Supported Backbends and Inversions

Hi All,

Come to the supported Backbends and inversions workshop with Anne at Austin Yoga Institute 

This Saturday the  28th  at   3:30-5:30.  Cost is  40.    ten percent discount for  Iynaus members.

no practice this friday, but we are on for the 4th

Hi All,  there's a training at the studio so  no  practice this friday.

We are  on  next friday, but will need to leave at  6.  I'll lead.  Devon will lead  on  the  11th.  

Here's  the plan  based on  a class that Karen took with  PW recently.

Patricia Walden

Level III-IV - Cambridge, MA

04/20/2012

Spring practice - strength

Swastikasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana – jump to Uttanasana (full pose) – jump to Adho Mukha Svanasana (couple of x) then in Adho Mukha Svanasana hands/ft together, take hands apart jump to Uttanasana keeping ft together, this way you can watch ft, see if 1 ft lands before other jump back to Adho Mukha Svanasana ft together (couple of x)

Go to wall

Adho Mukha Vrksasana – pubis twd sternum, sternum twd pubis

Sit on mat facing wall but ft not on it Ubhaya Padangusthasana from here take arms straight staying in Paripurna Navasana (don’t drop legs)

Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana - if carrying angle move arm by elbow twd middle of room

Chataranga Dandasana – ft at wall, can have block under abdomen, come up

Repeated these 5 poses several x in different order: Adho Mukha Vrksasana => Ubhaya Padangusthasana => Paripurna Navasana => Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana => Chataranga Dandasana

When we all started glaring at her all she said was ‘it’s spring’

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Baddha Konasana

Don’t know if ya’ll remember the pic of tatyana last spring when she was here and I posted the foot up the wall parsvakonasana so if you do then my description for the next pose will probably make sense, otherwise good luck, same pose only back ft on block

Parsvakonasana Variation - Still at wall, back ft away from wall (about 3-4’ estimate) on block toes facing wall, front ft high on wall knee bent toes face ceiling, back leg not perpendicular, angled, back leg straight, take high leg arm bent elbow to inner knee, open groin/pelvis, take back leg hand to buttocks and move down, twist pushing arm against knee taking knee back to help take buttocks down if you don’t have lumbar curve don’t push knee back (we did w/o block just to see why we were on block, more space, she said w/o it was depressing)

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Variation: same setup, back ft on block can move ft closer to wall if unstable in twist, front leg high on wall, bend front leg, raise back leg arm up, exhale twist getting armpit to outer knee, dot move sternum up to ceiling move direction of thigh

Middle of room

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Variation – be on back leg knee/top of ft, front foot leg bent, twist (we never lifted back knee up) repeat aiming 2” lower on torso to place on outer knee, again: from here Parivrtta Parsvakonasana Variation only with back leg ft turned for Ardha Matsyendrasana (so back leg turned ft on knee/front leg bent leg) get full twist as before then come up and sit back on ft for Ardha Matsyendrasana hold front ft if able open chest with turn of both arms (if hips not on ft sit on blanket on ft)

Supta Padangusthasana I – 3 ways: take rt knee into torso, hold with hands between calf and thigh, then take shin perpendicular 1) hold big toe – pull ft down heel up as straighten leg, move top thigh of up leg away from torso should be space there, lengthen down leg from shoulder blade (did both sides) 2) knee to chest, shin perpendicular, hold foot on outside of ft with hand, pull down heel up to straighten leg (then other side) 3) knee to chest, shin perpendicular, hold foot with both hands on either side of ft, pull down heel up to straighten leg (then other side) – notice how these 3 stretch the leg differently

Supta Padangusthasana I holding big toe take leg to side Supta Padangusthasana II keeping pelvis level (both sides)

Supta Padangusthasana II now rotate thigh and move to Supta Padangusthasana III arm behind head if don’t lose down leg, ankle/knee on same plane

Lolasana – tried w/blocks and strapping legs

Padmasana

Tolasana

Baddha Konasana

Paschimottanasana

Parivrtta Dandasana

Sirsasana – Parsva Sirsasana

Sarvangasana – had someone demo parsva halasana but we didn’t do – Setu Bandha Dropovers or if can’t do come down and do setu bandha on brick

Savasana

sequences for this friday and next

Devon will lead practice the next two weeks. Sequences are based on her recent study with Manouso for his  60^th birth  day.

Here’s the sequence for  this week.

Adho mukha virasana

Chaturangasana, moving to

Head up AMS

Chaturangasana again

AMVrks,

 Two times

Pincha mayurasana same

First a drill Then do the pose.  Head up, looking toward the baseboard.

Sirsa with brick in anantasana, wide between hands

Sarvangasana prep on chair with 3 blankets,

Sarvangasana using chair

AMVira

Resting only

AMS walking hands back 3” at a time.  Go to

Malasana feet still apart. Head staying down the whole time

Belt/block alternating “simple uttanasana”

From right in this uttanasana, catch the big toes and do padangusthasana

Dandasana with bricks at knees / hands at sides of buttocks

Dandasana feet  and fingernails at wall, adjusting lumbars

Uttana with 2 blankets rolled into belly

Amvira with variations and different support

Parsva Upavistha Kona drill

Repeat 5 times

Janu sirsasana with variants.  Full pose repeated.

Parivrtta janu sirsa.  No blankets here.  Partner work

[paschimottanasana]

[chatush padasana prior to

[Sarvangasana and variations]

SAVASANA

Here’s the sequence for  next week

AMS

Prasarita padottanasana

Parsvottanasana hands on chair

Then on floor

Vira I toe to wall, hands to wall

Sirsasana I

Chair + sticky urdhva dhanura

Chair w/o sticky (so we can slip around) coiling over U.D.

Next round:  partner work assistance

Rolled blanket under tailbone

U.Dhanura on floor

Partner work: 

Ekapada U. dhanura on chair

Partner work

Ustrasana 4x using rules

Kapotasana on chair

Ekapada u dhanura/kapotasana foot under chair lift up

u. Dhanura on floor hands to wall

U. Dhanura on floor toes to wall

Dropover lines

Sarvangasana/viparita karani on chair

Done. 

Friday Practices Update

Hi All,  There will be practice this Friday  April 13  and  next Friday April 20.   Devon  will be leading  both of  them.   I'll be at George in Boerne then at  the Ancient Philosophy Society Conference in San Francisco.

No practice  the 27th,  but we are back on for the  4th  and I'll take a turn at leading. 

Sequence for Friday April 6

This one is based on day five with Patricia at the abbey with some additions in bold.  At least that's the plan for Friday as of early Monday morning.   Devon will lead  April 13.   Devon and I are both gone the 20th,  there's a training at the studio on the 27th, 

Then we are on again first two weeks in may and the last week in may.

utkasasana
AMS  
Paryankasana horiztonal bolster across thick part of  torso, belt thighs.

AMS shorten stance and widen legs  work with motion to get opening in chest but resist that action with inner arms.
Concave uttanasana
Paryankasana with block in stiff part of back belt arms belt under occiput.
Supta virasana

AMS

full paryankasana

uttana padasana twice
bhujangasana  take arms away.
Chaturangadandasana
UMS
shalabasana with hands in baddanguliasana   twice  switching grip

eka pada bhekasana  other hand in  chauranga, 
full bhekasana
shalabasana
UMS
AMS
Lunges with back leg in bhekasana lift arms up first, then do the bhekasana grip,  two or three times.

Stand up,  vira I,  legs straight,  then arms up, then full pose
AMVrk

Vira I facing wall legs straight  walk up wall as far as possible, then leave wall with hands  then  bend leg to full pose.

Amvrk 
Amvrk with two legs
PM prep with  palms open little finger side pressing down turn thumbs away from each other.
PM  in middle of room if  you can.

sirsasana

  right  after  PM  do  one urdhva Dhanurasana  knowing it will be only one  and do that pose with the mindset that it is your only shot at it for now

Chair dwi pada, but go through the opposite way (may need to add  height if tall,  coil arms first, then grab  ankles like chatushpadasana.
Gives mobility in pelvis and ribs.

Standing back arch up from  wall, start sitting on chair hands on  wall, stand up and straight arms,   note connection between back leg and upper back, 
then stand further away from wall,  straight legs first   lift  chest,  walk down wall,  pelvis can go forward but not abdomen.
Did a couple partner assists with more experience people put fists in back and lift up  for less experienced assisters, hold brick on chest and tell them to lift. 
Lots of  Urdhva D's  first don't walk in at all, then walk in an inch at a time.  Probably did about ten all together,  worked some with not allowing the arms to roll out,  worked with lifting head up to chest and making arms as straight as possible. 

AMVrk (all backbends are forgotten)

Ardha Halasana

Sarvangasana

savasana