Tuesday 4.30p MS — Week 6 (October 6, 2009)

Focus: Leg actions in standing poses against the wall.

Note new poses for this week are in bold face.

1. Invocation in Swastikasana
a. Soft, slow, smooth inhalation. Soft, slow, smooth exhalation. Lift the spine. Shoulder blades down the back body.

2. Tadasana/Samasthiti
a. Backs of the thighs away from each other. Lift inner knees with brick between inner thighs.

b. Lift the kneecap and back knee towards the buttock bone to prevent collapsing into the back of the knee, especially in Trikonasana.

c. Shoulder blades down the back body. Paschima Baddhanguliyasana arms to roll open shoulders.

3. Utthita Trikonasana
a. With the back to the wall, and holding the wall ropes to prevent fatigue or falling due to lack of balance and stamina.

b. Lift the kneecap and back knee towards the buttock bone to prevent knee or right posterior ankle pain.

c. Keep the femur in the socket, lifting from outer knee towards outer hip, when coming into the pose.

4. Utthita Parsvakonasana
a. With the back to the wall, and holding the wall ropes to prevent fatigue or falling due to lack of balance and stamina.

b. Extend from the outer knee towards the outer hip to engage the femur in the socket when coming into the pose. If the knee turns in, then the greater trochanter will fall out. Pressing down the ball of the big toe, lift the toes to lift the inner ankle bone and inner knee prevents the knee from turning in.

5. Viparita Karani (15 min)
a. Substituted for Sarvangasana Cycle