Strength through your range of motion...that's MOBILITY....

In yoga āsana practice we have a lot of opportunities to identify areas where we feel strong or lack strength and areas where we experience flexibility or limited in our range of motion. We may find the places that are comfortable for us and it feels good to go there. It's interesting and informative to observe how we relate to the challenging areas. We can also look at our needs for and interest in dynamic action and surrender into stillness. The beauty of yoga practice is that it can encompass all of this. The way we practice matters - we can find ways of being passive in postures but with attention we can call up our strength to support us as we move toward our full range of motion. Observing, being curious and playful in our practice can teach us a lot about ourselves. In general, in my practice and in the classes I create for you, I try to be sure to include movements that challenge our strength through our range of motion, keeping our joints balanced and healthy, keeping us strong and supple, keeping us supported and challenged.

In this week's class, Chair Supported Squats and Non-Linear Dog Play (82min), we are using a chair to provide support as we explore a high mālāsana - squat - strengthening legs and hips as well as inviting movement in to the torso and shoulders. Walking out to downward dog we'll explore non-linear movements that hydrate tissues throughout the body and particularly helpful for the wrists and ankles in terms of bearing weight on different parts of the hands and feet (rather than just in one spot when we are in stillness or in our habitual movement). We finish up the class with two seated postures - an opportunity to observe and deepen our hip/leg flexibility and then some supported restorative postures.

I hope you will make some time to dive into this 82 min. class and then throughout the week in shorter practice times you can explore a few of these movements on your own (or use the video - skipping to the section you want!).

Have a great week playing, exploring and being.

From the heart,

Audrey