Yoga Day 40

3. Kneeling Side Bends

Transition: From Thunderbolt Pose, lift your sit bones away from your heels until your body is a straight line from your head to your knees.

1. Begin in Kneeling Pose with your arms at your sides.
2. Inhale deeply and raise your right arm up toward the ceiling, feeling your spine and side body lengthen, your chest broaden, and your core activate.
3. Exhale and keep your upper body long as you take a gentle side bend to touch the floor with your left fingertips or palm. Bring your right arm over your head so that your fingertips point to the left.
4. Breathe here for 30 seconds, keeping that length in your spine and sides.
5. Inhale and release the side bend, straightening your upper body and right arm. Exhale your right arm back down to your side.
6. Repeat on the other side.

4. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)

Transition: Bring your upper body forward onto your hands and knees - wrists stacked below shoulders, knees stacked below hips.

1. Inhale and arch your back downward, pushing your tailbone up and outward. Tilt your head back slightly, keeping your shoulders engaged and opening the chest. (Cow)
2. On your exhale, tuck your chin and tailbone inward, pull your shoulder blades apart, and round your spine like a cat that’s stretching or startled. (Cat)
3. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds.

5. Child's Pose Sphinx Flow

Transition: From Cat-Cow Pose, bring your big toes together. Sink your sit bones back toward your heels while pushing the floor away with your palms, resting your forehead on the floor as you enter Child’s Pose.

1. From Child’s Pose, inhale and raise up onto your hands and knees. Cross one heel over the other.
2. Inhale and slowly walk your hands and upper body forward to come into a plank position with crossed ankles.
3. Exhale and slowly lower your upper body and the fronts of your thighs to the ground, keeping your elbows stacked over your wrists.
4. Inhale and place your forearms and palms flat on the floor, lifting your upper body for Sphinx Pose.
5. Exhale and lift your pelvis, pushing the ground away with your palms as you sink the sit bones back onto your heels for Child’s Pose.
6. Repeat this movement sequence 1-2 times.

6. Wide Child's Pose (Prasarita Balasana)

Transition: End Child’s Pose Sphinx Flow in Child’s Pose.

1. Inhale and widen your knees apart slightly. With each exhale, sink deeper into the posture.
2. Breathe deeply here for 30 seconds.

7. Wide-Legged Vinyasa Flow

Transition: Inhale yourself up out of Wide Child’s Pose onto your hands and knees.

1. Inhale, tuck your toes, and lift your tailbone up and back to come into Downward-Facing Dog Pose. From here, walk your feet apart so that they are slightly wider than hip-width apart.
2. On your next inhale, bring your upper body forward, then exhale down through a wide-legged version of Four-Limbed Staff Pose. Remember to keep your elbows stacked above your wrists.
3. Exhale your legs, pelvis, and tops of your feet down to the mat/floor. Inhale and press down through the palms to raise your upper body, coming into a wide-legged version of Sphinx or Cobra Pose.
4. Take one last deep breath, then exhale your upper body to the floor. Inhale and float your tailbone up and back once more to return to a wide-legged Downward-Facing Dog Pose.

8. Downward Dog to Mountain Pose Flow

Transition: Slowly walk your legs back toward each other, remaining in Downward-Facing Dog Pose.

1. Begin in Downward Facing Dog Pose.
2. On an exhale, begin walking your feet forward to come into Standing Forward Fold Pose.
3. Take 2-3 breaths here and alternate bending and straightening your knees.
4. Inhale and slowly raise your torso up to come into Mountain Pose.

9. Mountain Pose Tiptoes Flow (Tadasana)

1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Inhale deeply and sweep your arms up in the air as you rise up onto your tiptoes.
3. On the exhale, sweep your arms back down to your sides and plant your feet firmly back on the floor.
4. Repeat this flow for 30 seconds, keeping your movements synchronized with your breath.

10. Standing Arm Circles

1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Inhale your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height in a T-shape. Keep your fingers straight and together.
3. Make circles in the air with your arms 5-10 times, then reverse the motion for another 5-10 circles.

11. Easy Joint Warm-Up Flow

1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Ankle Circles: Shift your weight to the right foot. Keeping your toes and the ball of your left foot touching the ground, move your left ankle in a circular motion for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the opposite foot.
3. Neck Rolls: Start by looking down, tucking your chin slightly. Roll your head to the side, up, to the other side, and down in a circular motion 5-6 times in one direction, then repeat in the reverse direction.
4. Shoulder Circles: Roll your shoulders forward, down, back, and up in a circular motion 5-6 times, then reverse the motion another 5-6 times.
5. Wrist Rolls: Clasp your hands in front of you, interlocking your fingers, and rolling the wrist joint first so that your dominant wrist deviates toward you, then away from you in a figure-eight motion. Repeat this motion for ~30 seconds
6. Twists: Bring the back of your left hand to the back of your right hip, and your right hand to your left shoulder. Inhale, swing your arms so that your right hand comes to your left shoulder and your left hand comes to the back of the right hip as you take a gentle twist toward the left. Keeping the momentum in your arms going, swing your left hand toward your right shoulder and your right hand to the back of your left hip. Do this movement 5-10 times, speeding it up as you get a feel for the motion.
7. Hip Circles: Standing in Mountain Pose, move your pelvis/hips in a circular motion - 5-10 times clockwise, then counterclockwise.
8. Knee Circles: Bend your knees and bend slightly forward at the hips, bringing your hands to your thighs. Move your knees forward, to the right, back, and to the left in a circular motion 5-10 times, then reverse the motion 5-10 times.

12. Mountain Pose Forward Fold Arm Swings (Tadasana)

1. Begin in Mountain Pose. Make sure your feet are firmly planted hip-distance apart.
2. Inhale both arms up into the air, broadening the chest.
3. Exhale and sink your sit bones slightly down and back, folding forward over your thighs as you swing your arms all the way forward and back.
4. Inhale your arms and torso back up to Mountain Pose.
5. Repeat this movement a total of 5-6 times.

13. Standing Wind Release Pose (Pavanmuktasana)

1. From Mountain Pose, inhale, and lift your right foot slightly.
2. Once you feel balanced and stable enough to do so, lift your foot higher and draw the top of your thigh toward your chest. Wrap one or both arms around your knee/shin to hug your leg closer to your chest.
3. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, release back to Mountain Pose, then repeat on the other side.

14. Standing Quad Stretch

1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Begin shifting your weight and balance onto your left foot. Inhale and bend your right knee, grabbing the top of your right foot behind you with your right hand, and pulling your heel toward your buttocks.
3. Hold for 30 seconds, then exhale and release your right foot back to the ground.
4. Repeat on the other side.

15. Mountain Pose w/ Namaste Hands (Tadasana)

1. Stand with your feet parallel a few inches apart (or, if you need to widen your stance for better support and stability, hip-width apart).
2. Lifting one foot at a time, spread the toes and ball of the foot, then return them strong and flat to the floor with your weight evenly distributed.
3. Lift your sternum up, creating a strong, open upper chest without drawing the lower ribs forward.
4. Draw your shoulder blades slightly inward toward each other, and down away from your neck and ears. Stack and center the crown of your head over your pelvis with your bottom jaw parallel to the floor.
5. Bring your palms together in front of your chest and breathe here for 30 seconds before moving on to the Peak Flow.