Iyengar Yoga for Muscle Stiffness

This class will focus on the hamstring, which is a vital muscle located at the back of the leg. Tight hamstrings are often the cause of low back tension, leg pain, and tightness. Our hamstrings can easily become tight and short without much notice.

This is due to our lifestyle, which involves sitting for long periods of time and continually bending the knees, resulting in the hamstrings being left unstretched and ignored. When the hamstrings are tight and in a shortened state, they pull on the pelvis and lower back, leading to back pain over time.

The following group of postures will not only target the hamstring but also benefit the feet, legs, and pelvis. Suitable for people of all ages, including athletes and the elderly, these postures will help relieve tight joints and muscles, as well as alleviate fatigue in the legs and stiffness in the muscles.

It is important to start slowly, listen to your body, and be aware of its signals. If you find it difficult to fully straighten and lengthen the backs of your legs, try micro-bending and straightening them until your brain understands what you are asking for. With consistent practice, you will see progress.

This sequence includes:

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Uttanasana / toes up

Uttita Trikonasana / toes up

Ardha Chandrasana

Upa Vista Konasana

Uttita Hasta Padangustasana 1

Parva Hasta Padangustasana

Supta Padangustasana

Ardha Halasana

Savasana

Hamstring Elongation–Functional Movements
Kathy Cook

In this class, I will cover a few ways to relieve knee pain while practicing, helping you understand the areas that get overused and strengthening the underused ones. It is important to protect our joints by building the muscles around them to ensure long-term safety from chronic injuries. You may be unaware of the reasons behind the strain or stress you experience. By understanding the natural dynamics of knee movement, you can eliminate or correct imbalances that may develop over time.

Poses in this session

Virasana w/support

– Virasana Baddhanguliyasana

– Tadasana w/ block

– tadasana / Urdhva Hastasana

– Utkatasana

– Utthita Trikonasana

– Dandasana

– Adho Mukha Pascimottasana

– Dandasana Baddhanguliyasana

Knee Tension Release with Blocks-Iyengar Yoga
asamitam

yoga postures to release those over worked areas while bringing flexibility and mobility to those parts of the body

The impact on the feet and knees many times creates injuries or strain. Sometimes it’s just nice to give them some tender loving care. Don’t forget……… the high impact affects other areas including the hips and back which can alter your balance and stamina.

BKS Iyengar worked with many high-level athletes. He felt to train properly, a runner must go outside their sport to find additional ways to supplement strength and flexibility. He considered Yoga like stretching as a practical supplement.

Once runners add a yoga practice to their training they report feeling lighter, “it’s that weightlessness, a natural loose swinging freedom. and I felt more competent.”

“I discovered I had held all my weight on my right leg for the first 25 years of my life. As a result, I found that my hips were not aligned and that the nagging knee pain I was getting in longer runs was caused by the misalignment. It was yoga that cultivated my awareness, allowing me to diagnose the problem. It was yoga that helped me treat it and prevent further damage.”

Quotes from award-winning runners.

Use this class to build your awareness and understanding while focusing on lessening tension, creating space, and building strength, around these highly used joints.

Happy practicing!

This sequence includes:

Virasana ( Hero Pose )

Vajrasana ( Thunderbolt Pose )

Quadriceps Lengthen Pose

Ardha Supta Virasana ( One Leg Reclining Hero Pose )

Dandasana ( Staff Pose )

Supta Padangusthasana I & III ( Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose )

Gomukhasana ( Cow Face Pose )

Navasana ( Boat Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Iyengar Yoga for Runners–Beginner Iyengar Yoga
Kathy Cook

Iyengar Yoga for Upper body strength

In this class, we will focus on the relationship between the wrists, hands, forearms, and shoulders.

How do we create power from the ground up?

Various movements will be done to bring flexibility and mobility to these areas. The hand is the most versatile structure in the human body with 27 bones of which 8 carpal bones are located in the wrists. These bones are interspersed with joints and filled with fluid for protection against friction. The strong tendons coming from the forearm muscles which extend to the fingers are responsible for the dexterity and fine turning movement of the wrists.

The shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers are closely connected with each other as well as the cervical spine and neck region. One area of weakness affects all the rest. The same is for strengthening each area, this coordination will bring support to the entire unit for flexibility, stability, strength, and overall health.

All these connections help us to have the ability to stand on our hands and arms in arm balancing positions. It is with this awareness we can move with intelligent action in a balanced and strong way.

This sequence includes:

Wrist Stretching Pose

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana ( Arm Stretch Pose )

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )

Plank Pose

Vasisthasana ( Side Plank Pose )

Pada Hastasana ( Hand under Foot Pose )

Paschima Namaskarasana ( Reverse Prayer Pose )

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana ( One Legged Downward Dog )

Lolasana ( Pendant Pose )

Eka Hasta Bhujasana ( Trunk Pose )

Adho Mukha Vrksasana ( Hand Stand )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Hands, Wrists & Body Weight -Create Power from the Ground Up
Kathy Cook

Iyengar Yoga for Spine Health

This sequence will focus on our spine health which in the end really affects our entire system and the organs in close proximity, which are all of them!

Moving the spine in different directions from back bending to twists, laterally and forward bends, bathes the nervous system in blood and oxygen. Our discs between the vertebrae require movement and blood flow often not received as we age and become more sedentary. The breath will deepen filling the lungs, and activating the heart, and the pumping action integrates the blood and oxygen with the muscles, tissues, and cells, which are not often stimulated.

This sequence includes:

Marjaryasana / Bitilasana ( Cat Cow Pose )

Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )

Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )

Urdhva Hastasana ( Arm Stretch Pose )

Plank Pose

Chaturanga ( Four-limb Staff Pose )

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ( Upward Dog )

Uttanasana ( Forward Bend )

Parvottanasana ( Pyramid Pose )

Parivrtta Parvottanasana ( Twisted Pyramid Pose )

Parivrtta Parsvakonasana ( Revolved Side Angle Pose )

Upavistha Konasana ( Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend )

Parivrtta Upavistha Konasana ( Twisted Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend )Janu Sirsasana ( Head to Knee Pose )

Baddha Konasana ( Bound Angle Pose )

Marichyasana ( Sage Twist Pose )

Adho Mukha Vrksasana ( Hand Stand )

Setu Bandha ( Bridge Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Spinal Rejuvenation
Kathy Cook

Shoulder mobility and flexibility

This class will help you improve your overall shoulder mobility and health.

As yoga practitioners, we engage in a wide range of shoulder movements which can be at times tricky if you are experiencing tightness or strain.

The should joint, is a very mobile joint compared to other joints in our body. Due to its complexity, we need to be aware of our condition as far as tightness, tension, and overall impairment or loss of mobility. These conditions are often a result due to lifestyle, an injury, incorrect posture, sitting at computers and with phones and of which lead to aches and pains and even more serious issues such as nerve pain due to impingement, arthritis, frozen shoulder, and other nagging impingement.

For yoga practitioners, there are many shoulder-opening postures that add to our health and enjoyment in our practice. For these reasons, it’s essential to keep a shoulder opening/ and shoulder releasing practice included in your tool kits as a weekly go-to.

Please take a look at some of the other classes that incorporate a variety of shoulder openings that will also be a nice addition to your weekly practice.

See you on the mat! Enjoy

This sequence includes:

Parsva Adho Mukha Virasana ( Twisted Forward Hero Pose )

Bharadvajasana ( Torso Twist Pose )

Wrist and Shoulder Stretching Pose with a wall

Paschima Baddhanguliyasana ( Reverse Arm Stretch Pose )

Shoulder Stretching Pose with Ropes

Shoulder Stretching in Uttanasana ( Forward Bend )

Viparita Dandasana ( Inverted Staff Pose )

Setu Bandha ( Bridge Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Iyengar Yoga for Shoulder Mobility
Kathy Cook

Heart health is essential to the quality of everyday life and every breath.

Statistics show that Heart-related diseases have been the number one cause of death globally. This makes heart health one of the most important areas for us to focus on and have a deeper look at.

This begs the question, “what ways can we practice that will support a healthy heart?”

If we have any stored trauma, our inclination is to protect ourselves. We have an automatic response to slouch and cross our arms for protection, which may happen without us even realizing it. This can be caused by pain, lifestyle, work environments, and so on. When the front of the body closes or shrinks, this puts pressure on the heart. This position shortens the muscles and physiologically compresses the vessels carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart area which then affects your breath.

Physically AND metaphorically speaking, keeping our hearts open, as we walk in the world interacting with our relationships, loved ones, and all people in our day-to-day life is vital to our physiological and emotional health. We allow our hearts to open to a deeper level of compassion and acceptance for ourselves and others.

~

If we have any stored trauma, our inclination is to protect ourselves. We have an automatic response to slouch and cross our arms for protection, which may happen without us even realizing it. This can be caused by pain, lifestyle, work environments, and so on. When the front of the body closes or shrinks, this puts pressure on the heart. This position shortens the muscles and physiologically compresses the vessels carrying blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart area which then affects your breath.

In this class, we focus on opening the chest and learning to use the body’s muscles in the front and back to support a variety of postures that help you breathe deeper, and get the circulatory system flushing blood through the heart. All while oxygenating the area, and flushing blood into the organs.

If you are feeling low, sad, or a bit depressed this practice will also lift your spirits and help you see from a renewed perspective.

This sequence includes:

Bharadvajasana ( Torso Twist Pose )

Chest Opening Pose with Blocks

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ( Upward Dog )

Padangusthasana ( Hand to Big Toe Pose )

Paschima Namaskarasana ( Reverse Prayer Pose )

Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )

Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )

Parsva Utthita Trikonasana ( Twisted Triangle Pose )

Virabhadrasana I ( Warrior Pose )

Ustrasana ( Camel Pose )

Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )

Pada Hastasana ( Hands Under Feet Yoga Pose )

Urdhva Dhanurasana ( Wheel Pose )

Salamba Sarvangasana ( Shoulder Stand Pose )

Viparita Karani ( Still Lake Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Iyengar Yoga for Heart Health
Kathy Cook

The “chair” is a unique tool that can be used for many situations.

Yoga is for everyone, which is why BKS Iyengar introduced the props such as the chair. Students all have different body conditions and challenges in which the chair can be useful when needing to modify. For instance, if mobility or getting up and down from the floor is an issue, this class will help you be able to practice with ease. For those of you sitting at a desk most of your day requiring a much-needed break, you too can find benefit in the chair while in the work environment.

This class focuses on many postures using this chair stability to move into various asanas that will be a relief for the back, create extension through the trunk, activate the legs & arms, and even support you in restorative poses, all without leaving the chair.

Enjoy your practice and continue to be creative to find ways you can bring energy, circulation, and space all while bringing freedom to the body, breath, and mind.

This sequence includes:

Malasana ( Garland Pose )

Bharadvajasana ( Torso Twist Pose )

Virabhadrasana II ( Warrior Pose )

Parsvakonasana ( Extended Side Angle Pose )

Parvatasana in Upavistha Konasana ( Arm Stretch Pose in Wide Angle Leg )

Virabhadrasana I ( Warrior Pose )

Paschimottanasana ( Seated Forward Bend )

Marichiyasana I ( Sage Twist Pose )

Salamba Sarvangasana ( Shoulder Stand Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )

Chair Yoga–Iyengar Yoga for Balance and Stability
Kathy Cook

Menopause refers to a time in a women’s life that marks a transition and rite of passage to a new chapter of life.

The first stage a woman goes through is from girlhood to womanhood. This later stage is an important time as we approach our midlife and observe as our bodies and minds change once again.

Both men and women go through hormonal changes from a young age, hormones build and the body morphs before our eyes. And again in mid-life where we evolve to transition both physically and mentally. The symptoms of these changes of life come in many forms for men and women. What we must remember is that all these physiological, and mental changes are normal and natural parts of life.

This period in a women’s life has not always been talked openly about by our elders, health care providers, mothers, or our fathers. It is only in recent decades that research, science, and writing by contemporary women emerged to guide us to a deeper understanding, while giving us common-sense advice, empowering and encouraging both men and women to have compassion as we all move into our next stage of evolution.

This class can be for both men and women. In addressing mid-life changes in men, the very phrase “male menopause” is misleading, since menopause strictly refers to the cessation of menstruation. But, is there is a male version of this bodily adaptation or disruption? In the past, people have spoken about a mid-life crisis, but I have often heard the experts use terms such as “andropause”, “viropause” or “endopause”. Regardless, experts are talking about the changes in men that take place, changes that are hormonally based, physiologically recognized, and chemically known – just as are they for women.

Many of the symptoms are common among the sexes such as:

• Irritability
• Loss of libido (sex drive)
• Erectile dysfunction (impotence) in men
• Fatigue
• Depression

Some may also be affected by:

• Stiffness in the muscles and joints
• Night sweats
• Dry skin
• Hair loss
• Weight gain
• A loss of ability to recover quickly from injuries
• Loss of muscle mass

In her seminal work, Dr. Geeta Iyengar (daughter of Mr. Iyengar) has been addressing women’s bodies and psyches since the sixties. Through her writing and in working with women of all ages, she has worked to create ways to alleviate the suffering and stress. She wrote widely on this subject and continued to raise awareness, giving us yoga asanas (practises and sequences) that help bridge the road to the other side, both physically and mentally.

Many go through this stage relatively easily, where others struggle, finding their symptoms intolerable. No matter where you are on the spectrum, use this time to become more sensitive to what your body and mind need. More than ever we must be our own healers and allow the bodies natural knowing to become clearer guides towards well-being. We must listen to our intuition as we move through the various transformations presented physically and mentally. Continue to adapt your practice, modifying where needed, all while you begin developing a mindset of detachment.

“When we go to the top of the mountain, we enjoy the view as we can see a large area in one glance. This stage in life is also like being at the top and seeing a vast area. This is the time when we can know about what we have missed and how we can correct ourselves. It is also a time to look back in retrospection. It is a time to drop our ego and build ourselves intellectually. It is now that we can understand life better.” Dr. Geetaji Iyengar

Embrace the journey.

This sequence includes:

Dandasana ( Staff Pose )

Upavistha Konasana ( Wide Legged Seated Forward Bend )

Baddha Konasana ( Bound Angle Pose )

Supta Virasana ( Reclining Hero Pose )

Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )

Supta Padangusthasana I & III ( Reclining Hand to Big Toe Pose )

Prasarita Padottanasana ( Wide Angle Forward Bend )

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )

Uttanasana ( Forward Bend )

Ardha Chandrasana ( Half Moon Pose )

Parsvakonasana ( Extended Side Angle Pose )

Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )

Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )

Urdhva Hastasana ( Arm Stretch Pose )

Gomukhasana ( Cow Face Pose )

Paschima Namaskarasana ( Reverse Prayer Pose )

Garudasana ( Eagle Pose )

Janu Sirsasana ( Head to Knee Pose )

Paschimottanasana ( Seated Forward Bend )

Viparita Dandasana ( Inverted Staff Pose )

Sirsasana ( Head Stand Pose )

Salamba Sarvangasana ( Shoulder Stand )

Savasana in Viparita Karani ( Legs Up Corpse Pose )

Iyengar Yoga for Menopause
Kathy Cook

Signs of General Anxiety

Signs of General Anxiety:

• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Easily fatigued
• Restlessness
• Being on edge
• Feeling “wound-up” and easily emotional
• Uncontrolled worry
• Difficulty falling asleep / waking up and not being able to get back to sleep
• Breathing rapidly
• Trembling
• Sweating, to name a few……

Most of us at some point will experience anxious moments in times of stress, and in particular over the past couple of years. If you are experiencing debilitating anxiety, please contact a medical professional in conjunction with your practice.

The question remains – how do we deal with the stress we encounter and still live a healthy productive life?

Everyone is different, with varying levels of anxiety but I have found for my own anxiety, that time spent on the mat is a great reset for the mind and the nervous system. A great quiet space to observe your mental climate and your thoughts, to slow down and give ourselves time to breathe. Sometimes that’s all we need.

Many times we fail to observe these signs if we are not self-aware of ourselves and our behavior. A correctly sequenced yoga practice can help interrupt the symptoms but even more help you to spot them so you can do something to adjust and reset your mental and emotional body.

The nervous system engaged in fight or flight mode can run amuck, spiraling out of control in a continuous loop. Finding a way to disengage from that strong pull will help you see from a new perspective, and gain clarity around what’s going on for you. Sometimes it’s as simple as being aware of the breath and slowing it down with longer exhalations.

Once you can see there is something happening automatically without your conscious decision, you have the powerful choice to do something about it & break the pattern. You are then better able to make healthy choices that will put you in charge of your emotional and mental well-being.

One way to take charge is through your continuous yoga practice and time with yourself. Give yourself permission to look at the fear or anxiety in the face and trust that you can lead yourself out of the darkness into lightness and space.

This sequence includes:

Sukhasana ( Easy Pose )

Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )

Uttanasana ( Forward Bend )

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog )

Prasarita Padottanasana ( Wide Legged Forward Bend )

Viparita Dandasana ( Inverted Staff Pose )

Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )

Ardha Chandrasana ( Half Moon Pose )

Ustrasana ( Camel Pose )

Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )

Janu Sirsasana ( Head to Knee Pose )

Paschimottanasana ( Seated Forward Bend )

Forward Upavistha Konasana ( Forward Wide Legged Seated Forward Bend )

Supta Virasana ( Reclining Hero Pose )

Viparita Karani ( Leg up the Wall )

Iyengar Yoga for Stress and Anxiety
Kathy Cook