cecily_yogi

Yoga tips from Thrive City SF!

Try these variations to find out which keeps your lower back safe and which helps you stretch your hamstrings. Remember that touching your toes isn’t necessary to get a great stretch.

Want to join me at Thrive City?

Go to www.chasecenter.com/thrive to register and see the full schedule of events.

This is THE BEST time to live in California!

I’ll be offering workshops on Side Crow and all of the arm balances soon. They’re easier than you think 🤩

Stay tuned for more!

If you struggle to do Plow Pose stretch try rolling a bit to one side.

I include Plow Pose as part of Core Conditioning. Many people can’t do sit ups because they lack mobility along the spine.

This is actually a difficult pose!
Here are my tips:
• Focus on strength in the standing leg
• Stand up tall and erect before straightening the top leg
• Make sure you have a very good binding by adding the bind to Parsvokonasana
• Make sure the top leg is easily mounted on the shoulder to avoid shoulder injury

Let’s practice Moon Salutes!

The repeating pattern of Moon Salutes is excellent for engaging and stretching all leg muscles. It also improves balance, coordination and ankle/foot strength.

Avoid tootie butt 😂

Notice how Crow Pose and Chair Pose work nicely together. The one polishes the other while both legs and arms get stronger.

Opening the front hip, chest and front shoulder go together. If you struggle reaching back for your own foot then you need more stretching like this 😊

This is Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon pose). It is the one pose that I insist on students using a block. And here is why:

• The pose is not about stretching
• The pose is about strength, stability and elevation
• By using a block students can properly structure vertical and horizontal properties of arms and legs

Other form checks:

• Do not look at the floor
• Extend the top arm vertically
• Nothing is rotating
• Do not overly lift the leg
• Do not take your hand from the block

Well… I could make this list longer, but you get the idea; Less is more!

Your feet (arches, ankles) and calves are what actually keep your hamstrings from stretching!

Try this drill as a warm up before Yoga classes. It will improve your forward folds and standing balance poses 😊