"Use this flow as a way to wake up, get things moving and feel charged for your day! Try to match each pose to an inhale or exhale so you feel a sense of currency moving through you. From Downward Dog, inhale, lift right leg up and back, exhale, step the foot forward, back heel down. Inhale to rise Warrior 1, exhale open to Warrior 2. Inhale straighten front leg Reverse Triangle, exhale Supported Side Angle. Inhale left hand down, lift the back heel, and reach right arm up to twist. Exhale spin to the outer edge of the right foot, left foot stacks on top for Side Plank. Float the left leg up, bend the knee, and step the foot behind to begin to lift the hip for a Flipped Dog variation."
Getting sucked into an awkward blind date. Singing Shouting and dancing to T-Swift’s 1989 album in its entirety. Tossing back boozy drinks with tiny umbrellas in them. All activities better done with friends. As much as the aforementioned doesn’t require a whole slew of incentives for us to get on board (okay, besides the blind date, because scary), there is one thing that repeatedly demands every ounce of will power and teamwork: exercising. To help us rally for our weekly fitness goals, we dialled up our equally lazy bestie for a partner yoga sesh led by the bendy duo behind New York’s cult-y studio, Sky Ting Yoga. Because, like we said, some things are just better with friends.
Move #1
Flipped Dog
"Finding full revolutions in the body in a seamless flow can invigorate you and stretch the organs in the torso out for a gentle flush. Start in a Cross-legged Dog (right leg in front), spin your toes to the left, and start to flip yourself as you take your left hand off the floor. Reach the arm up and over head, come back out the way you came in and switch the leg crossing to do the other side.
Tip: Try and keep your hips high as you flip so you don't dump into you shoulders; for a little extra, try and stay up on fingertips the whole time instead of the full palm."
FLIPPED DOG
"Finding full revolutions in the body in a seamless flow can invigorate you and stretch the organs in the torso out for a gentle flush. Start in a Cross-legged Dog (right leg in front), spin your toes to the left, and start to flip yourself as you take your left hand off the floor. Reach the arm up and over head, come back out the way you came in and switch the leg crossing to do the other side.
Tip: Try and keep your hips high as you flip so you don't dump into you shoulders; for a little extra, try and stay up on fingertips the whole time instead of the full palm."
Move #2
Headstand twist
"Turning our world's upside down is a potent and powerful practice. It will change your perspective, shift the circulation of blood flow in the body, and wake up the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain to bring you a little more balance and relief. Begin in a seed-like child's pose, interlace hands behind the head for Headstand 1. Lift up into your headstand, take a moment to steady your balance. Split open the legs, one leg forward, one leg back, paying extra attention to lowering the leg that's behind you. Start to pan the legs to their opposite sides, allowing for the hips and spine to twist with you. Come back to center, switch the split and do the other side.
Note: This variation is not recommended unless you have a steady headstand practice without wall support, no need to rush this practice. Take your time to slowly build into variations."
HEADSTAND TWIST
"Turning our world's upside down is a potent and powerful practice. It will change your perspective, shift the circulation of blood flow in the body, and wake up the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain to bring you a little more balance and relief. Begin in a seed-like child's pose, interlace hands behind the head for Headstand 1. Lift up into your headstand, take a moment to steady your balance. Split open the legs, one leg forward, one leg back, paying extra attention to lowering the leg that's behind you. Start to pan the legs to their opposite sides, allowing for the hips and spine to twist with you. Come back to center, switch the split and do the other side.
Note: This variation is not recommended unless you have a steady headstand practice without wall support, no need to rush this practice. Take your time to slowly build into variations."
Move #3
Energizing flow
"Use this flow as a way to wake up, get things moving and feel charged for your day! Try to match each pose to an inhale or exhale so you feel a sense of currency moving through you. From Downward Dog, inhale, lift right leg up and back, exhale, step the foot forward, back heel down. Inhale to rise Warrior 1, exhale open to Warrior 2. Inhale straighten front leg Reverse Triangle, exhale Supported Side Angle. Inhale left hand down, lift the back heel, and reach right arm up to twist. Exhale spin to the outer edge of the right foot, left foot stacks on top for Side Plank. Float the left leg up, bend the knee, and step the foot behind to begin to lift the hip for a Flipped Dog variation."
ENERGIZING FLOW"Use this flow as a way to wake up, get things moving and feel charged for your day! Try to match each pose to an inhale or exhale so you feel a sense of currency moving through you. From Downward Dog, inhale, lift right leg up and back, exhale, step the foot forward, back heel down. Inhale to rise Warrior 1, exhale open to Warrior 2. Inhale straighten front leg Reverse Triangle, exhale Supported Side Angle. Inhale left hand down, lift the back heel, and reach right arm up to twist. Exhale spin to the outer edge of the right foot, left foot stacks on top for Side Plank. Float the left leg up, bend the knee, and step the foot behind to begin to lift the hip for a Flipped Dog variation."
Move #4
Drop Backs
"Drop Backs can be great to test your strength and stability while finding mobility of the spine. No need to go all the way down to the floor, but just play with the trust needed to really see what's behind you. Begin standing with your feet about hips distance or slightly wider apart, think the slightest bit of a pigeon toe to keep your knees from knocking out. With hands at a prayer position, begin to lift the chest to the sky and allow your self to tip back. If you can tip back far enough without straining the low back and you start to see the floor, begin to reach the arms overhead until hands find the ground. Land with a gentle bend in the elbow before re-straightening the arms. If you land in your Full Wheel, play around with reaching one leg at a time up towards the sky for fun.
Beginners Tip: Instead of dropping back to open space, place yourself close to a wall and slowly work your self to reaching back to touch the wall, to eventually walk the hands more and more down the wall."
DROP BACKS
"Drop Backs can be great to test your strength and stability while finding mobility of the spine. No need to go all the way down to the floor, but just play with the trust needed to really see what's behind you. Begin standing with your feet about hips distance or slightly wider apart, think the slightest bit of a pigeon toe to keep your knees from knocking out. With hands at a prayer position, begin to lift the chest to the sky and allow your self to tip back. If you can tip back far enough without straining the low back and you start to see the floor, begin to reach the arms overhead until hands find the ground. Land with a gentle bend in the elbow before re-straightening the arms. If you land in your Full Wheel, play around with reaching one leg at a time up towards the sky for fun.
Beginners Tip: Instead of dropping back to open space, place yourself close to a wall and slowly work your self to reaching back to touch the wall, to eventually walk the hands more and more down the wall."
Move #5
Plank Variations
"Play around with being agile with your hands and arms. Move from a Plank to Downward Dog on your forearms (Dolphin Pose), then back to Plank, then regular Downward Dog. Repeat this sequence a few times trying to keep hands evenly pressing down and using the legs to help anchor you back."
PLANK VARIATIONS
"Play around with being agile with your hands and arms. Move from a Plank to Downward Dog on your forearms (Dolphin Pose), then back to Plank, then regular Downward Dog. Repeat this sequence a few times trying to keep hands evenly pressing down and using the legs to help anchor you back."