Recent Articles in Flexibility

Duration: 10 minutes

Emphasis:  This short class can be used on its own when you haven't got much time but still want to do a bit of movement, or it can be used as a warm-up before doing another class or even another form of exercise. These simple, repetitive movements will take your shoulders and arms into internal and external rotation and your spine into rotation, flexion and extension. Practising this type of movement regularly will help to keep your shoulders stable and strong.

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 1 hr 15 minutes

Emphasis:  After a little bit of yoga philosophy in which I talk about Samskaras (the patterns we repeat in our lives), you'll do Sun Salutation based sequences moving from one side of the mat to the other, practising Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana) and Side Lunge (Skandasana) twice in each flow. Also included is Eagle Pose (Garudasana) and a Warrior 3 variation (Virabhadrasana III) using the bricks for support. Seated and supine sequences follow to stretch the legs and bring flexion to the hips.

Props needed: Blocks, bricks and a blanket.

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

Duration: 46 minutes

Emphasis:  This class combines Sun Salutations and standing poses in the two vinyasa flow sequences which feature Warrior 1 Pose (Virabadhrasana I), Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana), High Lunge (Alanasana) and an Eagle arm variation of High Lunge. The class then moves on to seated poses such as Bharadvajasana's Twist (Bharadvajasana), Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana), a variation of Archer's Pose (Arkarna Dhanurasana), Heron Pose (Krounchasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana).

Props needed: A block or blanket if needed.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen. Please note: when introducing the flow sequences I said we would be turning to the long side of the mat for some poses - that was said in error as all the poses in the sequences face the short edge.

Duration: 24 minutes

Emphasis: There's no need to even unroll your mat for this class! Instead all the poses will be done with your mat rolled up. We'll do poses such as Child's Pose (Balasana), Lizard Pose (Uttan Pristhasana), Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) and Garland Pose (Malasana) plus some massage work on the calf muscles too.

Props needed: A rolled yoga mat and a blanket if you'd like some padding under your knees.

Duration: 1hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  After a seated warm-up we move into a supine sequence that will alternately strengthen and stretch the hips and buttocks. Expect familiar poses such as Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana), Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandrasana) and Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana) plus some new and hopefully interesting movements that will be beneficial to your hips. The class finishes, of course, with a long Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket, 2 blocks and 2 bricks.

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

Duration: 21 minutes

Emphasis:  A great class for when you're short on time but want to move your whole body. These two short sequences are done entirely on the knees. We move from one end of the mat to the other doing poses such as Balancing Table Pose (Dandayamana Bharmanasana), Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana II) and Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) variations, Gate Pose (Parighasana), Half Side Plank Pose (Ardha Vasisthasana) and a twist. The second round contains a couple of extra challenges for you to try! ;-)

Props needed: A blanket as padding for your knees.

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

Duration: 45 minutes

Emphasis:  After a seated and kneeling warm-up you'll move into Sun Salutations that take you from side to side on the mat. Expect standing poses such as Warrior II (Virabadhrasana II), Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana), Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), a Goddess Pose variation (Utkata Konasana) and Side Lunge (Skandasana). You'll then come down to the floor for Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana) which takes you into Stargazing Pose (Viparita Parighasana). Finally, there's a gentle twist and side stretch before Savasana.

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

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

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis:  In this short practice you'll circle the hips and do some squats to warm up, then do a standing pose sequence that includes Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) and Warrior 2 Pose (Virabadhrasana II), then move down to the floor for Half-Frog Pose (Ardha Mandukasana) and Pigeon Pose (Ardha Kapotasana).

Props needed: A blanket for under your knee if you're practising on a hard floor. 

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

Duration: 1 hr 15 minutes

Emphasis:  We start standing for a warm up and exploratory Sun Salutation, then we move on to two Sun Salutation-based sequences that include some resistance work with the belt, forearm plank variations and some interesting and unique exercises to strengthen the arms. In the seated poses we visit Archer Pose (Arkana Danurasana) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), both with an emphasis on the 'pulling' action, and a seated twist. Then we lie down for a moving leg stretch which is done holding the belt, and a variation of Supine Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana). We finish, as always, with a relaxing Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket, 2 bricks and a yoga belt.

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

Duration: 18 minutes

Emphasis:  Work on your arm strength and shoulder mobility whilst sitting in your chair. We'll move the arms in all directions and then do some exercises using a brick which include twists and a core strengthener. A brief seated meditation finishes this practice.

Props needed: A chair and a brick.

Mat direction: n/a.

Duration: 40 minutes

Emphasis:  There are 4 rounds of Sun Salutations in this class - the first is a basic one to help you warm up then the following 3 rounds feature variations of Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana I) which will take your shoulder joints through their range of movement and help to release tension and tight muscles. After the standing flows you'll move to the floor for a short supine sequence featuring Side Reclining Leg Lift Pose, also known as Vishnu's Couch Pose, (Anantasana) and Supine Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana). The practice finishes with a few minutes lying on a rolled blanket to allow the muscles surrounding your shoulder blades to relax and the chest to gently open, and a few minutes flat on the floor for Savasana. Please note: You can use this class as a stand-alone practice or, if you'd like to do a bit more warming-up first, you could also do the Shoulder Mobility Sequence that can be found in the Hatha Yoga section.

Props needed: A yoga belt and a blanket.

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

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis:  Release tension and mobilise your shoulders with this standing sequence of poses. You'll swing your arms to help tight muscles relax then take your shoulders carefully through their range of movement using a yoga belt. There's a standing balance challenge at the end with Eagle Pose (Garudasana) and a seated relaxation. You can use this class as a stand-alone practice or as a warm-up for the 'Warrior 1 Shoulder Release Flow' that you'll find in the Vinyasa Flow section.

Props needed: A yoga belt and 2 blocks.

Mat direction: n/a.