Hatha Yoga for Beginners with Melissa Krieger - A Healthy Spine

Um It's Tina here .

I'm just gonna set something up real quick and that wasn't it call during the live number one , number two .

Let me tell you about the class today .

The class today is a beginner modified Ashan series that is gonna be about an hour long and this is a class that's good for you if you're a beginner or if you have not succeeded in the lotus position yet .

And otherwise we'll be going over some modifications and understand that this is a modified Astana practice .

I just practiced with my teacher from Mysore this morning in a super traditional practice .

That's why this class is a little later today .

So we'll be doing another one next week .

So I'll look for some schedule changes just for next week's live classes on Saturday and Sunday and weekends .

You start to settle in just relaxing through the face , the jaw , the shoulders back , bodies is heavy hands and feet relaxed .

A little bit of space between your fingers and your toes beginning to lengthen out your inhale and exhale , extend your exhale out a little bit longer .

So almost trying to empty your body of breath .

And let's see what else this class is gonna be on oars dot com .

So , remember , you can always watch all of my videos commercial free on S stars dot com .

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Yeah , I also have the yoga inspiration podcast podcast just launched .

Go check it out .

Otherwise , let's get started with the practice .

OK .

So we're gonna start in and I will start the opening prayer .

I'll be going through a few of the sun salutation standing poses .

Do you have the seated poses ?

But remember that this is a modified practice meant for beginners and especially good if you're not yet able to do the lotus position , which is a really difficult external hip rotation .

OK ?

Cool .

Let's get started .

OK .

Come on up to the front of your mat and we're ready to begin this beginner focused Ashtanga Yoga practice , targeted for beginners and modified primary series .

Again , your backside doesn't need to stick to the floor .

There'll be some movement there for sure .

Come back through the center , walk your feet closer together .

So getting set up for bridges , just gauging that your hips , knees and heels are about the same distance apart .

Hands beside you feet really firm into the floor .

We'll try to articulate through the spine .

So inhale at the bottom , el flatten your low back into the floor and then peel up one vertebra at a time .

If it's possible at the top .

Take a breath , please engage the inner thighs , feel the big toes pushed down and then exhaling to roll back down again .

Inhale at the bottom .

El flatten your lower back into the floor .

Peel up , roll up one vertebra at a time , use the strength of your back body to help you lift .

So we're breaking things down .

It's gonna be about an hour long .

So let's come on up to some of the , the feed together at the front of the mat and we'll initiate the space with the traditional opening prayer and we'll do the together and you can either just listen to the opening prayer or if you're familiar with it , you can sing along with me .

Oh mhm One day .

Oh hm .

Long , deep breathing .

And as you exhale your hands drop by your side , it's always very good to begin with a few deep breaths .

So activate your pelvic floor , tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth behind your two front teeth and start to really breathe with resonance with power and with sound , this will initiate the space of our sun salutations .

And then here we go when you raise the arms , if you're having any neck issues .

You might not be able to take your hands together .

So we'll just start off as easy as it goes externally .

Rotate the shoulders .

Inhale , raise the arms , elevate the chest and reach up and we the second breath exhale , fold forward .

You have a hard time reaching the ground .

You can bend the knees and just drop the head down .

Training in , inhale , straighten the legs and come up .

And if you need to , you can hold on to the shin bones , then bend your elbows , bend the knees and step on back through plank .

Put the knees down , exhale , chat around it on Acea .

Lower down can even put your chest on the ground .

Let's point the toes punch a inhale , lift the chest , pressing up through the arms , come up to upward facing and Shap exhale , roll over your toes and press on back to downward facing .

Dog , roll the shoulders open , tuck the chin in .

We'll stay here for five breaths .

One deep powerful resonant breaths to three nice and easy .

Keep breathing , spread the shoulders open .

So maybe the hips sway a little bit from side to side and then maybe you let the hip circle a little bit and circle the other way .

Just see that your hands .

You've got the fingers spread really wide .

The wrists are underneath the shoulders , come back through the center .

Those more traditional cat cow curls , take an inhale , I drop your head , midback , pushes up , inhale , belly drops forward .

Take that arch .

Imagine you're pulling your chest through your shoulders .

I drop your head .

So this is flexion .

This is where a spine kind of exaggerates , ends up in a seated position .

This is extension when your belly drops forward .

That's what that bridge was too .

If your lower back is very rounded , you might want to bend your knees a little bit .

So you can better fold inside the front of the hip joints , but you see how it goes one more breath .

All right , let's switch your gaze forward .

So the inhale , let's step on forward , just watch your feet forward , back between the hands come onto the fingertips or even the shins as you lift your head and look up o to exhale fold , drop the head down , little bend your knees .

If you need to Nava inhale , stand up externally , rotate the shoulders and reach up .

Some must see the heat .

All right .

Let's do it again .

Externally .

Rotate the shoulders ache .

Come inhale , raise the arms and the way exhale , pivot from the waist folds as much as you can little bend if you need any inhale your fingertips or the shins chiri , we're gonna step on back through plank .

Make sure you get a good plank .

Send the knees on the ground .

Exhale chat punch and inhale upward facing , lift the chest deep breath in shop , exhale , roll over the toes downward , facing .

So in downward facing dog , you can check out your hands , it can be about shoulder with apart , your feet , about hips with a part and make sure you have a good distance apart and downward facing dog so that there's an even distribution of weight between your hands and your feet .

All right , deep breaths , activate the pelvic floor .

Keep it nice and steady .

Let's go for one more long deep breath and just feel the breath moving in breath moving out .

Really vocalize the breath .

Now , remember to activate your pelvic floor .

So you activate that area known as Moda and Ada .

All right , let's go for the last long deep breath in long deep breath out .

Switch your gaze , look forward , inhale Come on and walk forward .

Nice and easy between the hands .

Chest up , exhale , fold forward , come on down , Nava .

Inhale all the way up .

Rotate the shoulders and reach .

Now , if you feel you can press your hands together , I'm gonna do one more .

So .

No mascara a you're welcome to press the hands together in this one .

A come inhale , raise your hands , you press the hands together .

Maybe you can look up , it hurts the neck .

Remember just look forward and do away exhale fold .

Go down , treating inhale can come on the fingertips even up to the shins to create a little length in the spine , chari and step on back through plank .

So we're not just pushing the , the ribs forward , sweep your arms around , link up your fingers , dry your hands down a little bit and then pull your arms back slightly .

If that feels ok .

Keep breathing , release your arms back up to the sky , straighten the legs , drop the arms , step forward , try the other side .

So lift up the other knee , it is a bit of a balance .

So you might want that gap in between the heels , sweep the arms bend into that front knee , just double check on that big toe on the front foot , nice and tall and smooth .

So the back knee might be bent .

But there's still this feeling of kind of pushing that back heel behind you sweep the arms around .

Come on forward , step in the feet forward between the hands , lift the chest .

Aha fold .

Come on down the inhale , stand up , raise your hands externally , rotate the shoulders .

Some must see the heat .

Ok .

Let's shake it out now we're gonna move on to .

So a Masar B in the second of the sun salutations , we start off in chair pose and end in chair posts , step forward and back into warrior one .

Now , this is one of the hardest parts of this is actually stepping forward to warrior one , many people don't have the space to do this .

So we're going to use two yoga blocks to help you find the space in the soar B .

All right .

So set those up about shoulder with a part and here we go .

Just make it so much more accessible .

You also find more space in the lower back here .

If you're familiar with the practice and you don't need these .

No problem .

You don't need them .

All right , bend the knees , squeeze your knees together .

Inhale , raise the arms just like in Serena mascara .

A maybe it's too much to look up , just rotate the shoulders , exhale , fold forward , hands on the blocks , go down , just keep your hands on the blocks .

Training in the handle chest forward , press right into the blocks .

Step on back .

Now you got two options here .

Let's do the easy one .

First stay and plank exhale there .

Punch a inhale upward facing sho exhale downward , facing , keep your hands on the blocks .

We're going to step forward to warrior one , turn the left foot out .

Feel that extra height , how easy it is to step the foot forward .

So the inhale external rotation of the shoulders .

We got our warrior one pose and go right back down to the blocks and ash .

The exhale plank .

And now if you want to bend the elbows for chatter , you can Nava inhale upward facing dasha exhale downward , facing , do the next side .

A auto inhale , left foot comes forward and this is where your one press down to the legs , keep inhaling .

As you raise the arms , you get that external rotation of the shoulders .

The auto shall exhale hands down , step on back , find your planks .

You can stay in plank or down up to you .

Inhale upward , facing , exhale downward , facing .

All right .

Now , for the five breaths and downward dog , you're gonna step off the blocks , deep breaths to three for deep breathing five , switch your gaze forward , step on up to the blocks .

It's gonna make it easier to step forward .

It's more important that the lines of your torso can stay long .

The hips can press forward slightly .

The chin is a little bit tucked in .

Look down to the front foot .

Big XL , find your core , pull yourself back up again .

Release the arms , step forward , paws and mountain post palms open spine tall .

Notice how you feel come down into a squat .

So the feet will go wider apart .

And the toes will turn out and you'll sink yourself back and you might find that your heels need to lift where some of you , your heels will stay down .

It doesn't have to be a balance .

Your hands can just stay on the floor .

You can stay where you are or you might find it nice to move a little bit .

Inhale , step forward .

Come on to the fingertips , show disha exhale fold , bend your knees , squeeze the knees together .

Inhale .

Find that external rotation of the shoulders .

Some must see the heat .

All right , we can do it at least one more time .

OK ?

Mm .

Bend your knees ache .

Come inhale , roll your shoulders and the way exhale hands to the blocks , straight legs go down , Trini inhale , keep your fingertips on the blocks and look forward .

Exhale .

Use your blocks , inhale upward , facing , you can just keep the neck long , shut , exhale downward facing , step forward one long inhale .

So up the inhale or your one reach up ash to exhale onto the blocks .

Here we go .

B inhale .

Come on forward .

Show disha exhale , hold , bend your knees , squeeze your knees together .

Subha inhale from the , the OK .

How are you feeling ?

You got that little inner fire turned on .

That's the purpose of the sun salutations .

So we're gonna move the blocks on over to the side and we'll begin the standing poses .

Our first standing pose is poo up .

So this is a forward fold , move your feet about hips with a part and then you're gonna pivot right at the hip joints .

So , inhale long , deep breath in exhale , pivot at the hip joints , fold forward .

If you can't reach your toes , you can bend the knees a little bit .

You can hold on big toes , then inhale , straighten the arms exhale , fold forward .

And then as you fold forward here , the thing to do is activate the pelvic floor and just try to straighten your legs as much as possible .

If they don't come that straight , it's not a problem .

You're gonna pivot around and meaning to reposition a little pivot around and square , the pelvis back , which is revolve triangle or also known as trios and A B start off in your forward fold to allow yourself to find the forward fold , taking your right hand on the block , then the left hand on the block on the outside of the it , you can flatten the hand or leave it on your fingertips , lift the chest up and forward and then gently twist .

You don't need to twist too hard or hit it too hard .

Just find the place where you can kind of work the body but not hit it too hard .

Ok ?

Keep breathing .

And if you find yourself sweating , well , that is all right to , we're trying to cultivate that fire purification .

Stay for a couple more breaths .

Keep breathing , keep feeling , not forcing .

Ok .

That's good .

Jay inhale .

Come on up .

Turn , we're going to face the front side .

Ok ?

So you start off , find the pelvic floor , exhale fold , then the left hand comes down .

You're going to use the left hand as a foundation square .

The pelvis right hand moves over and you could flatten your hand on the block or again on your fingertips .

What works better for your spine ?

Inhale twists , exhale , extend , extend the spine , extend the left arm , stay here for a couple of breaths .

Again , one side might be different than the others .

You may feel better on your fingertips or you might feel better down on the palm .

Find that nice little sweaty sensation .

Enjoy it one more breath .

All right .

That's good .

And here we go , punch that inhale .

Come up .

So I must be the heat .

Come on back up to the front .

All right .

Still have our yoga blocks in place .

A come inhale , step out to the side .

And this time let's go wider .

So we're gonna move the blocks a little bit wider , open on out and let's turn the right hip joint out , bend the right knee down and then hook the forearm .

You can hook the forearm here and slide your left arm around and this is a perfectly acceptable place to stop .

Otherwise you might find that .

Well , you want to push your hand on the block .

Also a good spot .

Stay for a couple of breaths and just feel and work the body , no force , no fight .

You're just here to feel and breathe .

Remember , there's no shame in modifying the posture .

There's no competition .

Nothing to prove nowhere to go .

We're just breathing and feeling one more breath .

Here we go .

Trini inhale .

Come on up , turn , switch the sides to exhale .

But if it feels painful or you have to restrict your breath in any way , it's too much So you'll just , um , rest as you normally would both knees to one side , you can release that top leg , bring the legs back through the center , even out the hips and coming into , and the legs can be straight or you can try constructive rest pose .

Again , that's with the knees knocking in towards each other and the feet a little bit wider .

Let yourself drop down into the mat and totally let go .

We'll be here for a few minutes .

We're gonna hold the left arm on the thigh or reaching down towards the block and extending the right arm .

So you want to really feel the alignment along the right side body and deep resonant breaths .

Gazing at the fingers , just stay here breathing , feeling , no fight , no force , just the breath almost there .

Here we go inhale .

Come on up , let's head on back up to the front .

Ok , I'm gonna move your blocks over to the side for the moment .

Then a here we go for the five leg wide leg forward .

Fold a come inhale stuff out to the side .

Hands on the waist .

So now we're here , we're gonna take the hands on the ground .

Do we exhale , fold , taking the hands on the ground , then again , inhale .

And now we're going to fold forward .

And if you're unable to fold forward , you're gonna feel like your head is dangling .

It's not a problem .

The head is dangling .

Your hands , don't touch the ground .

Just move your feet wider and open out to the side .

Stay here for a couple of breaths , letting the breath be nice and fluid , keeping the mind calm and steady , keep breathing .

So eventually the top of the head goes to the ground .

But for right now again , just worry about taking your body weight a little more forward , a little more forward .

That's good .

And so it's inhale .

Let's lift the head up .

Exhale there .

Punch that inhale .

Come on all the way up and exhale .

Hey , come in .

He'll spread the arms and the way exhale .

Let's hold the waist again .

Inhale .

And this time you're gonna keep holding on to the waist and just easy folds , just give yourself kind of like an easy fold .

Try to pivot at the hip joints .