As you perform these exercises, allow your body to be as it is without forcing an experience, relax your facial muscles and your throat to provide relief from so much interaction, and release areas of your body where you are holding unnecessary tension so that later you can fully release on the dance floor!
Mountain Pose
Instead of overdoing this pose, take the time to just be. Stand, using no more energy than you need to hold yourself up. Let gravity relax your pelvis and your low back. Feel your feet on the ground. Let your torso and upper body rise up effortlessly. Broaden your collarbones without forcing. Just be where you are instead of trying to force an experience.
Perform these next exercises while sitting or standing:
To release tension in the neck and shoulders:
1. Stretch the back of your neck by bringing the crown of your head forward and down for a breaths. Slowly come up and stretch each side of your neck by bringing the crown your head down to each side for a few breaths. Relax the opposite shoulder. Slowly come up to neutral.
Shrugs
2. Leading with your shoulder blades, shrug your shoulders up. Then release down letting everything go. Repeat a few more times.
Rolls
3. Again leading with your shoulder blades, roll your shoulders. So bring your shoulder blades up, together, down your spine, then draw them apart. Repeat a few times, then reverse. Bring your shoulder blades together, up the spine, then draw them apart and down. Repeat a few times. Doing these exercises leading with your shoulder blades is awkward at first, but you'll get the hang of it!
To create more lung capacity for more dancing perform Breath Stretches--let your breath lead the way:
1. Inhale as you broaden your collarbones and bring your arms slightly back and fill the front of your chest with air. Exhale and release down. Repeat a few times.
2. Inhale as you round your upper back, spreading your shoulder blades and fill your upper back with air. Exhale and come up. Repeat a few times.
3. Inhale and bring your arms overhead. Exhale to one side. Stay for a few breaths. Feel the breath making space between each rib. Relax your head, your shoulders, and your opposite hip. Repeat to the other side.
Come back into Mountain Pose and just be.
Waterfall Forward Bend
Now slowly come into a forward bend; bend your knees and come all the way forward letting your upper body dangle forward. Keep your weight even in your feet. Let go. Relax your face and throat. Feel as though your upper body is a waterfall.
Now slowly come into a forward bend; bend your knees and come all the way forward letting your upper body dangle forward. Keep your weight even in your feet. Let go. Relax your face and throat. Feel as though your upper body is a waterfall.
The rest of the poses provide relief from standing, walking, and dancing to get you ready for more!
Come onto your hands and knees.
Half Dog
Scoot your knees back slightly and then move your hips back toward your feet. Move your ribcage toward your hips, not the ground. Let your head hang. Make sure to not overextend out of the shoulder joint—keep your shoulders and your upper back relaxed. Do not try to force an experience. Be with what is. After a few breaths, come back to all fours.
Down Dog
Push up through your abs to bring your hips up and back. Bend your knees if you need. Honor your body. Let your hamstrings slowly unwind. Then "walk the dog," stretching each calf separately.
Lunges
Step one leg up between your hands. Drop the back knee down. Keep your pelvis square and neutral. There should be no tension in your hips or low back. If there is, move to a place of no pain or tension. Move your hips forward, not down, to come further in the pose. Bring your arms overhead and fill the front of the chest with air. Take a few big breaths and switch legs.
Bound Angle
Come to a seated position with your knees bent and the bottoms of your feet together. If your knees are higher than your hips, sit up on a support. Place your hands besides your hips and take some big breaths. Then bring your hands in front of you and come forward any amount breathing into your back body. Release into the pose. Take a few breaths and come up.
Seated Wide Angle Pose
Straighten your legs so that you get a stretch, but not too much! Place your hands besides your hips again and take some big breaths. Then place your hands in front of you and come forward any amount without forcing. Take a few calming breaths and come up.
Supine Log Pose
Easy Twist
Lying down with your knees bent, bring your legs up to a 90-degree angle. Make sure you don't arch your back as you bring your legs up. In this position, relax your hips and draw your belly in slightly. Exhale as you release your legs to one side. Come all the way to the floor or have your legs up on a support if bringing them all the way to the floor makes a twinge in your low back. Be in a pain free zone always. Release and relax the side waist. Now, straighten your top leg and feel a nice stretch in that hip:
Take a few breaths. Inhale, come up, and switch sides.
Scoot your knees back slightly and then move your hips back toward your feet. Move your ribcage toward your hips, not the ground. Let your head hang. Make sure to not overextend out of the shoulder joint—keep your shoulders and your upper back relaxed. Do not try to force an experience. Be with what is. After a few breaths, come back to all fours.
Push up through your abs to bring your hips up and back. Bend your knees if you need. Honor your body. Let your hamstrings slowly unwind. Then "walk the dog," stretching each calf separately.
Step one leg up between your hands. Drop the back knee down. Keep your pelvis square and neutral. There should be no tension in your hips or low back. If there is, move to a place of no pain or tension. Move your hips forward, not down, to come further in the pose. Bring your arms overhead and fill the front of the chest with air. Take a few big breaths and switch legs.
Come to a seated position with your knees bent and the bottoms of your feet together. If your knees are higher than your hips, sit up on a support. Place your hands besides your hips and take some big breaths. Then bring your hands in front of you and come forward any amount breathing into your back body. Release into the pose. Take a few breaths and come up.
Straighten your legs so that you get a stretch, but not too much! Place your hands besides your hips again and take some big breaths. Then place your hands in front of you and come forward any amount without forcing. Take a few calming breaths and come up.
Lying down on your back with your knees bent, place your ankle on the opposite knee. Do not push on your knee to stretch the hip--let your hip release on its own through relaxed breathing. For more stretch bring the legs toward you. Take a few breaths and switch legs.
Lying down with your knees bent, bring your legs up to a 90-degree angle. Make sure you don't arch your back as you bring your legs up. In this position, relax your hips and draw your belly in slightly. Exhale as you release your legs to one side. Come all the way to the floor or have your legs up on a support if bringing them all the way to the floor makes a twinge in your low back. Be in a pain free zone always. Release and relax the side waist. Now, straighten your top leg and feel a nice stretch in that hip:
When you are finished, hug your knees to your chest and then slowly release all the way to the final pose, Corpse Pose, lying down in a comfortable position. Take a few minutes to fully release in this pose. Feel the weight of your body heavy on the ground. Release all muscular effort. Go through each body part releasing tension. Feel your breath through your whole body.
If you like, you can begin and end your yoga practice with this breathing exercise:
We Begin With The Breath
Roll to your side and come to sitting. Don't you feel so much better! Bring the peace, love, and connection that you feel out into the festival!
If you really dig the clothes that I am wearing for this shoot, keep your eye out for my upcoming review of the "Carry Your Own Sunshine" Tank on the Soulflower Karma Krewe blog soon. For now, you can check out the tank and the pants at Soul-flower.com!
If you like, you can begin and end your yoga practice with this breathing exercise:
We Begin With The Breath
Roll to your side and come to sitting. Don't you feel so much better! Bring the peace, love, and connection that you feel out into the festival!
If you really dig the clothes that I am wearing for this shoot, keep your eye out for my upcoming review of the "Carry Your Own Sunshine" Tank on the Soulflower Karma Krewe blog soon. For now, you can check out the tank and the pants at Soul-flower.com!
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