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Winter Sparkle

Winter Sparkle…..

 

 

With the words of song ‘baby it’s cold outside’ going around and around your head  Hatha yoga poses (asanas) can help support your winter season by creating internal heat; strengthening your shoulders, thighs, calves and back. 

 

Tadasana – mountain pose



  • Equally weighted bare feet, parallel, hip socket width apart, snuggle your feet into the floor so they feel grounded and secure, unmoving.

  • Soften your knees

  • Pelvic bowl is supported and balanced by engaged thighs

  • Natural S curve in your spine – lengthen distance from hipbone to ribcage

  • Upward lift from the sternum (not chest out)

  • Shoulders back and down by gently activating between shoulder blades, hands soft

  • Lifting through the crown of the head – let jaw relax; keep lips touching with teeth apart

  • Breathe – in and out through your nose

 

Squats - Upavesana



  • Place feet comfortably apart, toes slightly facing towards each other

  • Keep back and chest strong and open at all times

  • Inhale and raise arms above head lengthen, exhale bend knees until it is felt in the thighs. 

  • Keep knees inline with toes. 

  • Repeat until you feel the ‘heat’.

  • Slower is the grower – keep it strong with attention to detail.

  • Inhale up, exhale down.

  • Lower your pelvis all the way down, place elbows in front of knees and push open your legs.  If  not, place cushion under heels.  Breath!

 

Balance – nervous system gift!



  • Bring legs together into Tadasana pose – relax breathing

  • Balance onto the balls of your feet – kitten heels of 5” heels your choice

  • Relax breathing – keep tall and open

  • Close your eyes

  • Stay for 5 breaths +

 

Windmill – shoulder opener



  • Tadasana

  • Full body lengthening – arms above head with shoulders pulling downward

  • One arm forward the other backwards….

  • Let the body rotate from the hips

  • Purposeful movement – inhale arms up and exhale down

  • Change direction

  • Enjoy

 

Utkatasana – chair pose with heel lift



  • Tadasana

  • bend at the pelvic hinge

  • keep back strong, chest and shoulders open, active tummy muscles

  • Arms parallel and facing the floor

  • Knees no further forward than your toes

  • To engage calves lift heels……hold, breath…

 

Plank -  Chaturanga  Dandasana



  • Tadasana

  • Dangling Uttanasana, spinal roll down – exhale as you forward bend, soften knees and allow spine to open, arms and shoulders relax and be heavy.

  • Let neck feel long – traction

  • Rest chest onto your thighs

  • Walk hands forward into either full plank (toes and hands) or onto knees and hands. Push back through heels if in full plank.  Elbow creases facing.

  • Back strong with natural spinal alignment – if pain in back onto knees or lift pelvis

  • Lower the full body to a hover – squeeze elbows into your sides, breath

 

Child’s pose -  Balasana



  • Lower onto floor

  • Use your hands to push body backwards and pelvis back onto heels

  • Knees together or comfortably apart – lengthens adductors

  • Hands out front – then towards heels in between legs or outside

  • Find a comfortable place for head……

  • Breathe

 

 

Locust – Shalabhasana



  • Move forward onto front

  • Spinal alignment and body awareness

  • Elevate shoulders up towards your ears on an inhale

  • Exhale, depress shoulder area towards mid back – hold

  • Inhale

  • Exhale, push pubic bone into the mat/floor and lift head – eyes sighted towards floor, long neck

  • If no pain in lumbar region….

  • Inhale, then on a strong exhale lift torso with arms behind, hold, inhale then on exhale squeeze legs together and lift as one.  Do not crunch into lumbar area more about lengthening the body….

 

Balasana – child pose



  • As above

  • Will open up lumbar region – please move into with care

  • Stay in pose until breathing is normal and full

 

 

Hero/ine pose - Virasana

 



  • Lift torso and bring knees together

  • Place pelvis onto heels ( if not good for the knees place a cushion or block under pelvis and if still painful sit on the edge of a chair with feet flat on floor and strong open spinal alighment)

  • Place hands onto thighs palms face up

  • Soften eyes, face and jaw

  • Keep head elevated

  • Breathe

  • Nadi Sodhana - Alternative nostril breathing; a warming breath – bring your attention to your right nostril and inhale, exhale through your left, inhale through the left and exhale right…continue.  You can block off the unused nostril by placing your index and middle finger on your forehead then let your ring finger and thumb fall onto your nose.  Release, not lift, the finger pressure that is needed to allow the flow of air in or out.

 

 

Hatha Yoga in winter is all about warming the body; engaging your deep stabilising  muscle groups, deepening the pose by staying in the pose for longer and breathing slower

Be gentle….if it hurts – don’t. 

 

valerie@yogashrink.com for more share!