"Super Human" Strength
Core, Hips, Chest, Shoulders
This strength building yoga sequence focuses on full-body movements that build power and stability in the core, hips, and upper body. Join us to get sweaty and feel like a super human!
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Start standing at the top of your mat. Engage the core by pulling the navel in and slightly tucking the hips. Shine through the chest and allow the shoulder blades to fall down the back. Reach through the crown of the head. Since this flow requires a lot of core strength, take a moment here to feel engagement through the trunk and mid-body.
Pistol Squat Negative
Shift your weight onto the right leg and lift the left leg straight out in front of you. Feel your weight in your right heel as you fully engage the right leg, then slowly begin to bend the right knee and sit the hips backwards. Try to come all the way to your seat in a slow and controlled movement. If possible, pause at the bottom with the seat and left leg hovering about an inch above the mat, before sinking the hips all the way down to the ground.
From your seat with the left leg extended and right leg bent, place the right hand behind you and lift the hips straight up as the left arm reaches long overhead. Engage the hip adductors and glutes by isometrically (without moving) pulling the legs towards one another. Keep the navel pulled in and the core strong. Create as much length from toe to fingertips as possible.
Wild Thing (Camatkarasana)
Plank with Knee to Chest (Phalakasana Variation)
For this tricky transition, roll through a side plank on your right side all the way into a plank position. As the left leg moves over the right, bend the knee up in towards the chest. Pull the thigh upwards and inwards by contracting the core. Press down through the hands to spread and wrap the shoulder blades around the back (scapular protraction). Isometrically (without moving) pull the hands and grounded foot towards one another.
Chaturanga with Knee to Chest (Chaturanga Dandasana Variation)
While maintaining all the engagement of the previous pose (arms pressing, front body and core engaged, knee pulling inwards and upwards), begin to bend the arms towards 90-degrees as if you were doing a regular Chaturanga. Hold for several seconds at the bottom with the shin hovering just off the ground.
Three-Legged Dog (Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Push back up from your Chaturanga towards Downward Facing Dog, while simultaneously extending the bent leg upwards and backwards into a Three-Legged Dog. Engage the glute of the lifted leg to reach the foot a little higher as you sink the chest towards the ground.
One-Legged Dolphin (Eka Pada Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)
From your Three-Legged Dog, press through the hands and fingers for stability as you slowly lower the elbows down to the ground. Work to keep the forearms parallel to one another (if you need to take the arms a little further apart to compensate for a lack of shoulder flexibility, feel free). Pull the navel in to reduce the arch in the lower back.
Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana)
Reach the lifted leg higher as you hop the grounded foot in towards the center of the mat. Isometrically pull the forearms towards one another as if you were squeezing a block between them. Feel the diaphragm lift as you knit the ribs. Slowly, float the lifted leg overhead allowing the grounded leg to follow it. Press the legs into one another to engage the lower body, and once again bring your attention to your core engagement to reduce the arch in the lower back.
Tuck Forearm Stand (Pincha Mayurasana Variation)
As slowly as possible, begin to bend at the knees and hips as you come towards a tuck position. Feel the effect this has on your center of gravity and work to compensate accordingly by controlling your upper body. Press actively through the shoulders to avoid sitting into the joints. This requires full-body awareness and engagement. Don’t forget to breathe!
Yogic Squat (Malasana)
Allow the legs to lower all the way down to the mat. Come to a squat and sink the hips towards the heels as you lift the chest and shoulders. Hands can come to prayer with the elbows pressing the knees apart. This is your resting position, so make it comfortable. Take a few slow, deep breaths here before returning to standing and repeating on the opposite side.
