In this session, we don’t focus on any specific pose group but rather go through movements that facilitate hip-opening and the lengthening of our hamstrings. We will also include some twists at the start of the session as they help to relax the abdominal muscles. This will serve to improve our form when we move on to seated postures such as Baddha Konasana where the ability to soften the navel can actually lead to a deeper and more effortless release of the hips.
We will begin with a few standing poses to warm up the hips. Utthita Trikonasana followed by its twisted variation allows us to work deeply into the hips without going into an extremely deep stretch just yet. Ardha Chandrasana allows us to practice the same hip opening motions while also incorporating a balancing action which strengthens and activates the hamstrings. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana 1 and 2 are also great poses for achieving similar goals.
We weave some inversions into this session as well as they help us stay alert and act as a good way to transition between asana types: moving from standing to seated to supine postures.
The second and biggest part of the session involves seated postures. We go through most of the key seated poses: Dandasana, Paschimottanasana, Upavistha Konasana, Baddha Konasana, Janu Sirsasana, Triang Mukha Paschimottanasana, and some twists like Ardha Matsyendrasana and Marichyasana 3.
Then, after cooling down in Halasana, Karna Pidasana, and several variations of Sarvangasana, we move onto a final, supine, hip opening in Supta Padangusthasana 1 and 2. Then, it’s time for our final relaxation in Savasana.
Video stills from this sequence
