20-Minute Yoga Flows Artwork
Season 1 - Episode 3

Side Body and Hips Flow

20 min - Practice
220 likes

Description

Sarah guides us in a short, yet powerful practice that focuses on strengthening and opening the side body and hips. You will feel spacious and strong.
What You'll Need: Mat

About This Video

Apr 09, 2019
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Transcript

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Hello, welcome. To start, we'll just get right into it. Come onto your hands and your knees, spreading your fingers nice and wide. And as you inhale, drop your belly, pull your shoulders back, lift your gaze. On an exhale, round your back, pull your belly towards your spine, drop your head, and go through a few like this. Inhaling to drop the belly, expanding across the collarbone. And exhaling, rounding in your back, trying to hollow out a little bit in your belly. One more time, inhaling to tilt. And one more time, exhaling, really articulating even in the lower back. And then coming back to neutral, it might feel good for you to wiggle a little bit on the way there. Bring your left foot when you're ready to the left side and spin the sole of your right foot to the floor. Your hips will start to push forward and then slowly stack your right arm above your left. Looking up is nice. You can also let your head flop. Take a moment, press the right foot into the floor, breathe into the side of your body. Feel your shoulders drawing down and back. Taking a few moments here, a little engagement in the belly. And then as you're ready, right hand and left foot come back to the mat and the right leg extends back. Your hip bone presses towards the floor and then float your left arm up. Maybe follow your fingers with your gaze, pulling the lower belly in and really making sure that right hand is sturdy on the floor. Take a few breaths here. Big inhales, big exhales, keeping the right leg active. One more inhale and exhale, hand and knee back to the ground. The wiggle can be nice here as well. And we'll go to the other side. Right foot to the right side of your mat, left foot presses into the floor. Let your hip bone start to push forward so you feel that opening and then stack your left arm over your right. Right shoulder blade tucks underneath you. Again, looking up is pretty. It feels nice. If it makes you feel like you're going to fall over, look down. Right foot and left hand come back to the mat and the left leg floats up. Take the time that you need to make sure that your hips are level. Bring your right arm up. Try and keep some energy all the way back into your left foot so that you feel really energized from hand to finger. One more big inhale and exhale, hand and knee to the ground. Maybe a little wiggle here. And then sink your hips back for a moment. Let your forehead come towards the floor, releasing in your low back. And then we'll move up to a downward facing dog. Tucking your toes, pushing the floor away from you, lifting your hips. Let your head drop all the way if you need to. Maybe walk your dog, pedal your legs, wiggle around a little bit. Get as comfortable as you can, as quickly as you can. Pushing your hips up and back. Take a big inhale and a big exhale. And then coming up onto your tiptoes, pull your belly towards your spine. Start to round your back towards the ceiling until you feel your shoulders over your wrists. Drop your hips, pull your chest forward, lift your gaze. And then exhaling, reversing, rolling back, easing the heels down.

Two more times, rolling through our vinyasa, inhaling to roll up, making as much space as you can. Dropping the hips, lifting your gaze. One more time, rolling back. Last time, trying to articulate in the spine, pulling the belly in a little bit as you move into your up dog, keeping the legs active and lifting back. Catch up to your breath. Look forward. Walk your feet up between your hands. Keep them a little bit separated so you have some space. Take opposite hand, opposite elbow, bend your knees if you want, and just hang for a moment. Let yourself be heavy. Keep your head heavy. Let go of your elbows, keep a little bend in your knees, and then very slowly start to roll up to standing, feeling your spine stack. As you get closer to the top, your hips will push forward, your shoulders will draw back, chest will brighten. On an inhale, reach your arms up, touch your palms together, look up, and exhaling, fold forward over your legs. Your knees can bend, take an inhale to lift your gaze, and as you exhale, step back into a high plank, keep your gaze forward, draw your elbows in, lower down, and inhale to upward facing dog, the feet will flip, and on an exhale, roll back to down dog. Bring your right leg in the air behind you, try and keep your hips square so your hip bone looks at the floor, and on an exhale, knee to nose, right foot forward. Make sure that right foot is really snuggled into the mat, left heel pulls up towards your butt, and on an inhale, coming up into crescent lunge or a high lunge. Taking some time to establish where you are, to feel your weight moving equally in opposite in the legs, a little up into the belly, take an inhale here, and on your exhale, your left foot spins open toward your two, right knee tracks over the right ankle, look out over your right middle finger, catch up to your breath, relax where you can, stay in shape where you need to be, lots of energy in the legs, take an inhale, exhale right elbow to your thigh, left arm reaches up and over your ears, shoulders away from your ears, breathe into the side of your body, take an inhale, on your exhale, your left hand comes to the floor, left toes come forward, the right foot walks out a bit, left knee eases down, broaden in your collar bones, left hand can stay where it is, roll to the edge of your right foot, open your hip a bit, let your right arm reach back, close the hip, bring the right foot back to the floor, bring the right hand back to the mat, one more time like that, opening up the right side body, easing to the baby toe side of the right foot, and then coming back, tuck your left toes, lift your left thigh, pull the belly in, right knee to right tricep, take an inhale, exhale to plank, chaturanga, elbows in, and inhale up dog, exhale down dog, float your left leg up, exhale knee to nose, left foot forward, again take the time that you need to get settled to feel grounded in your legs, and inhale, crescent lunge, hip bones try to go forward, relax the tops of your shoulders, find the space in your joints, take an inhale, and exhale, warrior two, the feet can kind of energetically drag towards one another to feel a little more stable, take an inhale, and on an exhale, left elbow to your thigh, right arm reaches up and over your ear, big side stretch, breathing into the side of the body, right hand spins to the floor as the right toes turn forward, left foot walks out a bit, and the right knee gently taps down, release the back foot, you can also double your mat up here if you'd like, broaden, and then same thing, opening the left arm easing to the outside of the left foot, and then closing the hip, bringing the left hand back down, one more time really opening up, and coming back down to the floor, right toes tuck, a little in the belly, left knee, left elbow, plank, chaturanga, coming all the way down, flipping the feet, this time to a cobra, just letting your chest move forward, exhaling back down, one more time, inhaling to a cobra, and rolling back through a child's pose on our way to down dog. Look forward, you can walk, tiptoe, or jump your feet up between your hands, take an inhale and exhale, fold, on an inhale, come all the way up, and exhale, back to stand, alright, so now we'll come back into our sun salutation, inhale, arms up, and exhaling, folding forward, take an inhale to look up, and then step back into a high plank and pause, stabilize a little bit in the belly, your ankles will touch, roll to the outside of your left foot, and gently push your hips up, draw your right arm up, let your chest move forward, left shoulder blade, tucks underneath, take an inhale here, look down to get your balance, your right foot steps up, bring your right hand to the outside of your right foot, left foot 90 degrees, now the left arm peels up, take a few moments here, feel your right knee moving towards your right elbow, a nice long line in the shoulders, big easy breath, and then when you're ready, left hand to the floor, left toes turn in, and your right ankle moves towards your right wrist, and your right knee towards your right wrist for pigeon, release your back foot, if you want to, you have a blanket or something nearby to put under your right hip that helps, take an inhale, and exhale to fold, and let yourself relax as much as you can, imagine your sacrum widening, and then your hands will walk back, left toes tuck, pull your right leg up and back, downward facing dog, take a moment to stretch in the backs of your legs, and then rolling forward, high plank once more, stabilizing, ankles touch, roll to the outside of your right foot, really press into that right hand, peel your left arm up, taking a moment here, engaging a little bit in the belly, finding some space in the neck, looking down so you have your balance, left foot steps forward, your left hand goes to the outside of your left foot, right foot 90 degrees, and the right arm peels up, keep some integrity in the legs, take an inhale, and then exhaling, moving to pigeon on the left side, your left foot moves across, it's okay if your heel is a little closer to your body, you can prop yourself up for a moment, and then exhaling to fold, catch up to your breath, really take the time to release here as much as you can, hands walk back in, right toes tuck, and pull yourself back, downward facing dog, from your dog, look forward, you can jump or step up and sit down, lie down on your back, place the soles of your feet behind your hips, about the distance of being able to graze your middle finger on your heels, and then press into your feet, lift your hips up into bridge, you can interlace your hands underneath you, shimming your shoulders a little closer together, and then just think about lifting your thighs up, let everything else move down, big inhale, big exhale, and then hands out of the way, slowly easing back down, if you liked that, do it again, otherwise you have an option to move into wheel, hands go alongside your ears, and as the hips lift, the arms straighten, letting your head relax, no matter what you're doing, check in with your breath, make sure that it feels okay, when you're ready, on an exhale, elbows bend, tuck your chin, and ease yourself back down to the floor, and windshield wiper, knock your knees a little bit, side to side, get some space across the lower back and in the legs, and the knees come in, roll yourself up, and I'm gonna grab my blanket to sit on, just on the edge to make my forward bend a little bit more comfortable, taking an inhale, and as you exhale, rolling forward, letting your head drop, you can grab your feet, or just around your feet, belly a little bit in towards the spine, breathe into the back of your body, when you're ready, ease yourself back up, the blanket can move to the side for now, if you're using one, and then pull your knees back in towards your belly, lie down on your back, and take a hold of your feet from the outside with your elbows on the insides of your knees, and draw them apart and down for happy baby, try to keep your hips relaxed, your legs as passive as possible, and just focus on using the elbows to help facilitate the opening in the hips, it can be nice to wiggle a little bit here, side to side, doing something that feels good, that makes you feel spacious in your low back, and then bringing your knees back together, your arms can come out like a T, very gently drop your bent knees to the right side, take a moment here, breathe into the soft spots, and then knees back through the middle, do the same thing on the other side, starting to let yourself wind down a little bit, and then knees pulling back in, give yourself a little squeeze, and then taking yourself up for a moment to bring the blanket underneath your knees, so it's rolled up slightly, so you have a little support underneath, and then laying back down on the floor for your last pose, this is your Shavasana, let your eyes close, release as much as you can, I'll let you know when it's time. Thank you. Bring a little energy back and see your body where it feels good.

A deeper breath, reaching your arms up, knees pull back in, roll to one side. Take your time coming up to an easy, comfortable seat and close your eyes. Take a moment to notice how you feel, the quality and tone of your breath. Thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing your time and your practice. Namaste.

Comments

Jenny S
5 people like this.
Love these short but sweet practices, there’s always something new to learn. Today I loved your cuing on the arm and elbow placement in happy baby. This gentle leverage created such a nice opening sensation!
Glenford N
5 people like this.
This  is a beautiful season - I just wish there are more episodes . I'm repeating each session several times which is really improving my technique and allowing to discover more subtlety in the poses. I'm also enjoying your humour and sense of fun, Sarah. Namaste.
Ashley
1 person likes this.
Glenford, that's so wonderful to hear that you're discovering subtleties in your practice. Doesn't it sometimes feel like this happy little secret that you've uncovered? And keep with us, there are still several more episodes to release... the season's not over yet :)
Vanessa
2 people like this.
This was exactly what I needed to wake up and get calm this morning before I go about my day. Thank you. Namaste.
Sarah Lowe
1 person likes this.
Vanessa thank you for joining me! 🙏🏻
Geraldina O
1 person likes this.
thank you ! i feel less tight now!
Sarah Lowe
Geraldina woohoo! That’s great news, thanks for sharing! 
Jayme B
1 person likes this.
Absolutely perfect! Thank you!
Ali
Ali
3 people like this.
Something amazing happened when I was practising downward dog today: I felt such an ease and effortlessness I have never felt before! It was blissful! I have been practising yoga for twenty years! Thank you for this gorgeous practice.
Ashley
Welcome Ali! So glad you're practicing with us, and that you're finding a new sense of ease in an ol' trusty posture like downward dog. So beautiful when it happens, no? Thank you for sharing, and keep close as you notice other shifts. Warmly, Ashley from Yoga Anytime
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