I started practicing vinyasa yoga a little less than a year ago and I couldn’t be more grateful for the way it has changed my life. After going through a 200-hour teacher training program with CorePower Yoga, it made me realize there is so much to learn about the practice and I am excited to delve into it now and in the coming years. I find everything about yoga fascinating and would like to write about it more.
Part of my morning routine consists of a 10-15 minute yoga flow. The routine I flow through is quite simple though it is always changing. This is the “foundation” I will usually build or make modifications to. I intentionally didn’t put a set amount of time to stay in these postures since I think that is determined by the person practicing. I roughly stay for about 5 breaths when I am first warming up in a pose.
Warmup
Child’s Pose: Bring your big toes to touch, sink your hips back, relax your forehead down, and reach your fingertips forward. I focus on deepening my breath, inhaling through the nose, and exhaling through the mouth. Some days I activate my ujjayi breath(victorious breath), by inhaling through the nose, sealing the lips at the top of the inhale, and exhaling through the nose by adding a slight constriction in the back of the throat. This technique is used to build heat inside the body and focuses the breath.
Tabletop: Inhale and come to a tabletop position, stacking the palms directly underneath the shoulders and take organic movement. I like to tuck my toes and send my hips back, flexing the feet and grounding my palms. **Image depicts modification from tabletop**
Downward Facing Dog: Return to neutral Tabletop, and on the exhale tuck the toes and send the hips high in Downward Facing Dog. Send energy through your tail bone and elongate the spine. To deepen this pose tuck the chin and allow the heels to sink into the mat. Add a bend in the knees to support the lengthening of the spine.
Ragdoll: Inhale gaze forward, exhale Ragdoll pose. Step your feet hips-width distance behind your hands and bend the knees. Grab for the opposite elbow and hang heavy, relaxing the neck and drawing the torso closer to the legs.
Mountain Pose: Toe heel the feet to touch, inhale Mountain Pose. Ground through the soles of the feet, reach up high and relax the shoulders.
Standing Forward Fold: Inhale once more in Mountain Pose, exhale Standing Forward Fold. Hinge from the hips, send the tailbone high, and relax the head.
Halfway Lift: Inhale Halfway Lift. Come halfway up placing your hands on your shins or thighs avoiding your knees. Aim to have your back flat(form a “table” shape), and gaze to the top of your mat.
High Plank: Inhale in Halfway Lift, exhale High Plank. Ground the palms and step the feet back, doming the upper back and engaging the core.
Exhale Downward Facing Dog
Flow
From Downward Facing Dog–
Inhale gaze forward, exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Halfway Lift
Exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Mountain Pose
Exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Halfway Lift
Exhale High Plank
Inhale in High Plank, exhale Downward Facing Dog
Half Pigeon: Inhale send your right leg high(in Downward Facing Dog), exhale to Half Pigeon on the right. Swing your right leg through and form a 45-degree bend with the knee. Send the left leg out long behind you. Inhale and shine the chest for Proud Pigeon, exhale Sleeping Pigeon. Melt over the bent leg and allow exhales to draw you closer to the earth. Option to rest on the forearms.
Repeat Half Pigeon on the left side (come back to a Downward Facing Dog before sending your left leg high and proceeding with the pose)
From Downward Facing Dog–
Inhale gaze forward, exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Halfway Lift
Exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Mountain Pose
Exhale Forward Fold
Inhale Halfway Lift
Exhale High Plank
Inhale in High Plank, exhale optional Chataranga(Low Plank) to Upward Facing Dog(inhale), before exhaling back in Downward Facing Dog
Inhale gaze forward
Exhale come to a seat at the top of your mat
Complete your practice however you choose, I usually finish with a short meditation and then I am all done.
This is my first time writing a post like this so if you have feedback about changes I can make to improve please email me at [email protected] or dm me on Instagram (@haley_jane20).
