Recent Articles in 1-20 minutes

Duration: 13 minutes

Emphasis:  Take a few minutes out of your busy day to relax in Savasana and practice these simple breathing techniques. They'll calm your nervous system, relax your muscles and quieten your mind. Bliss!

Props needed: A blanket to keep you warm if required.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  We keep the hands together in Prayer Position (Anjali Mudra) for nearly every pose in this sequence, so it's a good one to do if you're resting your wrists or shoulders - there's no weight-bearing on the hands at all. But you will challenge your balance as we step forward and back from High Lunge aka Crescent Lunge (this pose also has a number of Sanskrit names - Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Ashta Chandrasana or, as I most commonly refer to it, Alanasana) to Half Chair Pose also known as Standing Figure 4 Pose (Ardha Utkatasana) and then hinge into Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana III). We then transition back to Alanasana to take two variations of Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana) before coming back to the starting point. There's a little seated hip opening sequence plus a short meditation to finish. I hope you find this creative sequence fun - it will focus your mind because you'll have to concentrate - no room for random thoughts here :-)

Props needed: You might like a blanket for the kneeling poses and Savasana.

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

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis:  Join me for a sequence of seated twisting poses that will stretch your legs, outer hips, inner hips and arms. It will offer you some spinal flexion and extension too plus the rotation from the twists as well. We'll practise, amongst other poses, Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana), Sage Twist (Marichyasana III), a twisting variation of Shoelace Pose (Ardha Gomukhasana), Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) and Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavista Konasana).  

Props needed: A blanket or block to sit on if required.

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

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  This short class is ideal to practise first thing in the morning. After warming up the body after its night's sleep we'll do some Sun Salutations to get your blood flowing and your heart rate up, which will include the standing poses Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II), Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) and Low Lunge Twist Pose (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana). We'll then come to the floor for a short sequence that includes Boat Pose (Navasana), Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana), a seated twist and a side bend, before a brief Savasana or Constructive Rest Pose to revitalise you, ready to face the day ahead.

Props needed: None required.

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

Duration: 6 minutes

Emphasis:  Take a few minutes to sit... be still... breathe well... and relax.  Alternate Nostril Breathing calms the mind and helps make it easier to concentrate. It relaxes the nervous system and helps reduce high cortisol levels. It encourages deep, even, smooth breathing which increases the supply of oxygen to the body and the brain and utilises all the breathing apparatus (nasopharynx, trachea, bronchioles and lungs) and helps keep the diaphragm (the major muscle of respiration) healthy and flexible. For best results practise Nadi Shodhana or other gentle forms of Pranayama on a regular daily basis.

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: N/A

Duration: 5 minutes

Emphasis:  A simple breathing practice to relax your body and quieten your mind. As you breathe in and out for a count of 5 you will also be helping to your lungs and your diaphragm to become more flexible and expansive.

Props needed: None needed.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 7 minutes

Emphasis:  This is the final variation of Sun Salutation where I take you through Four Limbed Staff Pose, usually known as Chaturanga Dandasana and into Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana). This is a strong variation where you will be supporting your bodyweight on your hands and toes as you lower down from Plank Pose and also in the deep backbend.

Props needed: None.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen

Duration: 12 minutes

Emphasis:  In this short and gentle sequence you'll be seated on a chair to stretch the front, back and sides of your body, take a twisting pose, bring mobility to your feet and ankles and take a variation of Chair Pose (Utkatasana).

Props needed: A chair.

Mat direction: n/a

Duration: 10 minutes

Emphasis:  In this next in the series of tutorials on modifying Sun Salutation to suit your needs, we swap the traditional lowering down to the ground via Knees Chest Chin Pose, aka Eight Limbed Pose, (Ashtanga Namaskara) followed by Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana) or 4 Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana) followed by  Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana) for a version that takes the weight off your wrists and onto your forearms, making it more accessible for those who have wrist and shoulder problems or just find the actions of lowering down too challenging. We then take Sphynx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana) which is a gentler backbend than Cobra.

Props needed: Maybe a blanket to kneel on.

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

Duration: 8 minutes

Emphasis:  In this variation of Surya Namaskar (the Sanskrit name for Sun Salutations), I show how you can progress to the next stage without having to lower down to the ground to take a backbend, or compromise your wrists and/or shoulders in Downward Facing Dog. Instead, we'll do Cat and Cow Pose and half variation of Downward Facing Dog that will help you keep the pressure off those tricky areas.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on.

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

Duration: 8 minutes

Emphasis:  In the next tutorial in this series on modifying Sun Salutations, we move to a standing variation that uses the chair for balance and support. This is a good option if you have knee issues that prevent you from kneeling on the floor, whilst still giving you all the different movements of a standard Sun Salutation. You'll be stretching and strengthening your body and increasing your mobility whilst honouring your limitations.

Props needed: A chair.

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

Duration: 10 minutes

Emphasis:  In this tutorial we'll explore the very gentlest form of Sun Salutation, seated on a chair. Expect the same 'flow' of forward bends and backbends as a standard Sun Salutation but, if you have an injury or a health condition that limits you in some or all of the movements, this variation might be just the ticket for you to experience this sequence that moves all your major joints and muscles. 

Props needed: A chair.

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