Yoga Poses & Week 2 of Yogalates
Today marks 2 weeks of doing the 30-Day Yogalates Challenge by Yoga with Kassandra. I am thoroughly enjoying these short morning sessions and am feeling the positive impact they have on my days. This second week was a little different. I did some of the sessions at night instead of in the morning, and I also missed yesterday’s session. However, like before, I completed it today along with the Day 14 video. I feel no shame or regret, I am just proud of myself for showing up today and continuing with this challenge. I do want to try harder to turn this challenge into a habit by completing the sessions in the morning and practicing with intention.
Below, I will demonstrate and describe some of the poses that have been incorporated into the sessions recently.
Lizard Pose:
Lizard Pose, or Utthan Pristhasana in Sanskrit, is a deep yoga stretch that targets your hips, groin and inner hamstrings to relieve tension in the lower body.
How to perform the pose:
-Start in Downward Facing Dog
-Step your right foot to the outside of your right hand
-Let your left knee come down to the floor and point the toes
-Roll your right foot and point outwards
-Bring your elbows to the ground
-Stay in this position for a few deep breaths
-Lift yourself back up onto your hands and roll your right foot back up to plant it
-Lift your left knee up and step your right foot back to Downward Facing Dog
Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/lizard-pose-utthan-pristhasana-3567096
Single Knee to Chest Pose into a Twist:
The single Knee to Chest pose, or Apanasana, is a relaxing pose that gently stretches the hips and lower back.
How to perform the pose:
-Start by lying down on your back
-Pull your right knee in towards your chest and gently pull it closer with your hands
-Stay here for a few deep breaths
-For the Twist, cross your right knee over towards the left with the help of your left hand
-Reach your right arm out to the side
-Keep your collar bones facing up
-Stay here for some big breaths
-Roll back to center and straighten your legs once more
Sources: https://www.theyogacollective.com/poses/knees-to-chest-pose-apanasana/ https://www.theyogacollective.com/poses/supine-spinal-twist-supta-matsyendrasana/
Reclined Pigeon Pose:
Reclined Pigeon Pose, or Supta Kapotasana, is a yoga stretch that helps to open the hips.
How to perform the pose:
-Start by laying flat on your back
-Bend both knees and place your feet on the floor
-Cross your right ankle over your left knee
-Reach through with your arms placing your hands either behind or over your knee and pull your left thigh in gently
-Take some meaningful breaths here
-Release and place both feet back on the ground
-Lengthen your legs until you are laying flat on the floor once more
Source: https://www.theyogacollective.com/poses/reclined-pigeon-pose-supta-kapotasana/
For all of the poses above, repeat the stretch on both sides.