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Wednesday, February 06, 2008
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Energizing Intermediate Sequence |
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Use this intermediate sequence to energize the body and mind. This is a 22 step sequence of invigorating beginning postures that is great to do in the morning to start your day.
1. Start in Mountain with the palms together
A. Inhale and press the feet down and reach the crown up to lengthen the spine. Roll the shoulders down and back to open the chest. Relax the face and rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth. B. Lengthen the inhalation and exhalation by breathing deeply into the belly through the nose. Release any thoughts or distractions and let the mind be focused on the breath. C. Breathe and hold for 10-30 breaths. 2. Inhale and sweep the arms up with palms together
A. Stay in Mountain alignment. B. Look up at the thumbs. C. Lift out of the waist, reaching up towards the sky. 3. Exhale into Forward Fold
A. Press the palms flat to the floor, if necessary bend the knees slightly. If you are flexible enough, bring the fingertips in line with the toes. B. Press the forehead in towards the legs. 4. Inhale and lift into Upward Forward Fold
A. Lift half way up with the arms, legs and back straight. B. The fingertips are touching the floor or you can place the palms on the shins or knees. C. Lift the chest and look up as high as comfortable. 5. Exhale into Forward Fold
A. Press the palms flat to the floor, if necessary bend the knees slightly. If you are flexible enough, bring the fingertips in line with the toes. B. Press the forehead in towards the legs. 6. Bend the knees, lower the hips to the floor and roll back into Plow
A. Roll the hips and spine off the floor to bring the legs over the head. Have the arms alongside of the torso or over your head. B. Press out through the heels with the legs strainght. C. Breathe and hold for 2-5 breaths. 7. Inhale and roll up into Boat
A. Roll up to balance on the sacrum with the knees slightly bent. Bring the arms parallel to the floor. B. Stare at a point for balance. Press out through the heels to straighten the legs. C. Breathe and hold for 2-5 breaths
8. Cross the ankles and lower the legs into Easy Pose
A. Inhale and press the hips down and reach the crown up to lengthen the spine. Roll the shoulders down and back to open the chest. B. Breathe and hold for 1-3 breaths. Optional: practice 1-2 rounds of Kapalabhati pranayama 9. Lean forward, bring the palms to the floor and step back into Plank
A. The body is one straight line, in a push up position with the palms under the shoulders. B. Press the heels back, reach the crown of the head forward. C. Breathe and hold for 1-3 breaths. 10. Exhale down into Caterpillar
A. Bend the knees to the floor, and bending the elbows lower the chin and chest to the floor B. Reach the hips up towards the sky arching the back. C. Breathe and hold for 1-3 breaths. 11. Inhale into Upward Facing Dog
A. Scoop the chest forward, straighten the arms and roll onto the tops of the feet. B. Reach the crown of the head up, press the chest forward, and lift the hips and legs off of the floor. Bend the elbows slightly if it feels like you are straining the low back. C. Breathe and hold for 1-3 breaths. 12. Exhale into Downward Facing Dog
A. Tuck the toes under, bend the elbows and lift the hips up and back. B. Press firmly into the hands and arms to press the hips back. Let the head hang from the neck.Press the heels into the floor. The legs are straight or can be slightly bent to flatten the back. C. Breathe and hold for 1-3 breaths. 13. Inhale and step right forward into High Lunge
A. Step the right foot forward between the two hands. Adjust the leg so that the knee is directly over the ankle and the toes and knee are pointing forward. B. Keep the back leg straight as you sink the hips down and reach the front knee, chest and gaze forward. C. Breathe and hold for 1-2 breaths. 14. Turn the back foot out and inhale into Warrior II
A. Turn the left toes slightly in towards center with the foot flat on the floor. Keep the right knee directly over the ankle into a deep lunge. Inhale the arms parallel to the floor. B. Turn the hips and chest to face the side wall and look at the right middle finger. C. Breathe and hold for 2-4 breaths. 15. Exhale into Warrior Angle
A. Exhale and bring the right elbow to the right knee, inhale the left arm up over the ear with the palm facing the floor. Press down into the left foot and out through the left fingers. B. Roll the left hip and shoulder back. Keep the right knee over the ankle.. Look straight ahead or up at the fingers. C. Breathe and hold for 2-4 breaths. 16. From Warrior II exhale into Reverse Warrior
A. Keep the knee bent in a lunge, inhale the arms parallel to the floor and then exhale the left arm to the right leg and reach the right arm up over the head. B. Reach the left fingers towards the ankle, keep the hips and chest facing the side wall. Look straight ahead or up at the fingers. C. Breathe and hold for 2-4 breaths. 17. Inhale and straighten the legs, exhale into Triangle
A. Exhale and bring the right elbow to the right knee, inhale the left arm up over the ear with the palm facing the floor. Press down into the left foot and out through the left fingers. B. Roll the left hip and shoulder back. Keep the right knee over the ankle.. Look straight ahead or up at the fingers. C. Breathe and hold for 2-4 breaths. 18. Lower the raised hand and bend the front knee into High Lunge
A. Bend the knee directly over the ankle and the toes and knee are pointing forward. B. Keep the back leg straight as you sink the hips down and reach the front knee, chest and gaze forward. C. Breathe and hold for 1-2 breaths. 19. Step or jump the feet into Forward Fold
A. Press the palms flat to the floor, if necessary bend the knees slightly. If you are flexible enough, bring the fingertips in line with the toes. B. Press the forehead in towards the legs. 20. Repeat #4 through #19 on the other side21. Exhale the hips to the floor and lower into Shavasana
A. Release the legs straight and slide the arms alongside of the torso. The arms are 6-8 inches from the sides of your body and the palms are facing up. B. Close the eyes and consciously relax the body from the toes to the crown of the head. C. Breathe deeply through the nose into the belly and hold for 10-15 minutes. 22. End in Easy Pose
A. Bend the knees and slowly roll over to one side. Press up into a seated position. B. Inhale and press the hips down and reach the crown up to lengthen the spine. Roll the shoulders down and back to open the chest. Relax the face and rest the tongue on the roof of the mouth. C. Lengthen the inhalation and exhalation by breathing deeply into the belly through the nose. Release any thoughts or distractions and let the mind be focused on the breath. D. Breathe and hold for 10-30 breaths. 7 Comments
#17 pose is triangle but the photo is of warrior angle - could be confusing to some.
1
April 05, 2008
I love all of the sequences and so do my students.
Great site and getting better all the time. Some of the descriptions could use more detal such as internal and external rotation of femurs to ground the heels more firmly but on the whole fabulous. 2
July 16, 2008
I've changed #17's photo to the correct one of triangle. Thanks!
3
July 23, 2008
the gym I work at believes that the reason my #'s of students is low is because my class is not intermediate enough. How do I make my class more intermediate?
4
October 08, 2008
It would be great if you could write the Sanskrit as well as the English names for the Asanas. Is this possible?
5
June 10, 2009
htel -- I understand why you would want the Sanskrit for the intermediate sequences. The sequence pages are not formatted to easily add this, but I will look and see if it would work to add a small caption under the photo with the Sanskrit.
You can click on each pose to be taken to the asana page that has the Sanskrit name of the pose. 6
June 10, 2009
tpk166 - to make your yoga class more challenging you can do a few things: add more advanced / challenging poses, increase holding times for certain poses, and/or add more dynamic sun salutation type of movement.
7
June 10, 2009
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