Strength and Freedom

I just came back from instructing a private yoga session outside by a pool.  My client and I were talking about how we love Southern California!  Although there is so much to love about LA, Angelenos need a tremendous amount of physical and mental strength to live in this big complex city.  You can feel so many things coming at you at once.  You may not even take the time for a deep breath.  Or you can feel nothing happening in your favor at all.  Many of my students complain of the “Feast or Famine” aspects they have experienced living in LA.  There are millions of people here pursuing their dreams and aiming beyond the stars!  Let’s face it, living in LA can be awesome and challenging.  If you are going to live your best life in LA, you must tap into what strengthens you and tap into what inspires your free spirit to soar!

I admire this quality of my fellow Angelenos.  To muster up your strength and the feeling of freedom on and off of your mat, practice Crescent Pose.

Crescent Pose grounds the lower body making you feel rooted.  Once the lower body is grounded, the upper body has the freedom to lift and lengthen towards the sky.

This a great pose to practice at your yoga studio, in your house, and even at the park with bare feet.  There are so many benefits!  Everything is working in Crescent Pose from the toes to the fingertips.  Your body will experience increased flexibility, you will become stronger, and your focus will be unwavered.

What are you waiting for?  Let’s begin.  As always, please listen to your body.

It’s a good idea to warm up your body by circling your joints ten times in each direction.  Next flow into 3-5 rounds of Sun Salutations A or B.  Once your body feels warmed up transition from Downward Facing Dog to Crescent Pose.

1. From Downdog, exhale and step your right foot in between you hands, you are in a high lunge.  Your front knee and front ankle must be in one line (this protects your knee).

2. Inhale keep the back leg strong and straight, exhale sink deeper into your front leg.  The Power is in your back leg.  The front leg has the freedom to bend more, eventually the front hamstring is parallel to the ground.

3. Inhale fill your lungs, exhale contract your belly muscles in towards your lower back.

4. Inhale expand your belly, exhale scoop your tailbone under.  Make sure you feel stable in your legs.

5. Next inhale lift your upper body towards the sky.  Stretch through your fingertips.  Exhale, relax your shoulders away from your ears.  Square your hips and your shoulder towards the front of the room.

6. Inhale, lengthen the sides of your waist, exhale gently scoop your tailbone and allow the left thigh to stretch.  Back heel remains lifted.

7. If its appropriate for you, arch your back to your own degree turning your upper body into a backbend.  Relax your head and neck back if your neck says it is OK.

8. Inhale leading with your chest, slowly lift up and out of the backbend.  Exhale mindfully lower your hands on either side of the front foot.

9. Take a Vinyasa Flow (Plank, Chataranga, Updog, Downdog) or go straight iback to Downdog.

10. Switch sides.  When you are done with both sides, take a Child’s Pose.

Benefits

•    Stretches legs, groins, and hip flexors

•    Opens chest, shoulders, and front torso

•    Strengthens thighs, legs, butt, and core

•    Improves balance

•    Expands the lungs

•    Increases energy

Yoga Tip:

It is imperative you keep your core muscles engaged, this will keep you from loosing your balance and falling out of the pose.  This rings true for most yoga poses, your core keeps you centered.  If you fall out, who cares, get back in when you feel grounded.

Image credits: Golden Monkey Healing; Photographer Alex Vasilescu