Recent Articles in Style

Duration: 14 minutes

Emphasis:  Breathing and meditation practices can be really helpful if you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed or unsettled by what is happening in the world around you. In this video I read to you the words of the revered Bhuddist monk Thich Nhat Hanh which might help to bring you a little peace in the present moment. I'll invite you to do the breathing as we go along, following Thich Nhat Hanh's instructions. If you want to copy out the prompts for future use they are "in/out, deep/slow, calm/ease, smile/release, present moment/wonderful moment".

Props needed: None.

Mat direction: N/A

Duration: 1 hr 14 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class we start with some supine warming-up with a focus on the abdominal muscles and the hip joints. We then move on to Sun Salutation A and then some rounds of Sun Salutation B, adding more core and hip work into the sequence. Some seated poses and a lovely relaxation complete the class.

Props needed: A blanket, 2 blocks and a yoga belt.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 35 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class you'll strengthen your buttock muscles. Also known collectively as 'the glutes', there are 3 of these muscles: gluteus maximus which is the largest and most superficial, gluteus medius which is situated more towards the top and side of the buttocks and gluteus minimus which, as the name suggests, is the smallest and is situated beneath the gluteus medius. In our culture where we spend so much time sitting, the buttock muscles can become weak and, as their role is to stabilise the pelvis and the hips, this can lead to imbalances and injuries. So, in this class we'll be strengthening the buttocks, and giving them a good stretch out too. Expect repeated leg lifts to work the hamstrings and glutes, some squats, Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana) and Reverse Table Pose (Ardha Purvottanasana), plus some seated and supine poses to stretch things out too.

Props needed: A blanket, 2 bricks and a yoga belt.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 13 minutes

Emphasis:  You'll begin sitting on the chair for a gentle, repetetive warm-up for shoulders, arms, spine and hips and then come to standing for some variations of classic poses such as Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II), Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) and Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) that use the chair to work the hips in a slightly different way to usual. The class finishes with a few poses seated back on the chair again and a brief breathing practice.

Props needed: A chair.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class we'll alternate between flexion (bringing the knee in towards the chest) and extension (straightening the leg back behind you) to help improve mobility, range of movement, stability, strength and flexibility of the hip joint. After warming-up with some circling movements the first sequence takes us from Tabletop Pose (Bharmanasana) to Garland Pose (Malasana), to Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana), Half-Chair Pose (Ardha Utkatasana) to Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on and two blocks.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 48 minutes

Emphasis:  After a short breathing practice, a warm-up will take you through shoulders and arms, ribcage and spine, hips and legs. You'll then move through a twice-repeated slow sequence that will take you from Childs Pose (Balasana), Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II), a Side Lunge variation (Skandasana) and Locust Pose variation (Salabhasana). Some seated twists, Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana) and Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) complete the physical practice and then you'll have some time to rest and relax in Savasana.

Props needed: None needed unless you'd like a blanket to kneel on.

Mat direction:  I can't decide which way is best!! I think maybe the long edge but, as I'm mirroring you with the lefts and rights, you'll be facing away from me as you do the second side.  

Duration: 1 hr 11 minutes

Emphasis:  We start with some warm-ups seated on the chair then progress to seated variations of Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana), Gate Pose (Parighasana) and Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana I). We then swap to using the chair for support under the hands as we do some standing poses including Tree Pose (Vrksasana), Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana) and Standing Hand-to-Big-Toe Poses 1, 2 and 3 (Padanghustasana I, II and III).

Props needed: A chair and 2 blocks or a brick.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 24 minutes

Emphasis:  After warming up with Sun Salutations we move into a sequence that will strengthen your legs with Chair Pose (Utkatasana), a repetitive challenging transition from Standing Single Leg Balance (Tadasana Pavanmuktasana) to High Lunge Pose (Alanasana), strengthen your core with the balancing and Plank Pose with one leg lifted (Eka Pada Phalakasana) and work the hip area with Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II) and One Legged Chair Pose (Eka Pada Utkatasana). Expect to work hard in this sequence but have fun with the unfamiliar transitions. Some restful seated stretches follow the flow and you will definitely enjoy your Savasana!  Please note: there was a minor camera malfunction halfway through the class so there's a very slight continuity blip! It won't affect your class at all but I thought I'd better 'fess up' in case you notice it and wonder what happened:-)

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 34 minutes

Emphasis: After doing some warms ups in kneeling poses, we move to standing for variations of Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) and Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana). Seated poses such as Archer Pose (Arkarna Dhanurasana), Heron Pose (Krounchasana) and Seated Pose aka Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Marichyasana 3) follow, and then, of course, Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on, a yoga belt and maybe a block to put under your hands.

Duration: 1 hr 10 minutes

Emphasis: After practising Surya Bhedana (Sun Piercing Breath) to increase circulation, stimulate the nervous system and raise the energy, we move into 3 rounds of repetitive creative flow - expect poses such as Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) and Twisting Chair Pose (Parivrtta Uttkatasana) twice, plus the balancing pose Extended-Hand-To-Big-Toe Pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) that we've been working on this half-term. We then move to seated poses including Head to Knee Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), and finish with Chandra Bhedana (Moon Piercing Breath) to calm the nervous system and slow the heart rate before Savasana. 

Props needed: A bit of wall space to help you balance if required, a block or blanket to sit on plus a yoga belt if needed to hold your foot in the standing balance.

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis:  This class takes you through some poses that offer you both forward bends and leg stretches. The slow pace will give you time to regulate your breathing and feel your way deeper into the poses if and when your body is ready. The perfect antidote to a busy day spent rushing around, the sequence will allow your mind to quieten down and your nervous system to relax while giving the legs and back a good stretch.  Note: please make sure you have done some warming up before practising this class - some marching on the spot, some pedalling the legs in Downward Facing Dog or a slow round of Sun Salutations for example. 

Props needed: A strap, a blanket (or two if you need extra padding) and a block.

Mat direction: Doesn't really matter, you choose what works best for you.

Duration: 26 minutes

Emphasis:  This repetitive flow will invite some foot mobility in the form of bending the toe joints and circling the ankle. After warming up with Sun Salutation A, the sequence changes, moving from Chair Pose (Utkatasana) to Half-Chair Pose on tiptoes (Ardha Utkatasana), High Lunge with bending knee (Alanasana), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana) with lifted heel, Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana), One Legged Downward Facing Dog Pose (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana) before going through a vinyasa to take you back to Chair pose again. The sequence is repeated three times on each side. Two seated poses give you time to quieten and settle before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: None needed.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.