Mountain pose extended mountain (Baby Back Bend) function – postural alignment; spinal extension

SUN SALUTATIONS

MOUNTAIN POSE EXTENDED MOUNTAIN (Baby Back Bend)

• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension

• Breath – inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (from Mountain Pose):

• Arms reach over head
• Shoulders drop away from ears
• Tail tucks downward
• Belly draws in

FORWARD FOLD

• FUNCTION – spinal lengthening and release; gentle hamstring stretch

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Belly draws in
• Knees bend softly
• Chest reaches forward and down
• Body folds over thighs
• Head relaxes down
• Eyes look to knees

LUNGE

• FUNCTION – here, it sets the distance for your Down Dog placement; it creates length down the front and back of the body

• Breath – inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Right leg steps as far back as comfortable
• Front knee sits over ankle
• Back thigh lifts up
• Chest opens wide

DOWN DOG

• FUNCTION – both dynamic and restful; spinal alignment and length; overall flexible strength

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Front foot steps back
• Feet hip-distance apart
• Tail bone/sit bones lift high
• Hands press into floor
• Shoulders lift away from ears
• Spine lengthens upward to the tail
• Inner thighs press back
• Heels drop downward

PLANK

• FUNCTION – upper and lower body integration; builds upper body and core strength (postural awareness)

• Breath – Inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Chest slides forward
• Shoulders stack over hands
• Think Mountain Pose... posture
• Belly draws in
• Knees drop down (option)

CROCODILE

• FUNCTION – full body stabilization; upper body strength and posture

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Chest moves forward
• Body lowers down
• Elbows squeeze inward
• Shoulders draw back and down

UP DOG

• FUNCTION – stretches the front of the body; strengthens upper body (arms, shoulders, back); encourages spinal length

• Breath – inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Chest curls upwards
• Butt squeezes (to protect the back)
• Feet press down
• Thighs lift off the ground
• Hands press down
• Shoulders roll back; collarbones widen
• Eyes look straight ahead

DOWN DOG

• FUNCTION – both dynamic and restful; spinal alignment and length; overall flexible strength

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Belly draws in
• Hips lift up and back
• Arms press away from the ground
• Inner thighs reach for the back wall

• (see previous Down Dog description for more details)

LUNGE

• FUNCTION – creates length down the front and back of the body

• Breath – inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Right leg springs forward between hands
• Knee stacks over ankle
• Chest lifts up
• Shoulders draw back
• Back leg lifts up

FORWARD FOLD

• FUNCTION – spinal lengthening and release; gentle hamstring stretch

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Back foot steps forward
• Belly draws in
• Knees bend/soften
• Hips tilt forward
• Spine lengthens downward

EXTENDED MOUNTAIN POSE

• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension

• Breath – inhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (from Forward Fold):

• Knees bend
• Butt sits back
• Belly draws in
• Head reaches forward
• Arms reach wide
• Chest lifts
• Spine extends upwards

MOUNTAIN POSE

• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension

• Breath – exhale

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Arms release down to sides
• Body resets in Mountain Pose

STANDING STRENGTH

WARRIOR 1

• FUNCTION – lower body strength; internal hip rotation to balance the pelvis; back leg hip flexor/psoas stretch; spinal extension

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (assuming lengthwise orientation):

• Right foot steps as far back as comfortable

WARRIOR 1 continued

• Heel anchors down
• Outer edge of foot presses away
• Back thigh lifts upward
• Hips square up to the front
• Glutes tuck down (to protect lower back)
• Belly draws in
• Chest lifts upward
• Arms extend overhead
• Shoulders draw down the back

EXTENDED WARRIOR 1

• FUNCTION – increased core work (as the body lengthens forward from Warrior 1); back leg works harder to stay grounded (also a challenge for ankle/foot stability)

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from Warrior 1):

• Belly draws in (for support)
• Chest reaches forward
• Back heel presses down
• Body extends diagonally
• Arms reach long

WARRIOR 2

• FUNCTION – lower body strength (glutes, hamstrings, quads); hip opener; upper body posture

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (assuming horizontal orientation):

• Feet step wide
• Toes turn to the right
• Front knee bends over ankle, in line with center of foot

WARRIOR 2 continued

• Back heel presses away
• Back thigh lifts upward
• Glutes tuck under
• Inner thighs open wide
• Hips, ribs and shoulders stack up vertically
• Shoulders roll back and down
• Arms extend wide to the sides
• Eyes gaze down the front arm

EXTENDED WARRIOR 2

• FUNCTION – increases workload of lower body muscles as you drop deeper... hamstrings lifting up from underneath and glutes working to maintain knee alignment; upper body weight dropping to the side increases the work of the oblique muscles; back leg works harder to stay grounded (also a challenge for foot and ankle stability)

• Breath

EXTENDED WARRIOR 2 continued

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from Warrior 2):

• Front arm reaches to the side
• Ribs extend over front thigh
• Elbow rests down on top of knee
• Top arm reaches long over head
• Shoulder draws down and back
• Bottom ribs move forward
• Body extends diagonally

TRIANGLE POSE

• FUNCTION – lower body strength; hip opener; stretch over the top hip (IT band) and down the side body

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Feet step wide
• Toes turn to the right
• Leg muscles lift upwards
• Hips shift to the back leg

TRIANGLE POSE continued

• Ribs lengthen away from hips
• Arms extend to the side walls
• Chest stays open to the front
• Arms tip to vertical
• Belly draws in
• Top hip opens up
• Tail tucks down
• Bottom ribs soften downward
• Top shoulder draws back and down

BALANCES

TREE POSE

• FUNCTION – standing balance; lower body muscle activation to assist foot/ankle/knee/hip stability; increased ability to focus; awareness of core activation for stability

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in Mountain Pose):

• Eyes set a steady gaze forward
• Belly draws in (for stability)

TREE POSE continued

• Right foot presses against standing leg (optional heights)
• Standing leg lifts energetically upwards
• Hips sit level
• Tail drops down (to lengthen lower spine and anchor the pose)
• Ribs and chest lift up off hips
• Chest opens
• Shoulders roll back and down
• Hands come together at heart center

DANCERS POSE

• FUNCTION – standing balance with spinal extension; stretch for the abdominals, chest, shoulder and hip flexor area on the lifting side; quads work to push the foot into hand; lengthening of hamstrings on the standing leg; muscles of the standing foot are active to balance as the body shifts forward

• Breath

DANCERS POSE continued

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in Extended Mountain Pose):

• Right hand reaches back for right foot
• Thumb rotates up inside big toe
• Knees together
• Front arm reaches forward
• Foot pushes back into hand
• Body suspends forward
• Chest lifts up and opens
• Front arm rises up to full Dancer

EAGLE POSE

• FUNCTION – standing balance; internal hip rotation and adduction (inner thigh squeeze) can provide stretch to the glutes/periformis; leg strength increases with knee bend/butt drop; spinal length and integrity as tail drops down; upper back stretch

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in Mountain Pose):

• Eyes set a steady gaze forward

EAGLE POSE continued

• Belly draws in
• Knees bend
• Right leg crosses over left and wraps around
• Inner thighs drop inward and squeeze together
• Right arm crosses under left and wraps around
• Thumbs face the body
• Hips sit back and down
• Tail tucks under to lengthen spine
• Elbows lift up
• Hands press away (to find stretch in the upper back)

SWAN POSE

• FUNCTION – passive position (using body weight) to stretch and release tension in the front hip (mainly periformis muscle): some stretch in the back hip flexor if able to straighten and lengthen the back leg

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from Down Dog):

• Right knee comes forward between hands
• Right hip settles down onto floor

SWAN POSE continued

• Right foot flexes (to protect knee)
• Back hip rolls forward (to square the hips)
• Back leg extends to the back wall
• Knee and five toes face down to the floor
• Belly draws in
• Ribs lift and roll forward away from hips
• Chest reaches forward
• Arms lengthen out
• Hips soften down

MODIFIED HALF LOTUS

• FUNCTION – deep hip and butt stretch; also opening through the pelvis if you move to the lying back positions

• Breath

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from seated/cross-legged position):

• Right ankle sets on top of left thigh (options here)

MODIFIED HALF LOTUS continued

• Sit bones move back and press down
• Knees drop down and press forward
• Ribs lift up off hips (spine lengthens upward)
• Chest reaches forward
• Hands walk forward along the floor
• Butt stays back and down
• Hands can press down to push the butt back

THE 3B’s – BELLY, BACK AND BREATHING

• FUNCTION – stabilizing the spine during core movements (for safety and effectiveness); maintaining core connection (neutral rib-hip position) while breathing out the side of the ribs versus expanding the front ribs

• Breath – lateral thoracic breathing

THE 3B’s – BELLY, BACK AND BREATHING continued

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

• Belly draws in
• Back presses towards the floor (if supine)
• Back creates platform for belly lift (if prone)
• Side ribs expand with breath