Recent Articles in Strength

Duration: 34 minutes

Emphasis: In this class we mobilise and stretch the shoulders, specifically moving the shoulderblades. Expect some Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1), Humble Warrior (Baddha Virabhadrasana), Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) and Wide Leg Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Parsvottanasana) for your standing poses. Following a Child's Pose variation (Balasana) and a variation of (Psychic Union Pose (Yoga Mudrasana, you'll lie down for a lovely flowy twist that focusses on the upper back and then Supine Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana) before the final relaxation in Savasana. Please note: Yoga Mudrasana can be contraindicated for the neck so if you have any neck issues please skip this pose and take Child's Pose instead.

Props Needed: A blanket for under your knees and a yoga belt or tie from a bathrobe. If you have a resistance band you might want to use it for the warm-up.

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

Duration: 1hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  This class features poses that will help release your back as we gently move from flexion to extension, do some spinal rotation and some side bends in the seated warm-up, and in the kneeling and standing poses flows. In the final part of the class we move to Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) and do some variations to open the hips and give the back and the back of the legs a lovely passive stretch.

Props needed: Some wall space, a blanket and a block.

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

Duration: 50 minutes

Emphasis: In this Iyengar-style class you'll hold each pose for a little longer than in a Vinyasa Flow practice. You'll do each pose separately, on the right side, then on the left, rather than joining poses together to make a flow.  It's strong, focussed work - feeling your way into each pose, noticing the nuances, being aware of your breathing - and then you let it go and move on to the next pose. After warming up you'll practise some different variations of the Warrior group of poses and the seated poses include Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana), Three Parts Forward Bend Pose (Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana 1 and II) and Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). 

Props Needed: A blanket, a block (or maybe two if needed) and a yoga belt.

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

Duration: 52 minutes

Emphasis: I'm sure you've worked out from the title that this class features twists and lunges! You'll do a warm-up of seated twists plus a slow round of Sun Salutations then you'll move into a kneeling lunge flow. For the second flow where you'll be doing standing lunges it will help your balance to have a wall behind you to push your heel into. After the standing flows you'll come down to the floor for a bit of core work then a supine twist and finally you'll come back to a seated sequence before taking a nice long Savasana.

Props Needed: A blanket if needed for under your knees.

Mat direction: Short edge of the mat against a wall if you have space (you could always use a door if you're sure no-one's going to want to use it! ;-)).

Duration: 35 minutes

Emphasis: All the poses in this class are done seated or lying down with straight legs (so it's a good one to do if you're nursing a knee injury). There's a seated warm-up sequence and an exercise to strengthen the thighs, then you'll lie down for some thigh and core strengtheners, a Locust Pose (Salabhasana) and a Side Reclining Leg Lift Pose (Anantasana). Then it's back up to sitting for some variations of Wide Leg Forward Fold (Upavista Konasana). Finally, you'll lie back down again for Savasana.

Props Needed: A bolster (or two pillows rolled in a blanket), two bricks and a blanket if needed for under your knees.

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

Duration: 24 minutes

Emphasis: Strengthen your legs with these almost-yoga leg exercises! You'll use a chair to support you standing and sitting as you work legs, buttocks, hips and core in this hopefully fun workout.

Props needed: A sturdy chair.

Mat direction: A mat is optional - just make sure you won't slip.

Duration: 23 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a simple repetitive flow... but it's hard work! From Standing Forward Bend you'll walk your hands forward to Downward Facing Dog and then back again to Standing Forward Bend. Each time another pose will be added into the flow, including Plank Pose (Phalakasana), Side Arm Balance (Vasisthasana), Runner's Lunge Pose (Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana), Revolved Runner's Lunge Pose (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana) and Side Angle Pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana). Garland Pose (Malasana) is the final pose before you lie down for a well-deserved Savasana.

Props needed: You might need a block.

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

Duration: 16 minutes

Emphasis:  Boost your exercise routine by adding some weights work. You'll be helping to keep your bones and connective tissues strong and healthy, your joints stable and ... and it burns lots of calories too. In this short, whole-body class you'll do squats, lunges, dumbell presses in Warrior 1 Pose, Plank Pose, some Locust Pose leg raises, Bridge Pose and Boat Pose - firstly without weights and then with weights. Start with light weights and build up to heavier ones over time as you practise this class, or the other weights classes on a regular basis.

Props needed: Two handweights (technical name dumbells!).

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

Duration: 20 minutes

Emphasis:  This is a short circular flow, perfect for when you don't have much time but want to fit your practice in. Expect Sun Salutations to warm-up then you'll add on some poses such as Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana I) and Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) facing the front of the mat, Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) facing the side of the mat and then repeating the Warrior poses facing the back of the mat. The whole sequence is then repeated to take you round in a circle and back to where you started. The sequence is then repeated once more at a slightly faster pace. Then it's onto the floor for some supine core strengtheners and a relaxing twist before a short Savasana.

Props needed: None needed.

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

Duration: 1hr 16 minutes

Emphasis:  We start this class with some seated straight leg poses then move to standing poses which include Chair Pose (Utkatasana), Warrior 2 Pose (Virabhadrasana II) and Triangle Pose (Trikonasana). We then practise Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana) before coming down to the floor for some prone backbends and stretches to the front of the thighs. We come back to the floor for more seated poses including a variation of Revolved Half Bound Forward Fold Pose (Parivrtta Ardha Baddha Paschimottanasana) and then to supine poses such as Upward Extended Feet Pose (Urdhva Prasarita Padasana) and Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

Props needed: A blanket, 2 blocks and a belt.

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

Duration: 39 minutes

Emphasis:  In this creative flow you'll repeat the sequence twice so that you travel around the mat in a circular way. You'll practise familiar poses such as Side Angle Pose (Parsvakonasana), Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana) and Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana) in the standing mandala and variations of Bharadvaja's Twist (Bharadvajasana) in the seated mandala.

Props needed: None needed unless you'd like a blanket for Savasana.

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

Duration: 29 minutes

Emphasis:  Warm up with some dynamic squats, build some strength with 3 repetitive exercises using handweights then stretch everything out afterwards.

Props needed: Some handweights - if you've not done any strength training before I recommend you start with light weights and then build up slowly - and a yoga belt.  (It can helpful to do weights work in front of a mirror so you can check your posture too).

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