Recent Articles in Focus

Duration: 13 minutes

Emphasis:  Starting with a simple hands on hips Chair Pose (Utkatasana) we move through Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) to an adapted variation of Candle Pose (Prapidasana) with blocks under the hands. Each round gets progressively more challenging but you're in control - you can revisit any of the previous options if you need to. Chair Pose is great for strengthening the legs and Candle Pose is a wonderful balancing pose.

Props needed: Blocks to put under your hands.

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

Duration: 13 minutes

Emphasis:  Take a few minutes out of your busy day to relax in Savasana and practice these simple breathing techniques. They'll calm your nervous system, relax your muscles and quieten your mind. Bliss!

Props needed: A blanket to keep you warm if required.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 35 minutes

Emphasis:  Nearly all the poses in this class are twists - and you'll strengthen and stretch your core muscles too.

Props needed: 2 blocks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 32 minutes

Emphasis:  After warming up with some Sun Salutations we'll practice a simple sequence that includes Crescent Lunge (Alanasana), Revolved Lunge Pose (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana), Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana III), Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Swanasana) and Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana) - and then we'll repeat it. We'll finish with some seated twists and forward folds before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket and a belt or tie from a bathrobe.

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

Duration: 26 minutes

Emphasis:  This sequence focuses on Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). Forward bends are known to help quieten the mind and the nervous system and will give you a good stretch to your back and the back of the legs.

Props needed: 2 blocks, a blanket and a belt or tie from a bathrobe.

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

Duration: 40 minutes

Emphasis:  Iyengar Yoga is a style of yoga founded by BKS Iyengar. It has a strong emphasis on good alignment of the body in the poses and a use of props such as blocks and belts to enable the poses to be adapted according to the person participating. Slow and steady in pace, each pose is done first on the right side and then on the left, before moving on to the next one.

Props needed: 2 blocks, a blanket and a belt or tie from a bathrobe.

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

Duration: 1hr 12 minutes

Emphasis:  In this recording of a live Zoom class you'll do most of the poses with the support of the wall. Expect standing poses such as Tree Pose (Vrksasana), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II) and Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) plus Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), some seated forward bends and leg stretches and a lovely relaxing Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) to finish.

Props needed: Wall space (or you could use a door but make sure no-one is going to come in and bump into you!), a strap, 2 blocks and a blanket.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat against the wall and long side facing the screen.

Duration: 42 minutes

Emphasis:  In this class the focus is on strengthening the upper body and the abdominals. After some warming up for the arms, shoulders and back, the sequence will take you through lunges with bicep curls and shoulder presses, Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) with a diagonal 'pull' with the weight and a Goddess Pose with the weights too. There will also be some side arm balances and plank poses before stretching the arms out after their hard work.

Props needed: Two hand weights (but if you don't have these you could use filled water bottles) plus you might need a blanket to kneel on.

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

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  We keep the hands together in Prayer Position (Anjali Mudra) for nearly every pose in this sequence, so it's a good one to do if you're resting your wrists or shoulders - there's no weight-bearing on the hands at all. But you will challenge your balance as we step forward and back from High Lunge aka Crescent Lunge (this pose also has a number of Sanskrit names - Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana, Ashta Chandrasana or, as I most commonly refer to it, Alanasana) to Half Chair Pose also known as Standing Figure 4 Pose (Ardha Utkatasana) and then hinge into Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana III). We then transition back to Alanasana to take two variations of Revolved Side Angle Pose (Parivrtta Parsvakonasana) before coming back to the starting point. There's a little seated hip opening sequence plus a short meditation to finish. I hope you find this creative sequence fun - it will focus your mind because you'll have to concentrate - no room for random thoughts here :-)

Props needed: You might like a blanket for the kneeling poses and Savasana.

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

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis:  We'll warm up with a relaxed and loose swing for the arms and spine and move on to a heel bounce to raise your energy and improve circulation and lymph drainage. We'll then move into some variations of Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana), adding twists and forward bends and a Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) before coming down to the floor for a final shake-out and a long, relaxing Savasana.

Props needed: None required except if you want a blanket for Savasana.

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

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis:  In this sequence most of the poses are done with the arms above the head, initially with the hands apart and then, when we repeat it for a second time, with the thumbs linked together. Expect variations of Locust Pose (Salabhasana), Warrior 1 pose (Virabhadrasana I), a variation of Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana), Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana III) and Candle Pose (Prapidasana).

Props needed: None.

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

Duration: 1 hour 7 minutes

Emphasis:  A lovely long and relaxing class that takes you from twist to side bend to forward bend to backbend with a little segment of exercises for sacral stability too.

Props needed: 2 blankets (you may like to have a folded blanket to pad your mat to make it comfy) and 2 blocks or a bolster for some of the poses.

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