YOGA AT HOME - STEP 2

It's time to take you yoga practice to the next level. Did you miss the first program? Check it out right here. Julia Martinsson has put together a two-step program that will help you get started with your yoga practice in the home. 

Did you miss out on the first Yoga session? You'll find it here!

PROGRAM #2

Try this yoga program in the comfort of your own home - it doesn't take long to complete. When you feel comfortable with the exercises, try doing it vinyasa-style where you flow through the exercises instead of pausing for 3-5 breathes. One breath, one movement.

1. HIGH LUNGE (ASHTA CHANDRASANA + TWIST - PARIVRTTA PARSVAKONASANA)

Start in downward-facing dog (described in program 1) by placing your right foot inbetween your hands. Place your right knee just above your ankle so that you can see you big tow. Breathe in and lift your upper body as you lift your left heel from the ground. Stretch your arms towards the ceiling and lower your shoulders. Keep your hips parallel pointing to the short-side of the mat. If you struggle with keeping the balance, widen the step. Here you can try to bend your back leg, bump your hip forwards and stretch your leg again. This makes the stretch deeper.

At your next inhale, turn your upper body to the left and place your left elbow outside of your right knee. Press your palms together, rotate your upper body but strive to keep your hands in the middle of your chest. Prolonge your body at every inhale and rotate it a little further on each exhale. Taking deep breathes will help you sink into the position. Put down your left knee if it gets too heavy.

Stay for 5 breaths.

2. WARRIOR 3 + DYNAMIC ARMS (VIRABHADRASANA 3)

Breath in and turn your upper body towards the middle. Come back to a high lunge. Take a step forward with your left foot to shorten the step. Lean and distribute all your weight on your right leg and lift your front leg from the ground. Lean forward until you are parallell with the mat. Point your toes on your back leg to the ground to find a slight inward rotation in your hip - strive to keep your hips parallell. Either stay with your finger tips pointing towards your toes and your palms to the mat, or try to stretch your hands infron of your head.

If you have your arms infront of you, try to pull your elbows backwards on an exhale and stretch them as you inhale. Repeat 3 times.

If you have your finger tips back to your toes - stay for 3 breaths.

3. ASTRIDE FORWARD-BEND WITH A TWIST (PARIVRITTA PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA)

From Warrior 3, breathe out and lower your back foot to the ground as slowly and carefully as you can. Straighten borth legs and rotate your toes to the left long side of the mat. Point your toes inwards.  Bend your legs slightly and fold your upper body to the ground. Try to keep your back as straight as possible. Place your finger tips/hands down in the mat or onto a yoga block in line with your toes. Place your left hand inbetween your feet and swipe your right arm up at the next inhale and let your gaze follow. Breathe out, come down to the middle and place your right hand inbetween. Breathe in and swipe your left hand up. Repeat 3 times on each side.

Place both hands to the ground and rotate your feet so that your toes point to the back end of the yoga mat.

Repeat each exercise 1-3 on your left side.

4. THE COBRA (ARDHA BHUJANGASANA)

Step into a high plank, bend your arms and lower your body to the gorund. Place your hands under your shoulders and press your chest up as you let your gaze rest infront of you. Lift you hands from the gorund to feel if your back muscles are doing the job or not. Try to broaden your hands outside of the mat and keep your finger tips to the ground. Lift your upper body as you inhale and lower your fore head as you exhale.

Repeat 3 times.

5. THE TABLE (ARDHA PURVOTTOANASANA)

Sit down. Place your hands about 20 cm behinh you with your finger tips pointing towards you. If your shoulders are tightened you can angle your finger tips slightly to the side. Place your feet to the ground and start to press them down as you lift your hips up. If this feel alright, relax your head backwards so that your gaze falls behind your. If not, keep your neck in neutral position and gaxe up.

Stay for 3-5 breaths.

6. HALF BACK-BEND (SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA) / BACK-BEND (URDHVA DANURASANA)​

Breathe out and come down on your back. Place your feet into the mat and see if you can reach your heels with your finger tips. Walk your shoulder blades to eachother. Lift your hips upwards so that your upper body starts to shape like an arc. The chest should strive toward your chin while your chin strives away from your chest in order to expend the spine. Grab onto your hands under neathe you and press your feet down at the same time as you pull them towards yourself to activate your back thighs.

If you are getting it right, place one hand on each side of your head with your finger tips to your shoulders with slightly bent arms. Start to press your feet down and lift your hips up. Roll up along your springe and place the top of your head to the mat first. Make sure that your elbows are pointing backwards, that your feet are placed aligned with your hips and that your knees are pointing to your feet. Next up: Lift some weight off your head and press yourself up to a full back-bend.

Make 3 back-bends - half, full or a mix of the two.

Q&A

WHAT’S YOUR STORY

I'm a certified yoga teacher passionate about making this fast-paced world a more harmonious and happy place. I wish to inspire people to a more balanced and joyful life.

Apart from yoga I love to go out for a run, to experiment with vegetarian and vegan food in the kitchen and to make (and eat) extra-everything-breakfasts.

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE?

Yoga has helped me to do just that. I come from a background where high intensity training was everything. It was always about running faster, lifting heavier and constantly getting results – both when exercising and in life.

Over ten years ago I started doing yoga, and it really made the difference for me. I now listen to my body in a completely new way and have learnt to not neglect the need for reflection and relaxation. When I started to listen to my inner voice I realized that I had been pushing myself and my body so hard for so many years. Today, I combine meditation practices with more physical yoga and other activities.

I still love to run and lift heavy, the difference is that now I do it from joy, not from the feeling that I have to.  For me, that has been a game changer. Also, I try not to create any strict boundaries when it comes to food. Everyone is different but balancing green smoothies with chocolate and cinnamon buns is what works best for me!

IS YOGA FOR EVERYONE?

Yes, everyone can do yoga, and I strongly believe that most people would feel so much better if they practiced yoga. However, everyone might not like it. And that is okay. It’s the same thing as everyone not being into boxing, or soccer, or basketball, or *insert any sport that comes to mind*.

I do however believe that everyone that is curious should give yoga a chance, and not just ONE chance. Try different styles, different teachers and different studios. What works for me might not necessarily work for you. We are all different and “nobody is for everyone” if you understand what I mean. Not all yoga teachers are for you. Find a style you like, whether it’s a more physical or relaxing type of yoga, and find a teacher that you like.

MUST HAVE IN YOUR TRAINING WARDROBE RIGHT NOW?

Oh, it must be my Seamless leo tights and top in black from Casall and my yoga blocks (maybe that doesn’t count as “wardrobe”, but I need to include them anyway). The blocks I use almost daily, either for “supported half bridge” or putting one under the upper part of my back and one under my head for a nice chest opener..

YOUR BEST TIP ON HOW TO GET STARTED WITH YOGA?

My best tip is to not think so much, just try it! Go to a class or start at home, whatever you feel the most comfortable with.

For some people it might feel good to try it out at home first, just to get a feel for what it is all about. I started out doing yoga videos at home, on my dvd-player (yes it was 100 years ago, haha). Nowadays there are many good platforms where you can find both videos (for example yogobe), and yoga programs through pictures and descriptive texts, like the two yoga programs I made here at Casall. Don’t overcomplicate it, just try.

If you start at home, I recommend you to start going to classes after some time to avoid doing the positions in a way that could harm you and also to get help to evolve in the right direction! A good teacher will also inspire you to continue with your yoga practice. Then you can mix your home practice with taking classes.