Friday 6:00a Asana 1: Week 3 (Jan 16, 2009)

NOTE: This is an Asana 1 class and not for beginners. All students have been attending classes at Yoga St. Louis for at least one year.

Seven students attended class on Friday. One student was on her menstrual cycle (day 4). VERY cold today (below zero at 6a).

1.) Tadasana / Samasthiti
Tada = mountain, Asana = posture
Sama = same, Sthiti = stable

— Use brick to awaken legs; extend through arms to warm up;

2.) Urdhva Hastasana
Urdhva = upward, Hasta = hand

— Half the class sinking in the back ribs with thighs forward; cannot feel alignment (too cold/stiff/early?)

3.) Urdhva Baddhanguilyasana
Urdhva = upward, Baddha = bound, Guily = fingers

4.) Virabhadrasana 2 (3x)
Virabhadra = warrior

— First by itself, second and third times immediately preceding…

5.) Utthita Parsvakonasana (2x)
Utthita = extended, Parsva = side, Kona = angle

— Return to…

6.) Tadasana / Samasthiti

7.) Utthita Trikonasana
Utthita = extended, Tri = three, Kona = angle

— Move into…

8.) Utthita Parsvakonasana

— Move into…

9.) Ardha Chandrasana
Ardha = half, Chandra = moon

— Turn from hips, place both hands on the floor, step left leg back for…

10.) Parsvottanasana
Parsva = side, Uttan = extended

— “Walk” hands and feet towards long end of the mat, spread feet further apart, toes turned in to parallel outer edges of feet to short ends of mat for…

11.) Prasarita Padottanasana
Prasarita = wide spread, Pada = foot, Uttan = extended

— First, look forward with concave back; palms on the floor under shoulders; second, take crown of head down to floor or brick(s), folding from hips;

— To come out, look forward with arms straight, step or hop feet together and stand up (inhale!);

— Repeat asanas 7 through 11 on second side;

12.) Utkatasana (3x)
Utkata = mighty, powerful

— First time, feet together in middle of room; lift from pubic plate;

— Second, feet together with sacrum at wall; same lift but easier to control at wall;

— Third, feet apart with sacrum at wall;

13.) Rope Utkatasana

— Get length at side body, armpits, repeat/learn action of legs and pubic plate from Utkatasana at wall;

14.) Vimanasana
Vimana = flying machine

— Preliminary pose to teach extension of back leg, open frontal hip flexor; back inner heel presses into wall to stabilize balance;

15.) Virabhadrasana 1

— Capitalize on length gained at side body from rope Utkatasana and action of sacrum learned from Utkatasana at the wall;

16.) Vrksasana
Vrksa = tree

— Arms in Urdhva Hastasana; get same length as learned in rope Utkatasana and Virabhadrasana 1;

17.) Parsvottanasana

— Hands on bricks

18.) Halasana / Salamba Sarvangasana
Hala = plough / Salamba = supported, Sarvanga = entire body

19.) Setubandha Sarvangasana
Setu = bridge, Bandha = formation, Sarvanga = entire body

— Coming out from Halasana / Salamba Sarvangasana, hips on blankets, shoulders on floor to rest.

— Student on menstrual period (plus one other) in Supta Baddha Konasana (Supta = supine, Baddha = bound, Kona = angle); student with unstable neck in bench Sirsasana (Sirsa = head).