Yoga Flow - Strength With A Block

This 32-minute flow includes cues with a yoga block. Grab a big book if you don't yet have a block. Enjoy this vinyasa flow designed to help you feel and build strength while also having fun and keeping your breath.

Transcript

Go ahead and grab a block.

Have a block nearby so that you can grab it for part of our flow.

I'll cue it as an option at several different portions,

But I want to have that have that handy.

Okay,

Let's start in that nice easy seat,

Grounding down,

Rooting down in those sit bones,

Lift up through the crown of the head,

Soften those shoulders away from the ears.

Just allow yourself here to settle in,

Let that mind clear out,

Let the body soften.

Use that focus on the breath to bring yourself to practice and to return to practice anytime you need to if the mind tries to wander back to the world.

We'll start with some shoulder circles,

We'll squeeze those shoulders up,

Roll them all the way back and down,

Nice big full circles here.

And then we'll switch directions,

We'll squeeze up and we'll forward.

And then we'll release,

Relax those shoulders,

Planting that right hand,

We're going to sweep the left arm all the way up and over,

Breathe down that side body all the way into that hip.

Using an inhale,

We'll come up through side,

We'll plant that left hand,

Sweep the right arm up and over.

And then moving with the breath,

We'll inhale through,

Plant the right hand,

Sweep the left up and over for that lateral,

Inhale through center,

Plant the left,

Sweep the right arm up and over.

We'll take each side one more time,

Inhale through center,

Lateral with that left arm up and over,

And inhale through center,

The right arm up and over.

As we come through center on that inhale,

Exhale,

Sweep that right arm behind us for a twist,

Left hand to that right knee.

Inhale,

Reaching tall through center,

Exhale,

We'll twist to the left.

And then again,

We'll flow with the breath,

Inhale,

Reach tall,

Exhale,

Twist to the right.

Inhale,

Reach tall through center,

Exhale,

Twist to the left.

Each side,

One more time,

Inhale through center,

Exhale,

Twisting right.

And inhale,

Center,

Exhale,

Twisting left.

Then we'll inhale,

Reach tall at center,

Exhale,

Take your time,

Bring those hands all the way down,

By your sides.

Let's take one more big breath here,

Inhale,

Sweep the arms back overhead,

And exhale,

Bring those arms all the way back down,

Nice and slow.

Then we'll bring ourselves to our tabletop position,

Hands on knees,

Those shoulders stacked over those wrists,

Hips over the knees.

Let's draw some circles here first,

Just get some movement going,

Get some of those pops out of the way.

We'll switch directions,

Circling the head and reach.

And then back to center,

We'll cat and cow,

Inhaling for that cow,

Exhale,

Round for your cat.

On that inhale,

Really dropping that belly button towards the ceiling,

Your cat,

On that inhale,

Really dropping that belly button towards the mat as you lift the gaze,

Exhale,

Round the spine,

Tuck the chin,

And just flow back and forth.

We'll take one more,

And release.

We're going to walk our hands to the top of the mat,

Spread those fingers,

Tuck the toes,

And finally we do that first down dog of our practice,

Pedaling things out,

Bend one knee,

Bend the other,

Getting settled in here.

One more breath,

On that inhale,

Bend those knees,

Travel to the top of your mat,

Into our ragdoll,

Bend the knees as much as you want to,

Grab opposite elbows,

Hang heavy,

Maybe shake the head yes or no,

And we'll release and roll all the way up.

Taking our time,

Finding our way to that mountain,

Maybe rock a little on the peak,

Ground down,

Lift up through the crown of the head,

Relax the shoulders,

Feel that breath as it moves in,

And as it moves out.

On that next inhale,

We're going to reach up tall,

Sweep the arms overhead,

Exhale,

Hinge from the hips,

Find a fold,

We're going to bend the knees,

Grab a hold of those big toes,

And we're going to find a halfway lift,

So flatten out that back,

And then maybe play around with lengthening out,

Straightening the legs,

Not forcing anything,

Halfway lift hold,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

Inhale,

Sweep it tall.

Taking that again,

Exhale,

We'll fold,

Bend the knees so you can grab those big toes,

Walk around there,

Halfway lift,

Flatten out the back,

Reach to the crown of the head,

Then maybe straighten the legs,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

Inhale,

Sweeping tall.

Last one like that,

Exhale,

Fold,

Bend the knees,

Grab the toes,

Straighten,

Exhale,

Release,

And we'll inhale,

Sweep it tall,

Exhale,

We'll fold,

This time we're going to bend the knees,

Plant our hands,

Reach our way back to a plank,

Use that exhale to lower down,

Inhale,

Lifting the chest,

Baby cobra,

Exhale,

We'll send it up and back,

Down,

Down,

Down,

And on that inhale,

Bend those knees,

Travel to the top of the mat,

Grabbing those big toes,

Halfway lift hold,

You start with that belly on the top of the legs,

Then work to straighten the legs a little bit,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

And inhale,

Sweep it tall,

Exhale,

Folding,

Stepping back to plank,

Exhale,

To lower down,

Squeeze those elbows in,

Inhale,

Lifting the chest,

Baby cobra,

Exhale,

Up and back,

Down,

Down,

Now bend the knees,

Travel to the top,

Exhale,

Fold,

Bending those knees,

So we can grab those toes,

Halfway lift hold,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

Inhale,

Sweep it tall,

Exhale,

We'll fold,

Find our way to plank,

Using that exhale,

We'll lower down,

Inhale,

Baby cobra,

Or your up dog,

Exhale,

Down dog,

Up,

On that inhale,

We'll travel to the top,

Exhale,

Fold,

Grab those big toes,

Halfway lift hold,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

And we'll sweep it tall,

Exhale,

Folding,

Stepping back to plank,

Exhale,

To lower down,

Inhale,

Baby cobra,

Or up dog,

Exhale,

Down dog,

We'll bend the knees,

Travel to the top,

Exhale,

Fold,

Grabbing those toes,

Halfway lift hold,

And release,

Inhale,

Sweeping tall,

Exhale,

We'll hinge and fold,

Let's step that left foot back,

We're going to open up to a lawyer too,

So we'll open up those hips to the wide edge,

Arms at that T,

Gazing over those right fingers,

We'll flip the right hand,

Reverse our lawyer,

Gazing up with that right hand,

Relax the left,

And then into a side angle,

We'll lower that right hand,

Reach with that left up toward the sky,

One more breath,

And then our inhale,

We'll come back to reverse,

Right arm up,

Exhale to lawyer two,

We're going to use that breath,

We're going to inhale,

Straighten that right leg,

Exhale,

Sink back into that lawyer two,

Inhale,

Straighten,

Exhale,

Sink,

Really feel where the legs work,

Keep that core engaged,

Use that breath,

And then we'll stay,

We'll hold that lawyer two,

We'll windmill the hands,

And we're going to step back,

Down dog,

We're going to stay with that right foot,

We're going to step it back to the top between those hands,

Rising up this time for a crescent lunge,

Ball of that back foot,

You can widen your stance here,

Make balance a little bit easier,

And we're going to drop that right arm down behind that right leg,

And start to gaze up toward that left hand,

And bring this left hand down toward the mat,

Here's where you can add a block to the inside of that right foot,

You may need to slide your left foot further down the mat for that runner's lunge,

And into a twist,

Right arm now is up,

Left arm is down,

Runner's lunge twist,

And then we'll lower that right hand down to the mat,

And we'll step back,

Down dog,

Using our inhale,

We'll travel to the top of the mat,

Exhale,

Fold,

Grab those big toes,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

And we'll inhale,

See the top,

Exhale,

Folding,

We're going to step our right foot back,

Opening up to our warrior two on this side,

Centering it,

Then we'll reverse our warrior,

The left arm up,

Relax that right hand,

And you'll start a side angle,

Engaging that right side of the body as you reach up toward the sky,

Maybe gaze at those right fingers as you reach and lift,

And lift,

To that reverse,

Exhale,

Warrior two,

We'll add that flow with the breath,

Inhale to straighten that left leg,

Exhale,

Sink back into that warrior two,

Take your time,

Making sure that left knee stays over the left ankle,

Otherwise just lengthen out that warrior two if you need to,

Make it a little bit longer down the mat,

And we're going to hold that warrior two,

We'll bend the other hands,

And step it back,

Down dog,

And we'll step that left foot back to the top of the mat between those hands,

Walk it up there,

Rise tall,

Crescent lunge on this side,

Then we'll start to drop that left hand back behind us,

And maybe start to shift that gaze up toward the right hand,

And then we'll bring that right hand all the way down to the mat in front of that left foot,

Or beside that left foot,

Left arm reaches up toward the sky for our twist,

And we'll lower that left hand to the mat,

And find our down dog,

We'll bend those knees,

Travel to the top,

Exhale,

Fold,

Inhale,

Grab those toes,

Halfway lift,

Hold,

Exhale,

Release,

And round,

And we'll inhale,

Sweep it tall,

Exhale,

Draw those hands to heart center,

Nice,

Great,

We're going to use our block for a little bit of half moon practice,

So adding a little balance today,

Also if you have a wall,

I always think half moon against the wall is really nice,

You can refine the pose and hold,

So find yourself a good piece of wall if you have one,

But definitely at least have that block,

So we're going to start with our right foot,

Those right toes are going to point toward the top of the mat,

We're going to fold our block,

We're going to have that left foot as like a close warrior too,

So that left foot's parallel to the back of the mat,

But nice and close,

Because in half moon we want those hips to be open,

To that wide edge,

Then that right hand is going to start to go down toward the mat with that block as we lift those left toes up and off,

Flex that left foot,

And then reach up with the left arm toward the sky,

Making that shape,

Use that core,

And then lastly you start to turn that gaze from down toward the mat,

All the way,

Maybe up toward those left fingers,

It's okay if you don't get there,

I probably won't make it,

Take your time,

Shift that gaze little by little,

Reach with those left fingers,

Keep breathing,

One more breath,

And then we'll release,

Shake things out a little bit,

And circle out that right ankle both ways,

Then we'll play around with the other side,

Remember it's just a practice,

And each side is a little different,

So we'll see what our half moon on this side looks like,

So start with those left toes,

So I'll turn toward the top of the mat,

Right foot is now parallel to the back,

Blocking that left hand,

And we'll slowly lower that left hand down toward the mat as we lift those right toes,

That right leg,

Flex that right foot,

Reach with the right arm up toward the sky,

Lifting up,

And then lastly add that gaze,

One more breath,

And lower,

Release,

Shake things out,

Move those hips side to side,

Circle out that left ankle,

Yes,

All right,

Finding our mountain when we're ready,

Resettling those feet under those hip bones,

Lifting up,

Relax the shoulders,

Find that breath,

And then on that inhale,

We'll reach it tall,

Exhale,

We'll fold,

Step back to plant,

Oops,

Exhale to lower,

Inhale,

Baby cobra or up dog,

Exhale,

Down dog,

A couple of breaths here in this last one,

And then as you're ready,

Take those knees nice and wide,

And sink it back to child's pose,

Sink those hips toward the heels,

Forehead toward the mat,

Nice big breaths across that lower back,

And then on our inhale,

We'll rise to that tabletop pose,

And we'll just take our hips back and forth,

Side to side,

All the way to the left,

All the way to the right,

And then we'll shift those hips to the right,

Let them stay,

We'll look around that right shoulder,

So we see our hip back there,

And we'll move through center,

We'll take those hips to the left,

And we'll look around that left shoulder,

And back to center,

We're going to keep our hips nice and high,

Walk our hands away for that puppy stretch,

Melting the heart,

The chin,

The forehead toward the mat,

Stretching out those shoulders,

Breathing into the back,

Into the hips,

Nice and high,

And then we'll walk those hands all the way back underneath,

Lower a hip into seated,

And we're going to roll all the way down onto our back,

Settling in here,

Adjust those hips,

Make sure the shoulders are nice and low,

And we'll take some windshield wipers,

With those knees back and forth,

Side to side,

And we'll drop those knees to the left,

Let me goalpost the arms,

Bring them out to a T,

And if it feels okay,

We could tip the gaze to the right,

Knees to the left,

Gaze to the right,

And then we'll come up through center,

We'll drop our knees to the right,

And our gaze to the left,

And we'll make our way back up into center,

We're going to slide those legs long,

Point the toes or reach those fingers overhead,

Nice full body stretch,

Lengthening all the way back out,

On our inhale,

We'll pull that right knee into chest,

Squeeze to the outer part of the torso,

And then we'll release back to that full body stretch,

Point the toes,

Reach the fingers,

And then we'll pull that left knee into chest,

Give it a good squeeze,

And then release,

One more full body stretch,

A couple of breaths,

And then we'll hug both knees into chest,

Or rock a little side to side,

Right to left,

Left to right,

You can find happy baby here,

If you prefer,

Or want,

Maybe straightening one leg,

And then the other,

Or both,

And then as you're ready,

We're going to release,

Make our way into that Shavasana,

Send those legs long down the mat,

Let the feet fall open,

Relax the arms by your sides,

Take any props that you want to there at home,

To make sure you're good and comfortable,

Grounding down to the mat,

Maybe scan the body from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet,

And just come back to that breath,

Allowing yourself to sink and settle more and more deeply into your mat with each exhale,

A few nice big deep breaths here,

Wiggle those fingers,

Wiggle the toes,

And as you're ready,

Planting those feet on the mat,

We'll make our way to either side,

Rolling to the left or to the right,

And we'll just seal in our practice with a few final breaths,

Inhaling in the good,

Exhaling out onto the mat,

Anything you want to leave here,

And then pressing it,

And as you're ready,

We'll make our way back into our nice easy seat,

It's always an honor to share practice with you.

Namaste.