Friday Practices are Back on for a while PW Backbend sequence this week!

Hi All,

I'm happy to report that  Advanced Practices are  back on for a while.  We don't have a conflict until May 17th  when Devon and  Theresa   will be hosting a workshop and I'll be at a philosophy conference at  TAMU.  Then  no  conflicts until June 14  when Arun is  in town.   We'll have practice on June 21st.

Then we'll probably go on summer hiatus due to studio conflicts and summer travel. I'll post details about that. 

So anyway, the  good news is  we are  practicing together for a good long stretch of Fridays.    Come  this Friday and keep up all the good Gabriella intensity.

We'll do a backbend sequence from my last day at the Abbey in April. 

Supta swastikasana 

Prasarita padotanasana 

Viparita karanii approach to padmasana/matseyasana

Bolster to wall, padmasana 

Bolster moves away from wall to allow legs in padmasana to drape over back side of bolster, pelvis on bolster, thighs parallel to floor

Then slide off buttocks on floor, thighs supported on bolster

Then slide further so only knees supported by bolster

Then slide off completely into matseyasana

Use pindasana action to bring length to inner groins 

Support chest if knees don't touch floor

AMS 

Block for head

Parsvottanasana 

AMS 

Parsvottanasana 

AMS 

Jump forward feet together 

Uttanasana 

Jump back feet together, repeat

Sirsasana 

Parivrrta eka pada sirsasana 

AMV 

AMVrk

Balance at wall

Pincha mayurasana prep

Chair faces away from wall

Forearms parallel reach to back legs hands down on floor, straighten legs buttocks up, use chairseat to move upper back in

Pincha mayurasana w/chair

Hands hold front chair legs and kick up to wall straight legs

Then bend legs, toes down wall to lengthen low back

Come into chair backwards (chest under  backrest) coil upper back, lift middle buttocks

The slide off more 

Then take arms under chairseat and grasp ankles

Sit in chair facing away from wall, arms overhead hands to wall come up from leg side into back arch, walk up wall or down to chair to increase arch

Viparita dandasana 

dropping onto chair seat from sirsasana 

synchronize thoracic spine moving in and feet elongating forwards

take feet to outer front edges of chair seat & lift tailbone to come out

Vrichikasana

Dropping onto chair seat, hands grasp chair legs or holding block

Focus on big toe mounds, activate searchlights in toe mounds to find chair seat, lift tailbone any amount, try not to push forward through front body

Take forehead forward lift shoulder blades and tailbone then look towards feet to come out

Ustrasana 

Drop head to chairseat x3, push head down and lift chest

Kneel in front of chair, pull chair into thighs and lift chest, inner thighs forward outer thighs back (unless thighs puff forward, then take inner groins back) arch back

Urdhva danurasana 

Feet onto bricks at wall, keep knees in contact w/wall as long as possible 

Viparita dandasana 

Feet on bricks, buttocks close to bricks, arms to right angles take head in, form clasp, lift toes and press into heels, lift head and chest

UD 

Hands onto blocks, see what freedom

Comes

Ustrasana/kapotasana prep

Knees to blocks at wall, arch back then take arms overhead, thighs maintain contact w/wall, let metatarsals speak to back

Then face away from wall (close) w/brick between heels, arch back and take crown of head to wall

Then away from wall, take arms overhead and walk down wall

Viparita dandasana 

2 belts (root of thighs and shins)

Chatoosh padasana, crowd wall w/toes & knees, then take clasp, use wall to straighten legs, progressively walk elbows out, lifting tailbone and keeping height in chest at each step

The belt lower thighs & ankles and pull the strap in hands to come into pose

Raja kapotasana 

Shins up wall, take toes up wall, let thighs lift off floor, eventually chest lifts so much head rests on feet, feet come away from wall

Supported wide leg uttanasana over chair backrest, heels down and then up onto tip toes

Savasana 

Calves on chairseat, bolster on abdomen, sanmuki mudra