Sun Salutations YTT 2014
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Asana Study Tracey Eccleston Ageless Arts Yoga Teacher Training • Conestoga College • YTT 2014-15 Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Table of Contents Tadasana - Mountain Pose! 4 Precautions & Contraindications 4 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 4 Dristi & Awareness 6 Notes 7 Uttanasana - Forward Bend! 8 Precautions & Contraindications 8 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 9 Dristi & Awareness 10 Notes 10 Ardha Uttanasana - Half Forward Bend! 12 Precautions & Contraindications 12 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 13 Dristi & Awareness 14 Notes 14 High Lunge! 15 Precautions & Contraindications 15 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 15 Dristi & Awareness 17 Notes 17 Plank! 18 Precautions & Contraindications 18 Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Alignment, pranayama & Cues 19 Dristi & Awareness 20 Notes 20 Chaturanga Dandasana - Four-limbed Staff! 21 Precautions & Contraindications 21 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 22 Dristi & Awareness 22 Notes 23 Ashtanga Namaskara - Eight Point Pose! 24 Precautions & Contraindications 24 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 25 Dristi & Awareness 25 Notes 26 Bhujangasana - Cobra! 27 Precautions & Contraindications 27 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 28 Dristi & Awareness 29 Notes 29 Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Facing Dog! 30 Precautions & Contraindications 30 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 31 Dristi & Awareness 32 Notes 33 Balasana - Child’s Pose! 34 Precautions & Contraindications 34 Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Alignment, pranayama & Cues 35 Dristi & Awareness 36 Notes 36 Surya Namaskar: Sun Salutation! 37 Series A & B 37 Surya Namaskara A 37 Surya Namaskara B 37 Shavasana - Corpse Pose! 38 Precautions & Contraindications 38 Alignment, pranayama & Cues 39 Dristi & Awareness 40 Notes 40 Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Tadasana - Mountain Pose (tah-DAHS-anna) tada = mountain BENEFITS Better posture - breathing deeper, better digestion Toning of the muscle of the body - toning arches of the feet PRECAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS Those with poor balance will need to be mindful (vertigo and age) ALIGNMENT, PRANAYAMA & CUES Foundation: • Plant your feet hip width apart (two fists between ankles) or closer together based on comfort and balance Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com • There are two options for press points in the feet. 3 points and 4 points • 3 points are located under baby toe, big toe and middle of the heal • 4 points are located baby toe, big toe and either side of the heal • To engage press points you can lift the toes • you can move pressure between all the points and then find balance between them all • if you are able to maintain the press points and keep the arches lifted you are welcome to relax the toes. • knees are lifted by tightening the thighs • careful not to lock the knees Core: • explore your way into a neutral pelvis (rocking back and forth with the pelvis, tucking under and rounding out, then finding the balance of the two) • find a neutral spine (you are welcome to explore the same rocking) • draw the navel up and in towards the spine • lengthen through the sides of the body • expand through the chest and rotate the arms open through the shoulders (be mindful not to “pop” through the chest) • watch to be sure the rotation of the arms comes from the shoulder and not the elbow (play with them both) Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com • be mindful to keep the shoulder blades open for breath (not squeezing together) Alignment: • arms are hanging naturally with the palms turned out (facing forward) • spread the fingers tighten and feel the energy coming out of the tips. • Neck should be lengthened out of the crown of the head. Extending the neutral spine (watch for the chin jutting forward) • Slightly tuck the chin if it is not parallel to the floor Pranayama (Breath): • Let the breath work with the natural rhythms of the body Verbal Cues: • be mindful of the knees and the tendency for them to lock • lengthen, strengthen, extend and expand • plant, ground • neutral spine and pelvis DRISTI & AWARENESS Dristi: • Point of focus is horizon unless there is poor balance and then dristi can be on the floor a few feet in front of them. Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Awareness: • Awareness should be drawn to the entire physical and emotional body NOTES Mountain can be done with arms resting down the sides, above the head or in anjali mudra (hands at heart center palms together) Mountain can be done fully engaged or in a relaxed manner. Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Uttanasana - Forward Bend (OOT-tan-AHS-ahna) ut = intense tan = to stretch or extend BENEFITS See half forward bend Wonderful place to explore back breathing Massaging internal organize Due to the inversion, blood makes its way to the brain and effects the energy in the thoughts and body. PRECAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS Unmedicated high blood pressure Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Pregnant ladies may need to adjust or adapt the pose (perhaps take a wider stance and not go deep, with bent knees - highly recommend bent knees) Back injuries need to be mindful (perhaps not going deep, and bending the knees) ALIGNMENT, PRANAYAMA & CUES Foundation: • See Mountain Core: • See Mountain & Half Forward Bend • From Half forward bend continue hinging forward until you feel the stretch deeply or your body starts to round in the back (if your belly is touching your thighs you are welcome to melt right through) • Hinge forward till your body cues you to stop Alignment: • arms can rest on thighs or shins, cross at the elbows, hang, touch the floor with finger, palms or grasp toes etc. • It in a full inversion allow for traction in the back of the neck. If the forward bend is limited tuck in the chin to stretch through the back of the neck. Pranayama (Breath): • In general you will exhale into the pose to create space for the forward bend • If you choose to hang out in the pose you can explore back body breathing Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Verbal Cues: • Keep a neutral spine unless you belly and thighs meet. • Hinge forward at the hips • Tuck in the chin to stretch the back of the neck and let it hang. DRISTI & AWARENESS Dristi: • Point of focus is a neutral (alway welcome to close your eyes) Awareness: • Awareness should be drawn to hamstrings and back. NOTES For those with osteoporosis be sure to keep a neutral spine through the entire process (going up and coming down) When coming up or down you can use the rag doll method. If you engage the front thighs in forward bend you may be able to deepen the stretch of the hamstrings. Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com Ardha Uttanasana - Half Forward Bend (are-dah oot-tan-AHS-anna) ardha = half uttanna = intense stretch BENEFITS Great warm up stretch for the hamstrings Provides stretches and movement to the hips Strengthens core PRECAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS Pregnant ladies need to be mindful of lower back Lower back challenges, tight hips and tight hamstrings need to move slowly and possibly reduce the degree of the forward bend. When coming out of the pose, make sure core is engaged and possible cue to bend at the knees. Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com ALIGNMENT, PRANAYAMA & CUES Foundation: • Feet (see mountain) Core: • Core (see mountain), slowly hinge (bend) forward at the hips. • Feel free to use the hands to explore the hip joint and the hinging motion • scoop the pelvis and send the hips and tailbone back as you move into the forward bend Alignment: • Unless stretching hamstrings, be mindful to keep a micro-bend at the knees • rest arms on thighs or shins but be sure to keep the chest and shoulders open Pranayama (Breath): • In general think about the exhale as you move into the pose and inhale as you move out of the pose. (if the pose is being held allow for a gentle pulsation) Verbal Cues: • Bend the knees to protect the back • Hinge forward until you feel the stretch (this is when you’ve reached YOUR full expression) • Maintain your mountain pose as you hinge at the hips and bend forward Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com DRISTI & AWARENESS Dristi: • Point of focus is straight down to the floor with soft eyes (Ashtanga as them look up to the horizon) Awareness: • Awareness should be drawn to the hamstrings and lower back (bend the knees if you’re looking to focus only on lower back) NOTES When lifting up out of the pose, be sure that the core is engaged and the knee may choose to be slightly bend to protect the back. Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com High Lunge there is no agreed upon sanskrit term for high lunge BENEFITS Makes a gentle transition from forward bend to plank Massage of internal organs Great stretch for the psoas and the front of the thigh PRECAUTIONS & CONTRAINDICATIONS Challenging for people with tight hips, thighs and lower back Round bodies may have to take a wider/shorter stance Knee challenges ALIGNMENT, PRANAYAMA & CUES Foundation: Tracey Eccleston • [email protected] • Ageless Arts Yoga • www.agelessartsyoga.com • From forward bend lift and lengthen one leg stepping back into the lunge. Back toe is turned under, front foot stays planted • Stack the knee directly over top of the front ankle • this is defined as a transitional pose (you can add a lot to the sequence here) Core: • Looking to keep a neutral spine whenever possible.