She stoops to conquer

For today's class at Cornell, I taught a sequence that could be done first on the knees, and then mimicked from Downward Dog. As an example, from table pose, we lifted the right leg at a 90 degree angle ("fire hydrant pose") and drew circles with the knee. When we made our way to DD, we did the same there.

The intention was to notice that while we might be making the same movement with our legs, it feels completely different because of where the rest of our body is. Maybe it will help give an idea as to why changes in the neck could affect a stretch in the hips.

She stoops to conquer

A yoga teacher tries not to stoop. She may, however: squat, get on her hands and knees, and balance on her butt.

1. Sukhasana (Easy Pose)
2. Seated Sun Breaths in Easy Pose
3. Forward fold over bent knees
4. Utthita Shisonasana (Puppy Pose). AKA Anahatasana
5.  Table
6. Fire hydrant knee circles in table (see above for brief description)
7. Take the leg and extend it behind you, pressing the ball of the foot into the floor (calf muscle stretch)
8. Repeat 6 + 7 on other side
9. Puppy Pose
10. "Thread the Needle" in Puppy Pose, taking on arm underneath other for twist
11. Repeat other side
12. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) on the knees
13. Table
14. Repeat on other side
15. Repeat steps 12-14, or come into Chapasana (Half Moon with Bind)
16. Puppy Pose
17. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
18. Lift one leg and extend back and long. Flex the foot. Release down to floor.
19. Repeat other legs
20. Vinyasa
21. Downward Dog
22. Lift one legs, draw circles with knee. Repeat on other side.
23. Vinyasa
24. Downward Facing Dog
25. Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I)
26. Vinyasa
27. Repeat steps 24-26 with other leg
28. Repeat steps 24 and 25
29. Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II)
30. Vinyasa
31. Repeat steps 28-30 on other side
32. Again make your way through the poses to Vira II, straighten the front leg into Triangle (Trikonasana)
33. Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose). Bind into Chapasana if you like.
34. Warrior II
35. Vinyasa
36. Repeat steps 32-35
37. Child's Pose (Hold for 2-3 minutes, deepening the exhales)
38. Come onto back
39. Pavana Muktasana (Wind-relieving Pose)
40. Supta Matsyendrasana (Reclined Twist)
41. Repeat steps 39 and 40 on the other side
42. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
43. Open the legs out, if you can, into Supta Konasana (Reclined Angle)
44. Take inversion of choice
45. Savasana