Your 30-Minute Go-to Yoga Sequence Artwork
Season 1 - Episode 5

Go-to Sequence v.4

30 min - Practice
59 likes

Description

With an emphasis on lengthening the spine and creating more spaciousness and ease in the body, Alana guides us through this 30-minute go-to practice.
What You'll Need: Mat

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Welcome, friends. Let's go to it. Join me at the top of your mat. Spread your toes, interlace your fingers. Inhale, let's stretch our arms up to the sky. Get long and lengthen. Inhale, and exhale. Take it over to the right, stretching through the left side body. Inhale, reach it back up and exhale over to the left, lengthening the right side. Inhale, back up to center. Exhale, release the arms. Roll the shoulders forward, interlace the fingers behind your back. Inhale, lift the heart. Exhale, bend the knees forward, full, releasing the head, releasing the arms. As you're ready, release the hands down by the sacrum, down to the floor, soft bend in the knees, chin into the chest. Let's roll up this first round. Press through the feet, feeling the heart, the shoulders, the head. This time, let's hook the thumbs. Inhale, stretch the arms up to the sky, lengthen. We'll inhale, and exhale, take it over to the right again. Bend the left knee. Inhale, back up through center. Exhale, lengthen over to the left. Bend your right knee. Beautiful. Inhale, back up to center. Exhale, release the arms again behind the back, opposite finger on top. Inhale, lift up through the heart. Exhale, bend the knees forward, full, release the head. Stretch your arms up out and over. As you're ready, bend the knees, release the hands, setting up forward chair pose. Bend the knees with an inhale, strong, reach the arms up. Get long through the side body, shift back into the heels. Inhale. Exhale, press through the feet, reach the arms up. Exhale, hands to the heart, taking a moment to pause. Moving into our lunge pattern with an inhale, circle the arms up to the sky. Exhale, forward fold, soft, bend through the knees, release the head. Inhale, half arch length in the spine. With an exhale, bend the knees. Let's step our left foot back, right knee bends. This first round, get long through the back leg, long through the neck, breathing, drawing that right hip back. Hands on the floor, step back downward facing dog. You might pedal the feet this first dog. Lengthening the spine, spreading the fingers. With an inhale, reach the left leg up. Exhale, step it through between the hands, long lunge. Wiggle back through that right heel forward through the heart. Get long through the back line, drawing that left hip back a little bit. And then let's step the right foot forward to meet the left.

Inhale, half arch. Exhale, forward fold. Bend the knees, chair pose again. Inhale, rise up, lengthen, drawing the navel towards the spine, shift back into the heels. Inhale. With an exhale, press strongly through the legs, reach the arms up to the sky. Exhale, hands back to the heart. Second round, inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, forward fold, releasing the head and the arms. Inhale, lift up, half arch. Exhale, bend the knees. We'll step the right foot back, let the left knee bend. Get long again, twisting lunge. Right hand on the floor. Left thumb into the left hip crease. Reach back through that right heel, forward through the heart as you twist to the left. Reaching from the heart into both hands. Breathing, let it feel good. Nice. Exhale, release the left hand. Let's lower the right knee down to our mat. With an inhale, draw the hips back, stretching the hamstrings. Exhale, bend the left knee, lunge. Two more. Inhale, drop back. Exhale, lunge. Last one, inhale, drop back. Exhale, lunge. Finding the feet and legs. You might stay low in your lunge. You might rise up onto the thigh, softening the shoulders down the back. If it would feel good. Inhale, reach the arms up. We'll hook the thumbs again. Inhale, lift from the low belly, pull the thumbs apart, brighten up through the heart, the chest, the throat. Beautiful. Inhale. Exhale, release the hands. Roll the shoulders forward. We'll interlace the fingers again behind the back. And with an inhale, draw the hands towards the floor as you open through the chest. Breathing in. Exhale, release the hands to the mat. We'll draw our hips back for a moment. Just bring that left leg and hip. As you're ready, bend the left knee, tuck the back toes. We'll step back, downward facing dog. Again, pedal the feet, walk it off. Let it feel good. From down dog, inhale, lift your right leg up to the sky. And then exhale, we'll step it through between the hands for a long, twisting lunge. Left on the floor, right thumb into your right hip crease. Reach back for your left heel forward through the heart as you pull the right thumb back again a bit and twist to the right. It might feel nice to reach the right arm up to the sky as you inhale, breathing heart to hands. Find a place where your neck feels good. Let's inhale. Exhale, release the right hand back down. We'll lower the left knee down. And with an inhale, draw the hips back. You might come onto your right heel. Exhale, lunge. Inhale, drawing the hips back. And exhale, lunge. Let's find one more. Inhale, drawing the hips back. Exhale, lunge.

Again, you're welcome to stay low in your lunge. You might rise up onto the thigh. You might inhale, reach the arms up, hooking the thumbs. And with an inhale, lifting up, lengthening the front body, breathing, feeling the shoulder blades drawing down the back. With an exhale, release the hands. Interlace the funny knuckle on top or the opposite one and inhale, lifting up through the chest, opening the shoulders. Nice. Inhale, exhale, release the hands and draw the hips back for a moment. Coming onto that right heel. Just finding a bit more space for the hip, the back of the leg. And then as you're ready, bend that right knee, tuck your back toes, lift your back leg, and we'll step the left foot forward to meet the right. Inhale, half arch. Exhale, forward fold. Chair pose, bend the knees. Inhale, reach the arms up. Let them frame the ears. Draw the navel towards the spine. Inhale. With an exhale, press through the feet, reach the arms up to the sky. And with an exhale, hands together at the heart, taking a moment to pause, spreading the toes, perhaps feeling your own heartbeat, some heat building. From here, let's step wide on our mat, spread the toes, hands on the hip. Let's inhale, lengthen our spine, and then exhale, forward fold. Hinge at your hips, release the hands. Let's bend the right knee, shift the hips to the right, and then bend the left knee, shift the hips to the left. The hands can be on the floor, the legs, just feeling into the inner leg line, side to side, waking them up. So then as you come back to center, soften through the knees. If it feels good, just let your back round and roll your way up to stand. Press through the feet, feeling the shoulders, the head, warrior two on the right side. So turn the left foot in, the right foot out, bend the right knee. Let's settle into our warrior two, letting the palms turn up for warrior dance. With an inhale, press through the ball, the right foot, arms reach up. Exhale, right knee bends, warrior two. Two more. Inhale, reaching up. Exhale, let it open. Last one, inhale, reaching up. Exhale, let it open for three breaths. Softening the shoulders down, finding ease through the neck. As you're ready, inhale, press through the ball, the right foot, reach the arms up, turn the right foot and left foot out, warrior two, left side, sinking down into the left hip. Warrior dance with an inhale, press into the ball, the left foot, arms reach up, exhale, left knee bends. Two more, inhale, reaching up and exhale. Last one, inhale, reach up, exhale and land for three breaths. As you're ready, press through the ball, that left foot, reach the arms up, turn that left foot in and then release the arms behind the back, interlace the fingers. You might toe heel your feet a little bit closer with an inhale, lift up through the heart and exhale, forward fold, hinge at the hips, release the head, let the arms stretch about and over. Let it feel good for you. Nice. And then releasing the hands down carefully and it might feel nice to walk them out for hammock pose. Walk, walk, walk the fingers out and then reach the hips away from the hands, let the heart soften towards the earth, long through the neck, breathing. From here, moving towards a squat pose, walk the hands in a bit closer, toe heel the feet a little bit closer together and then bend the knees any amount, shifting down into a squat. Hands might find each other towards the heart, allow for a nice full exhale, easy through the eyes, the jaw, feeling into the hips. From here, bring the hands down towards the floor, forward fold, toe heel the feet a little bit closer together, soft bend through the knees, chin into the chest, let's round our back and roll up slowly, chin into the chest, use the strength of the legs, press, feeling the heart, feeling the shoulders, feeling the head and let's take a few moments to pause here in mountain pose, feeling the support beneath us, toes spreading, inviting a quality of feeling of length up through your entire spine, eyes softening through the face a bit, shifting towards tree pose, shift the weight into your right foot and hip, let's open the left hip like a warrior two shape, you might press the heel towards the inner ankle, the calf or the thigh, hands might find each other at the heart, might feel some wobbling, soft steady gaze, last few moments here, inhale, exhale, release, take a moment, feel both feet on the earth and then let's shift the weight into our left foot and hip grounding, letting the right hip open and you might press the heel towards the inner ankle, the calf or the thigh and joining the hands together perhaps, feeling all those little movements and wobbling, perhaps feeling the essence of your supported mountain pose now on one leg within the movement, last few moments on this side, notice the quality of your breath, you might find one side feels a bit easier than the other, I know I do, inhale, when you're ready exhale, release, feeling both feet on the earth and let's make our way to the top of the mat and put it all together, spreading the toes, hands together at the heart, with an inhale let's reach our arms up to the sky, enjoying that length and then exhale, forward fold, releasing the head and the arms, as you inhale half arch, find length in your spine, exhale, bend the knees, we'll step our left foot back, right knee bends, coming into that blueprint side angle, spin onto the outer edge of the left foot, left hand on the hip, right form onto your right thigh, pause here and just feel the foundation through your legs and your hips, moving towards our triangle pose, press into the ball of your right foot, right hand might slide down the shin, the ankle, maybe there's a block there, you might stay right here, reach your left arm up to the sky, reaching from the heart into both hands, let's take five breaths here together, you might keep your arm to the sky, you might sweep it in front of your face and reach it long over the ear, find this beautiful extended side angle from the inside out, finding a place where the neck feels good, bringing that top arm back to your hip, bend the right knee again, coming into our extended side angle shape, so you might toe heel that left foot out a little bit more, right hand might stay on the hip or down to the ground, five breaths here, arm might sweep overhead again as you lengthen, sinking down into that right hip and rooting through the outer edge of your left foot, beautiful inhale, exhale, release that left arm down, spin onto the ball of the back foot, we're going to take a nice long pyramid shape, releasing through the hips, the knees, bend that front right knee, left hand on the floor coming back into our twisting lunge, right arm reaches up to the sky, stretching that outer right hip feels so nice, you might bend the right knee, you might straighten it a few times, bend and straighten, inhale, exhale, release the right hand down, and then step back downward facing dog, walking the feet out, pedaling the feet, and then walking towards the top of the mat, we'll inhale to lengthen halfway and exhale forward fold, with an inhale let's sweep our arms up reverse swan dive, arms reach up and back down through forward fold again, releasing the head and the arms, inhale half arch to lengthen, exhale right foot steps back, left knee bends, pivot onto the outer right edge of the foot, right hand on the hip, left form onto the left thigh, sink down, and feeling the foundation of the hips, the legs, the feet, and moving into triangle pose, pressing into the ball that left foot, left hand might slide down the shin or the ankle and the top right arm reaches up towards the sky, beautiful, allowing yourself to really take up space here in this pose, for five breaths you might stay right where you are, it might feel good to sweep your top right arm in front of the face and overhead framing the ear, get long, and finding a place where the neck feels comfortable. Inhale, when you're ready exhale right hand on the hip, bend your left knee coming into your extended side angle, you might prop your left form back up onto your left thigh, and rolling the rib cage in the chest open, maybe sweeping your right arm in front of the face again, and overhead, breathing, inhale, when you're ready exhale release that right arm down, spin onto the ball of the back right foot, hands frame that front foot shape of a lunge, let's twist it out, inhale reach that left arm up to the sky, ooh this feels so nice, you might keep the left knee bent, you might straighten it, bend it, play with it, beautiful, inhale, with an exhale release the left hand down, and step back downward facing dog, spreading the fingers, and then reaching through the sitting bones, let the spine lengthen, heels heavy, from down dog as you're ready shift forward plank pose, shoulders over the wrist, strong through the legs, reach back through your heels, lengthen forward through the heart, looking down, back of the neck stays long, and drawing the deep low belly into the spine and plank pose, building some heat, inhale, when you're ready exhale lower the knees, with an inhale arching the back, and with an exhale let's round and stretch the back, and inhale lengthening, and exhale curl and round, one more like this, inhale arching, exhale round, we'll press back into child's pose for a moment, sinking the hips towards the heels, reaching the arms out, inhale rise back up, let's lower down for a back bending sequence, coming onto the forearms for sphinx, elbows in line with the shoulders, and with an inhale let's traction the heart forward, using the forearms, and then lengthening out of the lower back, drawing the shoulder blades down the back, and see how it feels to relax some of the effort, some of the gripping through the buttocks, through the legs, breathing, softening through the face, beautiful inhale, and with an exhale lower down slide the palms in line with the shoulders just below for cobra, with an inhale draw the elbows into the rib cage, press through the hands and inhale lift your chest up, draw the heart forward wide through the collar bones, and exhale lead with the heart lower down, again press through the hands inhale lift the chest for cobra, and this time moving in the direction of locus, so lifting the hands, reaching the fingers towards the toes, lifting the thighs, and with an inhale rise up draw the back body into the spine, long through the neck, finding that internal rotation through your thigh bones, as you inhale exhale lower down, just taking a moment to pause after that back bend, notice how you feel, and then as you're ready you might interlace your fingers for the second round of locus, and with an inhale lifting up through the chest, and then maybe lifting the legs, find that internal rotation through your thigh bones, with an inhale drawing the back of your body in towards the spine, lifting up, inhale exhale slow melting down towards the earth, forehead or cheek, nice full exhale you might shimmy your hips a little, nice full exhale, beautiful you might take another round of locus or join me in bow, bending your knees, hands might bind the tops of the feet or ankles, knees hips distance apart, and with an inhale lift the chest just like locus and then kick the feet into the hands, lifting up, beautiful you might rock forward and back a little bit, some juice through the toes, breathing, inhale and exhale slow melting down to the earth, nice full exhale again, child's pose as you're ready nice and slow palms underneath you, elbows in, press up and then round your spine back, melting the hips towards the heels, few breaths, releasing the low back, and take your time to join me on your back for a bridge pose, we'll start with the knees into the chest, I love knees into the chest, bring the feet down for bridge, spread the toes, arms down alongside the body at your own pace curl the tailbone under press through the feet, lift your pelvis up, you might press the hands into the floor, you might roll and tuck your shoulders under your back interlacing your fingers, this has been a theme for us, spacious through the chest again finding that internal rotation through the thigh bones, softening through the eyes and you might play with relaxing some of the gripping and effort again through the buttocks, you feel the work through the legs, a bit more spacious through the pelvis, as you're ready to release, let's lift our heels up, come high up onto the balls of the feet, stretch the arms up to the sky, get round through the upper back and then slowly melt the spine down to the floor, upper back, middle back, low back and sacrum, take a moment here, exhale, moving into our abdominals, lift the knees, press the palms into the thighs as if you were sitting into a chair, lift the feet in line with the knees and you might press, press, press the hand into the knees, knees into the hands, if you want and need to feel more you can play with curling up, chin to the chest, navel to spine, lower back pressing and then press, press, press, feeling that quiver and then exhale, lower down, knees into chest, when you're ready rock your way up to a sit, we'll come into a forward fold, nice and easy, inhale to lengthen and exhale, we'll just slide the hands down the legs, you might let your back round if that feels good and release the head for five breaths, beginning to invite the senses inward, when you're ready rounding your way up, slow, we'll put our way back onto our back, knees into chest and then feet on the floor, right ankle on top of the left thigh, letting that right hip roll open and then draw the left knee into the chest, right hand through the window, you might find the back of the left thigh or top of the shin for reverse pigeon or eye of the needle shape, we wobble a little bit from side to side and notice the quality of your breath, any areas you can soften here, releasing the hands, we'll continue with the wrap and then twisting to the left, so stack the hands, the arms on top of each other and then let it open into a spinal twist, right arm releasing, finding some ease again through your neck, breathing into wherever you feel the stretch or sensation, then slowly unwrapping the legs, lead with the top leg, let the bottom leg follow, feet on the earth, left ankle on top of the right, let that left hip roll open and then lift the right foot up off the floor, slide the left hand through, grab a hold of the back of the thigh or the top of the shin, maybe a little rocking from side to side here and eye of the needle, easy through the jaw, just feeling into the left hip and the side might feel a bit tighter, more open, allowing for a bit of a release and softening. When you feel ready, we'll release the hands, keep wrapping that left leg across for eagle wrap spinal twist, roll onto your right side, stack the shoulders and the hands and then let that top left arm open, a few breaths here, finding a space between the eyebrows, the base of the skull, welcome to stay here a bit longer when you're ready, unwrap the top leg, lead with the top leg, let the bottom leg follow and draw the knees and we'll rock one more time, side to side and then let's stretch our legs out for Shavasana, our final relaxation, taking up space through the arms, the legs, nice full exhale, allowing the earth to have you. Thank you.

Just gradually let your awareness come back to your breath. If you have the time, you might stay here a bit longer. When you feel ready to transition, you might stretch the arms overhead, lengthening through the spine, bending the knees, roll to your side, let yourself pause, head heavy. Using your arms to slowly press yourself up to a seat, just finding a comfortable seat, just letting yourself settle, and then joining your hands together at your heart, breathing in, and exhale, namaste. Thank you for your practice.

Comments

Christel B
3 people like this.
Loved this sequence!  Very refreshing!  Namaste Alana.
Alana Mitnick
Hi Christel! So delighted that you enjoyed the practice. Let's us know how the Go-To sequence feels and evolves within you during the season. Namaste and Love, Alana
Erika H
3 people like this.
I do love this! I always love Alana's practices. I think she forgot (around 17:30) the long pyramid stretch on the 2nd side.   Still wonderful! Also, a curious question: this entire sequence is nearly identical to Rosemary's 30-minute Go-To practice! Did you two choose to put your personal spin on the same sequence?  Thanks again.
Alana Mitnick
Hi Erika! So glad you loved the practice. Oops, yeah it looks like the long pyramid stretch morphed right into the twisting lunge with some pyramid-like hamstring play. Nice catch! And yes, we share our own personal spin and teaching style in each of the  Go-To sequences. Let us know how Season 1 feels and works for you. Love, Alana
1 person likes this.
I liked how parsvottanasana turned into a revolved triangle today - it felt easy! Thanks Alana!
Alana Mitnick
Awesome, Ali! I so admire how dedicated you are with your yoga practice. Lovely practicing together. Warmly, Alana
Glenford N
2 people like this.
Hi Alana. I'm really enjoying  this challenge as it helpd to relieve the tension of all those sticky spots first thing in the morning especially in my hips. It's replaced by more freedom and ease, a  sense of lightness and energy.  Many thanks.  Namaste. 
Alana Mitnick
Hi Glenford, I'm so happy to hear that you are enjoying this series and are finding RELIEF. Your continual effort and dedication is inspiring. Namaste, Alana 
Gabriel W
1 person likes this.
Great practice... really valuable to repeat the sequence and very interesting to feel it differently depending on the tone of the instruction.. good idea thank you.
Alana Mitnick
Hi Gabriel - Great to hear from you! Yes, it's amazing how repetition can actually allow for  a bit more freedom within the practice. So glad you "get" and appreciate the Go-To concept. Enjoy! Warmly, Alana 
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