Free 5 Minute Standing Balance Spinal Movement

Before I practice suriya namaskar I 'warm up' my spine, legs and wrists with an active spinal movement sequence that incorporates dynamic balance.

When people start my classes, this opening sequence appears, by far, to present the biggest challenges.  It includes heel raises, one legged balancing, and active spinal movement--often all at once!

I took this 5 minute video at my last retreat in Talalla, Sri Lanka.  You can hear the beautiful birds in the background and see the luscious coconut grove in which we have our twice daily practice!

The video is mainly intended for my students who want a visual refresher of what to do or for interested students who might come to class.  I don't recommend learning from the internet.

After watching the video take a look at some of my practice tips.

Below I have jotted down a few thoughts for some of the movements/actions throughout the sequence.  I say these commonly in class. They are not all of the instructions.  I have tried to clarify a few points were I see students sometimes struggle.

Arms forward and up

When taking the arms overhead, push the armpits forward and up.

When practicing all of the heel raises, lean forward until the toes start to grip naturally, look at the floor to help with balance, then raise the heels.  Keep gripping with the toes.

Knee bends

When bending the knees, I push my knees forward and hips forward.  My hips don't really go anywhere and what you will see is that they lower straight down.

When knees are bending I try to keep firm behind my knees--as though you were trying to perhaps squeeze something behind them.  But don't squeeze too hard!  Remember, feel active but not tense. 

I keep the toes gripping.

Shoulders roll in

When you roll the shoulders in, press armpits lightly down.  I try to press wrists forwards and elbows back.

When you roll shoulders in it is easy to droop the top of the spine.  Be careful it does not sag.   Keep upper back lifted so you do not shorten the front of your body.

Shoulders roll out

When shoulders roll out there can be a tendency to press the ribs forward.  Look carefully in the video and you see I try to lift but not push out in the upper back.

Side bending

When you bend sideways, try to lengthen the one side without squashing the opposite side.  In the video you will see I initiate this movement by raising one elbow without dropping the other.

Twist

When you twist there is a tendency for the hip/pelvis you are turning towards to move backwards.  Try to press that hip forward so the pelvis remains pointing to the front.

Standing balance leg forward

The raised thigh rolls out.  That means your knee seems to roll away from the centre line of your body.  Be careful not to hike your raise leg pelvis up, which commonly happens when people focus on getting their leg high.  It is not how high it is that counts.

Leg to side

Again, thigh rolls out.  It is difficult to get the leg this high so keep it closer to the floor if necessary.  The leg is to the side and slightly to the front.  People who focus on getting their leg too high often have the leg too far to the front but it needs to be more to the side than the front.

Leg behind fold forward

In this posture I push my shin into my hand and pull with my hand.  The raised thigh is rolling in.  That means the knee feels like it is looking more down to the floor.

Leg straight forward fold

Here I am careful not to be too archy in my lower back.  I don't want to feel tension in my lower back.  My raised thigh is rolling in.

Balancing twist

The raised thigh is rolling out.


Additional thoughts
As always, stretch less, tense less, think less, and breathe less.  Try your best without being attached to an outcome.  The outcome people often become attached to in these postures (from my observations) is taking their legs too high.

Better the legs are straight rather than high.  This might mean that you keep toe tip on the floor.  That is an important modification I did not show in this video.  That is, you do not need to raise the toe off the floor at all.  You can keep toe tip down, do the arm and spinal movements, and then just straighten the leg when that time comes.

Relax your tongue and breathe naturally.  This will help you feel calm in these challenging movements.

This is the opening sequence in my current outdoor Canberra yoga classes.  Join us and have some fun if you like!

Much metta,
Samantha

www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com

Active Kurmasana

Kurmasana is an intense spinal forward bend and I recommend should only be practiced with a teacher and not by learning from the internet.

This post is mainly to show how long my spine is when I practice this posture rather than as a 'how to'.  I have pictures and a video at the end.

Many people can do a version of this where they straighten their legs but their spine remains very humped up--like a tortoise shell I suppose.

It will indeed remain a little 'humpy' but my effort here is in trying to lengthen.

I do active variations first to firm the tummy (in a way I can breathe and move the spine).  A more active variation would be to lie down and do what I show here.

First, a sort of navasana where knees bend and I make efforts to draw them into my chest.

Then, I try to keep my legs as close to my chest as possible and straighten them.  This will be beyond a lot of people.  Don't let your legs come out too far from your chest.

Next I take my heels and help myself into the posture assisting with the hands.  I try to push my heels into my hands and make efforts to bend my elbows.  I keep chest and thighs close.  I try to keep shoulders and knees together with firm tummy.  The danger when you use your hands here is that your tummy goes soft so make sure tummy stays firm.

Lengthen the legs as much as possible while maintaining previous actions.  In the video you can see me wriggling to lengthen my spine further--while trying to keep my balance. It's a bit tricky.

I keep tummy firm and legs come down.  Knees are bent, spine is long. I recommend you keep spine long and legs bent rather than go for straight legs.  Far better to stay here than strain or force.

Tummy firm, spine long and shoulders go under knees.

Arms straighten out beside me, shoulders under knees, tummy firm, spine long.  I can breathe comfortably.

Slowly I go, keeping tummy firm and spine long.

The video below shows the posture in action. I make particular efforts to also ensure my neck is in a comfortable position and you can see me moving it around. 

Following an intense forward bend like this I do a less intense forward bend like paschimottansasana and then a strong tummy firming posture like bakasana or a high plank.  If you do postures well counterpose is not necessary but I have just made it a practice.

Using active movements and doing the posture 'mid-air' without hands as much as possible ensures I combine strength and flexibility.

I teach something like the 'wowee active hip opening' sequence I just posted prior to this before I do a posture like kurmasana.

This is the approach I take in my classes, workshops and retreats.  Join me if you like--in Canberra, Bali (for our yoga and raw food retreat September 2015) or in Sri Lanka (yoga retreat).  Details of my class and retreat schedule are on the home page of my blog.

Happy and safe practicing.

www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.artofliferetreats.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com

Trikonasana with active spinal movements

Here is Trikonasana with active spinal movements.  You can see the movement has been initiated from core stabilising muscles as you can see the tummy muscles in action.  This is not a 'sucking it in tightly' type of tummy firmness.

Trikonasana comes in many forms.  

In this post I share some tips on using active spinal movements to come into one variation.  I make a particular point of not sinking into the front hip. 

You will see that my active spinal movements create postural firmness in the tummy.  

Perhaps watch the video first, then take a look at the step-by-step instructions.

We all have different bodies.  This is the way I teach in class and is mainly intended for my yoga students so I can talk about the posture and discuss how these actions fit their bodies.  

When practicing move slowly and don't do anything that hurts.  Feel like you are doing something but without stress or strain.  

Video Sequence
The video shows me coming into the posture dynamically from a hypothetical top of mat (if I used a mat but who needs one for a pose like trikonasana especially!).

Step-By-Step Instructions

Below I have broken down some of the main actions.  They are not all of the actions.  I do quite a bit more subtle movement in my own practice.  I look for freedom, lift, and length.  I move away from squashing, pain, and strain.  

1. Lengthen lower back and open front of groin

I give the instruction to move the sitting bones down, top of pelvis back.  I look for a feeling of length in the lower back (subtle) as well as opening of the front of groin.  

2. Spinal forward bend

Here I maintain action 1.  Then I try to move forward from my spine around the level of my navel without letting my hips move back.  I am basically trying to do a sit up in my tummy in a way that I can still feel the movement of the breath there.  It is something I have posted about previously. 

3. Lean forward and step back

Maintaining all previous actions, I lean forward so my front toes start to naturally grip then take the other leg back. I am careful not to drop into my front hip, stick my butt out, or arch in my lower back. 

4. Open front of groin, lengthen lower back

Once I take toe and heel down I make sure I have maintained the length in my lower back and opening across front of groin (sitting bones down, top of pelvis back). 

5. Front thigh rolls out

I check the action of the front thigh.  It is rolling out.  

I could also make sure my front heel is out and the outer edge of my front foot is pointing straight ahead.  From there, I try to move my heel inwards without it moving.  This will help activate outer hip muscles to assist in rolling the thigh out. 

6. Back thigh rolls in

Allow the back pelvis to also come around to the front slightly so the lower back feels comfortable.

Roll your back thigh in.  Feel the inner thigh working. 

7. Stretch the ground with your feet

Push your front foot down and forward and your back foot down and backwards, as though you are stretching the ground with your feet.

You should feel the legs become very firm.

When the legs become firm, the spine should start to feel light.  I am always looking for lightness in my spine.

8. Lower ribs move subtly back

I move the lower ribs subtly back into my middle back so the middle back feels light and long. 

9. Navel turns towards top pelvis

I turn my navel towards my top pelvis.  Importantly, I keep my back thigh rolling in.  

10. Lower ribs and chest turn to sky

Keeping lower ribs in, I start to turn the rest of my spine up towards the sky. 

11. Arms reach

I take an arm up and and arm down.  

My arms are in line with the front of my chest.  

12. If going deeper, keep front groin open

It is possible to go lower to the ground.  However, I move slowly so that I do not sink into my front groin. 

I need to keep strong actions of rolling that front thigh out and the sitting bones down and top of pelvis back. 

If you start to sink or your butt starts to mutt out or your lower back starts becoming archy then these are signs you might be collapsing in the posture. 

13. Neck in a comfortable position

Once I have the rest of the spine in place, I decide where my head and neck will be most comfortable and move them there.  This could be looking down.  


Happy and safe spinal moving!

www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com
www.artofliferetreats.com

How to Use Active Spinal Movements For Parsvakonasana

Parsvakonasna: A forward bending, side bending, twisting, backbend

If I could only give one instruction in class it would be something like, find lift in your postures.  Find lightness.

Okay, that's two, but that's what guides me through my self-practice reflection whenever I encounter and practice moving and postures.

That said, I encourage students to be mindful that they are not collapsing in their postures.

People who are very flexible often collapse out of habit, especially if they have not developed strength to balance their flexibility.

People who are stiffer might do it to try and get deeper into an image of a pose they think they should be in, often with some strain.

I have little slips and sinks and collapses that I still need to think of myself!  It is an ongoing work.

In standing poses there is always the possibility of sinking into the hips.  In arm balancing poses there is the possibility of sinking into the shoulders.  In backbends it tends to be sinking into the lower back.

In this post I look at a way to try parsvakonasana without sinking into the front hip.

I describe the key actions that give strength and stability to this pose and which help develop mobility.

I pay particular attention to some key spinal actions that will help you develop a strong and mobile core.

I have included two videos.  One has more slow and detailed visual instructions.  The other highlights the difference between lifting and sinking in the front hip.

I have also included step-by-step visual and written instructions, breaking down the pose into key leg, spinal, and upper body actions.

As with all my posts, I really write these for my students to practice outside of class.  If you are not a student of mine I encourage you to come to class or find a suitably qualified teacher who can help you better understand the feeling of these actions in your body!

Perhaps watch the key actions video first.  Then review the step-by-step instructions.  Then watch the difference between sinking and lifting.

Key actions video
This video shows me using my mime skills to show you how to come into the posture.

Perhaps the highlight of this video comes around 1 minute 50 seconds when a little boy (not in the screen shot) says 'I need to do a poo'.  A conversation ensues between the family members and the boy, discussing where he can do a poo, and culminates with dad's joking comment, 'well, you can't do a poo in the lake'.  As you can see, that brought a big smile to my face!

Key actions step-by-step instructions
Parsvakonasana, spinally speaking, is essentially a forward bending, side bending, twisting, backbend.  Is that what you are doing when you practice?  I deconstruct it below.

1. Sitting bones down, top of pelvis back, lengthens lower back and unsquashes front of groin.

2. Spinal forward bend.  This means firming the tummy in a way you can still breathe into it.  I do this by keeping top of pelvis back, leaning forward, and trying to move my hips forward without them actually moving.  I lean forward without letting my butt stick up and start to take my leg back.

3. Toe down then heel down.

4. Check sitting bones down and top of pelvis back.

5. Check front thigh is rolling out.  You could do this by thinking of how to roll it out.  You could do it by turning your front heel out slightly so outer foot points straight ahead then try gripping the heel back in without moving it. 

6. Check back thigh is rolling in.  You can allow your back pelvis to also come in if that helps.  In fact, these actions should help unsquash your lower back.  I have outer back foot lifting towards outer ankle.  

7. Stretch the ground with your feet.  That means pushing the front foot down and forward and the back foot down and backward. 

8. Lower ribs move back to middle back to help bring softness to your middle and upper back.  

9.  Spinal side bending.  That means you try and move the front of bottom pelvis forward and up towards bottom side front rib. In the picture you see me drawing those two points together.  Make sure the lower ribs stay back and don't pop out. 

10. Take top arm overhead.  Push armpits forward and up as though trying to bring your underarms towards your nose.  Outer armpit is rolling towards your face.  This enhances the side bend.

11. Turn from your navel level of spine towards the top pelvis.  Try not to move your top pelvis or move anything else.  This is just a spinal twist. Many people move the whole pelvis here but you want to make this a spinal movement. 

12.  Keep turning your spine progressively towards the sky.  In the photo I show turning the chest.  Again, try to keep this a spinal movement.  Also, watch that the lower ribs do not jut out. 

13. You can put your bottom arm wherever it goes without changing the preceding actions.  Here is the point where many people might just collapse in their front hip in an effort to reach the ground.  But in this photo you can see that I have kept the front hip exactly as it was in the preceding photo.  I come to the ground with my arm because I enhance the spinal side bend.  Wherever that bottom arm ends up, you don't sink into it either.  I am just lightly pressing my hand into the ground and mainly doing an action of moving that armpit towards the hips to enhance the spinal side bend. 

14. From there I add the last action.  This is a lengthening of the front of the spine.  I touched my upper chest in the photo (although the action comes from the navel).  I get a little lift which sort of feels like a little back bend in my upper back.  From there my head comes into place.  Many people will not feel comfortable with their head in this position.  It is better that you find your own comfortable position for your head and neck.  My head position is throat forward, chin up, combined with a little twist where move the top ear away from the top shoulder slightly.  I cannot show or explain this well here so I just suggest you move your head and neck gently and find your own comfortable spot. 

15. Here I stay firm but calm.  My tummy is firm but I can feel the movement of the breath there.  I am content and at peace.  I feel like I am doing something and I am getting warm from this posture.  It is about 10 degrees celcius in this photo yet I don't feel cold even in this crop top because I had been practicing for a little while and using active movements in such a way that I tensed less, stretched less and just enjoyed moving.  This is self-evident when you can see me laugh and smile as I hear the jokes of the people around me.  

Difference between sinking and lifting
In this video you can see me first coming into the posture so that I do not sink into the front hip.  In the second version I just sink into the front hip.

In the second way I do not do spinal side bending.  It is more just hip flexion.  Because of this I feel very passive.  I am not getting warmth and I am not moving energy through my spine effectively.

Ultimately how you come into postures is your choice.

Be happy and content.  Practice safely, mindfully, and peacefully.  When you practice like this people want to be around you.  You inspire movement in others.  As I was filming these sequences today I had at least 4 strangers come up to me, including two children who just wanted to do tricks with me (handstands and arm balances), all wanting to talk about what I was doing and how it just made them feel good.  I am certainly not the most elegant, strongest, most flexible person.  But I really enjoy doing what I do.   Happy with where I am.  When that happens I do believe you can have a powerful influence on helping others towards finding their own inner happiness too.

This is the type of thing I teach in classes, workshops, and retreats in Canberra, Sri Lanka, and Bali.  Hope to see you somewhere soon!


www.yogacafecanberra.blogspot.com
www.yogacafelk.blogspot.com
www.artofliferetreats.com