A Laurie Blakeney inspired backbend sequence

This summer in Ann Arbor  Jeff and I got up early one Thursday to take Laurie’s  Early Bird Backbend class, this practice is  based on that sequence with some with  other additions in bold (most of which I also have learned from Laurie)  

Some  three hands  at  wall for  Anne’s shoulder   standing at wall   and  AMVira  to AMS  hand variations  on two blocks.

AMS

Virasana LOY foot work

Toes turned under to  Virasana

Virasana to Sukasana work.

Virasana    to  Siddasana

AMS

Supta Virasana  on bolster   arms  over  head

Eka Pada  supta virasana on bolster  other  leg  bent in M1  foot  on  block,   arms over head interlock thumbs  pull

Rope bhujangasana  vertical bolster  two or three  times

(OTHER ROPE WORK)

Rope  dog head supported

Sirsasana

Parsva Sirsasana  a la  LOY  about three times to each side.

Sarvangasana 

Parsva Sarvangasana three times to each side

Rope  AMS   again

Setubandha off two bricks,   hang from tailbone (sort of like doing from a stump)

Ustrasana,   pelvis to wall,   hands to bolster

Ustrasana  pelvis to wall, hands to feet

Chair  Dwi Pada  Intro

Urdhva  D  Intro

Urdhva D   Junior 1 and 2 

Chair Dwi pada Junior 1 and 2.

Kapotasana  prep   bolster  at  wall, arch back to look at  wall a few times,  then do  with  arms  overhead and arch back to bolster or  floor  or  however far  possible.

Try Kapotasana on chair 

Full  dwi pada  Junior 3

Eka pada rajakapotasana leg  variations. 

Legs up wall. 

Or  supported Halasana / chair sarvangasana

Sukasana sitting at the wall.

Savasana

Anne is leading practice Friday: The return of the kapotasana project

Devon and I switched a couple of dates to accommodate my  schedule, so  I'm leading this  Friday.

I think we'll work on a nifty Early Bird Back bend sequence from  Laurie this summer than  yields an  excellent  kapotasana. 


Here's  the  schedule of  advanced practice for now  through January. 

Sept  25  Anne

Oct  2   Devon

Oct  9  Devon

Oct  16  Anne

Oct 23  Devon

Oct 30  Anne

Nov  6  Anne

Nov  13   No practice

Nov 20  Anne

Nov 27  no practice  thanksgiving. 

Dec  4   Devon

Dec 11  Anne

Dec  18  Devon  special holiday donation  practice . 

Dec 25  No Practice

Jan 1   No  Practice

Practice  resumes   Jan  8 with Devon Leading Anne is at  a philosophy conference.
Jan 15   Anne leads  
Jan 22   Laurie  B  here  no practice  Come to Laurie  she's   amazing.
Jan 29  No practice Manous in Dallas

 

Demostrated Practice sequence ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND

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Hi regular  practice goers,  Everyone is  welcome and encouraged  to attend. The sequence is simply going to be  intro 2  poses,  there will still be plenty of fun, lots of jokes, and cameraderie, we are just aiming at  getting those  going up for assessment  a last shot  at feedback on their poses.   This sequence originates with Peggy though I changed it  a bit here and there.  We'll do it today in  practice.  Please come with any questions you have about the poses.  Devon and I will be offering various observations and corrections.  Demonstrated Practice of Asana, Intro II syllabus,  note " is an abbreviation for seconds, ' for minutes Tadasana Vrksasana Utthita Trikonasana  45" each side Utthita Parsvakonasana, 45" each side Parighasana Vira I Virabhadrasana III, 20" each side Ardha Chandrasana, 30" each side Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana I, with support, 30", without support, 20" Garudasana 20" each side Resting Uttanasana, 1' Parsvottanasana  Concave only , 40" each side Parivrtta Trikonasana, 1' each side Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, 30" each side Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana, 30" each side Parsvottansana  Classic Uttanasana, classic 1' Dandasana, classic  1- Paripurna Navasana, 40" Ardha Navasana  15" AMS Salamba Sirsasana    4' Adho mukha virasana for rest, 1' Supta Virasana, 2' without support Adho Mukha Svanasana (with support), 1' Chaturanga Dandasana 15" Urdhva Mukha Svanasana  30" Bhujangasana I  25" Shalabhasana  20" Makarasana  20" Dhanurasana, 20" two times Ustrasana, 20" two times Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana   2' ( on chair, legs parallel to floor, holding back legs of chair) Urdhva Dhanurasana I  2', supported on chair, hands and feet on floor or blocks, knees bent, push up if possible, doing repetitions Bharadvajasana on chair as a transitional pose, 30" per side Gather all the props you will need for Salamba Sarvangasana and for Setu Bandha  dropping back Salambha Sarvangasana I     4' Ekapada Sarvangasana, 30" each side Parsvaikapada Sarvangasana, 30" each side Halasana, toes on floor, 1' Parsva Halasana, 20" each side Setubandha Sarvangasana, dropping with both legs at once to support (wall, chair, blocks, bolsters) Supta Padangusthasana I and II, 40" per side, each pose Baddha Konasana sitting straight  1' Upavistha Konasana sitting straight 1' Malasana, 30" Janu Sirsasana, 1' each side Marichyasana I (bend forward,hands entwined), 1' each side Paschimottanasana  2' Bharadvajasana I  40" per side Bharadvajasana II 40" per side Marichyasana III, 40" per side Ardha Matsyendrasana I, 40" per side Supta Baddha Konasana, 1' Savasana, 5'

Schedule for Anne's Friday Class at Clear Spring

Friday  classes   $200  for the semester

$20    Drop in     

Time:  10-11:15

Sept 11     If you buy a pass,  the cost  per  class is  $15.38.

Sept 18     If you buy a pass,  the cost  per class  is  $16.66

Sept 25     If you buy a pass, the ost per  class    is   $18.18 

Oct  2       After this date  the  200 pass is the same as the  individual class rate.

Oct 9  Anne at  a Philosophy Conference in Atlanta  and then  at Teacher Training in Ann Arbor.

Oct 16

Oct  23 

Oct 30

Nov   6

Nov  13  There will be class this day but no  Advanced Practice. 
Nov 20

Nov  27  Thanksgiving weekend- no class

Dec  4

Dec 11

Dec 18  

Classes will resume  Jan  15. 

Rope Wall Class with Gillian next Saturday

https://www.castlehillfitness.com/calendar/1043/yoga-wall-workshops-yoga-kurunta

Advanced Practice on Friday

 Hi All,  Anne is leading Friday.  She's got a busy rest of week, so she's posting the sequence now. 

This sequence is really not as scary as it looks. There are lots of ways to modify.   It is more or less what we did with Patricia on the second day of backbending at Blue Lake 2015.  I'm looking forward to going over what I remember of the details of the class and sharing what I've learned from practicing it a couple times since July.

I'm sorry that the sequence is brief. We've been asked not to share the notes with people who were not present and I want to honor that request. 

AMSvanasana

Utthita Bhekasana

Utthita Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

Padmasana

Baddha Padmasana

Matsyasana

Samasthiti, Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana

Sirsasana

Urdhva Padmasana in Sirsasana

Adho Mukha Vrksasana

Pincha Mayurasana

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Ustrasana with the chair @ wall

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Standing DPVD

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana

Standing DPVD

Drop backs

Kapotasana

Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana II

AMSvan-PP-Parsvottanasana-PP-Parsvottanasana-AMSvan-walk hands back to feet- Samasthiti

Gomukhasana

Padmasana

Savasana

·      Feet in Baddha Konasana-up on bolster

Savasana

·      thighs on bolster

Here's the Advanced Practice Schedule for the Fall

Sept  25  Anne

Oct  2   Devon

Oct  9  Devon

Oct  16  Anne

Oct 23  Devon

Oct 30  Anne

Nov  6  Anne

Nov  13   No practice

Nov 20  Anne

Nov 27  no practice

Dec  4   Devon

Dec 11  Anne

Dec  18  Devon  special holiday  class . 

Dec 25  No Practice

Jan 1   No  Practice

Practice  resumes   Jan  8 with Devon Leading anne is at  a philosophy conference.
Jan 15   Anne leads  

No Advanced Practice Today

Hi All,

It's Anne's anniversary and also Labor Day weekend.  So we  cancelled practice for this afternoon.

We'll be  back in the swing of things  next week  with   Anne  leading a  PW backbend sequence based on some of the work we did in Durango this summer. 

We need students for a Mock Assessment Sept 18-20

 Hi Everyone,  We have several people taking their Introductory/ Intro II level assessments this fall.  We are hosting a mock assessment  the weekend of   Sept  18-20. 

Help us prepare the next group of  Austin Area  Iyengar Yoga Teachers.  

Friday Afternoon Practice will be based on  the Intro  Syllabus and will  be something like a demonstrated practice with opportunity for  questions and feedback on  poses.   4:30-6:30   $20  as  usual.  All are welcome.

We are doing 4  teaching assessments. We need  6-8 students for each one.  You can volunteer for any or  all of them.  This is totally free to the participants.   Anyone with  six months to a year of iyengar experience is welcome.  

Please let  Devon  at Clear Spring Studio  devond108ATgmail.com   know of your willingness to participate. 

When you contact her, please  give your name, email, phone number and the times you can serve as a student. 

These mock assessments will be held at Clear Spring Studio.  Please arrive  15 minutes before your start time.

Saturday Afternoon  Sept  19  

4:00-4:40

4:45-5:25

Sunday morning Sept 20

9:00-9:40

9:45 - 10:25