Legs Untangled: Yoga Flow To Stretch The Legs

Got tight legs from running or hiking? Katy guides this short stretch flow in a desert oasis in Dubai, focusing on the calves, hamstrings and quads. After a seated neck stretch with the hands behind the head, she moves through tabletop calf stretches, a low lunge twist, half split, downward facing dog, child pose and a foot grab, working each side. Her intention for the class is joy, and she invites you to bring to mind the little things in life that make you happy. The practice ends seated, feeling the joy within you with your hands at your heart. Move at your own pace and skip anything that does not feel right for your body.

Transcript

Welcome to this oasis in the heart of Dubai's desert. The stretch and de-stress flow will gently untangle stored up tension and muscle stiffness in the legs. Focusing on the calves, Hamstrings and quads. This is a perfect class for runners, Hikers or anyone who's looking for a deep stretch for tight legs. A joyful short journey, An opportunity to let go of physical pain and find joy in the moment. Let's set our intention today on joy. This is your time to connect and reflect inward. So roll out your mat and enjoy. Legs untangled. Start seated today, Comfortably on the mat, Cross the feet in front of you, Relax the shoulders and straighten the back. Take a moment here to take a deep breath in before we start. And as you exhale, Gently open your eyes. Let's start with stretching the neck. Place the hands behind the head and release the fingers. On an inhale, Open the elbows away from each other, Bring the gaze up. Exhale bring the elbows together bring the gaze down and arch the neck slowly Let's repeat this for three times. Inhale, Open the elbows. Open the chest. Exhale bring the elbows together. Inhale one more time. Expand that chest, Look up, Open the throat chakra and as you exhale bring the gaze down and surrender. Now come back to center, Release the hands down. Let's make our way to tabletop. Wrist under shoulders. Knees under the hips Straighten the back. From here, Extend the right leg to the back, Tuck the toes in. And shift the weight forward and backwards. Let's do this for a couple of times, Stretching out the calf muscles. Keep your gaze gentle. You can go as far as you want here to stretch out the leg muscles. One last breath before we transition to our side bent half circle pose. Pivot the bent knee, Shift the bodyweight on one side and keep the right leg extended. Extend the right arm over the head. Feel the stretch in the right side body here. Bring your gaze towards the right hand. Stay here for three breaths. Connect with your breath. Feel the body elongating. As you exhale bring the hand down and pivot back to tabletop. Let's repeat this on the other side. Extend the left leg to the back, Tuck the toes in. Let's shift the weight front and back. To stretch out the calf muscle again. Two more times. As you exhale, Pivot the bent knee. Shift the weight to the side, Extend the arm over the head. For a half circle pose. Hold here for three breaths. Make sure the shoulders are away from the ears. Keep the left leg extended. As you exhale, Bring the hand back down to the mat. Pivot back to tabletop. Bring the big toes together and push back to child pose. Melt the chest over the thighs. And bring the forehead down to the ground. Stretch out the arms and the fingers. Connect with your breath. Bring to mind all the joyful things, All the little things that you have in life that brings you that spark in heart. As you exhale, Come back to tabletop. Tuck the toes in and push back to downward facing dog. Straighten the back Send the tailbone up to the sky. Open the chest. Shoulders away from each other. You can pedal, The feet bending one knee at a time. Stretching out the hamstrings. The calf muscles again. Release any tension. And as you exhale slowly start walking the feet towards the hands till you make your way to forward fold Keep a distance between the legs when hip apart. And bend the knees. Just allow the chest again to drop over the thighs. Relax the arms, Relax the neck. Let go of any tension. On your inhale, Slowly start rising up. To Tadasana, Mountain pose. Straighten the back, Look forward, Chest open next inhale bring the arms up to the sky palms together And as you exhale, Dive forward to your forward fold. Release the palms down. Inhale, Halfway look up. Hands to chins, Straighten the back, Look forward. Exhale, Release the palms down to the mat. Bend the knees. Right foot to the back. Left foot to the back bend the knees and bring them down Bring the chest all the way down to 8-limbed pose. Press the palms into the mat and press up to cobra. Open the chest, Lift up, Inhale. Now press the palms into the mat as you push back to downward facing dog. Extend the arms, Extend the legs. Straight in the back On your next inhale, Lift the right leg to three like a dog. Point the toes. Now bend the knee. And bring the foot and place it between the hands. Do you find your balance? So we can transition to low lunge twist pose. Keep the left hand on the mat. Extend the right arm as you twist towards the right side. Keep your gaze towards that right hand. If it's too hard for you today, You can drop the back knee down. Exhale bring the right hand back to the mat Drop the back knee, Release the back toes as you extend the right leg into half split, Flexing the front foot. Now shift the weight forward, Bend the knee, Look forward. Low Lunge. Exhale half split let's do this several times Exhale half split, Nose to knee. Stretching the hamstring. Inhale, Low lunge, Stretching the quad. From here, Place the hands into the mat. Tuck the back toes in. Lift the knee off the mat. And when you're ready. . . Push the right leg to the back. Downward facing dog. Take a moment here. Before we transition to the other side. Inhale, Lift the left leg up to the sky, Three-legged dog. Bend the knee. Now bring the left foot and place it between the palms. The top of the mask. When you're ready. Place the right hand into the mat as you extend the left arm to the side. For our low lunge twist pose on the left side. Keep the back leg straight. Exhale reduce the palm down Now drop the back knee, Release the toes. And let's transition again to our half split. Low lunge repetition. Exhale half split, Inhale low lunge. Nose to knee flexor foot round the back. Half split. Exhale, Low lunge. Notice the shift in the muscles. The stretch in each pose. Between the hamstrings and the quad. Move gently From here, Tuck the back toes in, Lift the knees off the mat. And push back into downward facing dog. Bend the knees and slowly drop them into the mat. Bring the big toes together and push back to child pose. Allow the chest to melt over the thighs. And rest the forehead into the mat. Allow the sensation of joy to travel through your body. Take one more breath. As you exhale, Bring the body all the way down to the mat. Transitioning into half frog pose, Bring the left forearm and place it in front of the face. Now bend the right knee. And reach out with the right hand to grab the right foot from top of the toes Bring the elbow to face up the sky and with the left hand push against the mat to lift the chest up. Keep the gaze forward. If this is too difficult for you, You can keep the chest down on the mat. And gently press over the right foot. Stretching here the quad muscles. If you feel any pain in the knee, Please come out of the pose. Now slowly bring the chest down, Release the foot. And let's repeat on the other side. Place the right forearm in front of the face. Reach the left arm to grab into the left toes from the outside. Slowly and gently press the left heel towards your glutes. You should feel a stretch here in the left quadriceps. Open the chest. Shoulders away from the ears. Gaze forward. As you exhale, Drop the chest down and release the foot. Place the hands under the chest and push back to child pose. Reconnect with your breath. On your next exhale. Slowly. Lift the gaze up. And come to seated. Extend the legs in front of you. Let's transition to our head on knee pose. Bend your right leg. And bring the foot in towards your left thigh, Pushing the knee away from the body. Inhale, Lengthen the back with each your body so your shoulders align with your hips. Exhale, Fold over, Your left leg lengthening through the spine, Reaching for your toes, Ankle or chin. Inhale lengthen, Exhale fold deeper. Allowing the leg muscles to stretch out. Release any resistance. Release any tension in the shoulders. Inhale, Release the foot, Look forward. And slowly lift up to seated. Now let's shift to the other side. Bend the left knee. Open the knee away from the body, Placing the left foot into the right thigh. Inhale, Extend the arms. Exhale, Grab into the chin, Ankle or foot. Keep the right foot flexed. Inhale, Lengthen. Exhale, Fold deeper. Releasing any tension in the shoulders and the hamstrings. Any resistance that you might be holding in the legs. One more breath. Inhale, Look forward. And slowly release the foot as you rise up to seated. Now place both feet into the mat bending the knees and bring the back all the way down to the mat. So bend the right knee and bring it towards the chest. And slowly rock it from side to side. Releasing any tension in the hip flexors. Exhale. Release the leg back down. Now bend the left knee and bring it towards the chest. Rock it from side to side. Stretching out those hip flexors. Bring both knees towards the chest. Hug the knees. Straighten the back into the mat. Rock from side to side, Massaging the lower back. Extend the legs to the end of the mass. Extend the arms next to the body, Opening the palms towards the sky. Our final pose today, Shavasana. Corpse pose. Allow the feet to drop. Feel the back melting into the mat. Relax the face. Now notice the sensations. Within the leg. All the muscles. Stretched and tangled and relaxed. Take a deep breath in. And long. Exhale out. Now if you're ready to come out. Slowly stretch the arms over the head. Stretch the toes. Keep your eyes closed as you bend the knees and transition. Up to seated. Cross your feet in front of you. And rest the hands over the knees. Straighten the back. Reconnect with your breath. Feel the joy within you. Now lead with it. Bring the palms together to your heart center. Thank you for joining me. Salaam Namaste.