CLUBASANA

Ok, its Thursday, but I’ve been busy! 

Every session my teacher has a “focus.” From the get-go of this winter session, it is obvious we are working on abdominals, resting the navel in the belly of the spine, and mastering the lift of the hips to free your lumbar when doing backbends. 

If you know my teacher, you know just about everything she teaches is to improve our backbends and dropbacks.  Everything has some sort of back bend in it.  And she’s right.  Try it in your practice. Sequence after the jump. 

continuing with our ab and hip work from last week…

Remember, legs are KEY in your dropbacks.  They will bring you in and out! You must build strength in your legs, and learn to use them. With that in mind, Monday’s sequence

AMS, one leg in to a lunge, lift through the upper thigh of the back leg (hold for 60 seconds, then do the other side)

Upper chest block, legs tied, setu bandha style, feet against the wall, heels on the floor- or if this is too much, feet pressing into the wall where it is comfortable for you.  Make the thigh bones heavy, roll the upper back thighs out, lift your inner thighs upware from your inner upper knee- this is true in EVERY backbend.

upper chest block, sitting on the floor, legs tied and outstretched, feet against the wall, observing the same instruction as above

Purvottanasa – teacher is really on a kick with this one.  Same as last week, use your abs to lift your hips.

Go to the wall, make your block perpendicular to the wall (smaller side against the wall), all of the Uttihtas will require you to put your back heel against the block

Utkatasana – concentrate on the relationship between your legs, abs, and upper spine in backbend.  Slowly straighten your legs, but keep the bed in your upper chest

Uttihta Trikonasana, really work that back leg to support the pose

Virabhadrasana II- same focus

Utkatasana – same focus, go directly into

Half uttanasana- fold to 90 degress, hold for 60 seconds, then sllowwwly bend at the hips, but keep the arms outstretching toward the center of the room, keep the bend in the upper spine!

Virabhadrasana I

AMS, plank, hold, eka pada (60 seconds each side, just like last week)

Virabhadrasana III, this time, no block, put back leg into wall and really work your standing leg

Utkatasana – same focus, go directly into

Half uttanasana

AMV

Pincha Maryurasana

Sirsasana

Balsana, put your hands on your heels/soles, and fold up into ustrasana x3 (super fun, I love this.  Try it in virasana, too) Don’t let your hands EVER come off of your feet

Purvottanasa x3, last one eka pada

Setu bandha (bridge pose) x3 (thighs should be burning by now!!)

Urdhva Dhanurasana x3, walk in- if you have not learned to lift your hips properly, you will never be able to walk in without pain.  If you are able- revisit your hips often- pump them to find more space.  You are working toward getting your feet to your hands!

Dropovers using wall – bend backward, using your legs, slowing walking your fingertips down the wall & then use your legs to bring you out.

Sarvangasana > Halasana > Karnapidasana

Savasana