Recent Articles in Flexibility

Duration: 17 minutes

Emphasis:  If your house is busy and there's no space to roll out your mat try doing some poses on the stairs. Yes really! You can use them as props to help you get a little deeper into the postures and it's useful to have walls and a bannister to help you balance. We get a bit creative with lunges and twists, forward bends, Lizard pose (Uttan Pristhasana), a variation of Ardha Purvottanasana (Reverse Tabletop Pose), Dancer's Pose (Natarajasana) and some variations of Malasana (Garland Pose).

Props needed: None required - not using a mat is, I think, better as it avoids the risk of it slipping.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a 'live' dynamic flow class with a focus on opening the chest and the front of the body by repeating the Cactus Pose arm position as we go through the sequences. There's a fun and funky arm balance called Fallen Triangle (Patita Tarasana) and you can expect hip openers such as Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), Half Chair Pose, aka Standing Figure 4 Pose (Ardha Utkatasana), Garland Pose (Malasana), and Half Wild Thing Pose (Ardha Camatkarasana).

Props needed: 2 blocks or thick books and a blanket.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a 'live' dynamic and creative flow class where each sequence features standing poses on the right side, moves to the centre to do a Goddess Pose variation (Utkata Konasana) and then over to the left side to repeat the standing poses there. Seated poses include Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsana), Garba Pindasana (Embryo Pose), Blossoming Lotus Pose (Vikasita Kamalasana), Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana), Double Big Toe Hold Pose (Ubbhaya Padangusthasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). Note: Many apologies but I didn't get the camera angle quite right here and in a few of the standing poses I have cut the top of my head off! I hope this won't detract from your enjoyment of the class ;-)

Props needed: A strap or tie from a bathrobe, 2 blocks or thick books and a blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a 'live' gentle stretch and relax class which includes poses in seated, kneeling and supine positions, with an Alternate Nostril breathing practice (Nadi Sodhana) at the end.

Props needed:A strap or tie from a bathrobe, a blanket, and 2 blocks or books approx 30x20x4cms.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hour 19 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a 'live' dynamic flow class which includes Sun Salutations with twists, binds and standing balances.

Props needed: A strap or tie from a bathrobe, a blanket, 2 blocks or thick books and an extra blanket to cover yourself with in Savasana.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a 'live' class I did via Zoom. Expect hip openers, stretches to lengthen the sides of the body and twists mobilize the thoraccic spine. All poses, except for some kneeling lunges, are done sitting or lying down .

Props needed:A yoga bolster - or if you don't have one I show you how to make one from a blanket and one or, if you prefer a bigger bolster, two pillows, a strap or tie from a bathrobe, a block or thick book and an extra blanket to cover yourself with in Savasana.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hour 18 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a live class I did via 'Zoom' on 1st April 2020. It is strong, energising flow with multiple Sun Salutations and standing pose flows, finishing with a slow seated sequence and, of course, Savasana.

Props needed: 2 yoga blocks or a thick book, a strap and a blanket.

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

Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a recording of a live class I did via 'Zoom' on 30th March 2020. It is a gentle stretch and relax class with all the poses either being done seated or lying down.

Props needed: A blanket, a strap and a bolster (or I show you how to make on from another blanket or bathtowel and a pillow).

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

Duration: 56 minutes

Emphasis:  We'll start with some rounds of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) to warm the body up and then move on to practise Virabhadrasana III (Warrior 3 Pose), Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana (Standing Splits), Padangusthasana (Standing Forward Bend), Vrksasana (Tree Pose), two variations of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Standing Hand to Big Toe Pose), the option to take Viparita Karani (Legs up the Wall Pose) or, if you are comfortable and familiar with it, Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand), Halasana (Plough Pose) and Matsyasana (Fish Pose).

Props needed: Two blankets, two blocks or thick books and a strap if you need it around your foot in Tree Pose.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis:  Hatha Yoga is often used as a generic term for a class that is slower paced and does each pose on the right side, then the left before moving on to the next one. It doesn't incorporate joining the poses together to make a 'flow'. In Classical Hatha Yoga the poses are held for between 5-9 breaths to build strength, stamina and focussed attention. In this class we'll move through some warm-up poses before practising Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), Parsvottanasana (Pyramid Pose), Prasarita Padottonasana (Wide Legged Forward Bend), Malasana (Garland Pose), Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend), Setu Bhandasana (Bridge Pose), Viparita Karani (Reclined Legs Raised Pose) with blocks beneath the pelvis, Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand), Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby Pose).

Props needed: A blanket, two blocks or thick books, a brick if you have one, and a blanket.

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