Iyase djohnson august 2017 pdf draft

Beginner Level Practice

Courtesy of:

August 2017

Sequence created by: Debra Johnson, Intermediate Junior III CIYT Model: Nichole Baker, Intermediate Junior II CIYT, Owner & Director of StudiOm Yoga in Jackson, MS Photography: Susanne Bulington, Iyengar Yoga Practitioner, Meadville, MS Debra is the owner of Iyengar Yoga Charleston. She relocated to the charming city of Charleston, South Carolina from the Midwest in 2015 to enjoy the splendors of this small-but-mighty metropolis. In 2016, she opened her own studio in Mount Pleasant, SC, located just outside the city of Charleston. For more information about Debra’s classes go to www.iyengaryogacharleston.com.

Debra is certified at the Intermediate Junior III level. Most recently she has studied with Gulnaz Dashti, Patricia Walden, and Gloria Goldberg. She has traveled annually to study at RIMYI since 2008.

In addition to her work at the studio, Debra volunteers weekly with several military Veteran groups around the Charleston area, helping those affected by the mental and physical stresses of careers in the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force.

This practice focuses on firming the outer body to hold stability and extension in the poses.

Approximate Time: 75 minutes. Hold standing poses 15-30 seconds each and per side.

Props required: 1 mat, 2 blankets, 2 blocks, and 1 belt Tadasana

Mountain Pose Balance the body evenly by pressing both feet on the floor evenly.

Stand straight with the feet together and the kneecaps pulled up.

Lift the chest, keep the neck erect and head straight.

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Urdhva Hastasana

Upward Hands Pose From Tadasana, press the feet firmly down, inhale and lift your arms over your head, palms facing one another. Open your palms and fingers and extend them to the ceiling. Turn your palms from the wrist to the front and lift up.

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana

Upward Bound Fingers Pose Stand in Tadasana. Raise your arms to the front in line with your shoulders. Open the fingers and keep the palms facing each other.

Insert the fingers of the right hand into the fingers of the left hand so the fingers are gripped tightly. Inhale, take the arms up, turning the palms up toward the ceiling. Bring the arms back to parallel to the floor. Exhale, change the interlock of the hands, and repeat.

Urdhva Namaskarasana

Upward Prayer Pose Stand in Tadasana. Spread your arms out to the sides. Turn your palms up and raise the arms over your head in line with your shoulders. Keep the elbows straight and join your palms.

Hold for 30 seconds, then exhale and take the arms to the sides and down.

Utkatasana

Fierce Pose Stand in Tadasana. Lift straight arms to Urdhva Hastasana.

Exhale, bend your legs bringing the thighs parallel to the floor.

Keep the heels on the floor with the chest extending upwards.

Hold for 15 seconds with normal breaths. Inhale, straighten your legs and take your hands down to your sides.

Repeat the pose and as able, bring the arms to Urdhva Namaskarasana. Then bend the thighs to parallel to the floor.

Follow all other previous instructions for Utkatasana.

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Vrksasana

Tree Pose Stand in Tadasana. Keep your left hand on your hip while you raise your right leg up and place the heel at the inner left thigh, toes pointing down. Stand firm on the left leg. Spread your arms out to the side and take them up to Urdhva Hastasana. Keep the arms straight and elbows firm. Exhale, bring the arms and leg down.

Return to Tadasana and repeat on the other side.

Repeat the actions in the legs and feet. As able, bring the arms to Urdhva Namaskarasana by taking the arms to the side and up and bringing the hands fully together. Straighten the arms and elbows and extend upward. Release the leg and arms down, stand in Tadasana, then repeat on the other side.

Utthita Trikonasana

Extended Triangle Pose Stand in Tadasana. Take your palms near your chest so the palms are facing the floor and in line with the shoulders. Exhale and bend the knees. Inhale, jump, and take your arms out to the sides and feet 4 feet apart. This is called Utthita Hasta Padasana.

Turn your right leg along with the foot out to the side for Parsva Hasta Padasana.

Exhale, bend the trunk sideways to the right and either hold your ankle or use a brick. Turn the head to look up at the hand. Stay for 20 breaths. Raise your trunk up and stand up straight. Turn the right foot along with the leg to the front and now turn the left leg and foot to the left. Repeat the instructions above. Inhale and jump your feet back to Tadasana.

Virabhadrasana II

Warrior II Stand in Tadasana. Take your palms near your chest with the palms facing the floor and in line with the shoulders. Inhale, jump the feet 4 feet apart. Turn the right leg and foot to the right side. Bend the right leg to a right angle and keep the left leg straight. Stretch both arms straight and turn your head to the right to look over the hand.

Stay for 15 seconds. Change sides and repeat on the left. Inhale, straighten the left leg and jump your feet back to Tadasana.

3

Garudasana

Eagle Pose You can use the wall to learn this pose correctly.

Leg Action: Stand in Tadasana with the left side near the wall. Bring the right leg over the left and entwine the legs. Now exhale and bend the knees slightly to hook the right toe to the left ankle.

Learn to balance in this pose. Here the left leg is firm to the floor.

Release the right leg and stand in Tadasana. Repeat on the left side.

Arm Action: Bring your arms in front and rest your left elbow in the right elbow joint. Roll your left forearm around the right forearm and join your palms. Look forward. Change arms.

Now do both arms and legs. Hook the legs first and then the arms to complete the pose. Hold for 20 seconds.

Release the leg and arms and stand in Tadasana.

Uttanasana

Intense Stretch Pose Stand with your feet hip width apart. Keep the legs straight. Pull up the knee caps. Bend forward and hold the elbows. Descend the side ribs to the floor. Hold for 30 seconds or more. Inhale to come up, keeping the legs straight.

Prasarita Padottanasana

Wide Leg Intense Stretch Pose 2 Blocks Stand in the middle of the mat and step your feet wide.

Press the feet down firmly, keep the legs firm, and pull up the knee caps. Bend forward and place the palms on the blocks. Keep the shoulders firm to chest and side ribs extending. Place the hands on the hips and inhale to come up, pressing the feet firmly to the floor with legs straight.

Malasana

Garland Pose Heels lifted and supported by a blanket.

Stand in Tadasana, legs together, and press the feet down firmly.

Bend the knees and hips. Outer legs and outer knees firm in. Arms firm into the shoulder socket. Outer elbows in. Arms parallel to the floor. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. Inhale, press the heels down to come up, strength of outer leg in, lift the sides of the chest to stand to Tadasana. Repeat.

4

Dandasana

Staff Pose Blanket as needed.

Sit on height (blanket) if needed. Have the legs together and extend the heels well. Press the thighs, knees, and heels down.

Press the hands down to lift the side ribs up. Spread the collar bones to open the chest. Hold for 30 seconds.

Virasana

Hero Pose Blanket or block as needed Kneel on the floor. Join your knees while separating the feet, and sit between, not on, the feet. Sit on height (blanket or brick) to ground the sit bones. Point the toes backward. Sit straight. Spine upright. Broaden and lift the chest.

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana in Virasana

Upavistha Konasana

Upward Bound Fingers in Hero Pose Bring your arms forward and entwine the hands in Baddhanguliyasana. Lift the arms overhead and lift the side ribs well.

Keep the shoulders down and arms firm. Release the head forward.

Soften the eyes. Soften the throat. Lift the head. Bring the arms to parallel to the floor. Change the interlace of the fingers. Repeat.

Exhale to descend the arms down and release them to your sides.

To come out of the pose, take your legs to the side and sit straight in Dandasana. Press the legs down strongly.

Seated Angle Pose Sit in Dandasana. Spread your legs wide apart. Place hands on fingertips beside the hips. Be on the center of the heels and press the center of the heels down. Press the thighs and buttock bones down. Press the hands down. Lift the side ribs up. Widen the collar bones, take the upper arm bones back to deepen the shoulder blades. Sit straight. Stay 3-5 minutes.

5

Paschimottanasana

Intense Stretch of the West (Back) Side of the Body Sitting on 2 blankets. Belt as needed.

Sit straight, lift the side ribs, and spread the chest. Take straight arms up to Urdhva Hastasana. Then go forward and hold the sides of the feet or use a belt placed on the ball mounds of the feet. Concave the dorsal spine. Bend the elbows and go forward. Hold the pose for 30 seconds. Press the legs down firmly and inhale to come up.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Bridge Pose Block Lie in the middle of the mat- feet hip width, knees bent. Lift the buttocks and back of the thighs. Place the block under the sacrum, lifting the lumbar and tailbone. Hold the edges of the mat with your hands and roll the inner arms out to deepen the shoulder blades. Release the mat, turn your palms up and stay in the pose for 5 minutes. Exhale, lift the hips up to remove the brick, and come down slowly.

Savasana

Corpse Pose Blanket for the head as needed.

Lie flat in the middle of the mat. Separate your legs and arms equally from the center line of the body. Rest for 10 minutes.

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