Recent Articles in Flexibility

Duration: 47 minutes

Emphasis: This is a Sun Salutation-based class with a bit of a difference - there are no poses where you need to bear weight on your hands. All the same movements of the Sun Salutations are there but are no Downward Facing Dogs, no Planks, no Cat or Cow or pushing up from the floor so it's perfect if you've got a hand, wrist or arm injury and need to rest it for a while so it can recover. Expect mostly standing poses but with some seated and supine at the end.

Props needed: None required.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis: In this class you'll stretch the sides of the body as you raise the arms above your head Expect a supine warm-up and a seated sequence followed by a standing sequence. Then it's back to the floor for some more seated stretches plus a little bit of core work.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on if required plus a brick or block to hold.

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

Duration: 22 minutes

Emphasis: Engage the back muscles then stretch them out in these sequences, relieving stiffness and encouraging mobility and ease of movement.

Props needed: A blanket to kneel on if required.

Mat direction: Either - you choose.

Duration: 26 minutes

Emphasis: If you're feeling stiff and creaky and want a good stretch this is the class for you. Perfect if you've been cycling or running or when you just want to do a bit of slow and gentle movement, you'll start at the feet and move up the body, breathing deeply and stretching out any tight areas.

Props required: A blanket to kneel on if required.

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

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis: Our spines get a little compressed by gravity as we are upright during the course of each day, and at night as we sleep they lengthen back out again.  In this Hatha class you'll be introducing a bit of traction to help relieve pressure on the discs and nerves and realign your spine. You'll do mostly standing poses such as Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) and Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) but also a seated variation of Garland Pose (Malasana) plus a couple of Downward Facing Dogs (Adho Mukha Svanasana) too.

Props required: Two blocks.

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

Duration: 41 minutes

Emphasis: Free up your shoulder blades and help relieve stiffness and tension in your upper back in this Sun Salutation flow class. You'll repeat the same movements with your arms in cactus position in the seated and kneeling warm-ups and then in the flows too. You'll move your shoulder blades up, down, in and out and bring mobility to the upper back too.

Props required: A blanket to kneel on if required.

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

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis: This gentle sequence is designed to stretch out and mobilise your whole body. You'll do twists, backbends and forward bends in various familiar poses.

Props required: You might want a blanket under your knees.

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

Duration: 1 hour

Emphasis: This is an intermediate level flow with 5 rounds of Sun Salutations and a number of backbends too. Expect a different variation of Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I) in each round and Snake Pose (Sarpasana), Half Frog Pose (Ardha Bhekasana), Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), Camel Pose (Ustrasana), Bridge Pose (Setu Bhanda) and some relaxing supported backbends too.

Props required: None needed unless you'd like a blanket to sit on.

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

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis: Ease out stiff and creaky joints in your neck, shoulders, spine, hips, legs and feet in this gentle seated class.

Props: None needed unless you'd like a blanket to sit on.

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

Duration: 14 minutes

Emphasis: This short Iyengar-style class uses the wall to help you get some really good, deep stretches. You'll use it to keep your back straight in Staff Pose (Dandasana) and Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana), stretch your calf muscles and increase your ankle mobility in Garland Pose (Malasana), strongly turn your spine in Seated Twist (Marichyasana III) and open your shoulders and stretch your arms in a variation of Easy Pose (Sukhasana). You can do this as a stand-alone class or you can add on the Supine Wall Stretches (December 2024) to make a longer practice.

Props required: A wall.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat against the wall.

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis: Starting with some foot and ankle mobility work, you'll gradually work your way up the body, moving the hip joints, strengthening the core muscles, doing a backbend, a forward bend, a side-bend and a twist, moving the shoulder joints, strengthening the arms and hands and, finally, there's a bit of gentle movement for the neck. Every pose is done seated on a chair.

Props required: A chair and a brick

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 30 minutes

Emphasis: In this class you'll be strengthening and stretching your hip flexors. Your primary hip flexors are the Iliacus muscle and the Psoas Major muscle - collectively called the Iliopsoas. These muscles are deep within your body, on either side of the low spine, and they lie over the front of the pelvis and join your upper thigh bone. They are responsible for lifting up your thigh, for example when you are marching, running or walking up stairs. You'll also be strengthening and stretching your front of thigh muscles and also your hip extensor muscles which include your glutes and your hamstrings. This is all quite science-y and anatomical but all you really need to know is that these movements are very helpful for all of us as, in our society, we sit a lot and the hip flexors can become tight and weak. Expect mostly lunge movements (one leg is in flexion and the other in extension) and squats plus some nice, quiet stretches at the end.

Props required: Two blocks plus a blanket for your knees/hips.

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