Lesson Plan: Intermediate 2

5mins: Warm up – Work from the lower joints up.
– Rotate clockwise and anticlockwise. Ankles, knees, hips.
– Swing left leg forward and backwards. Same on the right leg.
– Twist arms and upper body round left to right.
– Windmill arms forwards and backwards.
– Stretch out the neck, use one hand to hold shoulder down use the other hand to pull the head other direction. Left, right, forward, backwards, look up and look down.
5-7mins: Ujjayi Breathing
– Teach students to breath first with mouth open, hear the air being pushed out with a slightly tighten throat making an hhhaaaa sound. Now breath the same but through the nose and with the mouth shut. Students should hear the noise of the air being controlled and squeezed in and out. This controlled breathing slows the breath down and strengthens the diaphragm.
– Stand in Samasthith with hands in prayer position. 3AUMs
5mins: Surya Namaskara A
If students want they can walk back rather than jump back to Chuturanga. Do this 3rounds.
Surya Namaskara B
7mins: Lunge right leg forward, left foot turned out into Virabhadrasana B (warrior 2) Hold for 5x breath.
-Lower the right hand down and place on the outside of the right foot, left arm pointing forwards forming a straight line with the right leg into Uttita parsvakonasana (extended side angle stretch). 5x breath.
-Exhale, Place left hand down on the mat and inhale strighten the front right leg, hold for 5x breath.
-Inhale pull the right leg through and back into 3legged dog, hold for 5xbreath.
-Inhale into Virabhadrasana A (warrior 1) 5x breath.
-Keep arms in place change to other side by swivelling to the back of the mat into Vibhadrasana B (warrior 2)
Vinyasa – Exhale, both hands on mat, plank, chaturanga, upward dog, downward dog, jump forward. Inhale up Samasthiti, 5x breath.
3mins: Tree pose. Inhale arms up, exhale down x3. Inhale arms up and hold. Inhale bend down 90degrees. Exhale up. Place right foot back to lunge into Virabhadrasana A (warrior 1) Hold 5x breath.
– Exhale down into chuturanga, updog, downdog, jump forwards. Other side.
3mins: This time jump into Utkatasana (chair pose). Hold 5x breath. From Utkatasana bring hands down into pray position, shoulders down and twist to the right. Hook left armpit around the right knee. If students not flexible stay in a stop sign potion with left arm. If flexible keep hands in Pray position and twist body and shoulders around to move hands to heart centre. Elbows out head twisted back. Change other side.
Release all the way down until backside onto the mat.
2mins: Sit in Baddha Konasana A, B(butterfly pose) press down the knees and release 10x. Exhale stretch forward and bring the head down towards the mat whilst holding onto the feet, 5x breath. Inhale up and exhale down with a curved back hold for 5x breath.
2min: Triang Mukha Ekapada Paschimottanasana (3limb facing 1leg posterior stretch)
Janu Sirsasana A, B (Head to knee pose)
Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (half bound lotus, Posterior stretch pose)
12mins:
-Lie on back. Inhale, turn head to the right. Exhale, turn head to the left, keep shoulders flat. 5x each side and hold the final one.
-Arms out to the side at 90degrees, palms facing down. Bend the knees. Inhale, twist knees down to the right, and turn head to the left ear on the mat shoulders flat. Exhale centre.  Change other side, 5x each side then hold.
Circle legs, clockwise and anticlockwise, 3x each way.
-Palms, facing down on the mat beside the bum. Inhale, lift the right leg up exhale release, Change other side 5x.
-Now scissor legs Inhale lift one and release the other at the same time, 10x.
2mins: Halasana (Plough). Some student’s may not be able to place feet on the floor behind head so keep raised up. Some may not be able to interlock hands behind back so can initially support the back. If easy for student after 10 breaths, then instruct them to place knees beside the ears, Karanapidasana (ear pressure pose) hold for another 10 breaths.
 
2mins: Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). Variation, Hands support the lower back, interlocked lying o the mat, or raise the hands and arms to point up alongside legs. Students take what they can. Do for 25 breaths in total. Slowly release down to the mat, supporting the back, vertebrae by vertebrae.
1mins: Matsyasana (fish pose)
2mins: Hug knees close to chest, rock knees around in circles, clockwise and anticlockwise. Happy baby pose. Open hips and hold onto the inside of feet. Bring knees close to the side of the chest and rock side to side. Rock back and forth 5x. Be happy, be relaxed, time to wind down.
5mins: Pranayama – Anula Viloma (alternate nostril breathing)
With the right hand hold the Thumb, ring finger and little finger straight up folding the middle and index finger down tucked into the palm. Place the ring finger and little finger next to the left nostril to close it, and inhale through the right for a count of 4 seconds. Using the thumb close off the right nostril and hold breath for 8 seconds. Release the left side and exhale for 8seconds. Now repeat inhaling through the left side. This controlled breathing slows the breath down and strengthens the diaphragm.
5mins: Savasana (Corps pose)
Talks student through a body scan. Work your way up from toes to forehead. Relax the toes, realise tension in the knees, let go of the shoulder, smooth the creases in the forehead ect…
2mins: Finally
Wiggle toes and hands, roll onto right side. Sit up into corps leg or comfortable position. Sit up straight with hands in pray position. Inhale, raise hands up, exhale hands to heart, 3x.
AUM 3x