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Continue to Lighten Up: Make Yoga Your Friend
In this beginner yoga class with Satiya, we will continue to explore the basics of yoga, body flexibility and movement. Satiya guides you through a gentle lower body workout routine while accessing the breath in relation to the movements. You can find Part One of this series here: Lightening Up Your Body.
This can either be done as a stand-alone class or as Day 4 of Total Body Flexibility And Health 14-Day Yoga Challenge For Men.
Looking for more of a challenge? Check out the 14-Day Intermediate Challenge here.
Continue to Lighten Up: Make Yoga Your Friend Playlist (to be played with the class)
Click on playlist below and press play when the class begins.
Note: You will need a subscription for access to Apple Music, and for music to play ad-free on Spotify and YouTube Music. You will also need to adjust the volume to your preference.
Comments
Hello PianoWire,
As with all yoga postures it takes time and practice to get there as long as you don't have any injuries that restrict you from achieving the posture.
The overhead-hand-on-the-back pose can be achieved with greater ease if you use a strap, a belt, a scarf. Hold the prop in your upper hand, let it dangle down your back. You can then reach back with your other hand to find the prop on your back. Once you get a hold of the prop you can then use the leverage to gentle pull down on the upper arm. This will help you to ease your shoulder into greater opening. It also allows you to start with your arm bent more beside your head as opposed to behind so it doesn't push your head forward.
For Half Lotus pose: if you have injuries or severe discomfort in your knees. Remember have patience with yourself and ease into the posture over time. Where was the excruciating pain that you felt while attempting Half Lotus?
Sitting on a cushion as you have done is perfect. Sitting in easy pose with one leg crossed in front of the other and switch them throughout your practice. Overtime bring one leg closer to being on top of your calf. Another way is to put a rolled towel under the foot and lower leg crossed in front, this will give that leg some height which is what happens when you do Half Lotus. At the same time you may put another rolled towel under the knee of the same leg. The towel bring the knee to the same height as the foot and lower leg.
Thank you for your questions and please let me know if the suggestions work for you.
I'm so glad you're presenting this beginners' class for men. I've been doing the website classes since May and this is the first progressive course where I'm really learning some fundamentals. I appreciate Satiya's classes in general, particularly the yin and restorative classes, and this one really helps me loosen up where I need it most (hips and waist). I found the poses challenging (I have a sensitive rotator cuff and short legs, so no lotus for me, ever), but I managed to adapt and benefit from the class.
Nice progression, but the flexibility expectations are already exceeding my range of motion.
1. Overhead hand on the back: I couldn't get my flexed elbow to go above my shoulder, and the arm touching my back pressed against the back of my head, preventing me from lifting my chin.
2. Half lotus: I sat on a fat cushion, the only way I can sit cross-legged on the floor without straining. Sitting with both feet on the mat was fine, but lifting one leg onto the opposite calf was excruciating, and I couldn't hold it for more than a second or two.
Would you please suggest adaptations for these two poses?