SUN SALUTATIONS

MOUNTAIN POSEEXTENDED MOUNTAIN (Baby Back Bend)• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension• Breath – inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues (from Mountain

Pose):

– Arms reach over head– Shoulders drop away from ears– Tail tucks downward– Belly draws in

– Ribs lift off hips– Chest opens upward– Spine extends back

FORWARD FOLD• FUNCTION – spinal lengthening and release; gentle

hamstring stretch• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Belly draws in– Knees bend softly– Chest reaches forward and down– Body folds over thighs– Head relaxes down– Eyes look to knees

LUNGE• FUNCTION – here, it sets the distance

for your Down Dog placement; it creates length down the front and back of the body

• Breath – inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Right leg steps as far back as comfortable

– Front knee sits over ankle– Back thigh lifts up– Chest opens wide

DOWN DOG• FUNCTION – both dynamic and restful; spinal alignment and

length; overall flexible strength• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Front foot steps back– Feet hip-distance apart– Tail bone/sit bones lift high– Hands press into floor– Shoulders lift away from ears– Spine lengthens upward to the tail– Inner thighs press back– Heels drop downward

PLANK• FUNCTION – upper and lower body integration; builds

upper body and core strength (postural awareness)• Breath – Inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Chest slides forward– Shoulders stack over hands– Think Mountain Pose... posture– Belly draws in– Knees drop down (option)

CROCODILE• FUNCTION – full body stabilization; upper body

strength and posture• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Chest moves forward– Body lowers down– Elbows squeeze inward– Shoulders draw back and down

UP DOG• FUNCTION – stretches the front of the body; strengthens upper

body (arms, shoulders, back); encourages spinal length• Breath – inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Chest curls upwards– Butt squeezes (to protect the back)– Feet press down– Thighs lift off the ground– Hands press down– Shoulders roll back; collarbones widen– Eyes look straight ahead

DOWN DOG• FUNCTION – both dynamic and restful; spinal alignment

and length; overall flexible strength• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Belly draws in– Hips lift up and back– Arms press away from the ground– Inner thighs reach for the back wall

• (see previous Down Dog description for more details)

LUNGE• FUNCTION – creates length down the

front and back of the body• Breath – inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Right leg springs forward between hands

– Knee stacks over ankle– Chest lifts up– Shoulders draw back– Back leg lifts up

FORWARD FOLD• FUNCTION – spinal lengthening and release; gentle

hamstring stretch• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Back foot steps forward– Belly draws in– Knees bend/soften– Hips tilt forward– Spine lengthens downward

EXTENDED MOUNTAIN POSE• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension• Breath – inhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues (from Forward Fold):

– Knees bend – Butt sits back– Belly draws in– Head reaches forward– Arms reach wide– Chest lifts– Spine extends upwards

MOUNTAIN POSE• FUNCTION – postural alignment; spinal extension• Breath – exhale• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Arms release down to sides– Body resets in Mountain Pose

STANDING STRENGTH

WARRIOR 1• FUNCTION – lower body strength; internal hip rotation

to balance the pelvis; back leg hip flexor/psoas stretch; spinal extension

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (assuming

lengthwise orientation):– Right foot steps as far back as comfortable

WARRIOR 1 continued

– Heel anchors down– Outer edge of foot presses away– Back thigh lifts upward– Hips square up to the front– Glutes tuck down (to protect lower back)– Belly draws in– Chest lifts upward– Arms extend overhead– Shoulders draw down the back

EXTENDED WARRIOR 1• FUNCTION – increased core work (as the body lengthens

forward from Warrior 1); back leg works harder to stay grounded (also a challenge for ankle/foot stability)

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from Warrior 1):

– Belly draws in (for support)– Chest reaches forward– Back heel presses down– Body extends diagonally– Arms reach long

WARRIOR 2• FUNCTION – lower body strength (glutes, hamstrings,

quads); hip opener; upper body posture• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (assuming

horizontal orientation):– Feet step wide– Toes turn to the right– Front knee bends over ankle, in line with center of foot

WARRIOR 2

continued

– Back heel presses away– Back thigh lifts upward– Glutes tuck under – Inner thighs open wide– Hips, ribs and shoulders stack up vertically– Shoulders roll back and down– Arms extend wide to the sides– Eyes gaze down the front arm

EXTENDED WARRIOR 2• FUNCTION – increases workload of lower body

muscles as you drop deeper... hamstrings lifting up from underneath and glutes working to maintain knee alignment; upper body weight dropping to the side increases the work of the oblique muscles; back leg works harder to stay grounded (also a challenge for foot and ankle stability)

• Breath

EXTENDED WARRIOR 2 continued• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from

Warrior 2):– Front arm reaches to the side– Ribs extend over front thigh– Elbow rests down on top of knee– Top arm reaches long over head– Shoulder draws down and back– Bottom ribs move forward– Body extends diagonally

TRIANGLE POSE• FUNCTION – lower body strength; hip opener; stretch

over the top hip (IT band) and down the side body• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues:

– Feet step wide– Toes turn to the right– Leg muscles lift upwards– Hips shift to the back leg

TRIANGLE POSE continued

– Ribs lengthen away from hips– Arms extend to the side walls– Chest stays open to the front– Arms tip to vertical– Belly draws in– Top hip opens up– Tail tucks down– Bottom ribs soften downward– Top shoulder draws back and down

BALANCES

TREE POSE• FUNCTION – standing balance; lower body muscle

activation to assist foot/ankle/knee/hip stability; increased ability to focus; awareness of core activation for stability

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in

Mountain Pose):– Eyes set a steady gaze forward– Belly draws in (for stability)

TREE POSE continued

– Right foot presses against standing leg (optional heights)– Standing leg lifts energetically upwards– Hips sit level– Tail drops down (to lengthen lower spine and anchor the

pose)– Ribs and chest lift up off hips– Chest opens– Shoulders roll back and down– Hands come together at heart center

• FUNCTION – standing balance with spinal extension; stretch for the abdominals, chest, shoulder and hip flexor area on the lifting side; quads work to push the foot into hand; lengthening of hamstrings on the standing leg; muscles of the standing foot are active to balance as the body shifts forward

• Breath

DANCERSPOSE

• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in Extended Mountain Pose):

– Right hand reaches back for right foot– Thumb rotates up inside big toe– Knees together– Front arm reaches forward– Foot pushes back into hand– Body suspends forward– Chest lifts up and opens– Front arm rises up to full Dancer

DANCERSPOSE continued

EAGLE POSE• FUNCTION – standing balance; internal hip rotation

and adduction (inner thigh squeeze) can provide stretch to the glutes/periformis; leg strength increases with knee bend/butt drop; spinal length and integrity as tail drops down; upper back stretch

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (starting in

Mountain Pose):– Eyes set a steady gaze forward

EAGLE POSE continued

– Belly draws in– Knees bend– Right leg crosses over left and wraps around– Inner thighs drop inward and squeeze together– Right arm crosses under left and wraps around– Thumbs face the body– Hips sit back and down– Tail tucks under to lengthen spine– Elbows lift up– Hands press away (to find stretch in the upper back)

HIPOPENERS

SWAN POSE• FUNCTION – passive position (using body weight) to

stretch and release tension in the front hip (mainly periformis muscle): some stretch in the back hip flexor if able to straighten and lengthen the back leg

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from

Down Dog):– Right knee comes forward between hands– Right hip settles down onto floor

SWAN POSE continued

– Right foot flexes (to protect knee)– Back hip rolls forward (to square the hips)– Back leg extends to the back wall– Knee and five toes face down to the floor– Belly draws in– Ribs lift and roll forward away from hips– Chest reaches forward – Arms lengthen out– Hips soften down

MODIFIEDHALF

LOTUS• FUNCTION – deep hip and butt stretch; also opening

through the pelvis if you move to the lying back positions

• Breath• Body Part and Direction setup cues (moving from

seated/cross-legged position):– Right ankle sets on top of left thigh (options here)

MODIFIEDHALF

LOTUS continued– Sit bones move back and press down– Knees drop down and press forward– Ribs lift up off hips (spine lengthens upward)– Chest reaches forward– Hands walk forward along the floor– Butt stays back and down– Hands can press down to push the butt back

CORE – ABS/BACK

THE 3B’s – BELLY, BACK AND

BREATHING• FUNCTION – stabilizing the spine during core

movements (for safety and effectiveness); maintaining core connection (neutral rib-hip position) while breathing out the side of the ribs versus expanding the front ribs

• Breath – lateral thoracic breathing

THE 3B’s – BELLY, BACK AND

BREATHINGcontinued

• Body Part and Direction setup cues:– Belly draws in– Back presses towards the floor (if supine)– Back creates platform for belly lift (if prone)– Side ribs expand with breath