From  charlycat9 on youtube.com
"Dharma Mittra in class, practising his headstands. Notice how he is on his fingertips most of the time ..."

From  charlycat9 on youtube.com
"After a class with Dharma in his gorgeous NYC space, I asked if he would demo some of the awesome backbends and arm balances he was doing during class. He agreed, although, as he says in the vid, he was cold by then since it was after forward bending and savasana. Still great though! What a kind, humble teacher! By the way, he is 65 year old at the time ..."

Fun partner poses from Acroyoga.org, filmed by Susan Holland of Lotus Born Productions:

download this practice as a printable PDF


Notes:
In this sequence it is important to separate the pelvis and lower abdomen from the upper abdomen and ribs. The twist needs to happen in the upper abdomen and ribs and not in the groin or pelvis, which can over-stress the sacrum. Successfully turning in the mid-waist and upper trunk will release the lower back and neck, as well as tone the abdominals and back.


The sequence:


Virasana - Hero Pose

Parshva Virasana - Side Hero Pose

Adho Mukha Shvanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose

Utkatasana - Fierce Pose

Virabhadrasana II - Warrior Pose II

Virabhadrasana I - Warrior Pose I

Parivrtta Parshvakonasana - Reclined Hero Pose

Gomukhasana (twist) - Cow Face Pose

Bharadwajasana II - Bharadwaja’s Pose II

Adho Mukha Vrkshasana - Hand Stand

Salamba Shirshasana I - Head Stand I

Parshva Shirshasana - Side Head Stand

Parivrttaikapada Shirshasana - Single Leg Revolved Head Stand

Jatara Parivartanasana - Belly-Turning Pose

Marichyasana VI - Marichi’s Pose VI

Marichyasana III - Marichi’s Pose III

Ardha Matsyendrasana I - Half Lord of the Fishes Pose I

Pashasana - Noose Pose

Setu Bandha - Bridge Pose

Salamba Sarvangasana I - Shoulder Stand I

Parshva Viparita Karani - Side Upside Down Pose

Supta Konasana - Reclined Angle Pose

Parshva Halasana - Side Plough Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclined Bound Pose

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

From  moliro4 on youtube.com

"INDIA YOGA 2002
Bal Mukund Singh won gold for India in the inter-continental Olympic Yoga Championship which concluded at Buenos Aires in Argentina on November 14 1997."

The poses in this video is very adept, though the coverage of it is a little choppy. The reason I posted it here is for the locations. Spectacular!

download this practice as a printable PDF

Focus:
Hip openers

Notes:
Continuing with the idea from the last practice of working with tight or over-stretched hamstrings, this practice features hip-openers—to free the buttocks and lower back—with simple, bent-leg forward extensions to deepen the fold in the hips. If you do not yet have full Lotus available to you, substitute Half Lotus or Comfortable Pose with the legs bound together by a belt.

The sequence:

Virasana - Hero Pose

Adho Mukha Sukhasana - Downward Facing Comfortable Pose

Adho Mukha Shvanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose

Adho Mukha Vrkshasana - Hand Stand

Pincha Mayurasana - Forearm Stand

Salamba Shirshasana I - Head Stand I

Supta Virasana - Reclined Hero Pose

Gomukhasana - Cow Face Pose

Gomukhasana - Cow Face Pose

Child’s Pose

Adho Mukha Vajrasana - Downward Facing Thunderbolt Pose

Adho Mukha Virasana - Downward Facing Hero Pose

Adho Mukha Sukhasana - Downward Facing Comfortable Pose

Adho Mukha Ardha Padmasana - Downward Facing Half Lotus Pose

Adho Mukha Padmasana - Downward Facing Lotus Pose

Setu Bandha - Bridge Pose

Salamba Sarvangasana I - Shoulder Stand I

Karnapidasana - Ear Pressure Pose

Parshva Karnapidasana - Side Ear Pressure Pose

Pindasana in Sarvangasana - Embryo Pose Shoulder Stand

Parshva Pindasana in Sarvangasana - Side Embryo Pose Shoulder Stand

Vajrasana - Thunderbolt Pose

Dandasana - Staff Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclined Bound Pose

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

J. Krishnamurti is one of my favorite philosophers. Raised from early childhood by the Theosophical Society to be a World Teacher, he turned his back on his supposed destiny to formulate a radical practical philosophy of personal freedom that is at once simple and profound.

Mesmerizing footage of Pattabhi Jois teaching Tim Miller, Gary Lapodota, Clifford Sweate and Chuck Miller:

download this practice as a printable PDF

Notes:
This practice focuses on standing poses that strengthen the quads and hamstrings. It is particularly useful if you are suffering from over-stretched hamstrings. Keep the buttocks soft and think of the backs of the thighs firming and sliding up under the buttocks towards the lower back.


The sequence:


Sukhasana - Comfortable Pose

Adho Mukha Sukhasana - Downward Facing Comfortable Pose

Adho Mukha Shvanasana - Downward Facing Dog Pose

Vrkshasana - Tree Pose

Utkatasana - Fierce Pose

Utkatasana - Fierce Pose

Garudasana - Eagle Pose

Virabhadrasana II - Warrior Pose II

Utthita Parshvakonasana - Extended Side Angle Pose

Virabhadrasana I - Warrior Pose I

Malasana - Garland Pose

Baddha Konasana - Bound Angle Pose

Bharadwajasana II - Bharadwaja’s Pose II

Adho Mukha Vrkshasana - Hand Stand

Salamba Shirshasana I - Head Stand I

Supta Virasana - Reclined Hero Pose

Adho Mukha Sukhasana - Downward Facing Confortable Pose

Gomukhasana - Cow Face Pose

Setu Bandha - Bridge Pose

Salamba Sarvangasana I - Shoulder Stand I

Karnapidasana - Ear Pressure Pose

Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclined Bound Pose

Shavasana - Corpse Pose

From 7ndandSunny on YouTube.

This may seem a little gimmicky, but turning the camer around helps the eye see the dynamics of the body better. You get to see the technique without being dazzled by the (very excellent) pose:



Unfortunately, there is no biographical information available for this guy, which is a shame, but his youtube handle is roboramma.

Here, again is Narayani (www.namuyoga.eu) demonstrating some awesome poses: