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.
1min: AUM
– 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
8mins: Vinyasa into Virabhadrasana A (Warrior 1) Turn the left foot out and right foot forward. Once found balance and alignment, hold for 5breaths. Shift weight forward lift the back leg off the mat into Virabhadrasana C (Warrior 3) Once found balance and alignment, hold for 5breaths. Then release palms to the floor lift left leg higher to standing split. If students can, hold onto ankle.
– Step back, plank, chuturanga, updog, downdog and change other side.
5mins: Start in downward dog. Inhale raise the right leg up to 3legged dog. Exhale, shift weight forward and cross under knee to left elbow. Keep arms straight not bent. Repeat 3 times.
Lunge forward with the raised leg between the palms back heel off the mat hands on the hips an hips square, balance into Parivritta Parsvakonasana (revolved side angle stretch). Inhale bend front knee 90degrees, raise arms up. Exhale place left arm outside the right knee and place palm on the mat on the outside of the right foot. Students can have hands either in prayer pose of arms spilt, always looking up.
– Step back, plank, chuturanga, updog, downdog and change other side.
5mins: Jump through to Dandasana (seated position). 5breaths.
Work through Paschimottanasa A, B, C, D (seated stretch positions)
2mins: Lie flat on back, bend the knees and bring feet up towards the bum. Hold onto ankles. Inhale raise the bum up exhale release. 3x then hold for 5 breaths.
3mins: Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward bow pose) Either leave hands where they are or place hands beside the shoulders, palms down. Inhale push up, exhale release. 5x then hold. Once holding bring the right leg to point up hold for 3 breaths then release. Change to left leg. If students cannot do, stay with both feet grounded.
5mins: Upavistha Konasana(seated angle boat pose) and Supta Konasana (sleeping angle pose) Hold for 5breaths, roll back, hold for 5 breaths, pull forward hold for 5 breaths, release slowly down and pull deeply down towards the floor for 5 breaths. Repeat one more time. Finally, inhale arms up, exhale lower the body towards the right leg and place the right arm along the leg, left arm straight pointing towards the toes. Inhale up, change other side. Repeat 3x and hold.
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
