BARBARA BORIS Yoga

Upper Back Bending / Core Strength Class Sequence July 27. 2008

note: all class variations for Levels I, General, Level II-III included here.
PLEASE DO NOT TEACH THIS SEQUENCE WITHOUT PRACTICING IT YOURSELF A FEW TIMES so you know the results of the actions suggested.

shoulder opening / upper back warm up:
adho mukha virasana fingers stable on ground
adho mukha svanasana
plank, knees chest chin
bhujangasana a 3x times, upper arms coiling back, use back muscles, pull shoulder blades together- for beginning action.
adho mukha svanasana
uttanasana, wide, release back body, bind elbows
parsva uttanasana, 2x, 2nd time stabilize legs, turn spine only
adho mukha svanasana
knees chest chin, bhujagasana, down to floor
vjrasana: parsvatanasana arms
adho mukha vjrasana with thumb lock and arms over the head 2x
adho mukha svanasana
knees chest chin, bhujangasana
salabasana, single leg only, criss cross leg/arm, both legs and arms 3x
lift from center of femur (extend heel, buttock flesh towards heel)
lift from center of humerous (extend into pinky finger- triceps engaged)
adho mukha svanasana
chaturanga dandasana
urdhva mukha svanasana

lay over bricks, spinewise 8 mins
arms over head, lift bottom thoracic, create space between top thoracic and chin
bind elbows, arms over, use shoulder girdle/ shoulder blades to lift sternum
define top and bottom sternum

sit dandasana. Demo on someone: thoracic back bend in straight back, head back, coiling action of chest and arms (cup shaped fingers and using fingers to dial the chest open), chest in front of arms, arms in back body.

urdhva mukha svanasana on chairs
1) chest in front of arms
2) straighten legs. Note buttock flesh moving up/ traffic jam at lumbar, use legs like salabasana
3) Add in Neck/ head. trapizius going DOWN. demo neck/ head/ shoulders. Can you talk?
3a)Tadasana practice of taking head back, trapizii down to coil head back
4) again, full arc of spine

urdhva mukha svanasana on blocks

pincha mayurasana
prep half pose: shoulder blades in and moving up coiling action
full pose: use legs like urdhva mukha svanasana, extend out of lumbar, coil chest

sirsanana
urdhva mukha vrksasna. release neck.

chair viparirta dandasana
standing back arches
urdhva dhanurasana with blocks
viparita dandasana on floor

chair sarvangasana
chatus padasana on chair (buttocks off of chair seat)
nirlamba sarvangasana with chair

chatus padasana on floor use belt to catch ankles, block between legs

janu sirsanana 3x

supta garudasana floor twist 3x:
1) normal
2) knees closer to elbows
3) opposite way, and move each vertabrae to turn, and then back bend at thoracic to get shoulder down.

chair savasana
keep impression of backbend in upper chest.
release thighs down, release back diaphragm
release upper arms down, release collar bones and sternum
release base of brain, lift heart area