Spine and Hips

“When people age, they tend to contract and pull into themselves. But yoga, and especially the spinal work we do in yoga, can actually reverse the aging process.” –Baron Baptiste, “Journey into Power”

Inhale, High Plank. Shift your weight forward, top of a push up.

Exhale, slowly lower yourself to the ground. Untuck your toes, zipper your legs 

together. Bring your arms by your sides. Exhale your stale breath.

Inhale, Locust Pose (Salabhasana). Peel your legs and chest away from the ground.

-Engage the muscles in your legs and back to continue to lift

-Squeeze your shoulder blades together and press your hands closer together

- Lengthen through the back of your neck, gaze downward

Exhale, release. Rest your left cheek on the ground. Option to windshield your legs back and forth to release any tension in the low back.

Inhale, return your chin to center. Kick your feet up towards your glutes and reach for the outsides of your feet.

Exhale your stale breath.

Inhale, Bow Pose (Dhanurasana). Kick into the hands to lift your chest and thighs off of the ground.

-Squeeze your knees close together

-Soften your back muscles

-Spread your collar bones, keep your gaze towards the mat

Exhale, release. Rest your right cheek on the ground.

Inhale, return your chin to center, press palms under shoulders and push into Neutral Tabletop.

Stand on your knees, shoulder-width distance apart. Maintain length in your spine.

Exhale, Camel Pose (Ustrasana). Roll your shoulders down and back, placing your palms on your sacrum, fingers facing downward. Pull the navel in, and push your hips outward. Trace your gaze up and towards the back wall to create a bend in your spine.

-Option to tuck your back toes for more support

-Do not dump the weight of your head back, maintain integrity in the neck

-Squeeze your shoulder blades together

-Push your sternum towards the sky

Inhale, slowly rise

Exhale, Hero’s Pose (Virasana).

Inhale, shift into Neutral Tabletop.

Exhale, Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Inhale your right leg high. Sweep it through and place your right knee behind your right wrist. Fold your leg to draw your right ankle to your left wrist (a “7” shape).

Exhale, Half Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana). Extend your left leg long behind you.

-Shift your weight onto the top of your left thigh

-Option to place a block under your right hip for support

-Walk your fingertips back next to your hips to lengthen your spine

-Slowly hinge forward to rest on the palms, forearms or forehead

-Option: If this causes pain, come onto your back for Supine Figure Four

          -Rest the sole of your left foot on the mat

          -Bring your right ankle on top of your left knee (“7” shape)

          -You can stay here or use our hands to lift your left thigh and deepen your stretch.

Inhale, come back onto your palms. Tuck the toes of your left food and activate your leg.

Exhale, One-Legged Downward Facing Dog. Sweep the leg back through and create circles with the leg, pedal out the feet, whatever feels good as fresh blood rushes 

back into the leg.

Return to Downward Facing Dog. Repeat Half Pigeon on the other side.