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Strike a Yoga Pose
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Strike a Yoga Pose: Rotated Triangle
There are many poses that are staples of yoga class, like the standing pose Triangle. It is such a dynamic pose that stretches your hamstrings while lengthening your spine, which makes it perfect for after a run. While Triangle is one of my favorite poses, the twisted variation, Rotated Triangle, used to be very difficult for me.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Extended Tabletop
If you're looking for a pose that will strengthen your shoulders and core, and increase flexibility in your spine then give Extended Tabletop a try. I like to move into this pose from a variation of Three-Legged Dog with your knee bent (see the photo after the break). This is a pose I've only seen in Vinyasa Yoga classes, so it's a newer pose that will help prepare you for doing Wheel.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Wide-Legged Forward Bend D
We're finally up to the last wide-legged forward bend pose in Ashtanga Yoga, Wide-Legged Forward Bend D. If you do all four in a row, A, B, C, and D, your hamstrings, hips, and lower back will feel amazingly stretched and open. It's a great series of stretches to do after a run if your lower body gets really tight.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Wide-Legged Forward Bend B
If you love stretching your hamstrings and lower back in Wide-Legged Forward Bend A, then you're going to love this pose. You can do A for five breaths, come to stand up, and then go right into five breaths of this pose. It's great to do as a warm-up before a run or bike ride.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Prep For Bound Wide Squat
Wide Squat is a great pose that opens your hips, but if you want to open your shoulders, chest, and increase flexibility in your spine as well, then you're going to love doing Bound Wide Squat. The prep for this pose makes you feel an incredible sense of openness in your heart and lungs. Since you put weight in your bottom hand, it also gives you a great wrist stretch which allows you to shift weight into your heels so you can stretch your calf muscles.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Triangle
If you've been to a few yoga classes, I'm sure you've discovered that there are poses you absolutely love to do. They're usually the ones we're more familiar with, or the ones we're really good at. Then of course there are the poses that you secretly hope the instructor won't do during class, the ones that maybe you're scared of (for fear of falling or making a fool of yourself), or the ones that look way too hard.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Boat
Recently, I posted about vinyasas - the 5-movement sequence that links poses together. In order to be able to lift your body back from seated and get back to Chaturanga (this is called a "jump back"), you need to have some serious core muscle strength.
This pose called Boat is great to practice if you want to tone and build up your abdominals.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Half Hero Forward Bend
Since I'm a runner, I love yoga poses that stretch out my tight hamstrings, quads, and lower back. This pose stretches them all at the same time. If you love Hero pose and Seated Forward Bend, you're going to love this one.
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Strike a Yoga Pose: Balancing Butterfly
If you're a runner, chances are your feet could use some extra love. Here's a tranquil pose that will stretch your arches and toes like Toe Breaker stretch, but will also open your hips and challenge your sense of balance.
To learn how to do this pose and see another variation read more
Strike a Yoga Pose: Wide Squat
You can never open your hips enough - especially if you are a runner or biker. Doing a wide squat opens those tight hips, releases tension in your lower back, and stretches out the muscles in your feet. This will get you ready for next Monday's Yoga Challenge.
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