standing series

The Standing Series – Bikram Yoga

July 1, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

The first part of class is the Standing Series and starts off with Pranayama Breathing – probably the most important “posture” of all. Deep breathing will detox and revitalise the body in preparation for the practice of the following 25 postures.

The standing postures are designed to increase strength and flexibility and bring about a balance between the two. If you are very flexible you may struggle more with the strength side of things and vice versa – great strength can compromise flexibility. Strength can be seen as the masculine trait and flexibility can be seen as the feminine trait – whether you are male or female – the body is better off with a balance of both – go “Androgynous”!!!

The Balancing Series – i.e. Standing Head to Knee, Standing Bow Pulling Pose and Balancing Stick are all great postures to train the mind and body to work together and bring about that balance – a balance in the body created by a balance of the body and mind.

Each posture is specifically placed in an order to work the body systematically. For example an “opening posture” such as Triangle (sometimes known as the “Master Posture of the Series”) is followed by a compression posture – Standing Separate Leg Stretching – followed by another opener – Tree and so it goes on. There’s a reason for everything.

At the end of the Standing Series there is a lovely 2 minute Savasana which I can guarantee will be well earnt and feels simply amazing!

Enjoy!

Beverley

Posture # 8 – Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

May 22, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

Up to Number 8 already? Here goes…

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this posture – I find it very relaxing hanging upside down and feeling the insides of my legs toning as I do it! Of course you don’t just hang there for the whole posture – this is Bikram Yoga after all! Here is the process:

Preparation for Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose

From the feet together position bring the arms up over the head and take a big step to the right with your right leg – at least 4 feet. The wider you go the easier it is and it will tone up those inner thighs a treat while you’re at it! The feet should be pigeon-toed unless you have sciatica when it is best for them to face straight ahead. Correct alignment always helps with the posture so make sure your heels are in one line – as if you could draw a straight pencil line behind them. I know it sounds a bit fussy but it truly is worth it as you will improve much faster in the postures if you take care of the details. At the same time bring your arms down so they are parallel to the floor. Nothing floppy about those arms – you need them tight and firm keeping your fingers and thumbs together.

Going down….

Suck the stomach in (makes you so much stronger, gives you great tone and feels fab too) and slowly bend down from the lower spine towards the floor. Now the head stays up, with the chin forward so you can see yourself in the mirror for as long as possible. The knees should be locked (it is Bikram Yoga after all!). Grab your heels with the usual Bikram grip – meaning thumbs and fingers together – no air holes! If you can’t reach the heels grab the outsides of the feet.

Now we get to the Bikram technique – not just hanging there but using your arm and back muscles to pull on the heels as hard as possible to stretch your body down further to the floor. Keep the knees locked throughout the posture and roll the body weight onto the toes. The aim is to touch your forehead to the floor. Of course you may be quite a way off so in that case you should widen your feet as much as possible which will automatically bring the head down lower.

This is not a passive posture so once you are in position you keep pulling continuously, eventually the spine will straighten from the coccyx to the neck and your forehead (not the top of the head) will touch the floor between the feet. Simples! ( I jest!)

This posture will first stretch the legs, then the hips, then the lower spine and eventually the whole spine will get a workout and you should feel a stretch from the coccyx to the toes, and coccyx to the forehead.

If your head is nowhere near the floor in the first set, make your stance wider for the second set. If you are pretty flexible and your head touches the floor – bring the legs in a bit to make it more of a challenge – if you like that sort of thing of course!

If your legs are locked you can even try bringing your forearms in a bit so they touch the calf muscles. This will really give you great arms too!

Just a quick tip that helped me – I used to struggle and strain in this posture until one teacher told me to just RELAX into it first and let the weight of my head pull me down and then “give it some welly” once in that position by using the arm and back muscles to pull the body down lower to stretch the spine more.

Summary of the main points of Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose:

Step to the side as wide as you can
Keep the knees locked throughout the posture
Keep the head up, chin forward and look in the mirror as long as possible
Suck the stomach in to the spine
Grab the feet as instructed – you need the leverage
Don’t just hang there – pull on the heels to stretch the spine more
Aim for forehead to the floor in between the feet
Roll the weight on to the toes
Once more advanced and with locked knees bring the forearms back so they touch the calves

The benefits of Standing Separate Leg Stretching Pose:

Tones the legs and hips – especially the often fleshy inner thighs!
Tones the arm and back muscles – great definition!
Brings blood to the head and face
Pulled in stomach will ensure all the organs are in place

Enjoy

Beverley x

Posture #5 – Standing Head to Knee Pose

April 21, 2015 By Beverley Brown Leave a Comment

Well as promised here are the tips to assist with Standing Head to Knee Pose.

For me, this posture is the first one of the major balancing postures – I feel it is part of a “group” together with the Standing Bow Pulling Pose and Balancing Stick. These three postures will work you out physically but really allow and in fact demand from you an increase in concentration, focus and determination of the mind. I really enjoy them actually as I like the challenge!

For beginners, this is likely to be the first posture where you really get to realise how important it is to lock the knee. I have been told several ways to think about the locking of the knee – one was to “suck” the muscle to the thigh bone and pull up the knee cap. After a number of classes you begin to experience “muscle memory” and it will get to feel more like a normal action than it is when you first try it! It will become second nature – eventually, I promise!

In order to write this post I have gone back to my original posture clinic notes and I came across this tip and for some, this may help. Instead of concentrating on tensing and tightening the leg muscles, you may like to relax and bow the leg back instead. I had completely forgotten about this until I read it this week!

I am a strong believer if you relax into the postures first instead of resisting them (and even trying too hard) you will greatly improve not only your yoga but it does wonders for your whole well-being too. This is a part of big subject and something that I have been looking into over many years but it is interesting when I found this note as basically it is saying the same thing! So if a locked knee is not yet your speciality you may like to change the focus and relax and bow the leg instead!

Kicking the leg out

When you start this posture you shift your weight slightly to the left leg and lift up the right foot. You will need to interlace the fingers right to the webbing and ensure your thumbs are crossed underneath the foot so you get a good grip and able to keep it throughout the posture! If you pull your stomach in as you do this, you will be stronger and it will also help your spine as it prevents backache. The correct position to hold the foot is three inches below the toes.

Now for the focus of the eyes, which if you have read any of my other posts, will absolutely make you stronger in any posture. You don’t have to have your eyes bulging out of their sockets, just a gaze at your left knee in the mirror will work wonders!

Now before you go any further in the posture you must ensure your left knee is locked. I find it helpful if you imagine your leg going down into the ground just like the infamous “Bikram speak” “concrete lamp post”- unbroken – no knee!! If your knee is not locked do not kick out, just stay there in that position until you gain strength as you do not want to put pressure on a bent knee.

Now it’s time to inhale and slowly kick your right foot towards the mirror until the leg is parallel to the floor – no higher – no lower – at the same time maintaining the lock on the left knee! WHAT?? you say – yes ‘fraid so – but one day muscle memory will kick in and you will!

Taking another deep breath, continually kick the foot away from you towards the mirror. Another tip I just got reminded of was instead of focussing on straightening the raised leg, change the focus to pulling the toes back towards you and pushing the heel towards the mirror. Sometimes just looking at something differently can produce a better result so you can try it! Don’t forget that pesky left knee to stay locked. While you are in this stage, open the chest – whenever you do this you will have more energy to hold the posture.

If you fall out even after a few seconds, “bank” that success, and go back in. Use the whole minute even if you drop out of it several times. Do not judge yourself but just regain your gaze, and as they say in the UK – keep calm and carry on! Eventually all the seconds in the posture will add up to the minute or half minute depending which set you are on.

The Next Stage – Elbows Down

The aim is to eventually get both legs locked and looking like an upside down “L” shape and only then it is time to pull your stomach in (if it isn’t already) and bring the elbows down by the side of the calf muscles and eventually they will go down below the calf. The arms get nicely toned at this point!

The Finale – Head to the Knee!

Head to the knee is the ultimate aim but you only go for this if you have both legs locked. In order to do this you need to change your gaze to your standing big toe, tuck the chin right in so you compress and then your head has a chance of landing on the knee. If your head is below the knee you will not get the compression that the posture is aiming for.

If you are not ready to attempt the final advanced adjustment – no worries. It may take a while. When you feel comfortable enough with your balance you may wish to give it a go. Step by step is the Bikram way for all these postures.

Then you get to repeat the whole process on the other leg! The first set is held for a minute on each side and the second one is an easier 30 seconds only. Try not to think about the time while you are in the posture just keep your attention on the adjustments and the seconds will be over before you know it! I have found it is always easier to be “pro-active” in the posture rather than just hang in there waiting for it to be over! You will improve much faster this way too.

Summary of the Main Points

Focus your eyes on your left knee in the mirror to get your balance and strength
Make sure you have the proper grip of the foot by interlacing fingers right to the webbing and crossing the thumbs under the foot – this will keep the grip in place
Only kick out with the other leg if your standing knee is locked
Pull in the stomach muscles throughout the posture as it makes you stronger and works the internal organs
Inhale when you raise the leg and concentrate on kicking the heel towards the mirror and toes back towards your face
Keep the standing knee locked throughout the posture
Open the chest until you bring your elbows down
Only if both legs are locked bring the elbows down towards and then below the calf muscles
Only attempt the head to the knee if both legs are locked out
Change your gaze to your big toe on the ground
Tuck in the chest and slowly bring the head to the knee! Voila!

The Benefits of Standing Head to Knee Pose

Develops amazing concentration, focus, patience and determination
Works the nervous system and the mind
Compresses the internal organs to enable them to function properly
Slims and tones the legs like nobody’s business!
Uplifts the buttocks
Great for the abdominals when the stomach is sucked in
Works all the muscles in the legs, arms, and back
Strengthens the spine

Next one in the Posture Series is the Standing Bow Pulling Pose. I will post some other posts in the next couple of days too.