Yoga Alignment Workshop Series: Reclined Bound Angle Pose, Suptabaddhakonasana

January 18, 2017 by mint-sk

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

I love vinyasa yoga and I am obsessed with good alignment. This obsession doesn’t stem from a need for perfection, which would be very “un-yoga-like” of me, but from a passion for protecting the body from injury. Most bodies can safely practice yoga on a daily basis, but maintaining sound alignment is essential to your physical wellbeing. In this series, I will break down some common poses—explaining how to stay safe and fully enjoy each posture. Finally, remember to BREATHE consistently while practicing yoga to receive the full benefits of the practice … otherwise, you’re just stretching in Sanskrit. Today’s pose is Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or Suptabaddhakonasana.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose, or Suptabaddhakonasana

This is one of my favorite hip-openers. I usually will either start a yoga session in this pose for centering, or end in this pose—right before shavasana.

Start by lying on your back.

Palms face up, shoulder blades draw together and away from the ears.

Feet come together and knees butterfly open.

Gently close the eyes.

Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Yoga Alignment Alignment Series: Tree Pose, Vrksasana

December 7, 2016 by mint-sk

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

Stand in tadasana at the top of your mat.

Bend the right leg, and place the foot at the left ankle, calf, or upper thigh. Never rest the foot directly on the knee.

Raise your arms towards the sky. Shoulders roll up and down the spin, away from the ears. Shoulder blades come together at the midline.

Arms slightly externally rotate, meaning that palms begin to face towards the back of the mat.

Hip points should face out equally in front of you, and your bent knee should extend towards the right.

Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

For a challenge, try balancing while closing your eyes, and/or gently swaying your arms like a tree in the wind.

After you are done, try the pose on the other side to even out the body.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Yoga Alignment Blog Series: Chair Pose, Utkatasana

November 23, 2016 by mint-sk

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

Stand in tadasana.

Bring the big toes to touch, toes are spread wide and gripping into the mat.

Sit back, as if you’re sitting into a chair. *Some teachers will tell you to “scoop the tailbone”—this cue is becoming less common. If you’d like to read more about the “scoop” debate—here is one article for your perusal.

Thighs engage, squeezing towards one another.

Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This is not an instruction to hold the breath. Continue to breathe fully.

Stretch the arms overhead, looking up between your palms.

Arms begin to externally rotate, meaning palms begin to face towards the back of the mat.

Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

Ashley Binetti received her 200-hour vinyasa yoga teacher training at Saraswatis’s Yoga Joint in Norwalk, CT in 2011. Her favorite pose is Triangle. When she’s not doing yoga, Ashley works as a nonprofit attorney. She is also a MINT Ambassador.

Yoga Alignment Blog Series: Standing Forward Fold, Uttanasana

October 5, 2016 by mint-sk

Disclaimers: Consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime. Never force a pose. Stop if you feel pain or intense discomfort. Yoga is meant to be yummy.

– Feet should be hip-distance apart, or where your feet would naturally land standing (people have a tendency to interpret “feet hip-distance apart” as meaning feet on the edges of your mat—this is much farther than the distance of your hips. To measure, you should be able to place both of your fists between your feet).

– Toes spread wide and gripping into the mat. Weight is evenly distributed throughout the feet.

– Engage uddiyanabandha, bringing the belly button in and up towards the spine. This will give you more space to fold forward. This is not an instruction to hold the breath. Continue to breathe fully.

– Maintain a generous bend in the knees, especially if this is one of your first forward folds of the day. If you have more flexibility and would like to go deeper, maintain a gentle bend in the knees.

– Hands can rest on thighs, shins, or on the mat below you. If you’d like, you can bring hands to opposite elbows and hang freely in your forward fold.

– Release any unnecessary tension in your neck and face. Shake the head “yes,” shake the head “no.” Then find stillness.

Practicing yoga on your own can be a ton of fun, but taking a class is a great way to explore new poses under the tutelage of a trained yoga instructor; check out MINT’s yoga offerings, here.

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