Recent Articles in Flexibility

Duration: 9 minutes

Emphasis: This class can be used as a warm-up before the rest of your practice or a little bit of energetic movement for the joints and muscles at the beginning of the day or if you've been sitting for a long time and just need to get everything going again. It's quick, simple and I hope you'll feel lighter and brighter and ready to go afterwards.

Props required: N/A.

Mat direction: It doesn't matter - you don't even really need a mat to do this practice.

Duration: 60 minutes

Emphasis: We start with some eye exercises to help strengthen the muscles around the eyes and focus the attention. After a gentle seated and kneeling warm-up you'll come up to standing and we'll learn the Moon Salutation, Chandra Namaskar. This standing sequence takes you from side to side, repeating the poses. Some gentle seated and supine poses follow before relaxing in a supported Savasana

Props required: A blanket and two cushions or two blocks.

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

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis: I had a request for some exercises that would help to keep the knees strong and mobile, so here are some poses and movements that will help to support them. Useful if you have an injury or knee issue already but also good for preventative use. Please Note: if you do have a problem with your knees please get a diagnosis from your healthcare professional - I am not a qualified therapist and what I offer here are suggestions.  The teacher I mention is Jill Miller at https://www.tuneupfitness.com. If you're interested in myofascial release this blog post is really informative https://www.tuneupfitness.com/blog/fascia-myofascial-release . 

Props required: A blanket, blocks, a pillow or bolster, a tennis ball and a sturdy table to sit on.

Mat direction: It doesn't matter for this class.

Duration: 12 minutes

Emphasis: Link movement with breath in this simple, repetitive sequence that will have you stepping across the mat and doing a mobility exercise at each side. This is a great practice for raising the energy, doing some breathing and getting you going in the mornings - or for when you want to do a little yoga but don't have much time.

Props required: None required.

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

Duration: 34 minutes

Emphasis: After a seated and kneeling warm up to prepare your back, you'll do a slow sequence that features Sphynx Pose (Salamba Bhujangasana), Locust Pose (Salabhasana), Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana) and Melting Heart Pose (Anahatasana). The next round deepens the poses. Coming down to the floor you'll do some counterposes such as Child's Pose (Balasana), Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana) and Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana) before resting on the blocks for Savasana.

Props required: Two blocks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 1 hr 17 minutes

Emphasis: This class is a fun Mandala Flow, which means you'll travel around the mat repeating the sequences from either end. It begins with a seated warm-up and then moves to standing for a slow round of Sun Salutatio A. Then we begin the circular flow which contains familiar poses such as Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II), Side Angle Pose (Parsvakonasana) and Side Lunge (Skandasana). A kneeling sequence follows that includes Came Pose (Ustrasana), followed by a seated and a supine sequence that feature twists and hip stretches.

Props required: A block and a blanket to kneel on if required..

Mat direction: It's up to you - as we'll be moving around in a circle there will be a point that you won't be able to see the screen.

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: Enjoy this flow class which, after a warm-up, offers two sequences - one kneeling and one standing - with similar movements. You'll do a spinal rotation, an upward stretch, a balancing pose, a forward bend and a side bend. Some supine stretches and a relaxing Savasana complete the practice.

Props required: A blanket to kneel on if required.

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

Duration: 10 minutes

Emphasis: The intention of this class is to inspire you to take 10 minutes at the beginning or end of your day to do a little bit of yoga. Even if you think you haven't got time for your practice you can do a little just as you are getting out of, or getting into bed.  You can do it when you are staying somewhere you don't have access to a yoga mat or when you don't have much space at all. If your bedroom is an electronics-free zone then watch the video and incorporate the stretches into your own routine - it's just to give you an idea of what you can do.

Props required: A bed!

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis: This short class focusses on side bends which will help to mobilise the spine, engage the oblique abdominal muscles and improve the range of movement of the shoulders. You'll start with a seated sequence and then repeat the movements in kneeling in Gate Pose (Parighasana) and then standing in Alanasana (High Lunge). Finally, there's a supine sequence before relaxing in Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on.

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

Duration:  31 minutes

Emphasis: In this class we do some of the poses with animal names. Expect spinal mobility in Cow Pose (Bitilasana), Cow Pose (Marjareyasana) and Puppy Pose aka Half-Dog Pose (Uttana Shishosana), hip opening in Lizard Pose (Uttan Pristhasana) and Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajkapotasana), some stretching to the back of the legs in Heron Pose (Krounchasana), the gentlest backbend in Crocodile Pose (Makrasana) and a slightly deeper backbend in supported Fish Pose (Matsyasana) .

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on and blocks/bricks for Lizard Pose if required.

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

Duration: 1 hr 10 minutes

Emphasis: In this class we have a focus on lengthening and stretching out the spine. We start lying down for some breathing practice and a supine warm-up, then move to Tabletop Pose for some spinal mobility. Sun Salutations follow plus a sequence of standing poses including a variation of Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana). We spend a few minutes lying prone in Half-Frog Pose (Ardha Bhekasana) then come up for some seated poses. Finally, we come back to lying down to finish the class with some gentle stretches before Savasana.

Props required: Two bricks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis: This class is all about checking your alignment in some of the standing poses. Using a wall to lean against, you'll use it not only to help you balance but also as a reference point to help you line your body up. You'll get a really good stretch and probably realise that you can go deeper into the poses than you thought you could.

Props needed: Some wall space, two blocks or a brick and a yoga belt with a loop plus blanket if you'd like one to relax at the end.

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