Duration

Duration: 15 minutes

Emphasis: In this class you'll move from top-to-toe gently moving the joints. Although you're probably familiar with them as I often include them as warm-ups in my classes, you might not know that these exercises are yoga poses. I rarely use their proper names - but they do have them - and I'll use them in this class. You can use this sequence as a stand-alone class - it's especially good to do first thing in the morning to get you moving - or as a warm-up before moving onto another activity or yoga class. Practise these movements often to help keep your joints mobile and healthy.

Props needed: None needed.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis: Take just 20 minutes to bring a little movement to your body. Especially good if you're tired, you've been sitting at a desk for hours and need a break or if you've only got 20 minutes for your practice. You'll do a little bit of everything - strengthening for your legs, mobility for your spine, flexibility for your hips and inner thighs plus a little bit of quietening for your mind.

Props needed: A sturdy chair.

Mat direction: N/A.

Duration: 51 minutes

Emphasis: The deep stretches in this class will help to keep you flexible, stretching connective tissues and improving joint mobility. The slow pace of the class and quiet spaces between the poses will help your nervous system relax and your mind to become still. Yin yoga is the perfect practice for the end of the day, allowing you to let go of all the busy-ness and set you up for a good night's sleep.

Props needed: None apart from a blanket for padding if required.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 36 minutes

Emphasis: In this class you'll warm up with Sun Salutation A and then do 4 more rounds featuring Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana), Gate Pose (Parighasana) and Triangle Pose (Trikonasana). It's a slow and steady paced flow but you'll be building strength and stamina.

Props needed: A blanket for under your knees.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 35 minutes

Emphasis: This simple repetitive flow takes you into a different variation of Crescent Moon Pose (Anjaneyasana) in each round, stretching psoas muscles, shoulders, chest and sides of the body.

Props needed: A blanket if you need one for under your knees.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 26 minutes

Emphasis: This sequence will move your joints, helping to lubricate them to promote better mobility and also strengthen the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding the joints. These two together (mobility and strength) will reduce injury and joint pain and help your body enjoy greater freedom of movement.

Props needed: Two blocks for under your hands in Wide Legged Forward Fold if needed, plus a blanket.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 12 minutes

Emphasis: I'd just come in from a few hours gardening, wheelbarrowing compost and spreading it out on my flower beds (hence looking a bit dishevelled!) and thought I'd share my go-to stretches that are helpful to bring my back into neutral after several hours in flexion. At this time of year when many of us are itching to get out there and get our gardens ready for the summer season it's easy to overdo it and then suffer with back-ache. If you practise these movements after gardening - and in-between gardening sessions too - you'll help to minimize muscle imbalances and hopefully prevent injury.

Props needed: A sturdy chair.

Mat direction: N/A.

Note: at the beginning of the class I mention the 'no dig' method of gardening which keeps the soil healthier and also saves your back. If you're interested in finding out more go to https://www.charlesdowding.co.uk/

Duration: 39 minutes

Emphasis: Move through the body from head to toe mobilising the joints and stretching the muscles in these seated poses. You'll move slowly with the intention of down-regulating your nervous system and quuietiening body and mind so this class is useful if you're feeling overwhelmed, tired or wired and will help you to relax.

Props needed: A blanket and a yoga belt.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 58 minutes

Emphasis: In this class we make repetitive movements to help improve mobility. We'll try some unusual, fun challenges too. I hope this class will leave you feeling looser and more limber in your joints and muscles.

Props needed: A blanket and two cushions.

Mat direction: Long edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 7 minutes

Emphasis: If you're new to Shoulderstand (Sarvangasana) or haven't practised it for a while try it this way using a wall to help you get in position. The set-up is important for the comfort of your neck so watch carefully first to ensure you've got it right, then push your feet into the wall to lift the hips and, maybe, one or even both legs. Shoulderstand strengthens the upper body, quietens the nervous system. massages the thyroid and parathyroid glands which stimulates the lymph system and stimulates blood flow. 

Props needed: Two blankets and some wall space.

Mat direction: Edge of your mat against the wall.

Duration: 53 minutes

Emphasis: A Sun Salutation-based flow class that has a focus on retracting the shoulder blades (pulling them towards each other) that helps to broaden and stretch the upper chest and stabilise and strengthen the shoulder girdle. This movement is really helpful when doing poses such as Bridge Pose and Shoulderstand is it encourages extension of the upper spine, lifting it in and up away from the floor, rather than rounding and pressing down into the floor which can feel uncomfortable in these poses. Regular practice of shoulder blade retraction can help the upper back and chest area feel more mobile and spacious and improve your posture and breathing too.

Note: It is important to keep your head and neck still whilst doing Shoulderstand so please watch the instructions first so you don't turn your head to see the screen in the pose. If you haven't done Shoulderstand before or for a while you might want to watch and practise the 'Shoulderstand Using The Wall Tutorial - February 2024' first.

Props needed: Two blankets and possibly a yoga belt if you are tight across the upper chest and front of the shoulders.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat facing the screen.

Duration: 28 minutes

Emphasis: Enjoy this repetitive flow that takes you from one end of the mat to the other, and back again. It includes High Lunge (Alanasana), Side Lunge (Skandasana), Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana) and Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajkapotasana).

Props needed: None required.

Mat direction: You choose - at some point you'll have your back to the screen but I hope you'll pick up the flow quickly and know where you're going :-)