Hello and welcome to another flow.
My name is Nicol Schultknecht.
A lot of people struggle with that pronunciation,
So I won't force you to.
I just go by Nicole.
Welcome to another class!
Props,
I've got two blocks but you probably won't need any.
I'm just going to use one to sit on because it's more comfortable,
Just to start the class,
Ground ourselves and get comfortable on the mat.
So without further ado,
Hopefully you've got a mat,
Play whatever you want to play in the background.
And yeah,
Let's get started.
Making yourself comfortable,
Sitting down.
Preferably in a cross-legged seat,
Doesn't matter which shin is in front.
And either on a block or on your mat.
Lengthen through the spine,
Relax the shoulders.
And noticed how your breath is moving in and out of your body.
Preferably breathing in and out through the nose,
However,
Through the mouth if you're dealing with any congestion is totally fine.
And we're just gonna be another three or four breaths,
Just in and out through the nose.
Calming down our nervous system.
Relaxing.
And mentally preparing for another flow.
Hopefully it comes out on the camera,
But I've got a little bit of a tan just recently back from Europe.
And hence the little gap in recordings.
If you have been practicing with me,
Welcome back!
Blinking open the eyes if you chose to close them.
Let's take a deep breath in and reach the arms up to the ceiling,
Sky,
Wherever you're practicing.
Bring the palms together and draw them to the heart as you exhale.
Let's do that two more times.
Breath in as you reach.
Palms meet and to the heart,
Exhale.
And for the last time,
Breath in.
Hold it at the top,
Maybe even gaze up towards the hands,
Another sip of breath in if you can.
Palms meet and let's draw it down.
And then I'll invite you to remove any aid you may be using,
Whether it be a bolster or a block,
Whatever it may be.
Sitting down flat onto the mat now as i said it doesn't matter which shin is crossed in front of the other we're just going to Close up that cross and then bring your hands down on the floor in front of you and just walk as far forward as you can So you might feel it in your hip flexors.
I did a run yesterday and so mine are feeling really tight at the moment.
And walking them back in towards you.
I'm not going to mirror you,
So just do exactly as I'm doing.
It may show differently on the screen,
But I'm going to place my right hand on my left shin,
Left hand behind me,
And we're just going to open up and find a twist looking over our left shoulder.
So just pausing here just for another two breaths.
Keep your right hand on your left knee,
Use an inhale to lift the left hand to the ceiling,
Or sky,
And with your exhale,
Bending over to one side.
This is the right side.
Hold here for two.
Releasing,
Bring your left hand down onto your right knee.
Bring your right hand behind you,
Finding that twist on the other side.
And keeping or maintaining the contact with your left hand on the right knee take the right hand up breath in and find a bend over to the left.
And releasing both hands down.
Let's bring them into your heart center with the palms connected.
Lean back,
Uncross and cross your legs the other way and then just walk forward with the hands eventually coming into that forward fold once again.
I don't know about you guys,
If you are practicing with me in Melbourne.
At this time of year,
Being September,
October,
The wind is fairly high and the hay fever is very prevalent.
So if you're suffering with hay fever like myself,
I would love some advice that you might have,
Whether that be a pill you might take,
Or even better,
A homemade remedy that you might have.
Please feel free to leave a comment walking your hands back.
We're gonna make our way into a tabletop So coming onto hands and knees And before we start,
As you may know if you've practiced with me before,
I like to bring a bit of fluidity and warmth to the wrist before we start.
So let's start with flat palms on the floor.
Grip the mat as if you're gripping a basketball and we just start rotating the body around in circles.
And see how you can feel the weight shifting in all parts of the hand as you do so you don't want to bring all the weight just into the palm you want to also focus on the fingers and the thumbs.
Change direction,
Go the other way.
Coming back to center,
Let's flip the left palm over with the palm up and the fingers pointing away from you,
So towards the front.
And then just lean forward.
If you want a little bit more,
Even bending through that right elbow and bring the head down.
Push back through the right arm and then turn your left hand all the way around so the fingers are pointing back towards the knees and then lean back.
Keep your left arm as straight as you can as you do this.
And release,
Bring weight into that right hand and just give the left hand a bit of a shake.
Bring it back down.
We're going to do the same thing with the right hand.
So first of all,
Flip it over,
Palm facing up,
Fingers are pointing forward.
And lean forward.
And if you did that little push up with the right hand,
Let's do it with the left.
So bending that left elbow,
Come down.
Push back straight back up.
And swing that right hand all the way around,
Fingers are pointing back towards the knee and lean back towards the hips.
Come back to centre,
Lean onto the left and give the rider shake.
And just so that you feel connected with not only the breath but the mat and your practice,
Let's tuck the toes,
Lift the knees and hover them just off the floor and then just start to sway them gently from left to right.
Left to right,
Left to right.
It's a nice low sway.
And then stay in center,
Widen the knees,
Bring them down to the edges of the mat,
Tops of the feet down,
Move the hips back and find your first Malasana or Child's Pose.
Just feel free to make it more relaxed and restorative by keeping the elbows on the floor.
Otherwise,
If you want to stay active,
Lift them off the floor and come onto the pads of the fingers.
And just pause,
Working into the shoulders.
And gently releasing come back to that tabletop tuck the toes and lift the knees to hover once more and we're going to play with that sway again from left to right.
So just left to right,
Left to right.
And as we accentuate the sway,
Can you sway all the way to one side and drop your hip down to the floor?
All the way to the other side and drop your hip down to the floor.
Continue this from left to right as fast or as slow as you want.
And with your next one let's see if we can drop the hip to the ground and then come off the right hand and I'm kicking the left foot out.
So bring the right hand down,
Swing to the other side,
Drop the right hip.
Take the left hand of the floor and swing that right leg out.
So just two more on each side.
Drop it down.
Drop it down.
Left and kick.
Coming back once you've completed your twists from side to side.
Coming back to center.
And eventually finding your first downward dog.
So as you lift the hips,
Finding that upside down V shape,
Feel free to pedal the feet left and right,
Left and right.
And whatever little dance that you do in order to get your hips,
Shoulders.
Calves and ankles warmed up but eventually come back to center.
Lift high onto the tippy toes,
Lifting the heels off the floor,
Breath in.
And release with your breath out.
Once more lifting high.
And release,
Breath out.
And then lifting your toes or your heels coming high onto the toes,
Walk yourself with straight legs if possible all the way towards the hands.
Top of the mat.
Once you're there,
Bring your hands to your elbows,
Drop your heels,
And sway gently in your ragdoll,
Keeping the head super heavy.
Note it's always an option to stay in stillness and play with leaning forward as far and down and deep as you can.
And releasing the hands,
Let's walk them up the shins.
Find a halfway lift of the lumbar spine through the legs and the spine,
And release with an exhale.
Hands to the ceiling,
Breath in.
Allow your palms to meet,
Draw them to the heart.
And take them back up.
As they meet the top,
The palms meet,
Draw them to the heart,
Bend the knees,
And we're going to point them all the way down,
Finding a forward fold.
Bring to the shins with your breath in And as the hands come down,
Step your right leg to the back.
Stay in your lunge,
Take a breath in here.
And with your exhale,
Hands come down with stepping that left foot back to a downward dog.
Let's play with that lifting and releasing once again so lifting the both heels breath in and releasing with your breath out two more breath in and release and last one lift lift lift walking once again with straight stalk legs all the way to the top of the mat Once there,
Find a halfway,
Lift breath in.
And an exhale as you release.
Taking the hands to the ceiling,
Breath in.
Palms meet to the heart as you exhale.
Let's take that breath in as we reach back to the ceiling,
Sky,
As the palms meet,
Bend the knees and reach all the way down to the floor.
Halfway lift handstations.
And as the hands meet the floor,
Stepping that left foot back.
Pause,
Take a breath in here.
And hands have gone flat,
Stepping that right foot back,
Downward dog.
We're going to lift the right leg to the ceiling,
This guy.
Hold.
And then start to twirl that ankle at the top.
So twirl it one way.
And toilet the other way.
Lift it high breath in and step it forward top of the mat Drop your left knee down.
Anjani Asana.
Let's lift both hands.
Bring them together and draw them to the heart.
Pause here for the breath in maybe leaning a little bit forward working into the hip flexor as well as the thigh Take a breath in as you reach the arms.
And bring them down framing that right foot as you exhale tuck the back toes lift the back knee step up to the top of the mat halfway lift i know it's a lot of muscle release with your exhale hands to the ceiling breath in palms meet,
Bending the knees,
Coming all the way down,
Find a forward fold.
Halfway lift in.
And as you exhale,
Hands come down.
We're stepping both feet back this time to a downward dog.
Float forward to a plank with your breath in.
And then dropping your forearms down,
Come to a forearm plank,
But bring your hands together,
Interlace the fingers and just pause.
See if you can keep your body straight,
Look straight down at the hands,
Hold for two,
Hold for one release the knees down to the floor and the hips and then bring your elbows a little bit forward palms flat down arms are parallel finding your sphinx pose hold here for two and one releasing Shoulders,
Breath in,
Tuck the toes.
With your exhale,
Keep the elbows tucked all the way in.
You can keep your knees on the floor or pushing all the way up to a plank.
Bend the knees,
Find the hips reaching for the ceiling.
Downward dog.
Let's take the left leg to the ceiling.
And then playing with those little circles.
With the ankles one way.
And the other way.
Lifting a bit higher breath in and as you exhale step it forward Drop your right knee,
Take both hands to the ceiling.
Palm's beat.
And to the heart.
I just pause here for him.
Leaning a little bit forward.
Hands to the ceiling,
Breath in.
And straight back down,
Reaching down to the floor as you exhale.
Tuck the back toes,
Lift the back knee,
Step up top of the mat halfway.
Forward fold as you exhale reaching to the ceiling breath in palms meet,
Bending the knees,
Reaching all the way down,
Forward fold.
Find a half in.
And as you exhale,
Hands down,
Stepping both feet back,
Downward dog.
We're gonna go straight to a plank with your breath in,
So flip forward,
And then once again,
Elbows down,
Coming back to your forearm plank.
This time,
Keep the hands apart,
As if you're in sphinx.
Make sure there's a right angle between your,
On your arms,
And keep your hips lifted.
Hold here for two,
Hold for one,
And gently release the hips down.
As you find ground and hips,
Can you bring the tops of the feet down?
And you can choose to find that sphinx pose once again with your forearms on the floor,
Otherwise widening the hands slightly and then pushing through them to lift the elbows off the floor.
A little bit more of a back bend.
Choose it if you feel a little bit more open.
Otherwise,
Stay with your Sphinx.
And one,
Releasing down,
Bring the hands back in.
Tucking the toes,
Pushing the hips up,
Finding your plank.
Hold.
You can choose to bring your knees down if you need to,
To push back up again.
Otherwise,
One hand and then the other.
Finding your plank,
Bend your knees.
Downward dog.
Let's lift your right leg to the ceiling,
Breath in.
Step it forward oh no let's not do that let's make it a little bit harder huh let's bring that right knee to the right elbow touch Inhale as you take it up.
And exhale,
Step it forward.
Come to a crescent lunge breath in take your hands to the ceiling and then bring your palms together to the heart as you exhale.
Pause here and then start to look around.
What's behind you?
Is there anything there?
Take your hands to the ceiling and we're going to find a twist to the right hand side.
So now you can turn your head all the way to the right hand,
Look behind,
Hold,
Breathe.
And then take that right hand back to the ceiling follow with the left breath in and hands down to the floor as you exhale step that right foot back to a downward dog with your breath in and pause here with your breath out.
Tank with your breath in,
Floating forward.
Knees or no knees chaturanga with your breath out remember to tuck those elbows in flip the feet upward dog and downward dog with your breath out.
Thinking about this there's gonna be a fairly accessible flow so hopefully you'll find it nice and easy compared to the rest of my content let's take the left foot to the ceiling I think it's the after-holiday buzz,
I'm feeling a bit lazy.
Let's take that knee-to-left elbow touch.
Breath in as you lift.
And step it forward.
Crescent Lunge.
Let's take the hands to the ceiling.
Pump meat and draw them down.
Pause.
Look behind.
Let's take the hands to the ceiling.
And find your twist to the left as you exhale.
Both hands to the ceiling,
Breath in.
And bring them down as you exhale.
Step that left foot back to a plank this time with your breath in,
And then lower down into your forearms with your breath out.
Straight back up to plank breath in,
Use your knees if you need to,
And then come halfway down.
Flip the feet.
Child's pose as you exhale let's take a bit of a breather pausing but keep it active try and keep the elbows off the floor pushing the hips back towards the heels hold here just for two And one,
And coming back through tabletop,
Downward dog.
Lifting the right leg back up to the ceiling,
Breath in.
Take that knee to the right elbow with your breath out.
Hold here,
Bend your left knee and can you just tap the floor?
Lift,
Take that right leg back to the ceiling and step it forward.
Crescent lunge that's at the hands to the ceiling.
Palms meet down to the heart.
Take them back up.
Twist to the right as you exhale.
Now,
I'm going to change it up a little bit.
Let's take the right hand to the back of the left thigh,
Take the left hand up,
Keep twisting to the right breath in,
And then windmill the hands down,
Fade all the way to the left hand side into a wide-legged forward fold.
Can you see my back?
Take a breath in,
Halfway lift.
And an exhale as you release.
Then walk the hands over to the right hand side,
Grab the foot,
The ankle,
The shin,
Or whatever's available.
Holes.
And then all the way over to the left hand side,
Grab whatever's available.
Holes.
Come back to center,
Half in.
And an exhale walk to the left to frame that left foot Sweep it to the ceiling with your breath in.
And then walk your hands back to that right foot,
Keeping the left foot raised.
Walk the hands back to the back of the mat and step that left foot forward.
Halfway left here.
And then walking the hands all the way towards the right foot,
Framing the right foot as you exhale.
Let's step that right foot back to a plank with your breath in.
Come halfway down,
Chaturanga,
Breath out.
Take your left foot and place it over your right and push back up to plank,
Breath in.
And then release the foot,
Come halfway down,
Breath out.
Take your right foot over your left,
Push up,
Breath in.
Oh,
Did I say it was going to be easy?
Come halfway down,
Breath out,
Untwist the legs,
Flip the feet,
Upward dog.
And downward dog with your exhale.
Let's move to the other side so your left leg reaches breath in.
Let's take that knee to the elbow,
Breath out,
And then dip that right knee down,
Touch.
Inhale,
Lift,
And take the left foot up.
And step it forward.
Crescent breath in and palms meet to heart take the hands up and twist to the left Left hand behind right thigh,
Breath in.
And windmill the hands down and we're gonna twist to the right to a wide-legged forward fold.
Find a halfway lift here.
And an exhale as you release now you can widen the feet bringing the floor closer in towards you,
And you can choose to either keep your hands there as support,
Bring them to your thighs or ankles,
Or you can walk them back between the legs,
Your choice.
If you have an arm balance,
Please feel free to play.
I'll give you a couple of breaths.
To play with.
Wherever you are whatever you want to choose to do Otherwise just stay in a forward fold.
Just releasing and languishing in this Ford Fold.
Allowing the blood to flow.
That's another three breaths where you are.
Either two.
.
.
And one halfway lift in.
Walk over to your right foot at the back of the mat as you exhale.
Sweep that right foot to the ceiling with your breath in and then walk the hands back towards the left foot.
Keep that right foot raised,
And then walk the hands back forward,
Or back,
Should I say,
And step that foot forward.
Stay in your lunge,
Breath in.
And as you exhale,
Walk the hands all the way around to that left leg.
Sweep the left leg back to a plank with your breath in and lower it halfway down.
Now we're gonna bring that right foot on top of the left,
Push up,
Breath in and release,
Breath out.
Change legs,
Breath in and breath out,
Come halfway.
Flip the feet up a dug.
And child's pose with your breath out.
This time,
Invitation to make it a bit more restorative by bringing the forearms down to the floor.
Breathe.
And slowly making your way up.
We're going to find the seat.
With our legs straight out in front of us.
This might be a better position.
So,
Leg straight out in front.
Toes pointing up towards the ceiling,
And we're going to lean forward,
Finding a forward fold.
So wherever you are,
Grab your shins,
Ankles,
Toes,
Around your feet.
If you're even super flexible,
You can grab a block and place it behind the legs.
Hold here for two,
And one,
Walking the hands back in towards you.
Making your way onto your backs,
Come to the middle of your mat,
Take your right knee into the chest,
Straighten your left,
And we're going to work into that right hip flexor.
Bring the right knee into the right armpit.
Eventually to find a supine twist.
So releasing,
Taking the right hand to the side,
Shoulder height,
We're going to take that right leg over the left finding a twist.
Stay here or you can choose to turn your head to the right hand side.
Slowly making our way back to center,
Swap legs,
Stretch the right,
Bring the left knee in.
And taking it over the right leg to take the left hand out to the side.
Maybe turning the head.
Slowly coming back to centre,
Bring both knees into the chest.
If you can,
Wrap your arms around your knees,
Maybe bring your shoulders off the floor.
If they're close enough,
As I like to say,
Give the knees a kiss.
I know I'm not there with you but I want to hear it anyway.
Release,
Open out the knees,
Grab your blades of your feet for happy baby.
Note that your hips should be scooting down towards earth.
So not a rounded back.
You want to keep as much of your spine connected to the floor.
And you want to just bring your knees on either side of your chest and just hold.
And eventually releasing keep the knees open bring the soles of the feet together bring the feet down keep the heels close in towards your tailbone as you can knees open,
Invitation to bring your hands to your sides with the palms facing up.
We're going to close in this pose,
So if it's not quite comfortable for you and you feel a little bit of tension in your inner thighs,
You can place your blocks on either side of your thighs,
Just to provide a bit of support.
Otherwise relaxing the shoulders,
Keeping a neutral spine.
And breathing.
Lent new breath.
Noting that we live in a very busy world and we're usually trying to juggle quite a number of things at the same time.
I'd like you to.
.
.
Always remember that yoga should be made a priority.
However.
.
.
How much you do.
And when you fit it in.
Is also important.
Fitting it in.
To a really busy schedule.
I'd say is more important than the length of time that you practice.
So.
.
.
If you need to go somewhere.
Some things.
Nagging you in your schedule.
Feel free to end the practice here.
Maybe take another breath in and breath out before you open your eyes.
Choose to pause the video and continue on your Shavasana as long as you need.
Or third option is to keep your eyes closed and slowly make your way into a seat.
Completing the practice with me.
Once you're in a seat,
Again finding the comfortable seat on your sit bones with your legs.
Crossed or sitting on your shins.
Invitation to bring the palms together.
In prayer,
Draw them into the forehead and bow your head ever so slightly.
Let's take a deep breath in together through the nose.
Out through the mouth Thank you for choosing to practice with me.
This morning,
This evening,
This lunchtime.
Hopefully we see you soon.
My name's Nicole.
Namaste.
