Vinyasa Yoga Practice 10: Short Upper Back And Twists

A well-rounded practice focused on upper back mobility in just 30 minutes. 1 sun salute, two standing series, a seated cool down, and final relaxation. Great for when you are short on time. Feel refreshed and balanced with twists and backbends.

Transcript

Welcome to an all levels vinyasa practice. This will be a short practice focused on upper back and twists. So we'll start out at the top of the mat, Standing in mountain pose. Feet together, In steps parallel with each other. Hands to prayer at heart center. Drawing up nice and tall through the crown of the head, Roll the shoulders back and down. Inhale, Sweep your arms out and up overhead. Exhale, Come into forward fold. As you forward fold, Draw the lower belly in, Navel to spine. Bring the fingertips down to the floor in line with the toes. Inhale, Come up to a halfway lift or hands on the shins. Exhale, Step or jump back to high pushup position and lower down either to the belly, Knees just in chin or chaturanga dandasana. Inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale, Push back downward facing dog. Three breaths, Breathe in, Breathe out one, Breathe in, Breathe out two, Breathe in, Breathe out three. Look forward, Step or float your feet to the front of the mat. Inhale to halfway lift, Either up to the fingertips or hands on shins. Exhale, Forward fold. Inhale, Sweep your arms all the way upright. Gaze up over the thumbs. Exhale, Hands in prayer at heart center. Gaze over the fingertips. Coming into chair pose, Holding for five breaths. Bend your knees, Lower your seat. Lean back on the heels, Hands to prayer or arms reach out parallel to the floor or arms lift up overhead. Breathe in, Breathe out one, Breathe in, Breathe out two, Breathe in, Breathe out three, Breathe in, Breathe out four, Breathe in, Breathe out five. Inhale, Straighten the legs, Sweep your arms up overhead. Exhale, Back to forward fold. Inhale, Halfway lift. Exhale, Step or float back. Lower down your choice. Inhale to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale, Downward facing dog. Inhale, Lift the right leg up and back for three-legged dog. Open the right hip up towards the ceiling and really reach with that right leg. Bend the right knee if you like and bring the right heel towards the glutes. Hold for three, Breathe in, Breathe out one, Breathe in, Breathe out two, Breathe in, Breathe out three. Step the right foot forward between your hands. Bring the left heel down to the mat. Inhale, Bring the torso and arms upright, Coming straight into reverse warrior. Right arm up to the ceiling, Left arm down the back of the left thigh or calf. Take a big breath here. On an exhale, Come into extended side angle. Bring the right elbow over the right knee or right hand to the floor inside the right foot, Left hand to the ceiling or sweep it up towards the top of the mat. Inhale, Back to reverse warrior. Right arm up, Left arm down the back of the left leg. Exhaling, Back to extended side angle. Right elbow over the right knee or hand to the floor. Left arm sweeps up overhead. Coming back to reverse warrior. Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Two more, Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Bring both hands to the floor on either side of the right foot. Step back to high pushup. Take a breath in. Exhale, Lower down, Your choice. Inhale, Cobra or up dog. Exhale, Downward facing dog. Inhale, Lift the left leg up and back, Three-legged dog. Open the left hip up, Stack it on top of the right. Bend your left knee and bring the left heel toward the glutes. Three breaths, Breathe in, Breathe out one. Breathe in, Breathe out two. Breathe in, Breathe out three. Take the left foot and step it all the way forward between your hands. Bring the right heel down, Lift the torso and arms up. Moving into reverse warrior. Left arm up to the ceiling, Right arm down the back of the right leg. Take a big breath here. Exhale, Come into extended side angle, Left elbow over the left knee or left hand to the floor or a block inside the left foot. Right arm sweeps up to the ceiling or overhead. Inhale, Back to reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Last one, Inhale, Reverse warrior. Exhale, Extended side angle. Bring both hands to the floor, Step back to high pushup. Take a breath in. And this time, Lower all the way down to the belly. Coming into sphinx pose. Slide your hands forward, Elbows to the floor, Forearms to the floor. Elbows directly under the shoulders. Hands shoulder width apart, Fingers spread wide, Palms down. Lift the heart, Roll the shoulders back, Shoulder blades down. Relax the low belly, Glutes and legs. Looking straight ahead, Sphinx pose. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Slide your hands back towards the ribs, Fingertips in line with the chest, Elbows close to the body. Inhale, Lift to cobra or upward facing dog. Exhale, Push back, Downward facing dog. Step the right foot to the front, Left heel comes down. Lift up, Warrior pose one. For this one, You can either do goal post arms or clasp the hands behind your head. Three breaths, Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Inhale, Reverse warrior. Right arm reaches up to the ceiling, Left arm down the back of the left thigh. Three breaths, Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Moving into triangle pose, Straighten the right leg, Hips and chest open to the left side of the mat. Adjust your back foot as needed. Right arm reaches forward, Left arm reaches back. Take a breath in. Exhale, Hinge at the right hip joint. Slide the right hand down to the right shin or the floor or a block just inside the right foot. Left hand can stay at the left hip or reach straight up to the ceiling. Gaze up over the left thumb if it's comfortable. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Look down, Inhale, Come up. Exhale, Bend the right knee. Bring both hands to the floor on either side of the right foot. Keep the left hand on the mat underneath the left shoulder. Bring the right hand up to the right knee. Option to stay here for the twist. Option two, Keeping the left knee down, Lift the torso upright, Hands to prayer. Exhale, Left elbow over the right knee for the twist. Option to straighten the right leg here for revolved side angle. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Inhale, Back to center, Both hands to the floor. Step back to high pushup. Exhale, Lower down, Your choice. Inhale, Cobra or up dog. Exhale, Downward facing dog. Coming into warrior one on the left. Bring your left foot to the front, Right heel down. Torso comes upright. Taking gold post arms or clasp the hands behind your head. Lift the heart, Pull the shoulders back. Three breaths, Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Moving into triangle pose. Inhale, Straighten the left leg. Hips and chest turn and face the right side of the mat. Left arm reaches forward, Right arm reaches back. On an exhale, Hinge at the left hip joint. Bring the left hand down to the shin or the floor or a block just inside the left foot. Right hand can rest at the right hip or hand reach up to the ceiling. Gaze up over the right thumb if you can. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Look down, Inhale, Come up. Exhale, Bend your left knee. Bring both hands to the floor on either side of the left foot. Rotate the right heel up toward the ceiling. Taking a twist. Option one, Bring the right knee down. Right hand stays under the right shoulder. Left hand to the left knee for the twist. Option two, Torso is upright. Hands to prayer, Right elbow over the left knee. Option three, Straighten the right leg. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Revolved side angle. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Inhale, Back to center. Both hands to the floor. Step back to high pushup position and come down to hands and knees, Setting up for puppy pose. Keep the hips directly over the knees. Knees are hip distance apart. Walk your hands forward until the forehead comes down to the floor. Keep the arms straight ahead, Elbows extended. If you can, Come down to the chin or the chest. Hold here, Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Slide your hands back in underneath the shoulders. Push back up to all fours and back to high pushup position. Take a breath in. Exhale, Lower down your choice. Inhale, Cobra or up dog. Exhale, Downward facing dog. Bring your hands together so the thumbs touch. Step or jump your feet forward to the outside edges of your hands and bring your hips down, Coming to a low squat at the top of the mat. Bring the hands together in prayer. Use your elbows to push the knees apart. Take the left hand, Bring it to the floor at nine o'clock. Right hand to the right knee. Take a twist. Option to reach the right hand up to the ceiling or take a full bind and hold your right wrist behind your back with your left hand. Three breaths here. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Come back to center, Switch sides. Bring the right hand to the floor at three o'clock. Left hand up to the left knee. Option to bring the left hand up to the ceiling or take the full bind, Reach the left hand back behind you, Hold the left wrist with the right hand. Looking to the left. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Come back to center, Take a seat. Coming into half boat pose. Lift your shins up, Forearms parallel to the shins. Option to hold the back of the thighs or rest hands on the floor. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Lie down on your back. Coming into bridge pose or wheel pose. Yogi's choice. Bend your knees, Feet on the floor. Feet are hip distance apart and steps parallel. Hands down next to your feet if you're doing bridge pose. If you're doing wheel pose, Hands come up next to your ears, Fingers pointing back toward the shoulders, Elbows pointing up to the ceiling. For bridge pose, You'll lift the hips up, Tuck the shoulders under and interlace the fingers, Clasp the hands behind your back, Lift the hips. For wheel pose, Lift up to the crown of the head, Straighten out the elbows, Make them parallel with each other, Then straighten the arms, Lifting up to a full back bend, Wheel pose. Your choice here, Bridge or wheel. Hold for five. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Lower down. Hug the knees in towards your chest for apanasana. Wrap your arms around the front of the shins if you can. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Rock yourself up to a seated position. Extend both legs forward. Coming into paschimottanasana, Seated forward fold. Hands down alongside you, Palms down. Lift up nice and tall. Legs forward, Push through the balls of the feet, But lift the toes. Lift up through the crown of the head. Inhale, Lengthen the spine upward. Exhale. Use the lower belly to come into a forward fold. Walk your hands forward, Down alongside your legs. Grab onto your ankles or the outside edges of your feet. Inhale, Lengthen one more time. Exhale, Come into your forward fold. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Inhale, Come up. Bring the soles of the feet together and slide the feet in toward the body. Knees open up to the sides. Coming into butterfly pose or cobbler's pose. You can take this position, Or if you prefer, Choose another coming into diamond pose, Where you slide the feet forward about a foot or so in front of you, Soles of the feet together. So yogi's choice here, Either cobbler's pose or diamond pose. Hold on to your ankles. Inhale, Lengthen upward. Exhale, Come into a forward fold. You can put gentle pressure on the knees, But really let gravity do most of the work here. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Inhale, Come up. Straighten out your legs. And lower down to your back for final relaxation. Coming into shavasana. Lengthen your legs outward. Let your muscles relax. Thighs relax. Calves, Ankles relaxed. Adjust your hips. Let your lower belly and lower back relax. Bring the arms down alongside of you. Palms facing up. Tuck the shoulder blades under. Draw the shoulders down away from your ears. Tuck the chin slightly. Relax your chest, Your shoulders, And arms. Relax your neck and your jaw and your face. Take a big breath in. And on this exhale, Allow everything to soften and relax. Bring your awareness to the base of the spine. Take a breath in. And a big breath out. Bring your awareness just below the navel. Breathe in. Breathe out. Bring your awareness just below the ribcage. Breathe in. And breathe out. Bring your awareness to the heart center. Breathe in. And breathe out. Awareness to throat center. Breathe in. And breathe out. Bring your awareness to the space between the eyebrows. Breathe in. And breathe out. Bring your awareness to the crown of your head. Breathe in. And breathe out. Bring movement back to your hands and your feet. Give yourself a long stretch. Bend your knees. Roll over to one side and push yourself up to sit. Bring your hands together in prayer at heart center and by your forehead down to your fingertips. Thanks for practicing yoga with me today. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day. Be well. Transcribed by https://otter. Ai

Reviews

Awesome quick practice while on vacation! Such an Amazing teacher! Thanks Rebecca !🥰

Class two and I’m thrilled. Movement plus breath perfection. Thank you ✨❤️

Thank you, Rebecca, for another wonderful practice assisting us to get energized and ready for the day 😍🙏💖💕