Basic Standing Pose Sequence – Focus

Pixie has put together a basic standing post sequence. Work on accuracy of foot placement and leg action, checking that you have the correct distance in all the standing poses. Standing poses aim to sharpen leg awareness, to integrate the legs into the torso and to build a sense of alignment in all poses.

Sequence steps

Uttanasana Forward Standing Forward Bend Supta Virasana Downward-Facing Hero Pose 45 seconds Reclining Hero Pose 1 minute Starting in , exhale and reach down 5 minutes Join your feet together under your buttocks and towards your feet. Let your spine release Lay on your back with your legs bent, your toes keep your knees far enough apart for your ribs to downwards. You can bend your knees or place pointing backward. fit in between your legs as you fold forward. You your hands on blocks if you lack the necessary can rest your head on the floor or on a block. flexibility.

Adho Mukha Vrksasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward-Facing Dog Pose Downward-Facing Dog Pose 20-60 seconds 45 seconds - 1 minute 45 seconds Open your hands into the floor and strengthen Press evenly into your hands and feet. The main Press evenly into your hands and feet. The main your arms as you lift your body up, one leg at a aim is to elongate the back of your body while aim is to elongate the back of your body while time, into an inverted balance. Use the wall for lifting your hips up as high off the ground as lifting your hips up as high off the ground as support if necessary. If pushing yourself up proves possible. If necessary, bend your knees a little but possible. If necessary, bend your knees a little but to be too difficult, you can walk your feet up the stay strong in the legs. stay strong in the legs. wall. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Both Hands Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana (Head To Pincha To Foot) Shin) Feathered Peacock Pose Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose with Both Hands to Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose with Head to Shin 20-60 seconds Foot 45 seconds Spread your weight evenly across your forearms, 45 seconds Grab a hold of your foot and extend your leg in activate your shoulders, and lengthen your spine Stand up in Tadasana. Grab one foot with both front of you, while keeping the rest of your body as you lift yourself into this inverted balance. Use arms and stretch it right in front of you. Work on straight. Elongate through the crown of your head wall support if needed. You can also wrap a belt keeping your back straight. Incorporate a bend in and lift your leg higher. Ideally, join your shin and around your arms to keep them steady. your knee or use a belt if necessary. head.

Tadasana Utthita Mountain Pose Extended Triangle Pose Extended Side Angle Pose 30 seconds 30-45 seconds 30-45 seconds Stand up tall and straight, place your feet close Keep the toes and kneecap of your left leg pointed Bend your front leg and place your hand by of your together, with your heels and big toes touching. forward and, keeping your spine straight and long, foot as you stretch your other arm up and over Imagine as if you are standing with your back stretch over your leg. Place your left hand on your your head. Pull your waist away from the floor, against the wall. Extend your whole body from the ankle or on a block next to your foot. Look up keep your back straight. Place a block under your heels up through the crown of your head. towards your extended right arm. hand if necessary.

Virabhadrasana I II Warrior I Pose Warrior II Pose Standing Forward Bend 30-45 seconds 30-45 seconds 1 minute Angle your back foot outward slightly and Angle your back foot in and straighten out the leg. Starting in Tadasana, exhale and reach down straighten your back leg. Lift from your navel up, Bend your front knee into a , pointing it towards your feet. Let your spine release bring your arms up, and lengthen through the forward so that it's aligned with your hips, shin, downwards. You can bend your knees or place crown of your head. Make sure your front knee and and toes. Stretch your arms out in a parallel line. your hands on blocks if you lack the necessary toes are aligned and pointing straight forward. Lengthen through the crown of your head. flexibility. Half Moon Pose Virabhadrasana III Parivritta Trikonasana Get rooted through your left foot, point your toes Warrior III Pose Revolved Triangle Pose and kneecap forward. Then, place your left hand on Stay rooted through your foot, activate your leg Keep yourself rooted through your toe mounds as the floor or a block in front of you as you stretch and hips, and keep your kneecap pointing forward. you twist and balance. Make sure your spine is your other right leg back in line with your straight Balance the rest of your body perpendicular to straight and elongated, use blocks if necessary. back. You can use the wall for support if you lack your leg and parallel to the floor. the balance. If possible, lift your right arm up.

Parivritta Parsvakonasana Uttanasana Parsvottanasana Revolved Side Angle Pose Standing Forward Bend Intense Side Stretch Pose Place your right hand on the inside of your left foot Starting in Tadasana, exhale and reach down Place your feet one leg-length apart, your back as you stretch your left arm up and over your towards your feet. Let your spine release foot angled out slightly. Keep your legs straight as head. If the twist is too intense, use a block for downwards. You can bend your knees or place you start to fold over your front leg, maintaining a your lower hand or keep your left hand on your hip. your hands on blocks if you lack the necessary concave spine for as far into the bend as possible. Repeat on both sides. flexibility.

Prasarita Padottanasana Wide-Legged Forward Bend Virasana Forward 1 minute Supta Virasana Downward-Facing Hero Pose Plant your feet as wide apart as you can. Place Reclining Hero Pose 1 minute your hands on the floor and lengthen forward 4 minutes Join your feet together under your buttocks and through your spine. Once you have achieved the Lay on your back with your legs bent, your toes keep your knees far enough apart for your ribs to concave spine, start to walk your hands backward pointing backward. fit in between your legs as you fold forward. You to capacity, aiming to lengthen and release your can rest your head on the floor or on a block. spine as evenly as possible. Salamba Sirsasana I Eka Pada Sirsasana Bound Angle Pose Headstand 1 One-Legged Headstand Pose 20 seconds 5 minutes 20 seconds Bring your feet as close as possible to your pelvis Activate your shoulders and upper back muscles as Start in Sirsasana and bring one leg down to the and join them together. Straighten your back and you lift your body up into inverted balance. Use the floor. The other leg stays lifted and steady. let gravity pull your knees down toward the floor. If wall for support if necessary. necessary, use a strap to hold your feet in place.

Salamba Virasana Forward Shoulderstand Plough Pose Downward-Facing Hero Pose 5-7 minutes 3 minutes 1 minute Activate your arms and shoulders as you lift your Use support under your shoulders. Keeping your Join your feet together under your buttocks and body up perpendicular to the floor. Use blankets or shoulders open, lift your hips up high above your keep your knees far enough apart for your ribs to bolsters to support your shoulders. Make sure the head, dropping your feet down behind you. Place fit in between your legs as you fold forward. You back of your neck stays relaxed and maintains its your hands on your back to help keep it from can rest your head on the floor or on a block. natural curve. rounding.

Savasana Simple Cross Legs Forward Corpse Pose 45 seconds 5 minutes Sit with your legs crossed. Keep your sit-bones Lie down on the floor. Spread your arms and legs pointing down as you stretch your arms forward to slightly at your side. Relax and concentrate on capacity, lengthening your spine. your breath.