Build a little heat and release muscle tension in this total body power flow! This practice is best suited for those who consider themselves beginner-level practitioners. While this flow moves slowly and is friendly for those who are just beginning their yoga journeys, I do not recommend this class for those that are completely unfamiliar with the yoga poses. I do not break down the technique for each posture, as this practice is intended to be friendly to most students. 

To begin, we will move through a series of postures intended to warm up the spine, engage the core, and integrate the breath with our movements. It’s important to take this time to inhale and exhale fully and deeply through the nose, and in alignment with our movements, so that we can begin to build some internal heat and increase awareness of the body. Additionally, the integration portion of our warm-up is a great opportunity to build some fluidity in the joints, and to begin to open and release muscle tension. 

From integration, we will move into warming, where we will continue to build that internal fire and increase the heart rate. I like to think of Sun A’s as the yoga version of a burpee: you can take these as slow or as quickly as you’d like, you can add transitional movements to advance your practice, or you can take modifications of the postures that aren’t serving you. Sun A’s are a great way to customize your practice to fit your needs; they are also a great foundational flow, so if you choose to follow along with me, the movements will be simple (easy to follow) and they can still pack the heat.

Vinyasas are in the same boat as Sun A’s: completely customizable to fit your needs. With that being said, however, while it is completely up to you on whether you want to take the vinyasas or skip them altogether, I would encourage you to try them out because they are a great way to continue building that internal heat. Vinyasas are simple movements that you can choose to make more complex depending on your skill level. The foundational vinyasa that we will move through in this practice will definitely elevate your heart rate, help you to work up a sweat, and build tons of strength in your core and upper-body — even if you choose to modify and take the Vinyasa from your knees. 

From our Sun A’s, we will move into exploration, elevating the heart rate even higher. Similar to Sun A’s, Sun B’s are like 3-part yoga burpees. They typically consist of Chair Pose and Warrior 1, separating each posture with a vinyasa in between. Sun B’s, again like Sun A’s, are completely customizable, so if you would like to add anything to this portion of your practice, please feel free to make it your own. Though we are only moving through 1 full round of a Sun B (there are typically at least 3 rounds in a power class), we will take about 3 breaths in chair pose and each side of Warrior 1, exploring the fire the will build in our quads and glutes. These poses sneakily challenge our core as well, so even when you’re tempted to maybe not take your fullest expression of a lunge or squat, I challenge you to play your edge and breathe through the discomfort. 

Reaching the peak of our practice, we will move into some hip-opening with our Warrior 2-focused sequence. The peak of our practice will not only challenge our lower-body strength, it will challenge our hamstring flexibility and hip and spinal mobility as well. 

Beginning to bring the heart rate back down and re-center our breathing, we will finish off the standing portion of our practice with some balance work. These postures will challenge the strength of your ankle stabilizing muscles as well as your core, and you will find that the poses are a test of your total-body flexibility and mobility. 

After a final vinyasa, we will have reached the seated/reclined portion of our practice. This section is intended to help lower the heart rate back to normal (or close to normal), and help you find release in all of the muscles that we just worked. The postures will focus primarily on increasing flexibility and some mobility. If there are any final poses or movements that are calling to you that I did not suggest, please feel free to continue your practice and take what feels good. We will complete our practice by getting our feet over our head in an inversion of your choice (Happy Baby is the one I offer in this practice) and take our Savasana. Stay in Savasana for as long as you’d like; you do not have to close your practice when the video ends. 

I hope that you enjoy this practice, and that it leaves you feeling strong and released! Let me know in the comments below which moments peaked your creativity and curiosity about where you can take your practice next!

Workout Notes

• For the Vinyasas, I encourage you to make these your own! You can modify them by taking the chaturangas (essentially half a push-up moving from high to low plank) from your knees; you can shift back to child’s pose; you can skip your vinyasa altogether and meet us in Downward Dog. To make these more advanced, you can take several chaturangas and/or take them with one leg lifted. If inversions are in your practice, you can play with moving from a handstand or crow to a chaturanga. This is your practice — take or skip what will best serve your body!
• This practice moves relatively slow and explores more foundational postures. Sometimes those factors combined can make it easy to tune out — especially if you’re an advanced practitioner. However, I invite you to focus on the breath, and breathe fully with every movement. Allow the heat to build with your ujjayi breath and turn your awareness to your body. Notice how the same postures might feel completely different on each side. Notice where you’re unnecessarily holding onto tension or sinking into your joints without the support of your muscles; make adjustments or modifications where/when it feels necessary. Take your own creative spin on this practice and see where your body guides you. Wherever you set your focus, whatever postures you choose to take/don’t take, I invite you to dive fully and deeply into the present moment!
• During Warrior 1 for our Sun B’s, if the posture feels inaccessible for your hips, you can modify by taking High Crescent Lunge instead. 
• Please note that in all lunge postures, you can modify by dropping the back knee to the mat. If you are looking to lower the heart rate slightly, but wanting to stay in the lunge, you can always bring your hands to heart-center, rather than keeping them raised overhead. 
• Savasana is corpse pose: a pose at the end of yoga practices meant for rest and stillness, ease after the effort. Typically, savasanas are taken on the back, with your arms and legs fully extended and relaxed. However, I like to invite practitioners to take any posture that feels best in their bodies. You, of course, can take the traditional corpse pose. Or, to help your mind stay present, you bring one hand to the belly and the other to the chest to tune into the rise and fall of your breath. You can take the poses I suggested below (suggested for those looking for lower-back support) or take your own. This is your practice, and I encourage you to explore anything that spikes your curiosity. 

Equipment

• Yoga mat 
• Yoga blocks [optional]

Flow Structure

Integration 

• Child’s Pose 
• Swan Pose 
• Cat/Cows
• Thread-The-Needle
• Beast Plank Static Hold
• High Plank 
• Low Plank 
• Upward Dog
• Downward Dog 

Warming

• Sun A’s [x2]
• Vinyasa [x2] ~ You can modify these by taking them from your knees; taking a child’s pose; or skipping them altogether and meeting us in Downward Dog.

Exploration

• Sun B’s [x 1]
• Vinyasa [x3] 

Peak

• High Crescent Lunge 
• Warrior 2 
• Reverse Warrior 
• Extended Side Angle 
• Triangle Pose 
• Reverse Triangle 
• Vinyasa 

Recenter

• Padangusthasana 
• Dancer Pose
• Figure 4
• Final Vinyasa

Release

• Half Pigeon 
• Wild Thing
• Seated Forward Fold
• Bridge Pose
• Gentle Spinal Twist 
• Happy Baby

Rest

• Your Savasana [Suggested Posture: Reclined Butterfly or Knees Bent w/ a slight internal hip rotation]