In this practice,
We will focus on spinal mobility.
Moving the spine in multiple directions.
And also strengthening the muscles surrounding the spine.
To create more ease of movement and increased range of motion.
For props you will need a block and if you would like to Pad your knees in table pose.
Use a blanket.
We'll start in table pose.
With your hands under your shoulders,
Knees under your hips.
Create what feels like neutral spine.
Relax all the facial muscles.
Focus your attention on the flow of breath in and out of your body.
Let your breath flow freely in and out.
Synchronize.
Movement and breath.
Moving the spine in flexion and extension.
Flexion is the anatomical word for rounding,
Extension means backbend.
So let's start with a big inhale through the nose.
On the exhale,
Draw your tailbone down,
Pull the belly in and round your spine.
As you inhale,
Lift your sitting bones,
Drop the belly,
Open your chest.
See if you can flatten your upper back.
On the exhale tailbone down again,
Belly in to round Inhale,
Arch.
Create this movement starting at the base of the spine.
Moving through your middle back.
Upper back,
Two more cycles.
Tailbone down,
Belly in as you round.
And lifting your tailbone.
Dropping the belly as you arch.
One more.
Come to neutral spine again.
Extend your right leg back behind,
Pressing.
The ball of the foot,
Reaching back through the heel,
Stretching the back of the leg.
Walk your left hand forward,
Little in front of your shoulder.
Come onto your fingertips.
Engage your abdominals,
Pull the belly in to support your lower back.
When you're ready,
Lift your fingers and toes just a little off the mat.
Pressing the right hand down into your mat to keep your ribcage lifted.
Take another full cycle of breath.
Release back to table.
Extend your left leg back,
Come onto the ball of the foot,
Reach back through the heel.
Walk your right hand forward,
Come onto your fingertips.
Engage your core,
Pulling the navel in.
Then lift your fingers and toes just a little off the mat,
Reaching in opposite direction.
See if you can soften your shoulders.
Soften all your facial muscles.
One more breath.
Exhale.
The table.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Draw your tailbone down,
Round your spine again.
Inhale arch,
Moving the spine in the opposite direction.
Exhale round.
Inhale,
Arch.
One more time,
Rounding the spine.
Arching the spine.
Coming back to neutral spine.
For puppy stretch,
Take your block.
Just keep it nearby,
Maybe you will need it.
Then keeping your hips over your knees,
Walk your hands forward.
See if you can release your forehead down to the mat.
If your head is hanging down between your arms,
That's when the block.
Or blanket can be useful for support.
Let the area between your shoulders soften.
Take a couple.
Slow,
Deep breath.
With your next exhalation,
Lower the elbows down.
Come down onto your belly,
Bring your pelvis down.
Lift up onto your forearms for sphinx pose.
First,
The position of your elbows.
Your elbows will be either under your shoulders or a little in front.
If your elbows are way back behind the shoulders like this,
It will be really hard to lift.
So position the elbows so that it feels like you can open the front body.
Suction cup your palms down,
Press your elbows and forearms down.
Press your thighs down so your legs are engaged and supporting your lower back.
Then bring your chin slightly towards the front of your throat.
Lengthen the back of your neck.
And take three slow deep breaths through your nose.
With your third exhalation,
Let your elbows slide.
Away from each other,
Rest your head.
And your chest down.
Bend your knees,
Windshield wipe your legs.
Then extend your legs behind you,
Bring your forehead down,
Extend your arms by the sides of your body,
Palms facing down.
Press your palms down.
Press the front of your pelvis down.
Press your ankles down to engage the leg muscles.
Reach back through your toes.
Slowly on an inhale lift your legs,
Head and chest.
And your arms,
Turn your palms towards your body and reach back through your fingertips.
Take another breath.
Exhale,
Lower down.
Let's do that again.
Press your palms.
Note this.
The back muscles begin to engage.
Press the front of your pelvis down,
Your glutes will engage.
Press your thighs,
Your ankles down,
Your leg muscles engaged.
On an inhale,
Lift your legs,
Head and chest,
And your arms.
Keep your chin slightly in and lift the back of your head.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Lower down.
Create a little pillow with your hands,
Turn your head to one side.
Bend your knees and windshield wipe your legs.
Now turn your head to the opposite side.
Extend your legs behind you,
Hands under your shoulders,
Left to table.
We'll come into child pose.
Your knees are going to be a little wider,
Feet are flat,
Hips go back over your heels.
If this is too much for your knees,
You can take your blanket.
Create that.
Tight raw Place it behind your knees.
Lesson that that flexion in your knees.
If your head doesn't come all the way down,
You can use a block.
And let yourself rest here for.
Several breaths.
For a side stretch,
Walk your hands to the right.
Pressing your right hand down.
Reach that left hip back.
Your left fingertips forward,
Stretching the left side.
You can rest your head against your upper arm.
Slowly walk your hands to center and to the left.
Pressing the left hand down.
Reach your right hip back.
Forward through your right fingertips.
Breathing into the stretch.
And softening with each exhalation.
Slowly walk your hands back to center.
Lift yourself up,
Back to table.
Inhale.
Exhale,
Tailbone down,
Belly in,
Rounding the spine.
Inhale arch,
Just like you did it at the beginning.
Notice if your spine moves with a little more ease.
One more cycle.
Coming to neutral spine.
We will now transition to lying on the back.
This is for a supine twist.
Our last pose.
Bend your knees,
Open your arms to T position.
Press the feet down.
Lift your hips slightly and shift them to the left side,
About an inch or two.
Then extend your right leg on the mat.
Place your left foot on top of your right thigh.
Slowly inhale through your nose.
With the exhale,
Let your knee roll to the right.
Keep that left shoulder down.
Take a couple slow,
Steady breaths.
Letting go with each exhalation.
Softening Relaxing into the twist.
Slowly come back to center.
Bring your body to a symmetrical position,
Extend both legs,
Compare the sides.
Then bend your knees again,
Open your arms to T position,
Pressing down through your feet,
Lift the hips slightly,
Shift them to the right,
Extend the left leg long on the mat.
Place your right foot on top of your left thigh.
Inhale.
With the exhale at your knee roll to the left.
Keeping the right shoulder down.
Notice how the twist feels on this side.
Slowly unwind back to center.
Bring your body.
To a symmetrical position,
Arms closer to your body.
You can also have your elbows bent.
Hands on your belly.
Just notice how your body feels.
Close your eyes.
Take three slow,
Deep breaths.
Each exhalation softening and letting go.
If you like to stay here a little longer and rest.
Feel free to do that if you're ready to move on.
Bend your knees.
Roll to one side.
And come back up.
Take a moment.
To transition into your day.
I hope you enjoyed it.
Have a wonderful day.
