Yoga Practice Log: With Bobby Clennel. Jan 12, 2011

Yoga Practice Log
Entry: #2
Date: Jan 12, 2011
Time: 7.30-9.pm
Instructor: Bobby C (substituting for Marcella who is out for 6 weeks )

Practice Description

1. Some chanting - need to learn the Sutra that they chant in the Iyengar classes
2. Started with child pose and downward dog. Learnt an important point about the downward dog pose. Dont get into the pose all at once, start from pushing out your hands (more pulling actually, so that you are almost lifting your hand up from the ground). Keep the knees bent a bit and really push your thighs back, lengthening your spine. This is key. Before you fully straighten your legs, make you sure you can stretch back as far out. It really feels awesome. And then when you can go no more (the way to sense that is when you know your clenching your lips and holding your breath tight).
3. Some hanging ropes to lengthen the lower back
4. Some Janu shirsh Asana (head to knee forward bend pose), but using chair and moving your leg out at an angle to get a bigger stretch
5. Supported Head Stand (Salambh Shirshasana) - went unsupported and was able to hold for a minute, perhaps (every second feels like a minute) !
6. Then the Hand Stand (ah-doh moo-kah vriks-SHAHS-anna) - even tougher and more demanding. Took a few attempts. But got into the pose eventually. A few weeks back i had to get pulled up. The hips are now rolling along so that the center of gravity moves in line with the axis of the arms and the upper body
Tip: - the key in this pose is the starting posture. Stretch your hands as much as possible and try to bring your feet and hips closer to the hands. That way the center of gravity moves in, allowing the legs to go up easily
7. Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana) - this is i believe tougher than even the head and the hand stand. But this time, i got the feet to really pull up, thus pulling the torso and the shoulder up as much as possible. The crease between the shoulder blades is a good indicator of how the shoulder are doing. If they feel free and airy then things are good.
8.