Vinyasa Yoga Practice 3 (All Levels): Hips & Lower Back

It is helpful if you've taken my classes before so that you're familiar with my cues,

But not totally necessary.

And today we'll start standing at the top of the mat.

Coming into sun salutations or Surya Namaskar A.

With your feet at the top of the mat,

I like to leave a little bit of space between my feet,

But that's up to you.

In steps are parallel.

Lift your toes up,

Spread them apart,

And place them back down on the mat.

Bring the hands together just below the sternum.

Pull the shoulders back.

This is mountain pose.

From here,

Inhale,

Sweep your arms up overhead.

Long stretch,

Pushing through the heels and the fingertips at the same time.

On an exhale,

Forward fold.

Bring the hands to the floor,

Chin to chest.

You can slightly bend the knees here since this is the first one.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Either up to the fingertips or hands on the shins.

Exhale,

Step or you can hop your way back into high push-up and lower down.

Your choice.

So it's either down to the belly,

Knees,

Chest,

And chin,

Or chaturanga.

For this first one,

I'll demonstrate down to the belly.

Keep the body nice and strong and the plank all the way down.

Tops of the feet on the mat.

Inhale,

Lift to cobra if you went down to the belly.

If you did chaturanga,

You can do up dog.

Exhale,

Push back,

Downward facing dog.

Hips up and back,

Bodies in an upside down V-shaped position.

Spread your fingers wide.

Let there be a few inches between your feet.

Gaze down between your heels.

Roll the inner elbows up towards the ceiling.

Spread your fingers apart with the index fingers pointing straight ahead.

Press down on the outer edge of the palms so the center of your palm lifts up.

Press down through all the knuckles of your fingers.

Try to distribute the weight evenly through your hands.

Looking forward,

You can step or hop your feet to the front of your mat.

Inhale,

Come up to that halfway lift once again.

Engage the low belly and pull the shoulder blades back.

Exhale,

Come into your forward fold.

Soften the knees if you like,

Chin to chest.

Inhale,

Rise all the way up,

Sweep the arms up.

Look over the thumbs,

Exhale,

Hands in prayer,

Gaze over fingertips.

Do that again.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up.

Exhale,

Forward fold,

Hands to the floor.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Step or float back.

Lower down.

This time I'll demonstrate knees,

Chest,

And chin.

The chest comes down between the thumbs,

Butt stays in the air.

Inhale to cobra or up dog.

This time I'm in up dog.

Thighs are lifted,

Shoulders are pulled back.

Exhale,

Push back,

Downward facing dog.

Three breaths here,

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Look forward,

Step or hop your feet to the front.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms,

Rise all the way up.

Exhale,

Hands in prayer at heart center.

Surya Namaskar A again.

Inhale,

Sweep up.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Step or float back.

Lower down.

This time I'll demonstrate Chaturanga Dandasana.

Bend your elbows at 90 degrees,

Body hovers over the mat.

Inhale,

Lift to cobra or up dog.

If you did Chaturanga,

You come to up dog.

Exhale,

Push back,

Downward facing dog.

Three breaths.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Look forward,

Step or hop your feet to the front.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Rise all the way up.

Exhale,

Hands in prayer at heart center.

One more time.

Inhale,

Sweep up.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Step or float back.

Lower down.

Your choice.

Inhale,

Cobra or up dog.

Exhale,

Down dog.

Three breaths.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Look forward,

Step or hop your feet to the front.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Rise all the way up.

Long stretch.

Exhale,

Hands in prayer at heart center.

All right,

Moving on.

Coming into chair pose.

We'll hold here.

Bend your knees.

Lower your seat down.

You can keep hands in prayer.

Arms in the front or arms up overhead.

Five breaths.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Inhale,

Sweep the arms up.

Straighten the legs.

Look up.

Exhale,

Forward fold.

Inhale,

Halfway lift.

Exhale,

Step or float back.

Lower down.

Your choice.

Inhale,

Cobra or up dog.

Exhale,

Downward facing dog.

Coming into a twist.

We'll bring the right foot forward.

Level one,

Option one.

Bring the left knee down to the floor.

Keep the left hand under the left shoulder.

Bring the right hand up to the right knee.

Rotate the torso.

Option two.

Left knee down.

Hands to prayer.

Left elbow over the right knee.

Option three.

Straighten the left leg.

Hold here.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Come back to center.

Place the hands on the mat on either side of that right foot.

Bring the left heel down.

Bring the torso upright.

We'll move into warrior two.

Open the hips and chest to the left.

Deep lunge in the right knee.

You can rest hands on the hips.

Extend the arms out right in front,

Left in back.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Coming to extended side angle.

Option one to bring the right elbow over the right knee,

Or you can bring that right hand to the floor or a block just inside the right foot.

Left hand can stay on the left hip,

Reach up to the ceiling,

Or reach up overhead.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Look down,

Inhale,

Come up,

Straighten the right leg.

Moving into triangle pose.

Adjust your feet.

Bring them a little bit closer together in stance.

Make sure the right is on the right side of the mat and the left is closer to the left side of the mat.

Tilt the right hip so that you're leaning forward.

Hinge at that right hip joint.

Slide the right hand down to the right shin or the floor or a block.

Rotate the left ribs up towards the ceiling.

You can bring the left hand to the left hip or reach the left hand upward.

Gaze up to the ceiling or down at the floor.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Look down,

Inhale,

Come up.

Face the left side of your mat.

Adjust your feet.

Make sure the heels are in line with each other.

Toes inward,

Heels pointing out.

Hands to the hips.

Roll the shoulders back.

Lift the heart,

Look up.

On an exhale,

Come into your forward fold.

Hinge right at the hip joint.

Slide your hands down the shins.

Stay right there.

Once the back starts to round,

That's where you stop.

Okay,

Keep the back flat.

If you can go further,

Continue to slide your hands down.

You can hold onto your ankles or the big toes in yogic toe lock.

The first two fingers hook around the big toe.

Thumbs rest on the tips of the big toe.

Inhale,

Lengthen.

Exhale,

Fold a little bit deeper into the pose.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Release the pose.

Turn the right toes back to the front.

Walk your hands around,

One on either side of the right foot,

Step back into high push-up.

Exhale,

Lower down to the belly.

Coming into locust pose,

Shalabhasana.

Feet together,

Knees together.

Clasp your hands behind your back.

Press the palms together if you can.

Inhale,

Lift your feet,

Arms and chest,

And hold.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Lower down.

Hands next to the ribs,

Fingers forward.

Inhale,

Lift the cobra or up dog.

Exhale,

Downward facing dog.

One breath here,

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Coming into the twist on the left side.

Bring your left foot all the way to the front.

Right knee down to the mat.

Option one,

Keep the right hand under the right shoulder,

Left hand to the left knee.

Rotate the torso.

Option two,

Come up,

Hands to prayer.

Right elbow over the left knee.

Option three,

Straighten the right leg.

Hold here,

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Come back to center.

Come upright.

Bring the right heel down.

Coming into warrior two on the left.

Bend your left knee,

Nice deep lunge.

Hips and chest are open to the right side of the mat.

Right foot's at a 45 degree angle.

And make sure you're not on a tight rope.

Right's on the right side,

Left's on the left side.

Hands on hips or extended out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Coming to extended side angle.

Bring the left elbow over the left thigh.

Or bring your left hand to the floor or a block.

Right hand can stay on the right hip.

Reach up to the ceiling or extend up overhead.

Five breaths,

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Look down,

Inhale,

Come up,

Straighten the left leg.

Adjust your feet,

A little bit of a more narrow stance.

Coming into triangle pose,

Hinge the left hip.

Start to lean out over that left leg.

Left hand slides down the left shin.

You can stay there or come to the floor or up.

You can stay there or come to the floor or a block.

Right hand can stay on the right hip or reach up to the ceiling.

Gaze up over the right thumb or down to the floor.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Look down,

Inhale,

Come up.

Turn and face the right side of your mat.

Toes in,

Heels out,

Once again.

You can do the same thing with the other side.

You can do the same thing with your arms or you can switch it up.

This time I'm gonna clasp the hands behind my back.

Roll the shoulders back,

Look up.

Exhale,

Come into your forward fold,

Hinge at the hips.

Use the low belly to pull you into the fold.

When the back starts to round,

That's when you stop.

Try to release the top of your head down toward the floor if you're coming into a deep forward fold.

Here,

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Release your hands down to the floor if they're not there already.

Turn and bring the left toes pointed to the front.

Walk your hands around,

One on either side of that left foot.

Step back into high pushup and exhale,

Lower down to the belly.

Come into sphinx pose.

Slide your hands forward,

Bring the elbows underneath the shoulders.

Fingers spread wide,

Palms down.

Pull the shoulders back,

Relax your glutes and the belly.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Lower down,

Hands next to the ribs.

Inhale,

Lift to a little cobra.

And exhale,

Push back,

Downward facing dog.

Push back,

Downward facing dog.

One breath,

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Come back down to hands and knees.

And we'll come up to camel pose,

Ustrasana.

Knees directly underneath the hips,

About hip distance apart.

Curl the toes under.

Option one,

Make fists with your hands.

Place it on the back of the pelvis.

Roll the shoulders back.

Lift the heart and just look upwards.

You can shift the hips forward a little bit.

Option two,

Reach back for your heels.

Hold here,

You can look forward,

Up at the ceiling,

Or drop your head back.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Come on up.

Coming into gate pose.

Bring the right leg out to the side so the toes are pointing straight out.

Press the sole of the foot onto the floor.

Right hand slides down the right shin.

Left hand reaches up overhead.

On an exhale,

Just lean over to the right.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Try to keep,

Try not to bend at the hips.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Inhale,

Come up.

And bring the hands down to the floor.

Just take a seat.

On the left side,

Take this left foot and bring it in front.

Keep that left knee bent.

We'll come into half floor to the fishes.

Bring the left foot next to the right hip.

Take the right foot and cross it over the left knee if you can.

If not,

You can keep it on the inside of the left knee.

Totally fine.

Wrap the left arm around the front of the right knee.

Right hand to the floor behind you.

Take a twist and look over the right shoulder.

If you'd like to deepen the pose,

Bring the left elbow to the outside of the right knee.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

One.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Three.

Breathe in.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,

Five.

Inhale,

Come back to center.

Coming into Gomukhasana legs.

So option one,

Well I don't know which one's gonna be,

Which one's gonna work for you.

So take the right foot,

Bring it close to the left hip and back the knees on top of each other.

If this works,

Stay here.

If this is not working for you,

You can place a block or a blanket underneath your hips to prop your hips up.

That should help.

If that doesn't help,

You can lie down on your back and do the pose this way,

Okay?

So whatever works,

I'm gonna stay sitting upright.

Doesn't matter.

Pick one.

And we'll take the arms and bring them into eagle arms.

So if you're reclined,

Just hold onto your ankles.

If you're sitting,

Reach your arms out in front,

Cross the left elbow over the right.

Option one,

Hold opposite shoulders.

Option two,

Wrap them up in eagle arms.

Press the right fingertips into the left palm.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Release the arms and come back up to hands and knees.

Okay,

Bring the torso upright,

Coming back into camel pose.

Knees underneath the hips,

About hip distance apart.

Option one,

Make fists with your hands.

Place it on the back of the pelvis.

Roll the shoulders back.

Option two,

Reach back for your heels.

Hold here,

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Inhale,

Come up and coming into gate pose.

Take the left leg,

Bring it out to the side.

That foot's in line with the right knee.

Try to press the sole of the foot on the floor.

Extend the spine upward and as you exhale,

Keep the spine kind of long.

Don't hinge at the hips and lean over towards the left.

Slide the left hand down the left shin.

Right arm reaches up to the ceiling or lean over to the left.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Inhale,

Come up.

Take a seat on the right hip and bring that left leg in.

Coming into half floor to the fishes.

That's seated twist.

So the right knee stays bent and the right foot is next to the left hip.

That left foot can go on the floor in the inside of the right knee or cross it over to the other side of that right knee.

Wrap the right arm around the front of the left knee.

Left hand on the floor behind you.

Take your twist,

Look over the left shoulder.

If you'd like to deepen the pose,

Bring the right elbow to the outside of the left knee.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Facing the front,

Coming into cow face legs.

Probably gonna need to do the same thing you did on the other side.

Bring that left foot close to the right hip.

Stack the knees on top of each other.

Use something underneath your sitting bones if you need to prop up a little bit or go ahead and recline back and do this on your back.

If you're on your back,

Remember,

Hold onto your ankles and let gravity do most of the work.

If you're seated,

Reach your arms forward.

We'll bring the arms into eagle arms.

Cross the right elbow over the left,

Option one.

Hold opposite shoulders.

Option two,

Bend your left elbow.

Place the left fingertips in the right palm.

Hold here,

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Good,

Release the arms and extend both legs forward.

Take the soles of the feet,

Place them together and let the knees open wide.

Bring the legs into a diamond shape,

Coming into diamond pose.

Inhale,

Lengthen upward.

Exhale,

Tilt the pelvis forward.

You can use your elbows to press into the knees just a little bit.

Don't go crazy.

Let gravity do most of the work for you here.

Lean forward as far as it's comfortable.

And comfortable is a relative word here in yoga.

Breathe in.

Breathe out one.

It's like comfortably uncomfortable,

I think.

Breathe in.

Breathe out two.

Breathe in.

Breathe out three.

Breathe in.

Breathe out four.

Breathe in.

Breathe out five.

Breathe in.

Inhale,

Come up and prepare for final relaxation.

Extend your legs out straight and lie down on your back.

Let the feet flop out to the sides and let your palms roll up to the ceiling.

Tuck the shoulder blades underneath if possible.

And just let your body sink into the mat.

And for final relaxation or Shavasana,

You wanna keep your awareness inside of the body so try not to let the mind wander off.

Sometimes the easiest way is to keep it focused on the breath.

Notice how the chest and ribs rise as you inhale.

And noticing how the chest and ribs rise as you inhale.

If you need to,

You can adjust the body.

Lengthen your limbs out after muscles have released.

And then settle in and commit to stillness.

And just notice how the body feels after a yoga practice.

Keeping your awareness on the breath,

Imagine the breath coming in and out through the center of your chest.

Breathe out,

2009 Start to bring movement back to the body by moving your hands in your feet,

Extend your arms up overhead,

Give yourself a long stretch,

Bend your knees,

Put your feet on the floor,

Roll over to one side and push yourself up to a seated position.

Bring your hands together in prayer at heart center,

Forehead down to your fingertips.

Thank you for practicing yoga with me today here on Insight Timer.

I hope you enjoyed the practice and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Be well.