Yoga in October - week 4

Here are your poses for day 18 onwards. How are you getting on? Is there a pose you have found most challenging? Here are the next poses to work through!

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Day 18 – Reverse Warrior

Getting into the pose:

-From warrier 2- maintain same foot positioning

-Take back arm onto the back leg

-reach the front arm above the head

-gaze down to the back foot or into the front palm

Benefits

-stretches into the ribcage/side of body

-allows middle (thoracic) back stretch

Modifications

-can be done sitting

-options with arms- can take one hand behind back

-can be done with hands interlaced behind back

Day 19 - Extended side angle Pose Utthita Parsvakonasana

Getting into the pose

-Begin in warrior II (see day 14!)

-Take the right hand or elbow onto the right thigh

-sweep the left arm overhead

Benefits

-stretches into the side of the body and thoracic (middle of the back)

-stretches into the shoulder to improve shoulder mobility (overhead movement)

Modifications

-can be done sitting on a chair

-can be done reaching hand to hip

Day 20 - Cat/ cow - Chakravakasana

Getting into the pose

-Begin in a table top (on hands and knees position)

-to come into ‘cat’ spread the finger tips wide, round the back and drop the chin the the chest. Inhale

-Exhale- drop belly to floor, allow the lower back to extend and lift the chin away from the chest

Benefits

-works to move the middle and lower back (lumbar and throacic) and strengthen around the shoulders

Modifications/cautions

-can be done seated (crossed legged, or on knees)

-pad under the knees

-be mindful of shoulder/upper body problems including wrist issues if weight bearing through shoulders is an issue

Day 21 - Sphinx Pose - Salamba Bhujangasana

Getting into the pose:

-Lying on tummy

-bring elbows under shoulders and begin to gently extend (arch) the back keeping the elbows wrists and hands connect to your yoga mat. Lift your chin away from the chest and gaze to the top of the mat

Benefits

-Stimulates the vagus nerve to allow a rest and digest response and calm the nervous system

-extends the back

-opens the chest area

Modifications

-can be done with head and neck supported/propped up on a block (see picture)

Cautions/contraindications

-lower back issues

-pregnancy

Day 22 Wide legged forward fold

Getting into the pose:

Sit on the long side of your mat with your legs extended infront of you

begin to walk the feet apart and take the legs into a 'V' shape

Benefits

-stretches the hips to open into abduction (inner thighs)

-stretches back of the legs (hamstrings/calf)

Modifications

-use props to support under knees

-use bolster to rest head/neck or chair

-can be done by a wall to support head/neck

Cautions

-hip issues

-support under head/neck if lower back and issue to support the lower back

Day 23 Triangle- Trikonasana

Getting into the pose

-Start at the top of the mat

-step left foot behind you and rotate the left big toe to face the corner of the mat

-reach your right hand down to your inner right ankle

-reach your left arm into the air

-encourage the left shoulder/collar bone to point up to the sky

-encourage both knees to extend (Straighten)

-send your gaze down to your front foot or up to the sky

Benefits

-can be a challenge for the balance

-works into the muscles on back of the legs to stretch hamstrings

Modifications

-can be done using blocks

Day 24 Puppy pose

Like a puppy stretching their back!

Getting into the pose

-begin in table top position

-gently walk hands away from body allowing the chest and belly to come towards the floor

-extend the elbows

-prop under head

Benefits

-stretches throughout the lower and middle back

-opens into the shoulders the encouraged flexion (reaching up)

Modifications/cautions

-support under head/neck

-pad under knees

-caution with shoulder issues (may modify with elbows bent or pillows under shoulders to support)

We have only 7 more poses to go after this - keep working on your daily poses and finding the time to move, breathe, stretch and be with your body!

Ruth x