Recent Articles in Hatha Yoga

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  Keep your feet mobile and supple with these quick stretches. Repeat often for best results - we tend to forget about our feet and, when stuck inside shoes for many hours a day, they can become inflexible and poorly aligned which can lead to problems in the ankles, knees, and up into the hips and spine, so a little bit of regular maintenance will be well worth it.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees and for Savasana.

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

Duration: 1 hr 15 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class we'll do some gentle, repetitive sequences interspersed with some contemplation about letting go of the past year and welcoming in the new. You'll be invited to choose a 'Word of the Year' to help guide you through the coming months and also, if you wish, to set a Sankalpa - the yogic equivalent of New Year's Resolutions.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees and for Savasana and possibly a block for under your hands - plus a pen and paper to note down your thoughts and words.

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

Duration: 1 hr 15 minutes

Emphasis:  Slow and gentle sequences to soothe and relax your body, mind and spirit. There are a few balancing poses at the end using the chair to help keep you steady.

Props needed: A chair, a couple of blankets and possibly blocks to put under your hands if needed.

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

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis:  This class consists of short seated sequences that start and finish in Staff Pose (Dandasana)and most of them are done with straight legs. There's a cameo role for Flo in this class too ;-)

Props needed: None required.

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

Duration: 27 minutes

Emphasis:  After warming up we'll move slowly down through the body with poses to help bring mobility to the neck, shoulders, chest, back, hips, legs and feet.

Props needed: A chair and a belt.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 33 minutes

Emphasis:  A straightforward Iyengar-style class which focusses on some basic standing poses interspersed with the four variations of Wide Leg Standing Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)

Props needed: A brick or blocks to put your hand on in one pose.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 1 hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  Relax and restore in this class that uses props to support the body so the muscles don't have to do any work. The nervous system and your mind get a chance to calm down, the breathing becomes steadier and, practiced before bedtime, this class will help you have a good night's sleep

Props needed: A bolster (or two pillows and a blanket), another blanket, optional cushion, blocks/bricks. .

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

Duration: 48 minutes

Emphasis:  If you have a wrist injury or arthritis or something else going on that means leaning weight into your hands is difficult, this class will be just the thing. Leaning your forearms on a chair will enable you to do poses such as Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) and Cow Pose (Bitilasana), Balancing Cat - also known as Balancing Table Pose - (Dandayamana Bharmanasana), Gate Pose (Parighasana) and Camel Pose (Ustrasana). We'll also do a little bit of wrist mobility work to warm-up and finish with a supported Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) and Savasana with legs up on the chair. 

Props needed: Some wall-space, a chair and a blanket.

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

Duration: 38 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class we'll practise Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Side Angle Pose (Parsvakonasana) and Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II) from standing pose in the Iyengar style, then again from Downward Facing Dog in the Vinyasa style and then we'll try them from Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana) too to experience how they all feel slightly different .

Props needed: Blocks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis:  I couldn't decide whether this flow sequence should be classified as a Hatha Yoga class or a Vinyasa Flow - so I've put it in both categories! There's no Plank/Downward Facing Dog/Cobra vinyasa but this class does have a flow-y feel.  After a circulation-boosting warm-up the sequence contains Chair Pose (Utkatasana), Candle Pose (Prapidasana), variations of Cat Pose (Marjaryasana) and Cow Pose (Bitilasana) on the forearms and Forearm Plank (Phalakasana II).

Props needed: None.

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

Duration: 1 hour 1 minute

Emphasis:  After warming up, you'll use a yoga belt to help stretch and mobilise the shoulders in Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana), Wide Leg Standing Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana) and Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana). You'll then move to the floor for seated poses including Sage Marichi's Pose 1 (Marichyasana I), Sage Marichi's Pose 3 (Marichyasana III), Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana), Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), then you'll lie down on your back for Half Plough Pose (Ardha Halasana), Reclined Straddle Pose (Supta Upavista Konasana) and Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

Props needed: A block, a blanket and a yoga belt.

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

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis:  If you've been driving or sitting for ages or maybe you've been digging in the garden and your back is a little stiff and achey, these poses will help to release and soothe it. You'll hold these simple, familiar poses for a while so that you can relax into them, letting go of tension. PLEASE NOTE: this class is not suitable if you have any sharp pain or have injured your back - please see a doctor/physio/osteopath to get a diagnosis and check that these poses are ok for you to do.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel and lie on, plus a bolster or 2 blocks and another blanket.

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