RTS Yoga

Videos on YouTube

robin — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:24:03 +0000

While we are unable to go to gyms or studios at this time, we can continue our healthy lifestyle by exercising at home and taking walks outside while maintaining social distance. I have been recording videos with and without my little one in it. Please let me know what you think and if there are certain types of videos you would like to see.

Morning Yoga Stretch

robin — Sun, 22 Mar 2020 15:49:51 +0000

A ten minute sequence I do in the morning for energy and a stretch but can be done any time of day. Please ignore my 6 year old’s request for more breakfast!

Halasana

robin — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 01:52:43 +0000

After ten breaths in shoulder stand posture, lower your legs over your head for Halasana, plow pose. Lift your sitting bones, stay active through your legs and rest your toenails on the mat pointing your feet if possible. If your feet touch the mat you can release your hands from your low back and interlace your fingers reaching your knuckles to the front of your mat. If not, no worries just try and keep your legs straight and let gravity assist you. As in the previous posture, your weight is in your upper arms and shoulders, not your neck. Engage all three Bandhas and breathe for 8 breaths. This pose opens your shoulders and hamstrings and strengthens your abdominals while improving your circulation.

Savasana

robin — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 15:52:21 +0000

The last posture of the Ashtanga series is Savasana, corpse pose, or sometimes called Sukhasana, comfortable pose. From downdog of the vinyasa from the preceding posture or closing mantra, jump through and lie down. Arms out by your sides at an angle with your palms up. To modify if pregnant or it is uncomfortable on your back, lie on your left side with blocks or blankets between your knees and ankles. Whether on your back or side, soften your face, close your eyes, relax your jaw, melt your shoulder blades down your back, let your torso relax, your hips and legs get heavy, your whole body melt into the Earth. Release any control of your breath and just witness your body and mind. Stay for five to twenty minutes in stillness and let all the work of your practice be absorbed. The Drishti for this post is the third eye. This pose lowers blood pressure and reduces anxiety and stress. It is thought to be the most important pose of the practice and twenty minutes as beneficial as eight hours of sleep.

Utplutih

robin — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 14:32:30 +0000

Utplutih, Uprooted pose, or sometimes called Tolasana, scale pose, continues with your legs in lotus or take a cross legged position. Place your palms on your mat in front of and outside of your hips, engage your back muscles, core and pelvic floor muscles and lift your knees into your chest. Lean forward into your arms and lift your body up if possible. Straighten your arms and gaze at your nose while breathing slow, deep, powerful breaths for as long as you can (10-100 breaths). If you must come down before ten breaths, lift back up again. You can use blocks under your hands to assist with the lift off or engage your abs and pelvic floor muscles bring your knees into your chest and breathe without lifting. After at least ten powerful breaths, vinyasa and come forward to stand for the closing chant before flowing to savasana or vinyasa and lie down for savasana and then sit or stand up for the closing mantra. This pose stimulates the entire body and strengthens your shoulders, back, abdominals and hips.

Padmasana

robin — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 15:31:16 +0000

Inhale up from Baddha Padmasana and exhale place the backs of your hands on your knees with the index finger and thumb connected to form a circle and the other fingers extended towards the Earth for Padmasana with Yoga Mudra. The connection between the self (index finger) and the universal life force (thumb) and its circular shape help to bring us into the present moment. Leave your legs where they are if in lotus but otherwise you can switch which shin is in front. Tuck your chin, draw your shoulders away from your ears, lift up through the length of your spine and breathe for ten breaths. Be fully present with your Drishti on your nose. This pose helps to open your hips and heart and calms your nervous system.

Baddha Padmasana

robin — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 17:43:02 +0000

After Balasana, vinyasa and come to Dandasana for the closing sequence of Ashtanga yoga. Take your right foot into your left hip crease or as high as possible. Then take your left foot and place it on top into your right hip crease. If this doesn’t work for your body stay in half lotus position or sit in a cross legged position. Take your hands behind your back and if in lotus grab your left big toe or foot with your left hand and your right toe or foot with your right hand for Baddha Padmasana, Bound Lotus posture. If you cannot reach your toes or if you are not in lotus, grab opposite elbows behind your back. Inhale lengthen your spine and then exhale fold forward and place your forehead or chin on your mat (or a block or just hover gazing at your third eye). Breathe for ten breaths. This pose opens your hips and shoulders and releases tension in your body and mind.

Balasana

robin — Sat, 16 Mar 2019 17:31:18 +0000

From Sirsasana, lower your legs to your mat for Balasana, child’s pose. Separate your knees as wide as the mat or leave them together if that feels better and reach your sitting bones to your heels and your forehead to your mat or to a block. Stretch your arms forward, shoulder distance apart, or bring them down by your sides. Tuck your chin into your chest, pull your abs up and in and breathe for 5-10 breaths. Then inhale come up and vinyasa. This pose releases tension in your neck, shoulders and hips as it allows your body and mind to rest.

Baddha Hasta Sirsasana

robin — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 15:26:08 +0000

After the Chakrasana or Vinyasa from uttana Padasana, hop to your knees for Baddha Hasta Sirsasana, bound hands headstand. Find the crown of your head by taking the heel of your hand to the bridge of your nose and where your middle finger ends is the crown of your head. Then place your forearms on your mat and grab opposite elbows. Keep your elbows where they are and reach your hands forward to interlace them with your pinkies on the mat and your palms open. Place the crown of your head on the mat and support the back of your head in this basket of your fingers. Pull your abdominals in and reach your shoulder blades away from your ears. Engage your back muscles and straighten your legs behind you and walk them in towards your face as much as possible staying grounded in your arms. Press your hips towards the front of your mat to start to feel your body get light and lift naturally. Continue to raise your legs to the sky, stacking your hips over your shoulders with most of your weight on your forearms. You can modify by having your head in position and your legs in downdog and bending one knee into your chest or lifting one leg up for a few breaths and then switch. You could also bend both knees into your chest into a tuck position and then lift up or stay in an egg shape. Using the wall for support is also an option. Breathe in headstand for 15-25 breaths if possible and then lower to half headstand with your legs parallel to the floor for 5-10 breaths if possible before inhaling back up and then lowering all the way down for child’s pose. This pose is called the “king” of all postures since it strengthens your core, your mind and your entire body as well as improves your balance and circulation.

Uttana Padasana

robin — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 15:53:33 +0000

From Matsyasana, inhale and extend your arms and legs 45 degrees off of your mat, keeping the crown of your head on the mat if possible for Uttana Padasana, extended leg pose. Press your palms together, point your toes, engage your abdominals to protect your back and breathe for eight breaths with your gaze at your nose. The exit out of this pose is another Chakrasana, backward somersault, or roll up and vinyasa. To modify keep your spine on the mat and just lift your arms and/or legs. This pose strengthens your back muscles as it opens your throat and heart.