Beginners' Lesson Plan (Thinking of a friend with a wrist injury)

 

Introduction/ 5 min

 

Names, injuries and health concerns and

 

Start with 3 om

 

Pranayama/ 5 min

 

Deep breathing exercises to centre, demonstrate and practise abdominal breathing

 

Demonstrate and practise ujjayi breathing

 

Warm up/ 5 min

 

Regular warm up by body parts from head to ankles

 

Surya Namaska A/ 25 min

 

  • feet hip width distance apart

  • Ardha chakrasana

    • inhale, arms up and look up, feet planted, kneecaps lifted to tighten the quads, gluts engaged in to protect lower back

  • Uttanasan:

    • exhale fold from the hips, look forward with chest up while folding forward to keep spine from rounding

    • extend arms to the floor and place hands on both sides of the feet

    • for tight hamstrings keep knees slightly bent and push knees back gradually when ready

    • eventually, abs should touch quadriceps and head to shin

  • Ashwa sanchalasana

    • for beginner, inhale, step right leg back, make sure that left knee directly above the ankle, left leg is strong, quads tight, left heel pushed to face the floor, weight evenly spread across the ball of the foot

    • chest up, shoulders back, upper body weight is not resting on left thigh. Move left leg back so left foot joins right foot

  • Plank pose (breathe!)

    • change to dolphin in case of wrist injury (rest forearms parallel on the floor instead of palms flat on the floor)

    • weight evenly distributed on hands and feet, quads engaged, abs engaged, hug abs towards spine, tailbone tucked in, elbows close to body,

  • Ashtanga namaskara

    • exhale – knees, chest, chin

    • elbows in close to body and engage core

  • Bujangasana/ Urdhva Mukha Svanasana or sphinx in case of wrist injury

    • inhale, slide up, chest out, arch upper back backwards slightly

  • Adho Mukha Svanasana, or dolphin in case of wrist injury

    • exhale

    • hands/forearms pressed into the floor, rotate armpit outwards, sink chest towards the floor, core engaged, abs tight against the ribs, tailbone point up high, quads tight, kneecaps lifted, press heels down

    • to stretch the hamstring

    • make sure hips are square.

  • Inhale, right foot forward, left foot forward

  • Uttanasana: exhale, fold forward; inhale, up, exhale fold forward

  • Repeat with left leg back into ashwa sanchalasana

  • Repeat 5 times

 

Padangustasana/ 2 min

 

  • intense forward fold hooking index and middle finger to big toe

  • feet hip width distance apart

  • inhale arms up, fold forward, chin forward, look in front to keep back straight,

  • exhale fold from the hips and lower upper torso towards the thighs

  • hooked the index and middle finger to the big toe

  • turn elbows to the side and pull upper body lower, head towards the floor

  • if hamstrings are too tight, bent the knees to start and slowly try to straighten the knees

  • scapulae pull together, use arms to pull upper body lower on each exhale

  • hold position for 20 breaths

  • inhale, release

  • repeat

 

Parsarita Padottasana/ 2 min

 

  • take a wide step with the right foot to the back of the mat about wrist to wrist distance apart when arms are parallel to the floor

  • swivel to face the right, feet parallel

  • inhale arms up and exhale fold body forward from the hips, keep chin up to keep from rounding shoulders

  • palms on the floor, elbow pointing towards the back, roll weight slightly onto the balls of the feet

  • use the arms to pull the body lower, suck in the abs to pull body lower

  • crown of the head should eventually touch the mat

  • hold for 20 breaths

  • release

  • repeat

 

Crescent lunge/ 5 min

 

  • place the left (lifted) foot towards the back of the mat, quads engaged, knee cap lifted and off the floor, toes tucked under

  • sink down into a lunge, bend right knee, right knee above right ankle

  • hips square to the front, and tailbone tucked in

  • pull the right hip back and left hip forward

  • engage the abs and lift up from the ribcage

  • arms above the head

  • round the upper back backwards, chest forward and lean back as if curving over a large ball. If there is discomfort in the lower back, lean forward to neutral, lift the ribcage up, curl back from the thoracic region, not the lumbar.

  • stay for 20 breaths

  • repeat on the other side

 

Dhanuransana/ 2 min

 

  • get into prone position

 

  • stretch arms to the back to grab hold the ankles,

  • inhale, kick the feet away from the bum to pull the upper torso back and up

  • try to keep knees and feet closer together, kick feet higher and away from bum

  • hold for 10 breaths

  • exhale, release

 

Hug knees to chin (counterpose)/1 min

 

Setu bandha Sarvangasan/ 2 min

 

  • in supine position, feet flat on the mat, knees point toward ceiling, directly above ankles

  • arms by the side of body, hands next to feet

  • feet parallel

  • exhale, lift hips up towards the ceiling, chest towards chin

  • back is relaxed, upward lifting motion is from the legs

  • hold here for 10 breaths

  • inhale, release

 

Sarvasana/ 5 min

 

End class with Om and Q&A