Hey,
Welcome!
We're going to go through some leg strengthening exercises for your glutes,
Your hammies,
And your quads.
We're going to start at the top of the mat,
So making sure that you have what you need for our quick practice.
We'll rock forward and back,
Just finding neutral.
From here,
Let's reach the arms up towards the ceiling,
And with a long flat back,
We're just going to slightly bend the knees and reach the chest forward,
And come down into your forward fold.
We'll release the backs of the legs,
Giving them a little bit of a shake.
You can grab opposite elbows and we can rock from side to side,
Releasing the back of the neck and the chin,
Anything in the face,
No tension between the eyebrows.
We're going to have enough tension in the legs,
We definitely don't need extra in the face.
Release the hands down towards the mat,
Come to a halfway lift,
Long spine,
Exhale,
Release.
One more time,
Inhale,
Long spine,
Exhale,
Release.
Step back with your right foot,
Lower the knee down,
Finding your low lunge.
We're going to sweep the arms all the way up towards the ceiling,
Pressing the hips down towards the mat.
Inhale,
Look up.
From your exhale,
Press into the front foot,
Coming back into a low lunge.
Remind your balance.
Inhale,
Finding that low lunge.
You can heel toe the front foot towards the long edge of the mat,
To add to the support of your balance here.
Pressing through that front foot,
We're going to land in the half split here.
Grabbing the mat if you need that for some support,
Otherwise we're holding.
Breathe,
Allow the backs of the legs to soften and open up.
We're going to come back forward into that low lunge,
But this time we're going to tuck the toes,
Lift the back knee and reach up,
Finding crescent.
Pressing into the hips,
Allowing the pelvis to square off.
We're going to bend that back knee,
Almost hover it,
And then straighten it.
Hover the back knee and straighten it.
Try not to move the front leg,
Maybe you can lower even one more inch.
We'll go for two more.
Reach,
Last one.
Reach,
Last one.
Reach,
Come all the way down,
Press back,
Find your split,
Keep your toes tucked in the back,
Come back up,
Find crescent.
We're marrying those two sequences here,
Really powering up through the heels.
Beautiful.
Let's do one more.
Hold it here.
Send your chest forward,
Frame the front foot,
Step your left foot back into the center of your mat and lift your right leg.
We're reaching the heel out,
Toes down towards the mat.
You can bring your hands to heart center and chest your balance.
Unlocking the standing knee is going to help you with finding balance.
We'll find a spot on the mat to look at your drishti,
Help you with your balance.
Breathe here.
We're going to reach the arms forward,
Sending weight back into your crescent lunge,
Chest up.
Sending heart forward,
Hands to heart center,
Lifting that back leg.
From warrior three to crescent,
Reach the chest up and coming forward.
Really slowing down on that standing leg.
Last one.
Holding.
I know,
It burns.
Fingertips come down towards the mat.
Bend your heel towards your hip on the right leg.
Knees come down to touch.
Shiva squat.
Reach it back up and down.
If you'd like to extend that leg for some extra work,
You can reach that back out.
Otherwise,
We can keep that knee bent.
Two more.
That right foot comes down to meet the left in the forward fold.
Release the legs.
Give them a shake.
Inhale.
Find your halfway lift,
Long flat back.
Exhale,
Forward fold.
One more time.
Inhale.
Halfway lift.
Exhale,
Forward fold.
Plant your hands.
Step left foot back.
Lower the back knee down and untuck the toes.
Low lunge.
Reach the arms up.
Maintaining the breath and the flow,
You have to do less repetitions but be more mindful and engaged with the breath.
That's okay.
That's preferred rather than muscling through something and constricting the breath.
Inhale.
Look up.
Exhale.
Press through to half split.
Keep your hands lifted.
Inhale.
Low lunge.
Reach up.
Exhale.
Half split.
Peel the toes up.
Pressing weight into the heel is going to help you with your balance.
Really press weight into the right heel.
Reach it up.
We'll do one more and we'll land in our half split together.
Either keeping the hands up or landing them down beside you.
Breathing through the right hamstring,
Back of leg.
Taking any movements that's necessary for you to feel comfortable in the posture.
Let's bend back through to your low lunge.
This time we'll tuck the back toes.
Lift the knee.
Sweep the arms up.
Find crescent.
Bend the back knee.
Hover it.
Straighten it out.
Keep the level of your right knee bent.
It's going to want to straighten.
We're going to lower it all the way down.
Half split.
Keep the toes tucked.
Come forward and crescent.
Lower back knee and reach.
Being mindful.
Maintaining that core strength as well to keep us stable as we're working the legs.
This is meant to tire them out.
It's meant to fatigue them.
It's not supposed to be easy.
Last one.
Find your crescent.
Hands come down.
Step your right foot back slightly into the middle of the mat.
Lift your left leg high.
Warrior 3.
Hands come to heart center.
Find your balance and square the pelvis.
Energy through the flexed foot on your left side.
From here,
Reach the arms forward.
Energy out the left side.
Land in your crescent lunge.
Coming forward again.
Hands heart center.
And reach it back out.
Crescent lunge.
Coming forward.
You've got this.
It's always harder on the second side.
So you've got that first side experience.
Last one.
We're going to hold this one.
Hands can come towards the mat.
Hold it here.
Finding that strength through the left side and through the right.
We're going to bend the heel towards the glute.
Knees come to touch as we bend through the right side.
Bring the knee back up and down.
Option to straighten that leg out into that Warrior 3 position.
Reach it out.
Two more.
You got it.
Last one.
Finish it off.
And left comes to meet right in the forward fold of the top of your mat.
Beautiful.
We're almost there.
Inhale through halfway lift.
Exhale forward fold.
Bend the knees,
Root to rise.
Reach the arms all the way up.
Hands come down heart center.
Pause.
We'll turn towards the long edge of the mat.
Walking our feet into a goddess position.
So if you're not familiar,
The toes are on the diagonals and the heels are in.
You're going to be working with your anatomy.
So your feet might be completely flat.
They might be almost parallel.
That's totally fine.
You're going to work with what you have today.
It might be different from yesterday as well.
We're going to bend the knees,
Open the mat,
Making sure we have a nice long line,
Straight line between the knee and the ankle.
As we sink into our goddess squat,
We might heel toe so that we can get a little bit more available space.
You can find a little bit of a bounce.
As you're finding this bounce,
Strengthen through the back of the legs by almost pulling the mat together with your heels.
Nice.
We'll pause.
Sink a little bit deeper.
Hands come towards your thighs.
We're going to drop the right shoulder into the center,
Twisting over top of left.
Coming back through center and twisting towards the right.
Back up through center.
Hands heart center.
Stretch the legs.
Reach up.
Exhale.
Draw them back down.
Bend your knees.
Inhale.
Stretch up.
Exhale.
Lower down.
Same action of drawing the heels together on the mat and coming back down.
It makes a world of a difference.
It really does.
You'll feel the whole backs of your legs light up.
Everything.
You'll feel the power.
Last two.
Reach up.
Last one.
Pause.
We'll hold.
Reach the arms all the way out.
Stretch over towards left side.
Left arm can fall on the thigh or it can reach towards right knee.
Inhale through center.
Other side.
Left arm reaches.
Back through center.
Stretch your legs and heel toe back to parallel.
That is your leg strengthening series.
You can pop this on in the morning,
In the evening,
At any time that you need to fire up your lower body or feel that grounded strength.
I hope you enjoyed the class.
Thanks.
