Recent Articles in Strength

Duration: 1 hr 14 minutes

Emphasis: This is an Iyengar style class, with each pose being done separately rather than flowing together. Expect to hold the poses for around 3 breaths to cultivate focus, strength and resilience. Standing poses in this class include - Tree Pose (Vrksasana), Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II), Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana), Warrior 3 variation (Virabhadrasana III) and Eagle Pose (Garudasana). The floor poses include Half Frog Pose (Ardha Bhekasana), Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), Head To Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana) and Paschimottanasana and then it's back to standing for the Padhungustasana leg stretch series using a chair. The final relaxation is done with the legs up on the seat of the chair.

Props needed: Two bricks, a blanket, a belt and a chair.

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

Duration: 13 minutes

Emphasis: Short and sweet, this class will get you moving and doing your practice when you don't have much time. Expect to visit side bends, backbends and forward bends, plus twists, a balance pose and some leg stretches - there's a lot packed into these 13 minutes but you won't feel rushed, just glad you got on your mat :-)

Props needed: None required.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis: This flow sequence will take you through Sun Salutation A and then from standing up to sitting down via Candle Pose (Prapidasana), Garland Pose (Malasana), Boat Pose (Navasana), Easy Pose Forward Bend (Adho Mukha Sukhasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). In the next round a couple of extra poses are added in - a seated spinal roll back (which I explain at the beginning of the class) and Upward Plank Pose (Purvottanasana). Coming down to the floor for a seated sequence you'll do Revolved Thunderbolt Pose aka Kneeling Pose (Upward Plank Pose), Camel Pose (Ustrasana), Sage Bharadvaja's Twist (Bharadvajasana) and Reclined Easy Pose (Supta Sukhasana).

Props needed: You might need blocks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis: Take just 20 minutes to bring a little movement to your body. Especially good if you're tired, you've been sitting at a desk for hours and need a break or if you've only got 20 minutes for your practice. You'll do a little bit of everything - strengthening for your legs, mobility for your spine, flexibility for your hips and inner thighs plus a little bit of quietening for your mind.

Props needed: A sturdy chair.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: In this class you'll warm up with Sun Salutation A and then do 4 more rounds featuring Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana), Gate Pose (Parighasana) and Triangle Pose (Trikonasana). It's a slow and steady paced flow but you'll be building strength and stamina.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees.

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

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis: Enjoy this repetitive flow that takes you from one end of the mat to the other, and back again. It includes High Lunge (Alanasana), Side Lunge (Skandasana), Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana) and Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajkapotasana).

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: You choose - at some point you'll have your back to the screen but I hope you'll pick up the flow quickly and know where you're going :-)

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis: Strengthen your core - front, back and sides of your torso - with a sequence of poses on hands and knees followed by some done lying on your back. (

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees.

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

Duration: 1hr 1 minute

Emphasis: This class takes you through a kneeling warm-up, slow Sun Salutation As, then three similar sequences - the first done in kneeling lunge or Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana), the second in Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I) and the third in High Lunge (Alanasana). You'll then come down to the floor for a seated sequence that mirrors the same movements followed by a well-deserved Savasana. 

Props needed: A blanket and you might need a belt for Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana).

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

Duration: 14 minutes

Emphasis: You don't always need to find a big chunk of time to do your yoga practice, or find your mat or put your leggings on. Sometimes it's enough to slide off the sofa onto the floor and do a few simple stretches to loosen you up. Expect some familiar poses done with the support of your sofa. 

Props needed: A sofa!

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis: Lowering down to the ground from Downward Facing Dog into Cobra Pose and/or from Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog in Sun Salutations is a challenge. You need good upper body strength to do both and without it the resulting 'collapse' can cause discomfort in the lower back. This tutorial uses a bolster to increase your awareness of your alignment and support you in this often tricky this transition. After the tutorial we do a short sequence using the bolster for support including Locust Pose (Salabhasana) and Thunderbolt Pose (Virasana) before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: A bolster or two pillows and a blanket plus two blocks or thick books.

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

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: After warming up with some gentle rolling Bridges (Setu Bhandasana) and some shoulder and ankle mobility movements, you'll do a round of slow, gentle Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A), followed by another with some options to make it slightly more challenging. Two more rounds follow with the kneeling lunge Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana) plus a variation of this, and also a Half Dog aka Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) to stretch the sides of the body. In the next round you'll be doing standing lunges and an extended Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana). You'll finish this class lying on the floor again for some more variations of Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana) before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees plus two bricks.

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

Duration: 1 hr 16 minutes

Emphasis: This class is all about the hips! There's a seated and supine warm-up, then a standing pose sequence that features Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II), Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana), Side Lunges (Skandasana), Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana) and Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana). Then we come back to the ground for an unusual hybrid of Childs Pose and Lizard Pose before doing that challenging, but ultimately freeing, hip opener Frog Pose (Mandukasana). A gentle supported Bridge Pose plus variations leads to the possibility of Shoulderstand before Happy Baby (Supta Balasana) takes us into Savasana. Enjoy the sensations during, and after, the class :-)

Props needed: Two bricks, blocks and a blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.