Level: Fundamentals
Theme: Stretching back of legs, tilting pelvis and opening chest

This is the second in our 4-week cycle of basic yoga poses.

The general theme of this sequence is forward extension. This means stretching the back of the body, especially the hamstrings and lower back. This requires thoughtful tilting of the pelvis so that the forward extension initiates in the hip joint rather than somewhere in the middle of the waist. Because the back is being stretched, it will have a tendency to round and the chest will tend to collapse, so additional attention must be paid to keeping the front of the body long and the chest broad. This opening in the chest also applies to the two twisting poses, which will help to free up the back of the body. Notice the placement of the inversions. In the other practices in this cycle Shoulder Stand is placed at the end. Because of the calming qualities of both Shoulder Stand and the seated forward bends, the inversion is placed first to help the nervous sytem settle.

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.

The Sequence:

Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Pashchima Namaskarasana in Vajrasana (Reverse Prayer Pose in Thunderbolt Pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
Parshvottanasana (Intense Side Stretch Pose)
Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide Spread Feet Pose) preparation
Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose) preparation
Uttanasana (Intense Stretch Pose)
Prasarita Padottanasana I (Wide Spread Feet Pose)
Bharadwajasana (Bharadwaja's Pose) in chair
Chatushpadasana (Four Feet Pose)
Salamba Sarvangasana I (Shoulder Stand I) feet on wall
Parvatasana in Virasana (Mountain Pose in Hero Pose)
Adho Mukha Virasana (Downward Facing Hero Pose)
Triang Mukhaikapada Pashchimottanasana (Three Limbs Facing Intense West Stretch Pose)
Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
Janu Shirshasana (Head of the Knee Pose)
Pashchimottanasana (Intense West Stretch Pose)
Bharadwajasana (Bharadwaja's Pose)
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.

Level: Fundamentals
Theme: Opening hips, extending legs, toning trunk

This sequence is the first in an ongoing series of 4-week pose cycles designed to work you through a basic syllabus of yoga poses. Each cycle will take you through all the major pose categories. Though based on an overall theme, the sequencing is general in the sense that the poses themselves are designed to provide the intended effects without necessarily practicing at a high level of detail. This makes the sequences suitable for the beginning student who is still learning the basic shapes of the poses.

More advanced practitioners will still benefit from the practice of these cycles, however. It is easy to get stuck in a rut in one’s own practice, working the same poses over and over. The balanced sequencing of each cycle will put you through your paces, touching on most of the important beginning poses. Each successive cycle will vary slightly, folding in progressively more challenging poses.

Beginning and intermediate students can use the sequences to tide them over when they run out of ideas or lack inspiration. Built around fundamental energetic principles, they feature all the key elements of a balanced practice session: simple opening poses to focus the mind, standing poses to energize and open the body, a short sequence of targeted floor poses and a simple inversion practice.


How To Use The Sequence

Each practice is designed to last just over an hour. Feel free to subtract poses according to your needs. If you are practicing every day, you might think of doing the full sequence at least twice in a week, breaking the list down into smaller chunks on other days and allowing yourself more time in inversions and Shavasana (Corpse Pose). If you are practicing less than that, attempt the full sequence at least once during the week.

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.

The Sequence:

Sukhasana (Comfortable Pose)
Adho Mukha Sukhasana (Downward Facing Comfortable Pose)
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Child's Pose
Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Vrkshasana (Tree Pose)
Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II)
Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)
Parighasana (Gate Pose)
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Upavistha Konasana (Seated Angle Pose)
Bharadwajasana (Bharadwaja's Pose) in chair
Setu Bandha (Bridge Pose) with feet on chair
Viparita Karani Mudra (Inverted Action Pose)
Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Click here for a fully illustrated, printable PDF of the sequence.