Pelvic tilts. Slow and steady. Breathe in back is neutral, exhale draw your belly button to your backbone and tuck your tailbone. Lower buttocks leave the floor, but back of hips press into floor. Focus on pelvic floor and abdominal muscle engagement. 3 minutes
Pause. Breathing gently. Spine neutral. 1 minute
Knees to chest. Hand on each knee, circle the knees towards each other and then away from each other. 1 minute
Square pose and progression. 5 to 6 minutes total - one side.
Let the right ankle cross the left knee. Left foot begins on the floor. Invite the right knee open with the palm of the right hand. Breathe here for 1 minute. Then lift the left foot off the floor and work on extending and flexing the left knee. As you extend leg, flex the ankle, pressing the heel to the sky; as you flex the knee, point the toes. Repeat a few times, warming up the hamstrings on the back of the leg. When ready, place the strap across the ball (or heel) of the left foot in the extended position and pause here and breathe. Finally, walk the hands up the straps towards your feet and tuck the chin to the chest and let the shoulders and neck have a big stretch. Feeling the whole back line of the body. Release back down to floor. Release strap and bend left knee.Now, take the right foot in the left hand and draw the foot across the midline to come to the floor on the left side of the body. Pause and breathe here. Finally, let the right leg extend as you reach down and take the left foot with your right hand into Cat Pullings its Tail. And breathe. Feel the stretch up the front of the left thigh here. Release and come back to center. Take a couple of natural breaths to feel into both side of the body and notice differences. And repeat sequence on the LEFT side.
Pause after the second side to let the body integrate the movements. Breathe. Notice.
Rolling to one side, come up to seated.
At the edge of your rug, where the legs can swing freely, come into Staff pose, sitting up tall with legs long out in front. Turn toes open and open the legs wide (externally rotating the legs at the top of the thighs). Turn the toes back toward center and draw the legs together. Feeling the inside seam of the leg from the ankles to the groin. Repeat. 1 -2 minutes.
Boat - Navasana
Sitting up tall, bend knees, feet together. Rock back onto sits bones, sitting up taller, belly button to backbone, feet leave the floor and begin exploring the pose. Using the core to maintain length in the spine. Use the breath to facilitate the pose. Legs bent and lift, or extended. Arms reach forward toward the feet, or wide in a T by your side, or overhead. Releasing in between to a breath stretch, bound angle pose, feet together, knees wide to side. Repeat BOAT three times. Take your time. Engage well. This will get easier soon. And a good strengthening pose for the core/front line of the body. 2 minutes.After third Boat, release to Bound Angle/Badhakonasana and stay there to stretch for a minute or more. Make sure the knees are relaxed and the hips too, even if they don’t touch the floor.
BREATHE! 1 minute +
Come over to hands and knees.
Cat/Cow - 1 minute
Wave. Come into Cat, and then let hips drop toward heels, arms long. Rise back onto knees, arms still long, back curved and then let the wave pass up the spine from the tailbone as you move your weight forward over the wrists, letting hips sink toward the floor. Back engages as the front of the body Stretches into an Upward Dog. Send the hips back toward the heels and the wave recedes. Belly button to the backbone. Repeat 8 - 10 times. Begin small and let the wave grow as the body warms into the pose.
Pointer. Starting at hands and knees, press the left shin to the floor to anchor you, draw the right knee to your right elbow and then extend the leg behind, three times. On the third time, pause and lift the left arm forward and hold this pose for a few breaths, keeping the core strong and energy moving between the tips of the fingers and the end of the toes. Lower the Left arm back to the floor under the shoulder and let the leg cross over the supporting shin, coming onto the ball of the right foot. Let the weight move back into the ball of the foot, stretching the calf and side of the supporting hip. Breathe. 1 minute.
Hip opening - lift that same working leg off the floor and swing the leg around to 90 degrees by your side. Place the full foot on the floor. Bending the working knee, move the weight toward that side and play with the direction of your foot (forward and side), to feel the stretch into the inner thigh and groin change. Feel free to pause with the weight over into the stretch and take a few breaths there. I - 2 minutes
Gate Pose - Bring your weight back over the supporting knee and lift the torso upright. Engaging core to do so, press into the supporting shin to help. Back engages too! Bend the working knee to 90 degrees, toes point open to the side. Right forearm slips inside the right knee. Inhale the left arm up and exhale as you stretch over to the right. Inhale back upright, exhale to the right, and one more time. After the third stretch, let the hand come to the floor under the shoulder and the working knee comes back under the hip. Hands and knees. I minute
Repeat Pointer/Hip Opening/ Gate pose on the LEFT Side.
After Left Side. Move into PLANK pose. Working up to 2 minutes over time.
Also play with position. If you like long arms, work to maintain that. If you like the elbow version, work to maintain that. Let yourself do 45 seconds to a minute to begin. Work up to a longer hold. Core strong. Hips in line with legs and shoulders. 1 - 2 minutes
Come onto the abdomen. Rest forehead on back of hands.
Sphinx. Remember to press pubic bone toward the floor, so gluteus engage. Draw up on pelvic floor and feel the big and pinky toes on the floor, even as the toes point back. Notice how that works the legs firmly. Repeat two to three times. 1 -2 minutes
Locust. Interlace the fingers on the back. Drawing hands down toward the feet, roll the shoulders open and lift head, neck and chest as well as the legs away from the floor. Strong back engagement. Long in the legs. Release down and relax. Repeat other side, switching the clasp of hands! 1 minute
Rest for a few breaths.
Crocodile. Take face in hands, resting on elbows. Let the elbows reach toward the front of the mat. Legs long behind. Pinky and big toes touching. Breath. 1 minute or longer. Remember this is a nice grounding pose before Nidra.
Log roll onto back.
Bridge to Supported and Legs up. Engaging core and legs and pelvic floor to lift hips up and away from floor. Block under for supported bridge and legs up to 90 degrees. Remember open and close legs for additional groin attachment strengthening. And to stretch the psoas: Draw one knee toward the chest and let the other fall long back toward the mat, heel touching if comfortable, not if not. Change sides. Enjoy some time in the inversion. New blood to upper lungs. Passive venous return from feet to heart. 3 minutes.
To come out, stop in BRIDGE, move block out and engage fingers under back, drawing the hands toward the feet, rolling onto the shoulders/upper arms. Legs can squeeze a block if Betsy is nearby to help. Legs, pelvic floor, gluten, trunk all strong and alive! Breathe. Excellent pose for weeks leading up to surgery. Lower the hips with control. Knees to chest, release. 1 -2 minutes.
Supported Fish pose. One block on side height just under the shoulder blades, on flattest height under your head. Betsy can help place blocks. Restorative rest. Breathe. 2 - 3 minutes IF comfortable! Blocks out from under.
Reclined Abdominal Twist Right and left.
Savasana. 5 minutes. Or, 2 minutes and proceed to Nidra practice!