Recent Articles in Strength

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis: Enjoy this repetitive flow that takes you from one end of the mat to the other, and back again. It includes High Lunge (Alanasana), Side Lunge (Skandasana), Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana) and Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajkapotasana).

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: You choose - at some point you'll have your back to the screen but I hope you'll pick up the flow quickly and know where you're going :-)

Duration: 19 minutes

Emphasis: Strengthen your core - front, back and sides of your torso - with a sequence of poses on hands and knees followed by some done lying on your back. (

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees.

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

Duration: 1hr 1 minute

Emphasis: This class takes you through a kneeling warm-up, slow Sun Salutation As, then three similar sequences - the first done in kneeling lunge or Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana), the second in Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I) and the third in High Lunge (Alanasana). You'll then come down to the floor for a seated sequence that mirrors the same movements followed by a well-deserved Savasana. 

Props needed: A blanket and you might need a belt for Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana).

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

Duration: 14 minutes

Emphasis: You don't always need to find a big chunk of time to do your yoga practice, or find your mat or put your leggings on. Sometimes it's enough to slide off the sofa onto the floor and do a few simple stretches to loosen you up. Expect some familiar poses done with the support of your sofa. 

Props needed: A sofa!

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis: Lowering down to the ground from Downward Facing Dog into Cobra Pose and/or from Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog in Sun Salutations is a challenge. You need good upper body strength to do both and without it the resulting 'collapse' can cause discomfort in the lower back. This tutorial uses a bolster to increase your awareness of your alignment and support you in this often tricky this transition. After the tutorial we do a short sequence using the bolster for support including Locust Pose (Salabhasana) and Thunderbolt Pose (Virasana) before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: A bolster or two pillows and a blanket plus two blocks or thick books.

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

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: After warming up with some gentle rolling Bridges (Setu Bhandasana) and some shoulder and ankle mobility movements, you'll do a round of slow, gentle Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A), followed by another with some options to make it slightly more challenging. Two more rounds follow with the kneeling lunge Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana) plus a variation of this, and also a Half Dog aka Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) to stretch the sides of the body. In the next round you'll be doing standing lunges and an extended Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana). You'll finish this class lying on the floor again for some more variations of Bridge Pose (Setu Bhandasana) before resting in Savasana.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees plus two bricks.

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

Duration: 1 hr 16 minutes

Emphasis: This class is all about the hips! There's a seated and supine warm-up, then a standing pose sequence that features Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II), Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana), Side Lunges (Skandasana), Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana) and Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana). Then we come back to the ground for an unusual hybrid of Childs Pose and Lizard Pose before doing that challenging, but ultimately freeing, hip opener Frog Pose (Mandukasana). A gentle supported Bridge Pose plus variations leads to the possibility of Shoulderstand before Happy Baby (Supta Balasana) takes us into Savasana. Enjoy the sensations during, and after, the class :-)

Props needed: Two bricks, blocks and a blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1hr 15 minutes

Emphasis:  The focus of this class is side stretches - you'll do a kneeling pose flow that includes Gate Pose (Parighasana) and Half Side Arm Balance (Ardha Vasisthasana). The second sequence takes you through Triangle Pose (Trikonasana) to Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana) and the third into Warrior 1 Pose (Virabhadrasana I) and Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana). The floor-based poses include Snake Pose (Sarpasana), Side Reclining Leg Lift Pose (Anantasana) and Revolved Head-to-knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana).

Props needed: A blanket and a yoga belt.

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

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: After a slow Sun Salutation A to warm up you'll do a modified Sun Salutation B and then two more with extra poses added in. Expect some spinal rotations, hamstring stretches and strengthening squats. A seated sequence completes the practice.

Props needed: Two bricks and a blanket for under your knees.

Mat direction: Short edge facing the screen.

Duration: 1 hr 14 minutes

Emphasis: In this gentle class we warm-up by going top-to-toe through the body, mobilising the joints and stretching the muscles. Then there are two standing pose sequences followed by some seated twists, and forward bends. A lovely long Savasana resting on blocks or cushions completes the practice, leaving you feeling nice and loose, limber and relaxed.

Props needed: A yoga belt, 2 flat blocks or 2 cusions and a blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge facing the screen.

Duration: 34 minutes

Emphasis: In this class we mobilise and stretch the shoulders, specifically moving the shoulderblades. Expect some Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1), Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana), Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) and Wide Leg Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Parsvottanasana) for your standing poses. Following a Child's Pose variation (Balasana) and a variation of (Psychic Union Pose (Yoga Mudrasana, you'll lie down for a lovely flowy twist that focusses on the upper back and then Supine Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) before the final relaxation in Savasana. Please note: Yoga Mudrasana can be contraindicated for the neck so if you have any neck issues please skip this pose and take Child's Pose instead.

Props Needed: A blanket for under your knees and a yoga belt or tie from a bathrobe. If you have a resistance band you might want to use it for the warm-up.

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

Duration: 1hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  This class features poses that will help release your back as we gently move from flexion to extension, do some spinal rotation and some side bends in the seated warm-up, and in the kneeling and standing poses flows. In the final part of the class we move to Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) and do some variations to open the hips and give the back and the back of the legs a lovely passive stretch.

Props needed: Some wall space, a blanket and a block.

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