Minutes

5

• Fill out forms covering previous injuries, legal disclaimer
• Ask students whether they have done yoga before, where, how long and what style
• Check flexibility with uttanasana and downward dog

5

• Welcome to first Yoga class
• Anybody has any injuries, medical conditions that I should know about? Anybody pregnant?
• Today we’ll go through a simplified version of the Ashtanga Yoga primary series which is fixed series designed to build strength and flexibility across the whole body
• At any point in the class, if you need to, take a short break in child’s pose (demonstrate child pose) until you feel comfortable again

5

• Take a seat in a comfortable position
• Begin with 5 deep breaths. Inhale, Exhale (x5)
• Relax, let your abdomen rise with each inhale and allow your ribs and diaphragm to sink with each inhale
• 5 more deep breaths (count to 4 for each inhale and exhale. Adjust students if it’s needed)
• Remember to keep this breath constant throughout your practice

10

• Turn neck to your right, left, up and down. Adjust the angle of your head until you feel the stretch
• Turn your head in half circles from left to right and right to left
• Rotate shoulders backwards and forwards
• Rotate arms in large circles backwards and forwards to loosen the joints
• Hands on hips and rotate hips in both directions
• Hold elbows and hang hand head forwards. Slowly rise up vertebra by vertebra
• Hands straight over head, palms touching, lean backwards, do not drop neck
• Stretch quadriceps by holding ankle and pulling against butt. Keep knees inwards
• Stretch groin muscles by moving from side to side lunges on ankles
• Alternate forward lunges to stretch hamstrings
• Stretch calves by stepping 1 heel on the ground in front of the other foot
• Rotate angles
• Point and flex toes
• Raise hands above heads bring them to the grounds and squat down, then stand up to tip toes (about 3 times)

20

• Beginner version of suryanamaskar x 3 (left foot lunges back, ashtanga namaskar, cobra pose, downward dog, left foot steps fowards, samasthithi)
• Standing poses

1. Uttanasana
2. Prasarita C
3. Standing backwards bend- Counter pose (arms up in the air, palms touching)
4. Uttita Trikonasana (simplify rest hand on shin)
5. Uttita Parsvakonasana (simplify rest arm on thigh)
6. Veerabadrasana 1
7. Tree pose

• Seated poses

1. Dandasana (try to raise heels off ground)
2. Janusirisasana A
3. Paschiomottansana
4. Lie on ground, legs up at right angle, raise head + shoulders (x3)
5. Cobra pose (counter pose)
6. Marichiasana C – simplify with stop sign or reach toes

10

1. Hug knees to chest one at a time
2. Twist knee to sides (keep shoulders on the ground)
3. Happy baby pose
4. Pawan muktasana

5

• Lie down, feet hip width apart, pointing outwards, palms facing upwards, shoulders tucked in
• Speak through relaxation of body parts from feet to face