Class and Practice Sessions
Taekwondo Classes and Practice Sessions
5-10 classes per week with 7 classes a week as the average.
I am thankful that I have the opportunity to train at different branches within my Taekwondo school since all the instructors have something different to offer.
Practice Sessions
All Poomse 3 times per day, 6 days a week.
Competitive practice 3 times per week.
Strength Training
Monday Wednesday and Friday Monday and Wednesday 3 sets of 10, Friday 1 set of 15
Upper body workout
Pull-ups and dips
Preacher curls
Arm ext
Hammer curls
Chest press
Incline press
Flys
Rear Deltoids
Lateral pull downs
Back extensions
Back Row
Ab Crunches
Lower Body Workouts
Leg abduction
Leg Addiction
Leg Extension
Leg Curls
Seated Leg press
Rotary Calves
Squats
5 sets of 20 push ups and crunches in AM and PM
Yoga Routines
3 Yoga Routines
These Routines hare focused Routines for Martial Artist. The goal of yoga is to increase my flexiblity as well as strength and endurance. I am a Martial Artist not a Yogi so the directions I tried to come up with for these stances were not as could as they could be. I decided to turn to sites such as yoga journal for directions. Later on this page I posted the best directions I could find, however if for some reason these directions are not good enough go to Yoga Journal for fuller directions and pictures. Yoga Journal also has a fun feature where you click which poses you wish to do and what order you want to do them in and the site will play a video to assist you with your program. There is also a workout game on PS2/3 that can also be extremely helpful. I have seen tv spots for the wii unit and its new fitness program but I have not ried it as of yet.
1 General Routine
1. Mountain Pose variation (Tadasana on Toes)
2. Powerful Pose (Utkatasana)
3. Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
4. Flank Stretch Pose (Utthita Parsuakanasana)
5. Wide Angel Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)
6. Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Kanassona)
7. Simple Crossed Legged with Forward Bend (Sakhassana)
8. Four Pointed Staff Pose (Caturanga Daadasana)
9. Corpse Pose “Relaxation” (Savasana)
2 Balance Routine
1. Mountain Pose Variation (Tadasana on Toes)
2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
3. Triangle Pose (Utkatasana)
4. Warrior pose (Viradhadrasana 1 )
5. Squat Pose (Malasana)
6. Sage Pose (Vasisthasana)
7. Corpse Pose “Relaxation” (Savasana)
3 Strength Routine
1. Mountain Pose Variation (Tadasana on Toes)
2. Powerful Pose (Utkatasana)
3. Triangle Pose (Utkatasana)
4. Warrior Pose 1 (Viradhadrasana 1 )
5. Eagle Pose (Garudasona)
6. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
7. Half Downward Facing Dog Pose (Ardha Adaha Mukha Svanasana)
8. Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasona)
9. Four Pointed Staff Pose “Yoga Push Up” (Caturanga Daadasana)
10. Sage Pose (Vasisthasana)
11. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
12. Upward Facing Dog Pose (Urdhua Mukha Svanasana)
13. Stretch of the East Pose (Purvottadnasana)
14. Simple Crossed legged with a Twist (Sukhasana)
15. Half Lord of the fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyen Drasana)
16. Deep Lake Pose (Viparita Karani)
17. Corps Pose “Relaxation Pose “
Cardio Training
Daily Cardio
Current Cardio Training. AT the moment my cardio is horrible and is something I am planning on changing over this summer. Part of this is because I am still a smoker and the rest is due to not getting much cardio training in the last 3 months due to extended sickness.
20 minute warm up on the bike before class and before workouts.
20 minutes on treadmill/ARC
60 minutes twice weekly TKD class. My instructer is a high cardio instructer.
Daily by the end of May
30 minutes on stationary bike before workouts, or class
30 minutes a day on ARC mechine after workouts or class
20 minutes of sprints on Tuesday and Thursdays.
Strength Yoga Routine
Strength Yoga Routine
1. Mountain Pose Variation (Tadasana on Toes)
* Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart
(so that your second toes are parallel). Lift and spread your toes and
the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Rock
back and forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a
standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet.
* Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening
your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches,
then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to
your groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and
head, and out through the crown of your head. Turn the upper thighs
slightly inward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the
pubis toward the navel.
* Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and
release them down your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs
forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling.
Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso.
* Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your
pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor, throat
soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth. Soften
your eyes.
* Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing poses.
But it's useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself. Stay in the
pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.
2. Powerful Pose (Utkatasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the
floor. Either keep the arms parallel, palms facing inward, or join the
palms.
* Exhale and bend your knees, trying to take the thighs as nearly
parallel to the floor as possible. The knees will project out over the
feet, and the torso will lean slightly forward over the thighs until
the front torso forms approximately a right angle with the tops of the
thighs. Keep the inner thighs parallel to each other and press the
heads of the thigh bones down toward the heels.
* Firm your shoulder blades against the back. Take your tailbone down
toward the floor and in toward your pubis to keep the lower back long.
* Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose straighten
your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms.
Exhale and release your arms to your sides into Tadasana.
3. Triangle Pose (Utkatasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet
3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach
them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
* Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out
to the right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm
your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of
the right knee cap is in line with the center of the right ankle.
* Exhale and extend your torso to the right directly over the plane of
the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist. Anchor this
movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel
firmly to the floor. Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two
sides equally long. Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen
the tailbone toward the back heel.
* Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your
right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the
torso. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops
of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to
the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.
* Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up,
strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm
toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of
time to the left.
4. Warrior Pose 1 (Viradhadrasana 1 )
* Stand in Tadasana . With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet
31/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and
parallel to each other), and reach actively through the little-finger
sides of the hands toward the ceiling. Firm your scapulas against your
back and draw them down toward the coccyx.
* Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right
foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the left
heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, squaring the front of
your pelvis as much as possible with the front edge of your mat. As the
left hip point turns forward, press the head of the left femur back to
ground the heel. Lengthen your coccyx toward the floor, and arch your
upper torso back slightly.
* With your left heel firmly anchored to the floor, exhale and bend
your right knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to
the floor. More flexible students should align their right thigh
parallel to the floor.
* Reach strongly through your arms, lifting the ribcage away from the
pelvis. As you ground down through the back foot, feel a lift that runs
up the back leg, across the belly and chest, and up into the arms. If
possible, bring the palms together. Spread the palms against each other
and reach a little higher through the pinky-sides of the hands. Keep
your head in a neutral position, gazing forward, or tilt it back and
look up at your thumbs.
* Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up, inhale, press the back
heel firmly into the floor and reach up through the arms, straightening
the right knee. Turn the feet forward and release the arms with an
exhalation, or keep them extended upward for more challenge. Take a few
breaths, then turn the feet to the left and repeat for the same length.
When you're finished return to Tadasana.
5. Eagle Pose (Garudasona)
* Stand in Tadasana. Bend your knees slightly, lift your left foot up
and, balancing on your right foot, cross your left thigh over the
right. Point your left toes toward the floor, press the foot back, and
then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf. Balance on
the right foot.
* Stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor, and spread
your scapulas wide across the back of your torso. Cross the arms in
front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left, then bend
your elbows. Snug the right elbow into the crook of the left, and raise
the forearms perpendicular to the floor. The backs of your hands should
be facing each other.
* Press the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so
that the palms are now facing each other. The thumb of the right hand
should pass in front of the little finger of the left. Now press the
palms together (as much as is possible for you), lift your elbows up,
and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling.
* Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, then unwind the legs and arms and stand in
Tadasana again. Repeat for the same length of time with the arms and
legs reversed.
6. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
* Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Set your knees directly
below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders.
Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or slightly turned out, and
turn your toes under.
* Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor. At first keep the
knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen
your tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it lightly
toward the pubis. Against this resistance, lift the sitting bones
toward the ceiling, and from your inner ankles draw the inner legs up
into the groins.
* Then with an exhalation, push your top thighs back and stretch your
heels onto or down toward the floor. Straighten your knees but be sure
not to lock them. Firm the outer thighs and roll the upper thighs
inward slightly. Narrow the front of the pelvis.
* Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the index fingers actively
into the floor. From these two points lift along your inner arms from
the wrists to the tops of the shoulders. Firm your shoulder blades
against your back, then widen them and draw them toward the tailbone.
Keep the head between the upper arms; don't let it hang.
* Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the poses in the traditional Sun
Salutation sequence. It's also an excellent yoga asana all on its own.
Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. Then bend your knees to
the floor with an exhalation and rest in Child's Pose.
7. Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasona)
* Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Press your
hands on the floor a little behind your hips, fingers pointing toward
the feet, and strengthen the arms. Lift through the top of the sternum
and lean back slightly. As you do this make sure your back doesn't
round; continue to lengthen the front of your torso between the pubis
and top sternum. Sit on the "tripod" of your two sitting bones and
tailbone.
* Exhale and bend your knees, then lift your feet off the floor, so
that the thighs are angled about 45-50 degrees relative to the floor.
Lengthen your tailbone into the floor and lift your pubis toward your
navel. If possible, slowly straighten your knees, raising the tips of
your toes slightly above the level of your eyes. If this isn't possible
remain with your knees bent, perhaps lifting the shins parallel to the
floor.
* Stretch your arms alongside the legs, parallel to each other and the
floor. Spread the shoulder blades across your back and reach strongly
out through the fingers. If this isn't possible, keep the hands on the
floor beside your hips or hold on to the backs of your thighs.
* While the lower belly should be firm, it shouldn't get hard and
thick. Try to keep the lower belly relatively flat. Press the heads of
the thigh bones toward the floor to help anchor the pose and lift the
top sternum. Breathe easily. Tip the chin slightly toward the sternum
so the base of the skull lifts lightly away from the back of the neck.
* At first stay in the pose for 10-20 seconds. Gradually increase the
time of your stay to 1 minute. Release the legs with an exhalation and
sit upright on an inhalation.
8. Four Pointed Staff Pose “Yoga Push Up” (Caturanga Daadasana)
* Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana, then Plank Pose. Firm your shoulder
blades against your back ribs and press your tailbone toward your
pubis.
* With an exhalation slowly lower your torso and legs to a few inches
above and parallel to the floor. There's a tendency in this pose for
the lower back to sway toward the floor and the tailbone to poke up
toward the ceiling. Throughout your stay in this position, keep the
tailbone firmly in place and the legs very active and turned slightly
inward. Draw the pubis toward the navel.
* Keep the space between the shoulder blades broad. Don't let the
elbows splay out to the sides; hold them in by the sides of the torso
and push them back toward the heels. Press the bases of the index
fingers firmly to the floor. Lift the top of the sternum and your head
to look forward.
* Chaturanga Dandasana is one of the positions in the Sun Salutation
sequence. You can also practice this pose individually for anywhere
from 10 to 30 seconds. Release with an exhalation. Either lay yourself
lightly down onto the floor or push strongly back to Adho Mukha
Svanasana, lifting through the top thighs and the tailbone.
9. Sage Pose (Vasisthasana)
* Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana . Shift onto the outside edge of your
left foot, and stack your right foot on top of the left. Now swing your
right hand onto your right hip, turn your torso to the right as you do,
and support the weight of your body on the outer left foot and left
hand.
* Make sure that the supporting hand isn’t directly below its shoulder;
position the hand slightly in front of its shoulder, so the supporting
arm is angled a bit relative to the floor.
* Straighten the arm by firming the triceps muscle, and press the base of the index finger firmly against the floor.
* Firm the scapulas and sacrum against the back torso. Strengthen the
thighs, and press through the heels toward the floor. Align your entire
body into one long diagonal line from the heels to the crown.
* If you'd like you can stretch the top arm toward the ceiling,
parallel to the line of the shoulders. Keep the head in a neutral
position, or turn it to gaze up at the top hand.
* Stay in this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Come back to Adho Mukha
Svanasana, take a few breaths, and repeat to the right side for the
same length of time. Then return to Adho Mukha Svanasana for a few more
breaths, and finally release into Balasana .
10. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) (If you have back issues do not attempt this one, Yes it hurts)
* Lie on your belly with your hands alongside your torso, palms up.
(You can lie on a folded blanket to pad the front of your torso and
legs.) Exhale and bend your knees, bringing your heels as close as you
can to your buttocks. Reach back with your hands and take hold of your
ankles (but not the tops of the feet). Make sure your knees aren't
wider than the width of your hips, and keep your knees hip width for
the duration of the pose.
* Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your buttocks and, at
the same time, lift your thighs away from the floor. This will have the
effect of pulling your upper torso and head off the floor. Burrow the
tailbone down toward the floor, and keep your back muscles soft. As you
continue lifting the heels and thighs higher, press your shoulder
blades firmly against your back to open your heart. Draw the tops of
the shoulders away from your ears. Gaze forward.
* With the belly pressed against the floor, breathing will be
difficult. Breathe more into the back of your torso, and be sure not to
stop breathing.
* Stay in this pose anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as you
exhale, and lie quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the pose once
or twice more.
11. Upward Facing Dog Pose (Urdhua Mukha Svanasana)
* Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, with the tops of your
feet on the floor. Bend your elbows and spread your palms on the floor
beside your waist so that your forearms are relatively perpendicular to
the floor.
* Inhale and press your inner hands firmly into the floor and slightly
back, as if you were trying to push yourself forward along the floor.
Then straighten your arms and simultaneously lift your torso up and
your legs a few inches off the floor on an inhalation. Keep the thighs
firm and slightly turned inward, the arms firm and turned out so the
elbow creases face forward.
* Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the
navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don't harden the buttocks.
* Firm the shoulder blades against the back and puff the side ribs
forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the
front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Look straight
ahead or tip the head back slightly, but take care not to compress the
back of the neck and harden the throat.
* Urdhva Mukha Svanasana is one of the positions in the traditional Sun
Salutation sequence. You can also practice this pose individually,
holding it anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release
back to the floor or lift into Adho Mukha Svanasana with an exhalation.
12. Simple Crossed legged with a Twist (Sukhasana)
* Sit on the floor with your buttocks supported on a folded blanket and
your legs straight in front of you. Press actively through your heels.
Rock slightly onto your left buttock, and pull your right sitting bone
away from the heel with your right hand. Repeat on the other side. Turn
the top thighs in slightly and press them down into the floor. Press
through your palms or finger tips on the floor beside your hips and
lift the top of the sternum toward the ceiling as the top thighs
descend.
* Draw the inner groins deep into the pelvis. Inhale, and keeping the
front torso long, lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist.
Lengthen the tailbone away from the back of your pelvis. If possible
take the sides of the feet with your hands, thumbs on the soles, elbows
fully extended; if this isn't possible, loop a strap around the foot
soles, and hold the strap firmly. Be sure your elbows are straight, not
bent.
* When you are ready to go further, don't forcefully pull yourself into
the forward bend, whether your hands are on the feet or holding the
strap. Always lengthen the front torso into the pose, keeping your head
raised. If you are holding the feet, bend the elbows out to the sides
and lift them away from the floor; if holding the strap, lighten your
grip and walk the hands forward, keeping the arms long. The lower belly
should touch the thighs first, then the upper belly, then the ribs, and
the head last.
* With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front torso just
slightly; with each exhalation release a little more fully into the
forward bend. In this way the torso oscillates and lengthens almost
imperceptibly with the breath. Eventually you may be able to stretch
the arms out beyond the feet on the floor.
* Stay in the pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. To come up, first lift
the torso away from the thighs and straighten the elbows again if they
are bent. Then inhale and lift the torso up by pulling the tailbone
down and into the pelvis.
13. Half Lord of the fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyen Drasana)
* Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you,
buttocks supported on a folded blanket. Bend your knees, put your feet
on the floor, then slide your left foot under your right leg to the
outside of your right hip. Lay the outside of the left leg on the
floor. Step the right foot over the left leg and stand it on the floor
outside your left hip. The right knee will point directly up at the
ceiling.
* Exhale and twist toward the inside of the right thigh. Press the
right hand against the floor just behind your right buttock, and set
your left upper arm on the outside of your right thigh near the knee.
Pull your front torso and inner right thigh snugly together.
* Press the inner right foot very actively into the floor, release the
right groin, and lengthen the front torso. Lean the upper torso back
slightly, against the shoulder blades, and continue to lengthen the
tailbone into the floor.
* You can turn your head in one of two directions: Continue the twist
of the torso by turning it to the right; or counter the twist of the
torso by turning it left and looking over the left shoulder at the
right foot.
* With every inhalation lift a little more through the sternum, pushing
the fingers against the floor to help. Twist a little more with every
exhalation. Be sure to distribute the twist evenly throughout the
entire length of the spine; don't concentrate it in the lower back.
Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation,
return to the starting position, and repeat to the left for the same
length of time.
14. Deep Lake Pose (Viparita Karani)
so) on a wall or other upright support.
* Before performing the pose, determine two things about your support:
its height and its distance from the wall. If you're stiffer, the
support should be lower and placed farther from the wall; if you're
more flexible, use a higher support that is closer to the wall. Your
distance from the wall also depends on your height: if you're shorter
move closer to the wall, if taller move farther from the wall.
Experiment with the position of your support until you find the
placement that works for you.
* Start with your support about 5 to 6 inches away from the wall. Sit
sideways on right end of the support, with your right side against the
wall (left-handers can substitute "left" for "right" in these
instructions). Exhale and, with one smooth movement, swing your legs up
onto the wall and your shoulders and head lightly down onto the floor.
The first few times you do this, you may ignominiously slide off the
support and plop down with your buttocks on the floor. Don't get
discouraged. Try lowering the support and/or moving it slightly further
off the wall until you gain some facility with this movement, then move
back closer to the wall.
* Your sitting bones don't need to be right against the wall, but they
should be "dripping" down into the space between the support and the
wall. Check that the front of your torso gently arches from the pubis
to the top of the shoulders. If the front of your torso seems flat,
then you've probably slipped a bit off the support. Bend your knees,
press your feet into the wall and lift your pelvis off the support a
few inches, tuck the support a little higher up under your pelvis, then
lower your pelvis onto the support again.
* Lift and release the base of your skull away from the back of your
neck and soften your throat. Don't push your chin against your sternum;
instead let your sternum lift toward the chin. Take a small roll (made
from a towel for example) under your neck if the cervical spine feels
flat. Open your shoulder blades away from the spine and release your
hands and arms out to your sides, palms up.
* Keep your legs relatively firm, just enough to hold them vertically
in place. Release the heads of the thigh bones and the weight of your
belly deeply into your torso, toward the back of the pelvis. Soften
your eyes and turn them down to look into your heart.
* Stay in this pose anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. Be sure not to twist
off the support when coming out. Instead, slide off the support onto
the floor before turning to the side. You can also bend your knees and
push your feet against the wall to lift your pelvis off the support.
Then slide the support to one side, lower your pelvis to the floor, and
turn to the side. Stay on your side for a few breaths, and come up to
sitting with an exhalation.
15. Corps Pose “Relaxation Pose “
* In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral
position. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and
lean back onto your forearms. Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor
and, with your hands, push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone,
then return the pelvis to the floor. Inhale and slowly extend the right
leg, then the left, pushing through the heels. Release both legs,
softening the groins, and see that the legs are angled evenly relative
to the mid-line of the torso, and that the feet turn out equally.
Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.
* With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of the
neck and release the back of the neck down toward the tailbone. If you
have any difficulty doing this, support the back of the head and neck
on a folded blanket. Broaden the base of the skull too, and lift the
crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head. Make sure
your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.
* Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor. Rock
slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder
blades away from the spine. Then release the arms to the floor, angled
evenly relative to the mid-line of torso. Turn the arms outward and
stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades. Rest the
backs of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the
index finger knuckles. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly
on the floor. Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting
diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum. From here,
spread the collarbones.
* In addition to quieting the physical body in Savasana, it's also
necessary to pacify the sense organs. Soften the root of the tongue,
the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, and the skin of
the forehead, especially around the bridge of the nose between the
eyebrows. Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them
downward to gaze at the heart. Release your brain to the back of the
head.
* Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice. To
exit, first roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably
the right. Take 2 or 3 breaths. With another exhalation press your
hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly
after. The head should always come up last.
General Yoga Routine
General Yoga Routine
This Routine is good for both generating Prana and a great simple
stretch. It covers all the major muscles. Again the order of the poses
are more directed for Martial Artist, however they are also great for
general practice.
The routine was taught to me a while back, however the step by step
directions came from http://www.yogajournal.com/. Yoga Journal is also
a regular magazine that is one of the most respected within the
industry. So I figured what better place for step by step directions
then the best. It offers more information on the poses, such as
benefits and which muscles will be effected, the site also offers a
verity of books, DVDs, clothing, mats, blocks, straps and everything
else yoga related. Take a few minutes and check out this site for other
routines and information concerning Yoga.
General Routine
1. Mountain Pose variation (Tadasana on Toes)
* Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart
(so that your second toes are parallel). Lift and spread your toes and
the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Rock
back and forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a
standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet.
*Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your
lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches, then
imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to your
groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and head,
and out through the crown of your head. Turn the upper thighs slightly
inward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the pubis
toward the navel.
*Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and
release them down your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs
forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling.
Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso.
* Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your
pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor, throat
soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth. Soften
your eyes.
*Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing poses.
But it's useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself. Stay in the
pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.
2. Powerful Pose “Chair Pose” (Utkatasana)
*Stand in Tadasana. Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the
floor. Either keep the arms parallel, palms facing inward, or join the
palms.
*Exhale and bend your knees, trying to take the thighs as nearly
parallel to the floor as possible. The knees will project out over the
feet, and the torso will lean slightly forward over the thighs until
the front torso forms approximately a right angle with the tops of the
thighs. Keep the inner thighs parallel to each other and press the
heads of the thigh bones down toward the heels.
*Firm your shoulder blades against the back. Take your tailbone down
toward the floor and in toward your pubis to keep the lower back long.
*Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose straighten
your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms.
Exhale and release your arms to your sides into Tadasana.
3. Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)
* Standing in Tadasana, walk your feet apart approximately 4 feet. You
want your legs to feel stable; avoid extending too much.
* Turn your right foot out 90 degrees and turn your left foot toward
the right about 30 degrees. The right heal is in line with the back of
the arch and heal of the left foot. The right knee should be in line
with the right ankle. Take a few breaths to balance and settle into
this stance.
* Inhale and lift your arms out to the side at shoulder height, level
with the ground. Palms are faced down. With an in-breath, lengthen the
spine and lift the chest. Look straight ahead.
* Exhale and then reach to the right, allowing your hips to shift to
the left. Slowly drop your right arm toward the lower leg, while
stretching the left arm up toward the sky.
Move within the feeling of having a pane of glass in front of you and
one behind you. Stay within this imaginary field. It doesn't matter how
far you come down.
* Rest your hand either on your thigh, shinbone or ankle. If you can
comfortably reach the floor, place the hand on the outside of the right
foot. Ground your legs into the floor, especially pressing through the
back left heel.
* Extend through the sides of the neck to keep the head straight. Keep
head as is or look upward toward your left thumb. Open the chest;
lengthen from the left fingers through the chest, down to the right
fingers. The shoulders should be in alignment with each other. Inhale
and exhale evenly.
* To emerge from the posture, inhale and lift the torso up. Use your
left arm to lift your body and steady your movement. Exhale the arms
down. Turn your feet forward, then onto the other side. Walk your feet
back together into Tadasana.
4. Flank Stretch Pose (Utthita Parsuakanasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. On an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet
3½ to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach
them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down. Turn
your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the
right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm your
thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the
kneecap is in line with the center of the right ankle. Roll the left
hip slightly forward, toward the right, but rotate your upper torso
back to the left.
* Anchor the left (back) heel to the floor by lifting the inner left
groin deep into the pelvis. Then exhale and bend your right knee over
the right ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor. As you
bend the knee aim the inner knee toward the little-toe side of the
foot. If possible, bring the right thigh parallel to the floor.
* As you continue to ground your left heel to the floor, exhale and lay
the right side of your torso down onto (or bring it as close as
possible to) the top of the right thigh. Press your right fingertips
(or palm) on the floor just outside of your right foot. Actively push
the right knee back against the inner arm; counter this by burrowing
your tail bone into the back of your pelvis, toward the pubis. The
inside of your right thigh should be parallel with the long edge of
your sticky mat.
* Firm your shoulder blades against the back ribs. Extend your left arm
straight up toward the ceiling, then turn the left palm to face toward
your head and with an inhalation reach the arm over the back of your
left ear, palm facing the floor. Stretch from your left heel through
your left fingertips, lengthening the entire left side of your body.
Turn your head to look at the left arm. Release your right shoulder
away from the ear. Try to create as much length along the right side of
your torso as you do along the left.
* Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up. Push both heels
strongly into the floor and reach the left arm forcefully toward the
ceiling to lighten the upward movement. Reverse the feet and repeat for
the same length of time to the left. Then come up and return to
Tadasana.
5. Wide Angel Standing Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana)
*Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet
3½ to 4 feet apart. Rest your hands on your hips. Turn your right foot
out to the right 90 degrees and turn your left foot in slightly to the
right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and
turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the kneecap is in
line with the center of the right ankle.
* Exhale and turn your torso to the right until you’re facing directly
out over the right leg; as you do this, lift your left heel off the
floor and spin on the ball of the foot until the inner left foot is
parallel to the inner right foot. Then exhale again and bend your right
knee. If possible, bring the right thigh parallel to the floor. Keep
your left leg active by pressing the thigh up toward the ceiling and
extending strongly
through the left heel. At the same time, resist the lift of the left
thigh by pressing the tailbone toward the pubis.
* With another exhale turn further to the right and lean the torso
down, placing the left hand on the floor inside the right foot. Dig
your right thumb into the right hip crease and push the thighbone down
toward the floor. Firm the shoulder blades into the back ribs and lean
the torso back slightly, away from the inner thigh. Stay in this
position for a few breaths.
* If this position seems challenging enough, stay for the recommended
time. If you want to go further, bend your left elbow and bring it to
the outside of the right knee. Resist the knee and elbow against each
other. If possible, straighten your left elbow and reach the hand
toward the floor (if you can’t reach the floor, support your hand on a
block). You can keep your right hand on your hip, or stretch it over
the back of the right ear with the palm facing down. Then turn your
head to look at the right arm. As in all twists lengthen and soften the
belly, extend the spine with each inhalation, and increase the twist as
you exhale.
* Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up, exhale to release
the twist. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of time to
the left. Then return to Tadasana.
6. Cobbler’s Pose (Baddha Kanassona)
* Sit with your legs straight out in front of you, raising your pelvis
on a blanket if your hips or groins are tight. Exhale, bend your knees,
pull your heels toward your pelvis, then drop your knees out to the
sides and press the soles of your feet together.
* Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you comfortably can. With
the first and second finger and thumb, grasp the big toe of each foot.
Always keep the outer edges of the feet firmly on the floor. If it
isn't possible to hold the toes, clasp each hand around the same-side
ankle or shin.
* Sit so that the pubis in front and the tailbone in back are
equidistant from the floor. The perineum then will be approximately
parallel to the floor and the pelvis in a neutral position. Firm the
sacrum and shoulder blades against the back and lengthen the front
torso through the top of the sternum.
* Never force your knees down. Instead release the heads of the thigh
bones toward the floor. When this action leads, the knees follow.
* Stay in this pose anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. Then inhale, lift
your knees away from the floor, and extend the legs back to their
original position.
7. Simple Crossed Legged with Forward Bend (Sakhassana)
* Sit on the floor with your buttocks supported on a folded blanket and
your legs straight in front of you. Press actively through your heels.
Rock slightly onto your left buttock, and pull your right sitting bone
away from the heel with your right hand. Repeat on the other side. Turn
the top thighs in slightly and press them down into the floor. Press
through your palms or finger tips on the floor beside your hips and
lift the top of the sternum toward the ceiling as the top thighs
descend.
* Draw the inner groins deep into the pelvis. Inhale, and keeping the
front torso long, lean forward from the hip joints, not the waist.
Lengthen the tailbone away from the back of your pelvis. If possible
take the sides of the feet with your hands, thumbs on the soles, elbows
fully extended; if this isn't possible, loop a strap around the foot
soles, and hold the strap firmly. Be sure your elbows are straight, not
bent.
* When you are ready to go further, don't forcefully pull yourself into
the forward bend, whether your hands are on the feet or holding the
strap. Always lengthen the front torso into the pose, keeping your head
raised. If you are holding the feet, bend the elbows out to the sides
and lift them away from the floor; if holding the strap, lighten your
grip and walk the hands forward, keeping the arms long. The lower belly
should touch the thighs first, then the upper belly, then the ribs, and
the head last.
* With each inhalation, lift and lengthen the front torso just
slightly; with each exhalation release
a little more fully into the forward bend. In this way the torso
oscillates and lengthens almost imperceptibly with the breath.
Eventually you may be able to stretch the arms out beyond the feet on
the floor.
* Stay in the pose anywhere from 1 to 3 minutes. To come up, first lift
the torso away from the thighs and straighten the elbows again if they
are bent. Then inhale and lift the torso up by pulling the tailbone
down and into the pelvis.
8. Four Pointed Staff Pose (Caturanga Daadasana)
* Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana, then Plank Pose. Firm your shoulder
blades against your back ribs and press your tailbone toward your
pubis.
* With an exhalation slowly lower your torso and legs to a few inches
above and parallel to the floor. There's a tendency in this pose for
the lower back to sway toward the floor and the tailbone to poke up
toward the ceiling. Throughout your stay in this position, keep the
tailbone firmly in place and the legs very active and turned slightly
inward. Draw the pubis toward the navel.
* Keep the space between the shoulder blades broad. Don't let the
elbows splay out to the sides; hold them in by the sides of the torso
and push them back toward the heels. Press the bases of the index
fingers firmly to the floor. Lift the top of the sternum and your head
to look forward.
* Chaturanga Dandasana is one of the positions in the Sun Salutation
sequence. You can also practice this pose individually for anywhere
from 10 to 30 seconds. Release with an exhalation. Either lay yourself
lightly down onto the floor or push strongly back to Adho Mukha
Svanasana, lifting through the top thighs and the tailbone.
9. Corpse Pose “Relaxation” (Savasana)
* In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral
position. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and
lean back onto your forearms. Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor
and, with your hands, push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone,
then return the pelvis to the floor. Inhale and slowly extend the right
leg, then the left, pushing through the heels. Release both legs,
softening the groins, and see that the legs are angled evenly relative
to the mid-line of the torso, and that the feet turn out equally.
Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.
* With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of the
neck and release the back of the neck down toward the tailbone. If you
have any difficulty doing this, support the back of the head and neck
on a folded blanket. Broaden the base of the skull too, and lift the
crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head. Make sure
your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.
* Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor. Rock
slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder
blades away from the spine. Then release the arms to the floor, angled
evenly relative to the mid-line of torso. Turn the arms outward and
stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades. Rest the
backs of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the
index finger knuckles. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly
on the floor. Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting
diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum. From here,
spread the collarbones.
* In addition to quieting the physical body in Savasana, it's also
necessary to pacify the sense organs. Soften the root of the tongue,
the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, and the skin of
the forehead, especially around the bridge of the nose between the
eyebrows. Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them
downward to gaze at the heart. Release your brain to the back of the
head.
* Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice. To
exit, first roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably
the right. Take 2 or 3 breaths. With another exhalation press your
hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly
after. The head shouldalways come up last.
Balance Yoga Routine
Balance Yoga Routine
The goal of this routine is to work on balance and coordination as well
as generate Prana (chi) for daily use. Again routine is one of my
regular practices however the step by step directions came from
http://www.yogajournal.com
Balance Routine
1 Mountain Pose Variation (Tadasana on Toes)
* Stand with the bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart
(so that your second toes are parallel). Lift and spread your toes and
the balls of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Rock
back and forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a
standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet.
* Firm your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening
your lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches,
then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner thighs to
your groins, and from there through the core of your torso, neck, and
head, and out through the crown of your head. Turn the upper thighs
slightly inward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor and lift the
pubis toward the navel.
* Press your shoulder blades into your back, then widen them across and
release them down your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs
forward, lift the top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling.
Widen your collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso.
* Balance the crown of your head directly over the center of your
pelvis, with the underside of your chin parallel to the floor, throat
soft, and the tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth. Soften
your eyes.
* Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing poses.
But it's useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself. Stay in the
pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.
2 Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. Shift your weight slightly onto the left foot,
keeping the inner foot firm to the floor, and bend your right knee.
Reach down with your right hand and clasp your right ankle.
* Draw your right foot up and place the sole against the inner left
thigh; if possible, press the right heel into the inner left groin,
toes pointing toward the floor. The center of your pelvis should be
directly over the left foot.
* Rest your hands on the top rim of your pelvis. Make sure the pelvis
is in a neutral position, with the top rim parallel to the floor.
* Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor. Firmly press the right foot
sole against the inner thigh and resist with the outer left leg. Press
your hands together in Anjali Mudra. Gaze softly at a fixed point in
front of you on the floor about 4 or 5 feet away.
* Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Step back to Tadasana with an
exhalation and repeat for the same length of time with the legs
reversed.
3 Triangle Pose (Utkatasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet
3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach
them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
* Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out
to the right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm
your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of
the right knee cap is in line with the center of the right ankle.
* Exhale and extend your torso to the right directly over the plane of
the right leg, bending from the hip joint, not the waist. Anchor this
movement by strengthening the left leg and pressing the outer heel
firmly to the floor. Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two
sides equally long. Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen
the tailbone toward the back heel.
* Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your
right foot, whatever is possible without distorting the sides of the
torso. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops
of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to
the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.
* Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Inhale to come up,
strongly pressing the back heel into the floor and reaching the top arm
toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of
time to the left.
4 Warrior pose (Viradhadrasana 1 )
* Stand in Tadasana . With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet
31/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and
parallel to each other), and reach actively through the little-finger
sides of the hands toward the ceiling. Firm your scapulas against your
back and draw them down toward the coccyx.
* Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right
foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the left
heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, squaring the front of
your pelvis as much as possible with the front edge of your mat. As the
left hip point turns forward, press the head of the left femur back to
ground the heel. Lengthen your coccyx toward the floor, and arch your
upper torso back slightly.
* With your left heel firmly anchored to the floor, exhale and bend
your right knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to
the floor. More flexible students should align their right thigh
parallel to the floor.
* Reach strongly through your arms, lifting the ribcage away from the
pelvis. As you ground down through the back foot, feel a lift that runs
up the back leg, across the belly and chest, and up into the arms. If
possible, bring the palms together. Spread the palms against each other
and reach a little higher through the pinky-sides of the hands. Keep
your head in a neutral position, gazing forward, or tilt it back and
look up at your thumbs.
* Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up, inhale, press the back
heel firmly into the floor and reach up through the arms, straightening
the right knee. Turn the feet forward and release the arms with an
exhalation, or keep them extended upward for more challenge. Take a few
breaths, then turn the feet to the left and repeat for the same length.
When you're finished return to Tadasana.
5 Powerful Pose “Chair Pose” (Utkatasana)
* Stand in Tadasana. Inhale and raise your arms perpendicular to the
floor. Either keep the arms parallel, palms facing inward, or join the
palms.
* Exhale and bend your knees, trying to take the thighs as nearly
parallel to the floor as possible. The knees will project out over the
feet, and the torso will lean slightly forward over the thighs until
the front torso forms approximately a right angle with the tops of the
thighs. Keep the inner thighs parallel to each other and press the
heads of the thigh bones down toward the heels.
* Firm your shoulder blades against the back. Take your tailbone down
toward the floor and in toward your pubis to keep the lower back long.
* Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come out of this pose straighten
your knees with an inhalation, lifting strongly through the arms.
Exhale and release your arms to your sides into Tadasana.
6 Sage Pose (Vasisthasana)
* Perform Adho Mukha Svanasana . Shift onto the outside edge of your
left foot, and stack your right foot on top of the left. Now swing your
right hand onto your right hip, turn your torso to the right as you do,
and support the weight of your body on the outer left foot and left
hand.
* Make sure that the supporting hand isn’t directly below its shoulder;
position the hand slightly in front of its shoulder, so the supporting
arm is angled a bit relative to the floor. Straighten the arm by
firming the triceps muscle, and press the base of the index finger
firmly against the floor.
*Firm the scapulas and sacrum against the back torso. Strengthen the
thighs, and press through the heels toward the floor. Align your entire
body into one long diagonal line from the heels to the crown.
* If you'd like you can stretch the top arm toward the ceiling,
parallel to the line of the shoulders. Keep the head in a neutral
position, or turn it to gaze up at the top hand.
* Stay in this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Come back to Adho Mukha
Svanasana, take a few breaths, and repeat to the right side for the
same length of time. Then return to Adho Mukha Svanasana for a few more
breaths, and finally release into Balasana .
7 Corpse Pose “Relaxation” (Savasana)
* In Savasana it's essential that the body be placed in a neutral
position. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and
lean back onto your forearms. Lift your pelvis slightly off the floor
and, with your hands, push the back of the pelvis toward the tailbone,
then return the pelvis to the floor. Inhale and slowly extend the right
leg, then the left, pushing through the heels. Release both legs,
softening the groins, and see that the legs are angled evenly relative
to the mid-line of the torso, and that the feet turn out equally.
Narrow the front pelvis and soften (but don't flatten) the lower back.
* With your hands lift the base of the skull away from the back of the
neck and release the back of the neck down toward the tailbone. If you
have any difficulty doing this, support the back of the head and neck
on a folded blanket. Broaden the base of the skull too, and lift the
crease of the neck diagonally into the center of the head. Make sure
your ears are equidistant from your shoulders.
* Reach your arms toward the ceiling, perpendicular to the floor. Rock
slightly from side to side and broaden the back ribs and the shoulder
blades away from the spine. Then release the arms to the floor, angled
evenly relative to the mid-line of torso. Turn the arms outward and
stretch them away from the space between the shoulder blades. Rest the
backs of the hands on the floor as close as you comfortably can to the
index finger knuckles. Make sure the shoulder blades are resting evenly
on the floor. Imagine the lower tips of the shoulder blades are lifting
diagonally into your back toward the top of the sternum. From here,
spread the collarbones.
* In addition to quieting the physical body in Savasana, it's also
necessary to pacify the sense organs. Soften the root of the tongue,
the wings of the nose, the channels of the inner ears, and the skin of
the forehead, especially around the bridge of the nose between the
eyebrows. Let the eyes sink to the back of the head, then turn them
downward to gaze at the heart. Release your brain to the back of the
head.
* Stay in this pose for 5 minutes for every 30 minutes of practice. To
exit, first roll gently with an exhalation onto one side, preferably
the right. Take 2 or 3 breaths. With another exhalation press your
hands against the floor and lift your torso, dragging your head slowly
after. The head should always come up last.