2. SUN SALUTATIONS

3. MOUNTAIN POSE EXTENDED 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. STANDING STRENGTH

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. BALANCES

26. 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)

27. 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

28. DANCERS POSE
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

29. DANCERS POSE continued
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

30. 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

31. 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)

32. HIP OPENERS

33. 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

34. 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

35. MODIFIED HALF 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)

36. MODIFIED HALF 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

37. CORE – ABS/BACK

38. 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

39. THE 3B’s – BELLY, BACK AND BREATHING continued
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