Recent Articles in 40-60 minutes

Duration: 40 minutes

Emphasis:  A sequence of poses (mainly standing) with straight arms, legs and spine. We will practice Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Half-Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) and Revolved Half-Moon Pose (Parivrtta Ardha-Chandrasana) plus some variations of Wide Legged Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana). We finish with some variations of Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavista Konasana).

Props needed:  Blocks (or a thick book) as required for your hand in Ardha Chandrasana, 2 yoga straps (or use long scarves or dressing gown ties), plus a blanket for Savasana if required.

Mat direction: Long side of the mat facing the screen

Duration: 48 minutes

Emphasis:  We'll start slowly with a top-to-toe warm up, bringing mobility to the joints and warmth to the muscles. We'll then move through some slow Sun Salutations, adding some variations of postures such as Salabasana (Locust Pose) and Ustrasana (Camel Pose). We'll then take a slow cool down and relax from toe-back-up-to-top before Savasana.

Props needed:  Blanket for padding the knees and for Savasana if required. Blocks or bricks if you have them for one of the Ustrasana variations.

Mat direction: Long side of the mat facing the screen

Duration: 42 minutes

Emphasis:  This class focuses on lifting and lowering the legs in lots of different ways - lying on your back, front and side, hands and knees, standing and seated postures and also in Downward Dog. It will use your core muscles and strengthen your legs too. Finish off this dynamic class with a lovely, long 8 minutes of Savasana.

Props needed: 2 blocks or bricks (or 2 equal sized thick books if you don't have blocks), a strap (or a tie from a bathrobe), and a blanket for Savasana if required.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis:  Practice familiar standing poses in the precise 'Iyengar' style for strength, focus and good alignment of your body, and enjoy a nice long Savasana afterwards.

Props needed: 2 blocks, a blanket and a strap to loop around your foot if needed.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis:  A strong flow class with 6 rounds of Sun Salutations with a quad stretch and a backbend in each one.

Props needed: A blanket to put under your knee, possibly a block for under your hand and a strap to loop around your foot if you can't reach it.

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

Duration: 48 minutes

Emphasis:  This class focusses on working your arms and shoulders in slow and steady Sun Salutations. In each round there is an added Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2) pose with a different arm variation.

Props needed: Blocks or a thick book to put under your hand in Half-Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), blanket for Savasana. 

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 47 minutes

Emphasis:  A slow and steady flow that works the whole body - with standing, seated and kneeling poses, twists and leg stretches plus Candle Pose (Prapidasana) for balance.

Props needed: A blanket and a belt.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 41 minutes

Emphasis:  A slow and steady flow of standing poses with one seated and one supine twist to finish.

Props needed: 2 blocks or books.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 40 minutes

Emphasis:  Increase the range of movement in your hips with this sequence of kneeling and seated poses.

Props needed: A blanket for Savasana or to kneel or sit on if needed. 

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 55 minutes

Emphasis:  Strengthen your bones and your muscles with this sequence using hand weights.

Props needed: 2 light handweights (if you haven't got these use bottles of water like I did), 2 blocks and a blanket. Extra blanket for Savasana if required. 

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen until we get to the seated poses then option to turn the mat sideways if you like to have it under your heels for Wide Leg Seated Forward Bend.

Duration: 46 minutes

Emphasis:  Build your strength with this sequence which blends the use of hand weights with familiar yoga poses. It's really important to continue to do strength and resistance work as we get older - it helps to prevent osteoporosis and muscle loss (sarcopenia) - and incorporating it into your regular yoga practice, which already offers a good amount of weight-bearing, is an easy way to make sure you're doing enough.

Props needed: 2 light handweights or 2 small plastic bottles full of water, a belt.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 50 minutes

Emphasis:  Yin Yoga is a slow, quiet practice where the poses are held for much longer than in other types of yoga to stretch the connective tissue of the body more fully. If you haven't done any Yin Yoga before please take a look at this blog post to get a little more information about the practice before you start this class.

Props needed: A blanket or block to sit on and possibly a rolled blanket or towel to prop your shins when sitting in cross-legged position.

Mat direction: It doesn't matter - a mat is optional, not necessary.