Sun Salutations – Surya Namaskar

Sun Salutation A Sun Salutation B Sun Salutation C The attached cards are for Sun Salutations A, B, and C.  My Yoga teacher Kathleen Grace Santor, from the All About Yoga School I study at, kindly permitted me to share … Continue reading →

Let It Go Lesson Plan

This past weekend I participated in the EMPOWER! Conference here in Las Vegas, and I learned so much.  I literally left feeling “empowered!”  Also a little overwhelmed, but ready to learn more.

One of the workshops I took, was a Yoga class by Kimberly Spreen.  Walking into it I already knew it was going to be good, because I really did not have any expectations.  The title was great, it was about letting go.  Wait a minute!  Maybe I DID have expectations?!  Whether I did or not, Kimberly’s teaching quickly helped me let go of my attachments to the outcome of my practice.  As this was a much more flowing pace than what I usually practice for myself, I was definitely challenged and I learned that I am stronger than I think, but also comfortable with being happy exactly where I am in each pose.  It was a wonderful class and this lesson plan is hers.

We are practicing this lesson plan in the next couple of classes (April 23rd – May 2nd on Mondays at 5:30pm and Wednesdays at 4pm) and if you miss it, I hope that you will practice this lesson on your own.  Practicing on your own will give you the opportunity to practice longer or shorter, and to make it even more your own.

Enjoy!

Seated Centering – Create a Loving Space – Ujjayi Breath or Natural

Cat/Cow in various direction – Hip Hinges – DownDog – Fwd. Fold

2 – 3 x SNA (Sun Saluation A)

R Leg Lead:

DownDog – 3leg Dog/Knee to Nose (x2)

Low Lunge – High Lunge – Lunge Open Twist w/ Chest lifted

Reverse Warrior – Extended Side Angle

5 Point Star – Horse – 5 point Star  —> Pivot to face the Back Wall

Warrior 2 – Reverse Warrior – 1/2 Moon – Reverse Warrior

Chaturanga – UpDog – DownDog

L Leg Lead: Repeat above Flow

DownDog – R Low Lunge – lift back knee – hold and breathe (you are stronger than you think you are) – DD – L Low Lunge – lift back knee – hold and breathe (let go of your expectations) – DD

Modified Pigeon R/L counter with DD – Prone Twist counter with DD

Inversions of choice

Savasana

Plank Lesson Plan

My upcoming CXWORX  Training, where we have to hold some (at this time) insanely long forearm plank, inspired me to create this Plank focused lesson plan.  The problem with that of course is that YOU are doing this practice, not I, and with that I am still no more ready for this training than I was a few weeks ago.  So at this point I just need to start practicing!

If you have generally tender wrists, this practice may help improve this condition over time.  Often people who have to keep their wrists in one position for long periods of time, or their fingers are flexed a lot, can benefit from the wrist extension that happens with planks.  However, make sure not to practice this lesson when your wrists are acutely inflamed!  And as always, if it doesn’t feel good, take a rest in Child’s Pose and shake out your hands, it’s OK!

Seated Centering & Breathing – Wrist Warm ups

Cat/Cow – Opposite Arm/Leg Balance – DownDog – Plank – 8 Point Pose – Cobra – Forearm Plank – Dolphin – Moving Dolphin – Sunworshiper/ 1/2 Camel – DownDog – Forward Fold – Tadasana

1 x SNA Surya Namaskar A (Sun Salutation A)

1-2 x “Plank Vinyasa”: Plank – Ride Side Plank – Plank – Chatturanga – DownDog – Plank – Left Side Plank – Plank – Chatturanga – DownDog (rest or repeat)

R Forward: Crescent Lunge – 1/2 Moon – Chair – Brave Warrior – Eagle – DownDog

1 x “Plank Vinyasa”

L Forward: Crescent Lunge – 1/2 Moon – Chair – Brave Warrior – Eagle – DownDog

Option: 1 x “Plank Vinyasa”

Bow Pose (1/2 or full) – Balasana – Navasana – UpPlank/Table – Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)

Choice of Inversions or Bridge – 1/2 Shoulder Stand

Savasana

My First Post

I think the easiest way to get this blog started, that will also benefit you, is to post a recent Yoga lesson plan I used in my classes.  I thought of this as a category last week.   One of my participants (and by the time he reads this I will hopefully have figured out his name, because he gave me a really thoughtful egg timer, which I will write about in the future) asked if I could email him the last lesson plan we had practiced, as he was going to be gone for Spring Break.  I promised to do so, albeit not as promptly as I had hoped I would.  Among my repeated reminders-to-self I thought that this might be useful to all my class participants.  I don’t have any clue how to organize the different lesson plans, but I suppose I will figure it out.

This lesson plan was written for someone who really wanted to practice modified pigeon and I wanted to focus on opening all sides of the hip.  She ended up not being able to come to class during the time we practiced, yet another reason to blog it.

Please feel free to ask if you need clarification on anything:

Seated Centering and breathing or in Balasana/Child’s Pose

Warm Up:
Hip Hinges – Active Lunges Righ – 8Point Pose – Cobra – Mekka – Active Lunges L – Plank – Chaturanga – UpDog – Mekka – Sunworshiper – DownDog – Plank/Chaturanga/UpDog/DownDog (Vinyasa) – Forward Fold

Standing:
Tadasana Center
1 x Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskar B)

R foot forward lead
Trikonasana (Triangle) – Warrior 2 – Reverse Warrior – Wide Mountain stance & Eagle Arms (R arm under) – Squat and lift Eagle Arms 5 times and last one down/hold – Wide legged Forward Fold with Chest Opener – pivot to DownDog – 1-3 x Vinyasa – Tadasana

L foot forward lead
Trikonasana (Triangle) – Warrior 2 – Reverse Warrior – Wide Mountain stance & Eagle Arms (L arm under) – Squat and lift Eagle Arms 5 times and last one down/hold – Wide legged Forward Fold with Chest Opener – pivot to DownDog – 1-3 x Vinyasa – Tadasana

Balance:
Standing on R leg – Knee to chest – Locust (Foot edge to hip crease) – crossover chair (option forward fold)
Change sides

1 x Sun Salutation B (Surya Namaskar B) finish in last DownDog

Floor:
Modified Pigeon both sides

Back:
Hip Opener Series: Knee to chest – Hamstring stretch – Fig 4 (thread the needle) – Hamstring – Happy Baby – Hamstring – 1/2 Hero OR Sidelying Quad stretch – Hamstring – 1/2 Locust – Hamstring

Repeat other side – we never had enough time to do the whole series in class 😉

Inversions of choice

Savasana