Thank you! I will do this again tonight and with better aplomb, strength and attention to breathe. I was very stiff in the lower back, but by the end I was limber. Is there a mental trick to float instead of “just” hopping to forward fold? I want that big of magic in my practice.
David Goldstein Hi David, To "float"....is not easy and does depend on the amount of hip flexion that you have...though, you can have tight hamstrings and be able to float. From Downward Facing Dog, bend your knees, firm the outer upper arms in and wrap the shoulder blades around the side ribs (shoulder blade protraction), kind of pull the mat back with your hands in order to get more of a momentum to jump forward. You really do not have to jump high. You can practice with hands on blocks to make it a little easier..just make sure the blocks are firmly planted on the mat! Proportions matter as well...some people have long torso and shorter arms. Lastly, make sure to be playful and have fun....and also, stepping is always a great option, especially if you have some injuries. Let me know how it goes. Warmest, Birgitte
This practice has an “old-school yoga” flavor - that is meant as a high complement…it hit all the right notes for me and as in all your other classes I’ve practiced here on Y/A, it flowed seamlessly from each asana to the next. I'm feeling fantastic and enjoying my “glow” (sweat lol). Thank you Birgitte 💐
Jenny S, Hi Jenny, I appreciate and like your compliment. My classes are indeed sometimes called "old school yoga"......yoga straight forward, no frills. So happy to hear that it left you feeling good. Thank you for your feedback..so appreciated. Namaste, Birgitte
Satisfying second time through! Can you explain “not being on a tight rope”? Did that apply to today’s moves too? I have a center line on my mat and during the high lunge moves today I used that line as a way to be sure I am bisecting the front foot through the back angled foot.
David Goldstein HI David, Good question. Many times I see that students are on a tight rope in high lunge, meaning that the back foot is directly behind the front foot....feet need to be about sitting bone distance apart so that you can level the sacrum....some students with wider hips even need a bit more space. In Warrior one, we were always taught heel to heel....however, most alignment instructions were designed for teenage boys ( boys have very narrow hips!) who were practicing under the guidance of some of the original teachers who brought yoga to the US and Europe. So, for most of us, unless you have very narrow hips, need more width in order to move the back hip forward. I do think rules can be important to create some kind of clarity/container, but we have to understand that there are so many different bodies. I hope this made sense...if not, happy to continue our conversation. Warmest, Birgitte