: Tones entire body, stretches hamstrings & shoulders, lengthens spine, and stretches out muscles of the pelvic floor. Start in Child’s Pose (Balasana) with arms outstretched and shoulder width apart. Breathe here for a few moments, feeling into the hips and spine.
- Roll forward onto hands and knees and press the hips up and back, remaining bent in the knees and rest heels on wall. Lift the sitting bones away from the heels, and lift sacrum and tailbone towards the sky. Lengthen from the pubic bone to the navel.
Salamba Setu Bandhasana – Supported Bridge Pose STEP 1
Benefits: Releases lower back tension, realigns and slightly tractions lumbar spine.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent at right angles, heels near your sitting bones.
- Press into the feet and lift the hips off the mat and slide a block under the sacrum, and release the pelvis onto the block.
- Breathe deeply, allowing all tension to melt out of the hips, low back, shoulders and neck.
- Gently draw the legs back in and lift off the block, rolling down one vertebrae at a time. Stay here for 10-15 breaths, if possible.
Gomukhasana – Cow Face Pose VIEW 1
Benefits: Stretches the shoulders, triceps, chest, hips and quads.
- From a table-top position, draw your right leg forward and over your left so they cross at the knees.
- Make sure your hips feel even and that your pelvis is not tilted.
- Reach your right arm up and bend at the elbow, releasing your hand, palm towards the back.
Malasana – Garland Pose Variation
Benefits: Stretches the spine, shoulders, and groin.
- Come into a deep squat, with a rolled yoga mat under the heels.
- Separate thighs slightly wider than the torso, and release as far down as you can through the sitting bones toward the earth.
- Join palms together at the heart and apply gentle pressure outward from the elbows into the inner knees to create space for the heart to open forward. Listen to your body to ensure knee health.
- Close your eyes and count 10-15 breaths.
Ardha Pincha Mayurasana – Easy Feathered Peacock Pose
Benefits: Stretches shoulders, hamstrings, calves and arches, strengthens arms and legs, prepares for inversions.
- From Downward Dog, drop to elbows and knees. Align elbows under shoulders, and knees under hips.
- Interlace fingers and firmly press forearms to knuckles into the floor.
- Curl toes under and exhale the knees off the floor. Keep knees bent and re-focus on the upper body alignment.
- Stretch the sitting bones up and back and lengthen from navel to pubic bone. Breathe deeply.
- Draw shoulder blades onto the back of the ribcage and down toward the hips.
- Keep your head between your biceps.
- Stay for as long as you can, working in rounds of 10 breath increments.
Gomukhasana – Cow Face Pose VIEW 2
Adho Mukha Svanasana – Downward-Facing Dog STEP 2
- Stay here for a few breaths and encourage your breath to fill all the way down to the pelvic floor. Take long 5 second inhales and exhales.
- Then allow the heels to descend towards the earth until you feel a stretch along the back of the legs.
Savasana: Viparita Karani– Corpse Pose with Legs-Up-the-Wall
Benefits: Relieves tired or cramped legs and feet, gently stretches hamstrings, and neck.
- Position your mat with the short edge at a wall and a bolster against the wall.
- Lie in a side facing fetal position with the sitting bones at the wall, spine along one edge of the mat.
- Scoot your bum up to the wall as close as you can and roll onto your back. Legs will swing up and extend towards the sky. Hips should be in the center of the bolster.
- Brings the arms out to a comfortable position and settle the shoulders back, with the neck long. Support the head if needed.
- Stay and breathe for as long as is comfortable.
Salamba Setu Bandhasana – Supported Bridge Pose STEP 2
- Gently release the legs down and stay for 10-15 breaths, if comfortable.
- Draw the legs in and lift off the block, rolling down one vertebrae at a time.
- Lie flat for a few breaths and feel the hips release.
Print version
