Strong and Steady
Core, Hamstrings, Quads, Twists
This warrior sequence is filled with classics that are known and loved by many yoga practitioners. This strong and steady series of movements can be integrated into any practice.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Start in your down-dog by sending your hips high, pressing through the balls of your feet and planting your hands on the mat. Externally rotate your shoulders to create a broad back. Energetically pull your heels down towards the ground and maintain a micro-bend in your knees. Stay here for five breaths or so, noticing how the body is feeling and taking any small movements you wish to.
Knee to Nose
Press evenly through both hands and begin to pull forward so your shoulder stack over your wrists. As you pull forward, curve through your back and bring your right knee to your nose. Point the right toes and press into the left ball of the foot.
Plant your right foot in between your hands on the mat. Engage the core and lift the arms and chest into your high lunge. Bend deeply into your right knee, until you find a 90 degree bend, come onto the ball of your left foot and straighten the left leg. Lift your arms up to the sky and knit your low ribs in. Keep your hips square to the front of the mat and soften your shoulders.
High Crescent Lunge (Anjayneasana)
Crescent Open Arm Twist (Utthita Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
From your high lunge, drop your right arm backwards and your left arm will extend forward, twisting from your mid-belly. Keep your torso stacked over your hips. Your gaze can go backwards for this open arm twist.
Twisted Reverse Warrior (Parivrtta Viparita Virabhadrasana)
From your open arm twist, dip your right fingertips down to your left thigh and reach your left fingertips up to the sky. Feel a stretch in the left-side of your body. Stay strong in your legs as you gaze up to your left fingertips.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Open up to warrior II. Right toes face the front of the mat and the left foot is planted on the mat at a 45 degree angle. Your right heel should be in the same line as the arch of your left foot. Press into the outer-edge of your left foot and find a 90 degree bend in your right knee. Your hips and chest are open to the long edge of your mat, with your inner hips externally rotating and your shoulders relaxed. Your arms are spread wide, with your fingers energized. Your gaze falls directly over your right middle finger.
Sky Archer
Straighten your right leg and reach up and back with your right arm. With your left fingers, wrap around your right wrist to deepen your stretch. You are creating a long line of energy from your right big toe all the way up through your right finger tips.
Extended Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
From sky archer, re-bend into your right knee as you reach your right hand forward to the front of your mat. Place your right forearm on the top of your right thigh and sweep your left arm up by your left ear. Feel a long line of energy reaching from the long-edge of your left foot, all the way up to your left finger tips. Engage the core to avoid dumping weight into your right forearm.
Triangle (Trikonasana)
Engage your core and lift the chest up from your extended side angle pose. Straighten your right leg and begin to pull your left hip back. Reach your right fingers tips forward, bringing the right side of your body parallel with your mat. Bring your right fingers down to your right shin and reach your left arm straight up to the sky, stacking your shoulders. Keep pulling the right hip under and the left hip back. Gaze can be up or down.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Engage the core again to lift the chest. Bend into your right knee as you windmill your arms down to frame your right foot. You have a choice to step back into your downdog from here, or take a vinyasa. When you get to your downdog, take five deep breaths and then move into this sequence on the left side.
