Recent Articles in Hatha Yoga

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis:  Warm up with some dynamic squats, build some strength with 3 repetitive exercises using handweights then stretch everything out afterwards.

Props needed: Some handweights - if you've not done any strength training before I recommend you start with light weights and then build up slowly - and a yoga belt.  (It can helpful to do weights work in front of a mirror so you can check your posture too).

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

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis:  Most of the poses in this class are done from Table Top Pose (Bharmanasana) and focus on arm/wrist strength and core strength. We move from hands and knees to an optional Plank Pose (Phalakasana) and then to various 'knee-down' poses such as Parighasana (Gate Pose), Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana), Half Side Arm Balance (Ardha Vasisthasana) and Lizard Pose (Pristhasana). We finish with some seated poses to stretch out the wrists and then relax in Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket if you need one to pad your knees.

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

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis:  Strengthen your arms, shoulders and abdominals (plus a little bit for your outer thighs and buttocks) in this short but effective weights class.

Props needed: Some hand-weights - not too heavy (I used 1.5kg), a blanket to kneel on .

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

Duration: 38 minutes

Emphasis:  After warming up with some spinal rotation, some hip circles and lunges we take a simple but satisfying sequence which includes legs stretches, twists and hip openers - firstly standing, then sitting and then repeated once again whilst lying in Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani).

Props needed: Some wall space, a blanket and you might need some blocks under your hands.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat against a wall.

Duration: 10 minutes

Emphasis:  This short class can be used on its own when you haven't got much time but still want to do a bit of movement, or it can be used as a warm-up before doing another class or even another form of exercise. These simple, repetitive movements will take your shoulders and arms into internal and external rotation and your spine into rotation, flexion and extension. Practising this type of movement regularly will help to keep your shoulders stable and strong.

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis: Standing balances are really good for you (they strengthen your legs, they strengthen your core, they improve your concentration) but they are HARD! And can be so frustrating! We are often so focussed on the balancing that the alignment of the pose goes a little 'off'. In this class we will gratefully accept the support of the chair to help take care of the balancing bit and then you'll be able to open up more into the pose and really feel its benefits.

Duration: 24 minutes

Emphasis: There's no need to even unroll your mat for this class! Instead all the poses will be done with your mat rolled up. We'll do poses such as Child's Pose (Balasana), Lizard Pose (Uttan Pristhasana), Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) and Garland Pose (Malasana) plus some massage work on the calf muscles too.

Props needed: A rolled yoga mat and a blanket if you'd like some padding under your knees.

Duration: 1hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  After a seated warm-up we move into a supine sequence that will alternately strengthen and stretch the hips and buttocks. Expect familiar poses such as Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana), Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandrasana) and Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana) plus some new and hopefully interesting movements that will be beneficial to your hips. The class finishes, of course, with a long Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket, 2 blocks and 2 bricks.

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

Duration: 21 minutes

Emphasis:  A great class for when you're short on time but want to move your whole body. These two short sequences are done entirely on the knees. We move from one end of the mat to the other doing poses such as Balancing Table Pose (Dandayamana Bharmanasana), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II) and Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) variations, Gate Pose (Parighasana), Half Side Plank Pose (Ardha Vasisthasana) and a twist. The second round contains a couple of extra challenges for you to try! ;-)

Props needed: A blanket as padding for your knees.

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

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis:  In this short practice you'll circle the hips and do some squats to warm up, then do a standing pose sequence that includes Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) and Warrior 2 Pose (Virabadhrasana II), then move down to the floor for Half-Frog Pose (Ardha Mandukasana) and Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana).

Props needed: A blanket for under your knee if you're practising on a hard floor. 

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

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  Work on your arm strength and shoulder mobility whilst sitting in your chair. We'll move the arms in all directions and then do some exercises using a brick which include twists and a core strengthener. A brief seated meditation finishes this practice.

Props needed: A chair and a brick.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis:  Release tension and mobilise your shoulders with this standing sequence of poses. You'll swing your arms to help tight muscles relax then take your shoulders carefully through their range of movement using a yoga belt. There's a standing balance challenge at the end with Eagle Pose (Garudasana) and a seated relaxation. You can use this class as a stand-alone practice or as a warm-up for the 'Warrior 1 Shoulder Release Flow' that you'll find in the Vinyasa Flow section.

Props needed: A yoga belt and 2 blocks.

Mat direction: n/a.