Tuesday 6.30p Intro — Week 6 (April 7, 2009)

Focus: Continue to review and refine hip opening from Week 4: Virabhadrasana II, Trikonasana, and Parsvakonasana to open the right hip. Lack of hip opening often masquerades as hamstring stiffness. Add Adho Mukha Svanasana, Wall Ekapada Sarvangasana, and Janu Sirsasana. Repeat Tuesday 6.30p Intro — Week 4 (Mar 24, 2009) for Virabhadrasana I preparatory work at home.

Note new poses for this week are in bold face.

Discussion: What is Iyengar Yoga?
See Thursday 6.30p Intro — Week 5 (April 2, 2009) for the discussion.

Invocation in Swastikasana

1. Tadasana/Samasthiti

2. Tadasana (Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana)

3. Virabhadrasana II (3 X)
a. Swap first prior to Trikonasana to get freedom in hips without the challenge of stiff hamstrings.
b. Left heel at the Rope Wall, holding the lower wall rope to keep from leaning into the right leg, make the left side the stable side, so that the right side becomes more mobile. Extend the inner left leg towards the Rope Wall while bending the right knee.
c. Turn the right leg out more to bring the right femur more into the socket. Connecting the femur into the socket stops hip cramping and lower back pain because the spine receives the action of the limbs.

4. Utthita Trikonasana (3 X)
a. Left heel at the Rope Wall.
b. Right foot on brick to bring the right femur more into the socket.

5. Utthita Parsvakonasana (3 X)
a. Left heel at the Rope Wall, holding the lower wall rope as in Virabhadrasana II.
b. Repeat the actions as above, then sit the buttock down to take the right hand to the floor.

6. Parsvottanasana (hands on chair seat, head on brick on chair seat)
a. Pull right hip back, left hip forward.
b. Inserted prior to Virabhadrasana I to provide rest and stretch left calf.
c. Preparation for Adho Mukha Svanasana.

7. Virabhadrasana I
a. Do more work on Week 4 sequence to help learn this pose.

8. Utkatasana
a. Omitted for time and emphasis.

9. Uttanasana
a. Omitted for time and emphasis. Substituted Adho Mukha Svanasana as a preparation for Sarvangasana.

10. Adho Mukha Svanasana
a. Hands turned out 90° at wall. Don’t “let the consciousness leak out” from beneath the forefinger knuckle. Press it down then stretch the inner armpit towards the hip.

11. Sarvangasana Cycle
a. Wall Ekapada Sarvangasana
b. Salamba Sarvangasana
Get more on top of the shoulders and leave the feet on the wall to relieve the choking sensation. When the range of motion of the arm is increased there will be less pressure on the neck. The spine receives the actions of the limbs.

12. Forward Extensions
a. Substituted Urdhva Hasta Janu Sirsasana for Paschimottanasana to continue groin work of standing poses and because of leg stiffness.
b. Chair Urdhva Hasta Janu Sirsasana: Sit on two folded blankets, head on chair seat, hands up, holding chair arms.

13. Savasana
a. Back chest on blanket folded in half, trifold blanket beneath head.