Vinyasa Yoga Practice 15: Short & Sweet 7

Heart opening with a lot of backb ending. Work on thoracic spine mobility in this short and to-the-point vinyasa practice. A lot of spinal movement, with a variety of back bends and twists. All of the upper back, neck, and rotational mobility to release tension and correct imbalance through strength building. It's all in here in just about 30 minutes.

Transcript

Welcome to an all-levels vinyasa practice. This practice will be heart-centered, Heart-opening, And upper thoracic release. We'll start out seated for this practice. Both legs extended forward. Bend the right knee in towards your chest. We'll take a twist to the right. Place the right hand on the floor behind the right sitting bone. Wrap the left arm around the right shin, Or cross the left arm in front of the right thigh. Inhale. Lift the spine upward. Exhale. Take a twist and look over the right shoulder. Hold here. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe in. Breathe out, Five. Inhale. Come back to center. Extend the right leg forward. We'll take a twist to the left. Bend the left knee, Left foot on the floor, Next to the inside of the right thigh, Knee pointed up to the ceiling. Wrap the right arm around the left shin, Left hand to the floor behind the left sitting bone. Option to cross the right arm over and in front of the left thigh for the twist. Inhale. Lengthen upward. Exhale. Take your twist. Look over the left shoulder. Breathe in. Breathe out, One. Breathe in. Breathe out, Two. Breathe in. Breathe out, Three. Breathe in. Breathe out, Four. Breathe out, Five. Inhale. Back to center. Come up to right knee. Come up to all fours, Hands and knees. Knees under the hips, Hands under the shoulders. Cat-cow. Inhale. Lift your chin. Lift your tailbone. Drop your belly. Look up. Exhale. Tuck the tailbone, Navel to spine, Chin to chest. Inhale. Lift the chin. Lift the tail. Look up. Exhale. Tuck the tail, Navel to spine, Chin to chest. Inhale. Looking up. Exhale. Down. Inhale. Up. Exhale. Down. Come into Downward Facing Dog. Lift your hips up and back as you bring your body into an upside-down, V-shaped position. Feet are about 10 inches apart, Maybe hip distance. Heels reaching toward the floor. Fingers spread wide, Index fingers pointed forward. Press down on the outer edges of your hands so that the palms lift. Draw the lower belly up and in as you tilt the pelvis forward. Keep the knees bent if you need to. You can bend one knee and then the other here, Staying with your breath. Walk your feet forward. Grab onto opposite elbows. Let your head go. Hang here in Ragdoll. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe out three. Breathe in. Breathe out four. Breathe out five. Release your arms and softly roll yourself up to stand. Bring your hands together in prayer at heart center. Ground down through your feet, Standing in Mountain Pose. Soft gaze over the fingertips. Surya Namaskar A. Inhale, Sweep your arms out and up. Exhale, Forward Fold. Inhale, Halfway Lift. Exhale, Step or Float Back. Lower down, Your choice, Either to the belly, Knees, Chest and chin, Or Chaturanga Dandasana. Inhale to Cobra or push to Up Dog. Exhale, Downward Facing Dog. Step the right foot forward and bring your left heel down, Coming up to Warrior Pose 1. Deep lunge in the right knee. Chest is squared up to the front edge of your mat. Lift your arms and clasp your hands or gently hold the back of your head. Let your chest lift. Pull the shoulder blades back and down. Holding 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. Coming into Reverse Warrior. Lift the right hand up towards the ceiling. Roll the left shoulder back as you reach the left hand down the back of the left leg. Reach up with the right arm. Gaze up over the right thumb. Keep that Warrior Stance. 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. Coming into Extended Side Angle. You can keep the lunge. Bring the right hand down to the floor just inside the right foot. You can use a block here underneath the right hand. Rotate the left ribs up towards the ceiling. Reach the left hand up or sweep it up overhead. So either straight up to the ceiling or extend that arm up overhead reaching toward the front edge of the mat. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Breathe out four. Breathe in. Breathe out five. Bring your left hand down to the floor. Step the right foot back next to the left. Coming into Plank Pose. Your choice. You can hold Plank Pose or come down to your elbows for Elbow Plank. Five breaths. 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 your hips. Coming into Sphinx Pose. If you're in Plank, Lower down to your belly. Slide your hands forward and bring your elbows directly underneath the shoulders. Hands are shoulder width apart. Fingers wide. Palms down. Lift the heart. Roll the shoulders back. Look straight ahead. 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. Slide your hands next to your ribs. Palms down. Fingers forward. Inhale. Lift to Cobra. Exhale. Downward Facing Dog. Take the right hand and reach it over to the outside of the left knee, Calf, Or ankle. Take a little twist here as you look out underneath the left shoulder. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Bring the right hand back down into Down Dog. Step your left foot forward between your hands. Bring the right heel down. Torso comes upright, Coming into a Warrior I stance. Hips and chest are aligned with the front edge of your mat. Lift your arms. Bend your elbows and clasp your hands, Or just gently touch behind your head. Deep lunge in the left knee. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Breathe out four. Breathe in. Breathe out five. Reverse Warrior. Lift the left hand up towards the ceiling. Slide the right hand down the back of the right thigh. Roll the right shoulder back. Look up over the left thumb. Deep lunge in that left knee. Reverse Warrior. 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. Extended Side Angle. Bring that left hand down to the floor or a block just inside the left foot. Deep lunge in the left knee. Lower that left hip. Reach the right hand up to the ceiling, Or sweep it up overhead so it's reaching up toward the front edge of the mat. Extended Side Angle. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Breathe in. Breathe out four. Breathe out five. Bring the right hand down to the floor. Step back into Plank Pose. Take a breath in. Exhale. Lower down to your belly. Slide your hands down alongside your ribs. Palms down. Fingers forward. Elbows close to the body. We'll come into Five Moving Cobras. Inhale. Press down with your hands. Use the space between your hands. Use your triceps, Your upper back. As you lift up, Roll the shoulders back. Elongate your neck, But look forward. Exhale. Slowly lower down. Touch the forehead down. Slide the shoulder blades back. Inhale. Lift up to Cobra. Exhale. Lower down. Touch the forehead. Slide the shoulder blades back. Inhale. Lift up to Cobra. Exhale. Lower down. Touch the forehead down. Slide shoulders back. Inhale. Lift up to Cobra. Exhale. Lower down. Inhale. Lift to Cobra. Exhale. Lower down. Last one. Inhale. Lift for Cobra. Exhale. Lower down. Push back to Child's Pose. Relax your arms forward or slide them down alongside your ribs. You can bring your hands down next to your feet. Knees together or knees apart. Your choice. Take three deep breaths here. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Inhale. Come up to all fours. Push back, Downward Facing Dog. Take your left hand and reach it over. Grab onto the outside of the right knee, Calf, Or ankle. Take a little twist here as you look out underneath the right shoulder. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Bring the left hand back down into Downward Facing Dog. Come down to hands and knees. Bring your torso upright, Moving into Camel Pose. Turn your toes under so that your toes are flexed. Heels are a little bit closer to your body. Knees are hip distance apart. Option one. Make fists with your hands and place them on the back of your pelvis. Roll your shoulders back. Lift the heart. Look upward. Option two. Reach back and grab onto your heels. Look upward. You can let your head drop back or keep your head upright, Looking forward. 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 your hands down to the mat under your shoulders to all fours. Push back. Downward Facing Dog. Hips up and back. Upside-down V-shaped position. Heels reaching toward the floor. Coming into Half Pigeon on the right. Bring your right knee forward behind the right hand. Slide the right foot over towards the left. Bring the left knee down to the floor. Extend the left leg straight back behind you, Top of the foot on the mat. You can place a cushion or blanket underneath that right hip if you like. Walk your hands back toward your hips. Lift your heart. On an exhale, Walk your hands forward. Come down to your elbows. 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. Walk your hands in toward your hips. Shift over to the right hip as you swing the left leg around to the front. Extend both legs forward. Coming into Inverted Tabletop or Inverted Plank, Your choice. Either with bent knees, Feet on the floor, Hip distance apart, Or with straight legs, Feet together. Hands on the floor, Fingers pointing in toward your body. Slide them back about 10 inches behind you. When you're ready, Inhale. Lift your hips up towards the ceiling. Lift the heart. Roll your shoulders back. Look upward or drop your head back and look behind you. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe out three. Breathe in. Breathe out four. Breathe in. Breathe out five. Lower down. Sitting upright, Open your legs wide. Toes pointed up to the ceiling. Tilt the pelvis forward slightly so that the spine is upright. We'll come into a lateral side stretch. Bring the right hand to the floor. Slide it down alongside the inside of the right leg. Bring the right elbow down to the floor or maybe use a block just inside the right thigh. Reach the left hand up to the ceiling and maybe lean over and grab onto the right toes with the left hand. 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. Exhale, Over to the left. Take the left hand to the floor. Slide it down along the inside of the left leg. Maybe bring the left elbow down to the floor or a block just inside the left thigh. Inhale, Right hand reaches up. Exhale, Maybe reach over to the left toes. Maybe grab onto them. 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. Coming into half pigeon on the left, Bend your left knee inward. Sweep the right leg back behind you. Now you've got the left knee pointing forward and the left foot slightly over toward the right side of the mat. Lift up just a little bit, Square up the hips toward the front, Top of the right knee on the mat. Walk your hands in toward the hips, Lift up. Exhale, Walk your hands forward, Come down to your elbows. 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. Walk your hands in, Come up, And sweep the right leg back around to the front, Coming into a seated forward fold, Paschimottanasana. Both legs extended forward, Toes up to the ceiling. Inhale, Lift the spine upward. Exhale, Walk your hands forward, Come into a forward fold. Grab onto the outside edges of your feet if it's available. Inhale, Lengthen one more time. Exhale, Forward fold. Breathe in. Breathe out one. Breathe in. Breathe in. Breathe out two. Breathe in. Breathe out three. Breathe in. Breathe out four. Breathe in. Breathe out five. Inhale, Come up, And exhale, Lie flat on your back for a final relaxation. Relax your hips and shake out your legs a little bit. Wiggle them. Let them be a little bit wider than your hips. Let the feet be relaxed in whatever position is most comfortable. Tuck your shoulder blades under, Arms down alongside you, Palms facing up. Take a breath in, And breathe down through your legs and out your feet. Relax your feet, Your legs, And your hips. Relax your abdomen. Relax your lower back. Relax your ribs and your chest. Relax your middle back, Your upper back, And your shoulders. Relax your arms and your hands. Relax your neck, Your jaw, Your tongue, And your face. Take a full, Deep breath in, And exhale. And as you exhale, Let your whole body relax. Start to deepen your breath, And move your hands and your feet. Extend your arms up overhead. Give yourself a long stretch. Bend your knees, Put your feet on the floor, Roll over to one side, And push yourself up to sit. Bring your hands together in prayer at heart center, Bow your forehead down to your fingertips. Thank you for practicing yoga with me today. Have a wonderful rest of your day. Be well. I'll see you next time.