YOGA POSES

Push your hips up and back, forming an inverted V shape. Keep your hands firmly planted, fingers spread wide, and actively press through your palms. Lengthen your spine, drawing your chest towards your thighs, and either keep your knees slightly bent or work towards straightening your legs, aiming to get your heels closer to the mat. Maintain a neutral neck and gaze towards your thighs. 

Inhale and lift one leg straight up towards the ceiling, maintaining a straight line from your grounded hand to your lifted foot. Keep your hips squared towards the floor, resisting the urge to let the lifted hip rise higher. Imagine the headlights on a car staying level. Engage your glute muscles in the lifted leg and reach back through the heel, flexing the foot and pointing the toes out or towards the mat. Ensure the arm opposite the lifted leg is pressing firmly into the ground to maintain balance.

Start by lying flat on your back on your yoga mat. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart. Arms at your sides and position your heels just beyond where your fingertips can reach. Tuck your pelvis slightly to engage your core muscles and inhale deeply as you press firmly into your feet to lift your hips off the floor. Keep your knees parallel, avoiding them from knocking inward or outward. Allow your chest to open and move slightly towards your chin, creating a gentle arch in your back. Avoid overarching, as this can compress the lower back.  Keep your shoulders grounded firmly on the mat, and gaze upwards towards the ceiling to maintain a neutral neck position. Press the back of the head toward the ground and avoid turning your head while in the pose to protect your neck. 

Begin in Tabletop Pose, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Ensure your fingers are spread wide and palms are pressed firmly into the mat for stability. On an inhale, lift one leg  off the mat, keeping the knee bent. Flex and extend the raised leg a few times to warm up before settling into the pose.  Keep the lifted knee bent, pointing the sole of the foot towards the sky, and gently arch your spine. Maintain a neutral neck position or gaze forward. Carefully lift the opposite hand and reach back and take hold of the lifted foot or ankle. Once you have a comfortable grip, gently draw the heel in toward your glute. Press the top of your foot into your hand to open the chest further. Maintain your gaze forward or slightly upward, keeping the neck aligned with your spine. 

From standing position in front of your mat (also known as Mountain Pose | Tadasana), step your left foot back about 3-4 feet, aligning the heel of your right foot with the heel of your left foot. Your back foot should be turned outward at a 45-degree angle. Bend your front knee to a 90-degree angle, ensuring your knee is directly above your ankle.  Square your hips towards the front of the mat engaging the muscles of both legs distributing weight evenly between the front and back foot. Press firmly through the outer edge of your back foot. Raise your arms overhead, keeping them shoulder-width apart and palms facing each other. Relax your shoulders down and away from your ears.​ Gaze forward or gently lift your chin and look towards your thumbs.

From Warrior I, gently rotate your hips and torso opening your hips to the side.  Extend your arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor, reaching in opposite directions. Ensure your front knee stays aligned over your ankle as you settle into the pose. Ground down through both feet, feeling a sense of stability and strength. Engage your core muscles to maintain a stable and upright torso over your hips. Relax your shoulders down away from your ears and soften your gaze over your front hand. Take deep, even breaths as you hold the pose, feeling the strength and stability of your legs and the openness of your chest.