Hey everybody! 

 

If you caught Episode 7 and that was your first time learning about the vinyasa flow, you may have questions about the individual poses and must be dying to know how to spell chaturanga.  Here are some specifics broken down by pose:

Downward Facing Dog

Hands are shoulder distance apart, fingertips spread wide with the middle fingers pointing directly in front of you.  Feet are a little wider than hip distance with heels reaching down to the floor.  Good rule of thumb for proper distance between hands and feet: start in a plank position and then press back down dog.  Keep shoulders away from your ears and allow back to elongate.  If back is rounded, keep a bend in the knees.

(Inhale) Do as I say, not as I do.  Admittedly, my plank is a little off in the video.  Hands should be directly under the shoulders (oops).  Again fingertips spread wide to take some pressure off the wrists.  Use your abdominal strength to keep your body in a long line.  Focus on keeping your tailbone tucked in slightly (towards the floor) to keep your belly and lower back firm.

Knees-Chest-Chin

(Exhale) Also called 8 Point Salute for the 8 points that are on the floor.  The feet, knees, hands, chest & chin.  Keep your butt lifted as you bend the elbows to lower to the floor.  This will put you in a back bend setting you up for Baby Cobra.  Keep the elbows next to your ribs as you lower to the floor to strengthen your arms.

Baby Cobra

(Inhale) From 8 Point Salute slide forward until your body and tops of the feet are flat on the floor.  Keep your hands in the same spot, use your back muscles to lift your chest off the floor.  You should be able to stay lifted if you take your hands up.

Chaturanga

(Exhale)  From plank, bend your elbows without lowering the knees (although you can lower the knees for a Half Chaturanga) until your elbows are about at a 90 degree angle.  All the same body points apply from plank, tailbone tucking under to support lower belly and lower back.  Elbows stay next to the ribs as you lower.  Keep off the floor to prepare for the Up Dog.

Upward Facing Dog

(Inhale)  From either Chaturanga or 8 Point Salute, slide your body forward, rolling onto the tops of your feet as you lift up (this takes some getting used to).  Use your arms to lift you as you open your chest and shoulders.  Focus on the backbend coming from the upper part of your spine and your shoulders should end up over your hands.  If you have a deeper bend, look up to take the bend into the neck.  If your back is tight, work with opening the chest and shoulders first.  Optional: you can press the tops of the feet into the floor to lift your thighs and knees off, this will add more of a bend in the lower back. 

The Double Chaturanga

(Exhale)  From up dog back to your chaturanga, keep those elbows in.  (Inhale)  Push up to plank again.  Basically, a tricep push up.  Really fun and addictive.  If you’re a show off like someone I know, you can push up as many times as you want!

Side Plank, Bonus pose

In case you were curious.  Starting in plank, keep your feet together and roll onto the right hand and side of the right foot.  All the same body rules from Plank apply.  Feet flexed, abdominals engaged.  Hand is directly under the shoulder with fingers pointing to the front.  Modification:  Keep your right knee on the floor.  Switch to the other side so you don’t get too buffed on one side of your body.

The inhale and exhale notes above are for moving through the vinyasa flow with one breath per pose.  Of course it is perfectly fine to take two full breaths in a pose too!  Don’t worry if the breath patterns don’t come naturally at first, with practice it will soon become second nature.  Just breathe and enjoy!