Shoulders & Hamstrings Release

Welcome back and thank you for joining me. So in this practice we're really going to find some nice release in the shoulders and the hamstrings. So let's just begin in seated. You can make your way to a comfortable seat. Whatever feels best for you, feel free to sit up on a blanket or a bolster if you have that. And then close your eyes. Just take a moment to root down through your sitting bones and allow that rooting down to give you a nice lift up through the spine, up through the crown of your head. And then as you're doing that can you soften the shoulders down the back, relax your jaw, and then just check in with your breath. So notice the breath, the natural rhythm of the breath. And then we'll begin by taking three cleansing breaths together. So as you're ready, allowing a full breath in through the nose, filling everything up. And then as you exhale, open your mouth and sigh it out. Nice. Two more like that. Big full breath in through the nose and sigh it out. Let it go. Good. Last one. Inhale and sigh it out. Just take a moment to set an intention, maybe allowing the breath to begin to move in and out through your nose for ujjayi breath. Good. And then as you're ready, you can gently blink the eyes open and we'll start by reaching the arms in front of us. Bring the palms to face up and then eagle wrap with your arms, right arm under the left, wrap it up so you can either bring the backs of your hands together, maybe the palms touch. And then as you do that, draw the elbows away from you on your inhale, look up, lengthen. And then as you exhale, draw the elbows in. As you round through the spine, let the head and neck relax. Feel that opening through the rib cage and the back body. Let's take that two more times. So as you inhale, elbows draw away, lift up. So it's almost like this cat cow movement in the back. As you exhale, draw the elbows in and round. One more. Inhale, look up and lengthen, arching the back, lift the heart. Exhale, draw the elbows in, rounding through the upper back. Good. And then release your arms, take them back behind you, fingertips down, tenting the hands. And then just start to lift up through the chest. You might even lift the hips up off the earth for a breath. Good. And then let the hips lower and take the opposite leg in front. So just change the crossing of your legs just to get into the left side or whatever side you're on before. We'll take the opposite side and again reach the arms forward, palms face up. This time left arm under the right, eagle wrap with the arms. And then again on an inhale, lift the elbows up away from you, lift the gaze. As you exhale, draw the elbows in, rounding, maybe take a couple breaths right here in this first one. And then two more. Inhale brings you up. Exhale, round and draw the elbows in. Feel that opening in the back body. Good. Inhale, draw the elbows away from you, lift up. Exhale, draw everything in. Good. And then again, release the arms, take them back behind you, lift up through the chest, maybe lift up through the hips. And then lower your hips down and then meet me on all fours. We'll come to a tabletop position. So just bringing your shoulders right over the wrists, hips over the knees. So from your tabletop position, let's reach your left leg back and then just take a moment, tuck your left toes underneath you and then press your weight back. So you're feeling into the back of that left leg. Good. And then shift the weight back over, shoulders over the wrists, and then we'll lift up through the left leg. Flex through the left foot, hips stay even. And then take your weight into your left hand, reach the right arm forward, find your balance here, and then draw the navel in towards your spine. So you're engaging through the core. And then inhale as you lengthen out through the fingertips and through your left heel. As you exhale, draw the elbow to the knee and then draw everything into center. Good. As you inhale, lengthen the arm and the leg back out. Exhale, knee to elbow, elbow to knee. One more. Inhale, lengthen. Exhale, draw everything in. And then inhale, lengthen. Bring your right hand down, bring the toes back down behind you, and then we'll come into Ardavashisthasana. So roll onto your left heel. You might kickstand the right shin back a little bit. And then take the weight into your right hand and reach the left arm up. Good. Maybe take that left arm up and over your ear for a breath. If you want to lift up the left leg, you can hold on to that left ankle, kick your foot into your hand for chapasana variation. Nice. And then as you come out of there, you'll bring the left knee down. The left hand's gonna sweep under your right arm, so you're gonna come on to the left shoulder and the left side of your face for a nice shoulder stretch. And then walk your right hand forward. And you might even take that right arm up and behind the back if you want a half-wrap. And then hold here for just a few breaths, feeling that twist in the upper body. Feel that stretch in the left shoulder. Nice. And then we'll come on out of there, pressing your way this back up to all fours. Find your tabletop position. Good. So again, shoulders over wrists, hips over knees. And this time let's stretch the right leg back. Tuck your toes. Take a moment to press back so that you're stretching into the back of the right leg, feeling that stretch there. And then shift the weight forward, shoulders over wrists. Lift up the right leg, hips stay nice and even. Weight into your right hand this time. Reach your left hand forward like you're shaking someone's hand. And then engage the core. Take a big full breath in to lengthen. As you exhale, knee to nose, elbow to knee. Two more like that. Inhale, lengthen everything out. Exhale, knee to nose, elbow to knee. One more. Inhale, lengthening. Exhale, draw everything in, elbow to knee. Good. And then lengthen it out. Left hand down, bring the toes back behind you again, tucking the toes. And then we'll come to Ardavashisthasana. So bringing the weight into your left hand, spin on to the right heel. Reach your right arm up. Good. And you can stay right here. Maybe the top arm reaches over the ear. Maybe you lift up through the right leg, reaching your right hand back to take hold of the right foot, kicking the foot into the hand. And that just nicely expands through the chest. Beautiful. And then as you come out of there, right knee comes down, right arm sweeps under the left arm coming on to the right shoulder, right side of the face, maybe walking the left fingertips forward or taking the left arm behind the back, wrapping it up. And then just notice how the right shoulder feels versus the left. Just a couple more full deep breaths here.

Nice. And then as you're ready, we'll press back up, coming to all fours. And then we'll make our way into downward facing dog. So tucking the toes, lifting the hips up and back. As you come to down dog, just pedal it out. Any movement in the legs, the hips, feet, hips, distance, hands shoulder-width apart. Good. And then as you're ready, let's reach your right leg up and back. Bend your knee, open up your hip for a breath. And then straighten out through the right leg. We're gonna step the right foot all the way through between your hands. And then come on to your fingertips. Stay on the ball of your back foot. You're also welcome to have a couple blocks under your hands here if that feels better for you. And on an inhale, lift up through the heart. As you exhale, you're gonna press back through your left heel. Start to straighten your right leg any amount. As you fold over that right leg, folding over both legs. So both legs are nice and straight and active. Just feeling the hamstring. Good. And then as you inhale, we'll come back to your lunge. So re-bend through the right leg. Lift up and lengthen. Lifting the gaze, the heart. And then exhale, fold back over your front leg. Straightening both legs, pressing actively through the left heel. And then one more exactly like that. So inhale, re-bend through the right leg. Lift up, lengthen. Good. And then exhale, fold over your front leg. Both legs straight. Reach back through your left heel. Good. And then re-bend. Lower your back knee down. So left knee lowers. And then from here, let's reach the arms forward and up coming into Anjaliasana. And as you get back here, soften your shoulders. And let's take the hands behind the back, interlacing the fingers. If that's too much, you're welcome to hold opposite elbows. That might feel a little bit more accessible depending on how your shoulders are feeling today. And then so allow that to draw the shoulders away from the ears. So either way, it's a nice stretch in the shoulders as you lift up through the heart. And maybe lift the gaze. Take two more breaths. Good. And then release your hands down on either side of your front foot. And then any amount, start to straighten through your front leg for Arda Hanamanasana. Drawing the right hip back, keeping length in the spine. You might glide that right foot forward a little bit. Feel free to bend that right knee, any amount. And then just fold in. Fold in and breathe. Notice the back of the right leg, your hamstring. Beautiful. And then rebend through your front leg. We'll come on out of there. And then we'll step back to downward-facing dog. Good. From your downward-facing dog, glide forward into plank pose, top of a push-up, lower the knees, the chin, and the chest down. And then come into a baby cobra. So untuck the toes, draw the shoulders back, hug your elbows in as you lift up and lengthen. Nice. And then meet me back in downward-facing dog, however you'd like to get there. Take a breath as you land. Check in, breathe. So as you're ready, inhale the left leg up, bend your knee, open up your hip. Good. And then straighten through the left leg, gaze forward, step your left foot all the way through. Come on to your fingertips, lift the heart. So you're in this lunge. And then take a big full breath in. As you exhale, press through your right heel, start to straighten through your left leg, letting the torso drape down over that front leg. Good. And then we'll rebend, come back to your lunge, inhale, fingertips, lift the heart, lift the gaze. Exhale, start to straighten through the left leg, press back through your right heel, folding any amount over your front leg. One more with the breath, just like that. Inhale, rebend, lift heart, lift gaze. Exhale, press back, straightening the legs, pressing through the right heel, folding over your left leg. Good. And then rebend through the left knee. Let the right knee lower down. And then coming into anjali asana, reach your arms forward and up. Relax the shoulders, relax your gaze. And then again, let's take hands behind the back, interlace with the opposite thumb or opposite elbow on top. If you forget which one you did, it's usually the one that's not natural. So take the weird thumb on top and then start to draw the shoulders away from the ears to lift the heart, shoulder stretch, and maybe lift up the gaze toward the ceiling, wherever it feels good in your neck. Take two more breaths. Nice. Take one more breath in, and then as you exhale, lower the hands down. And again, half split. Arda Hanuman, start to straighten through your left leg, maybe glide that left foot forward a little bit, and then draw the left hip back, let the right hip roll forward, fold over your front legs any amount. Again, feel free to bend that left knee. You just want to feel that sensation, that opening in the back of the left leg.

Maybe spread your toes. Good. And then we'll rebend through your front leg, step it back to downward facing dog. And then from your down dog, let's lower the knees down, chin and chest, bend the elbows as you lower. Cobra pose, draw shoulders away from ears, inhale, lift up, and then exhale, downward facing dog. Take a slow, slow walk to the front of your mat, walk your feet to your hands, step your feet hips distance. When you're at the front of the mat, soften the knees, let the torso drape down. Again, take the hands behind the low back, interlace your fingers, draw the shoulders away from the ears, and just come halfway up from here. So you're drawing the hands back, put a bend in your right knee, straighten out through the left, and then start to open your chest and your gaze toward the left. Good. And then bend both knees, fold over your legs, come halfway up, lift the belly up off the thighs, bend through the left knee, straighten through the right leg, and then go ahead and open the chest to the right, the gaze to the right, and then fold back over your legs, let your hands just drape down, and then roll up slowly, one vertebra at a time. Bring your shoulders up to your ears. As you get to the top, inhale, and then draw them down the back. Exhale, let it go, hands to heart, and we'll move through some moon salutation. So as you're ready, inhale, arms lift, exhale, bow forward, fold over your legs, step your left foot to the back of the mat, lower your back knee down like we did before, and then we're going to reach the arms forward and up on Janayasana, just one breath, inhale. As you exhale, bring the hands back down, and then half split, Ardha Hanuman, fold over your front leg, and again, just one breath here. Your inhale will rebend through the front leg, tuck the back toes, step back, downward facing dog. Lower your knees, your chin and your chest down, staying low, come into cobra pose on your inhale, draw the shoulders back, legs engaged, and then exhale, come back, downward facing dog. Reach your left leg up, look forward, step your left foot through between your hands, lower the back knee down on Janayasana, inhale, arms sweep up, and the exhale brings the hands down, straighten through your front leg, fold in, Ardha Hanuman, then rebend through your front leg, this time tuck your back toes, and then step your right foot to meet the left front of the mat, root down, rise all the way up to stand, inhale, arms sweep up, hands to heart, exhale, good, and that was one half of a round, so we'll take it to the other side. As you're ready, inhale, arms lift, exhale, fold over your legs, step your right foot to the back of the mat this time, lower the back knee down, arms sweep forward and up, inhale, on Janayasana, exhale, half split, hands come down, straighten through your left leg, fold in, inhale, rebend, come back to downward facing dog, lower the knees, lower the chin and the chest, hugging the elbows in as you lower, cobra pose, draw the shoulders back, legs engaged, exhale, come back to downward facing dog, last side, inhale, your right leg up, step the right foot through between your hands, lower the back knee down, inhale, arms sweep up, exhale, hands lower, fold over your front leg, draw the right hip back as you fold in, and then rebend, tuck the back toes, we're gonna step the left foot to meet the right, folding in, and then root down, rise all the way up, draw your hands to your heart. Take a moment to pause and just check in, and the stillness between the movement, stillness within the movement, spaces between the breath, and then we'll come to chair pose as you're ready, Utkatasana, bend the knees, weight into the heels, sweep the arms all the way up, and then as you exhale just fold right over your legs, Uttanasana, come halfway up, offer the heart forward, and then your choice, you can step right back to down dog, maybe step back to plank, lowering through Vinyasa, you might even come through Chaturanga this time, halfway down, cobra or up dog on your inhale, and downward facing dog on your exhale, sweep the right leg up and back, inhale, step your foot through again between your hands, this time warrior one, spin the back heel down, reach your arms forward and up, just coming into your warrior pose, take a moment to arrive here in warrior one, hips and shoulders square-ish toward the front of your mat, and coming toward 90 degrees in that front leg, draw your rib cage in, and then find a lift through the upper back and through the heart, and then again take hands behind the back, interlacing where you might hold opposite elbows, if that felt better for you before, go for it, otherwise as you inhale draw the shoulders away from your ears, lift up through the heart, and then humble warrior, fold over your front leg, the crown of the head melt down, keep hugging your right hip in, good, and then to come out of there, we'll come back to warrior one, as you lift all the way up, but straighten through that front leg, just get out of the hip for a moment, and then open it up to warrior two, as you come to warrior two, bring the right arm under the left, and find eagle arms, so you're sinking into that front knee, drawing the elbows away from you, maybe close your eyes for a couple of breaths, and then release the arms, reverse your warrior, reach up and back, circle your hands down to the earth, step back to plank pose, pause in your plank, bring your feet together at the back of your mat, and then let's roll to the outer edge of the right foot, bring the weight into your right hand, maybe reach your left arm up for Vasisthasana, it might come over the ear, again you're welcome to come right back to art of Vasisthasana, where we began, that feels better for you in your practice, and then slow and controlled, come on out of there, vinyasa if you'd like, or coming right to downward facing dog, we'll meet in down dog, however you choose to arrive there, and then just hang for a couple breaths, ground, and then bringing it to the left side, as you're ready, inhale the left leg up, exhale, step it through, spin the back heel down, heels aligned, reach your arms forward and up, warrior one, take a moment to land, feel the lift in the upper back, but relax the shoulders energized through your fingertips, and then hands behind the back opposite thumb on top, inhale draw shoulders away from the ears, and then as you exhale keep the legs how they are, bow forward humble warrior, the crown of the head melt down, and the torso can rest on the thigh, or it can come to the inside of that front thigh, keep hugging your left hip in, good, and then root down, rise up, as you come up toward warrior one, straighten through your front leg, and then open it up to warrior two, find your eagle arms, left arm underneath the right, sink it down, draw the elbows away from you, maybe close your eyes, and just feel into the pose, beautiful, and then come back to warrior two, flip the front palm, tilt back, reverse warrior, circle your hands down, come to your lunge, step back plank pose, pause, and then feet together at the back of the mat, and if you took Vashtasana on that first time, this time we'll roll to the outer edge of your left foot, weight into your left hand, lift the hips up, lift the right arm up, maybe bring it up and over your ear, any modifications or variations, and then exiting out of there, slow and controlled Vinyasa, or right to down dog, we'll meet in downward facing dog, take a couple breaths, so from your down dog, come forward to plank pose, we're going to lower all the way down to the belly for a shoulder stretch, so as you lower down, reach your left arm out to the left, bringing the palm of your left hand down to the earth, and then tense your right fingertips, so the elbow is bent, roll on to the right, or excuse me, the left side of your face, so bring the left side of the face down to the earth, and then roll to your left hip, bend your right knee, and then step your right toes behind you, and you can feel that stretch and twist, shoulders and spine, hopefully, and you're welcome to flatten out that right foot if that feels better for you or accessible, and then breathe, nice, and then we'll come back through center, so rolling out of there, come back to your belly, and then right over to the other side, so you're gonna bend your left arm, fingertips down to the earth, reach the right arm out to the right, palm facing down, roll to your right hip, bend your left knee, and then step your left toes behind you, notice if this side feels any different, and then again breathe into wherever you feel this, good, and then come on out of there, come back to your belly, and then roll all the way onto your back, so you're gonna face the back of the mat as you just roll over, and then hug your right knee into your chest, you can bring the sole of your left foot down, and then straighten out your right leg up toward the ceiling, maybe interlacing your fingers either behind your right thigh or behind that left calf or onto the calf of the right leg, and then relax the shoulders, you want to straighten out the left leg along the mat, you're welcome to do that, and just one last hamstring stretch, you can draw the leg in any amount, and as you do this, see if you can invite in a little ease to the shoulders, and then let that side go, bring the right foot down, sole of the foot to the earth, hug your left knee into your chest, and then straighten your left leg any amount, interlace fingers wherever that feels good, and then any amount draw your left leg in towards your face, relax your shoulders, you might straighten out the right leg, send the breath all the way through the back of the leg, nice, and then release that side, we'll hug both knees into the chest, and rock a little bit side to side, massage the low back, good, and then keeping the right knee hugged in, let the left leg go long, let's take a twist here, so drawing the right knee across the body, reach your right arm out to the right, and just wringing everything out, just a couple breaths on this side, or any other twist that is calling you right now, feel free to honor that, and then coming back through center, straighten the right leg, hug your left knee into your chest, give a squeeze, draw your left knee across the body with your right hand, reach your left arm out to the left, and you see that twist, a couple breaths, beautiful, and then come back through center, and just straighten out both of your legs for shavasana, any last pose your body's asking for, honor that, otherwise start to let go, any effort in the breath, the body, the mind, just letting go, letting be shavasana. Begin to deepen your breath.

Bring the awareness back to the physical body, inviting in any movement, rolling out your feet a few times, rolling out the wrists, and then reaching your arms all the way up over your head, maybe interlacing the fingers, pressing the palms toward the wall behind you, full body stretch, and maybe sigh out the exhale, let it go, rolling over to one side, taking a moment to pause on your side, to just check in, notice what you notice, and keeping the ease of your shavasana, we'll press our way up to a comfortable cross legs seated position, so as you find your seat, just taking a moment to gather the hands together in heart, center, anjali mudra, bow your head towards your hands, just thanking yourself for showing up for you today, and thank you for sharing your practice and being here with me today, I appreciate it, namaste.