Yoga for Gardeners, Year Four!
Since this blog started four years ago, I've made it a yearly tradition to write a Yoga for Gardeners post. Well, it's getting to be that time of year again and judging by the number of farmer tans I am seeing in class these days, I think we're ready for another sequence!
As always, the focus is on overly hunched backs and sore joints. If you've been digging in the dirt and your lower back is feeling it, if you've been planting some seeds and your shoulders are hunched, if you've been using a rototiller and your wrists ache... this sequence is for you!
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| Hey, Ithaca! Looking for a CSA? This image comes from Plowbreak Farm, where my house gets its amazing CSA. |
As always, the focus is on overly hunched backs and sore joints. If you've been digging in the dirt and your lower back is feeling it, if you've been planting some seeds and your shoulders are hunched, if you've been using a rototiller and your wrists ache... this sequence is for you!
- Wide-legged child's pose, bowing to earth. Put a bolster in between the legs (or a pillow) for extra support
- Walk arms toward one side and then the other. Hold for about a minute on each side.
- Come up to comfortable seat on chair or bolsters. Take gentle seated twist to each side.
- Forward fold in Easy pose
- Recross legs if you are seated. Take one hand to floor, reach opposite arm above head and to side for side stretch. Repeat other side.
- Bring arms in Eagle pose arms. Draw gentle circles with arms clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Recross with opposite arm on top and draw circles again.
- Table top, cat/cow spine
- Downward dog, pedal legs and take any movements that feel good.
- Move onto the back
- With Eagle legs and arms in a "T" position, drop legs to one side (only as far as you can go without the opposite shoulder blade coming off of the ground). Repeat on the other side.
- Bridge
- Gentle supine twist, letting both legs fall to one side and then the other.
- Reclined bound angle pose
- Legs up the wall pose