Second Week

Here are the descriptions of the poses we did in the second week.  Follow the instructions on how to hold them, and to come into and out of them given to you in class.

Samastiti Tadasana– Mountain pose:
Standing with both feet together, weight evenly distributed across both feet and arms by the side pointing downwards.  Eyes looking softly straight ahead.

Urdhva HastasanaTadasana Urvdha Hasta – Upward hands pose:
Standing with both feet together and reaching tips of fingers upward with straight arms.

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana Tadasana Urvdha Baddhanguliyasana– Upward bound finger pose:
Interlocked fingers pressing palms upwards with arms straight

NamaskarasanaTadasana Paschimi Namaskarasana – Prayer position:
Palms together, Base of thumbs touching the ‘heart’, Fingers lightly touching, Head vertical, Eyes straight ahead, parallel to the floor, then eyes turning downwards.

Urdhva Hasta Namaskarasana – upward hand prayer position.Tadasana Uhrvda Namaskarasana

From upward hand pose, Urdhva Hastasana as above, bring the palms together so that both the full palms touch from the fingers to the base of the hand at the wrist.

 

Utthita Hasta PadasanaHasta Padasana Utthita – Extended hands and feet position:
Legs wide, Arms outstretched parallel to the ground.

 

Parsva Hasta PadasanaHasta Padasana Parsva – Turned or Sideways Extended hands and feet position:
As above, legs wide and arms outstretched but with right (or left) foot turned out, Body faces the front.

 

Utthita TrikonasanaUtthita Trikonasana – Extended Triangle pose:
Legs wide,  Feet turned right, Torso extended to right.  Right hand on shin.  Left hand straight up, palm facing front.

Virabhadrasana I – Warrior 1 pose: Virabhadrasana I b Virabhadrasana I a
Right leg bent square, thigh parallel to ground, knee directly above ankle.  Left leg straight diagonally.  Torso vertical.  Arms extended horizontally, as in Vimasana, (aircraft).
Face looks straight ahead.

Utthita ParsvakonasanaParsvakonasana a – Extended Lateral Angle pose:
Come to Warrior 2 pose as above.   Extend torso to the right, Place right hand on the floor,  Reach left hand straight upwards.  Palm faces the front.

Parsvottanasana  (New Pose) Extreme side / lateral stretch  :
Parsvottanasana a2
Stage 1:  Stand with right stepped in front of left leg and hips facing the front. Hands on hips with elbows back.  Sternum lifted, looking forward,  Concave back.

Parsvottanasana bStage 2: Torso horizontal.  As you move progressively from the vertical position ensure that you lift out of the front leg hip, drawing it up and back so that the hips remain parallel to the ground and there is space in the hip joint.  Do this motion in stages with and awareness.

Parsvottanasana cStage 3:  Hands on floor or on blocks, back straight and horizontal. Ensure the blocks are high enough so as to press the heel of the hand into the block.  This takes a little weight off the front leg and allows you to articulate it so that the hips remain parallel to the ground and parallel to the front.

Prasarita PadottanasanaPrasarita Padottanasana a  Hands pressing, legs wide pose:
Stage 1: Legs wide,  Torso horizontal, Concave back, face up.

Prasarita Padottanasana bStage 2: Legs wide, back horizontal (rather than dipping down),  wrists directly under the shoulders (possibly on blocks), Face looks forward.

 

DandasasaDandasana – Staff pose:
Sitting with legs outstretched and torso vertically up, supported by hands beside hips.

 

Urdhva hasta dandasanaDandasana Urvda Hasta – Upward hands in staff pose:Sitting with legs outstretched and hands reaching up vertically above shoulders.

Padangustha dandasanaDandasana Padangustasana
Gripping the toes in staff pose:
Sitting with the forefingers wrapped round the big toe and the torso straight up vertically.

Chatuspadasana using chair
Ardha Halasana preparation, i.e. preparation for Half Plow pose:
Shoulders on some height, neck and head free, holding the chair legs firmly, heels on the front of chair seat, pressing the pelvis up and forward.

Ardha Halasana Halasana Ardha a
(New pose)
Half plow pose:
Torso and and shoulders on flat pillow,  neck free over the edge. Head towards the wall.  Shoulders shoulders leg distance from wall. Torso vertical.   Legs straight and horizontal.  Feet into the wall.
If stable: raise only one leg vertically, bring down and establish symmetry, then raise the other leg vertically.  Come down.

Alternative:  Setubanda (Bridge pose) Lay on bolster with feet against wall, shoulders and head on the floor.

PaschiomottanasanaDandasana Padangustasana – Extreme back stretch:
Repetition of Padangustha Dandasana at this stage.

Savasana (Supta sthiti)Savasana – Corpse pose:
Laying flat on the floor relaxing completely feet out to the side and with the eyes closed.

Namaskara in sukhasana Sukasana – Cross legged sitting prayer position.
Hands in ‘prayer’ position sitting upright.   Used as a finalisation position and greeting (Namaste), in this case farewell.

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