YOGA TO BOOST NATURAL ENERGY – TONE – FAT LOSS DAY 3
1. Exercise Content
- Mindfulness and breathing
- Sun Salutation
- Legs lift, dolphin, plank
- Downward Facing Dog – Plank – Upward Facing Dog
- Downward Facing Dog – Plank – Chaturanga- Upward Facing Dog
- Deep relaxation
2. Keep in mind for this class
Before we start the class, there are 4 things that I keep repeating over and over again, only because I want you to remember it deeper:
- First, be calm and put your mind at ease, why?
Because if we practice when our minds are filled with messy thoughts, and too many feelings, then our energy will be wasted, leaving not much energy left for our muscles to work. Moreover, if we hold on to feelings like anxiety, frustration, fear, etc…then our bodies release a dirty and toxic gas. Movement of the body transports Qi around our system, involuntarily sending dirty and toxic gasses throughout, causing harm to the body.
- Second, relax for the entire workout.
Relaxation helps Qi and blood flow easily, while stress causes muscle spasms and Qi blockage. Stress also restricts breathing, which leads to a lack of oxygen in the body, causing muscle fatigue and pain during and after a workout.
- Third, don’t exercise when too full or too hungry, or immediately after eating
When you’re too full, your energy is focused on digestion, not on your muscles, and when you’re too hungry, you don’t have enough energy to exercise.
- Fourth, do not drink water
During exercise, but at least 15 minutes before the session is better for the heart and creates internal heat that’s beneficial to the body.
3. Why these exercises?
- Based on our previous lesson in day 1 class, day 2, we add on a sequence of Downward Dog – Plank – Upward Dog.
- With this sequence, we get to work more on our arms. In addition, the neck, shoulder, back, chest, abs, butts, thighs, calves, are put to practice as well. These body parts will be stretched nicely and strengthened at the same time.
- This sequence of different positions is also a very good workout for the spine, due to the lengthening, stretching, bending forward and backward will help to send blood flow into the bone marrow, vertebrae discs, and our neurons. Our spine can be more flexible.
- This exercise will also bring a positive effect to the energy center of the body, and balance our mind-body-soul.
- Please also take caution to practice according to your own pace and level. You can adjust the rounds of sequence depending on your own strength. The correct way to practice Yoga is that after each lesson, we feel our mind-body-soul centered, balanced, and stronger.
4. Instructions
- Sit quietly:
Sit cross-legged on the mat, straighten your back, pull your shoulders back, keep your head, neck and back in line, relax in this pose. Relax until the natural breath becomes light and clear, going deep into the abdomen easily. We sit and notice the breath naturally coming in and out continuously like this with relaxation until the mind becomes calm, calm.
- Breathing practice:
First, we practice belly breathing. Following the natural breath, we lengthen the breath in and out a little more, then gradually increase the length and depth of the breath so that the breath is deep, slow but still comfortable. Initially, we focus on the lower abdomen, inhale the belly swells, exhale the abdomen falls.
The next step is to practice breathing more deeply, breathing both belly and chest. Inhale tightens the abdomen, inhale further deepens the chest. Then exhale to flatten the abdomen, exhale to flatten the chest. While breathing deeply like this, we remain relaxed, comfortable.
When we get used to deep breathing both belly and chest, we practice holding the breath to help absorb more oxygen into the blood and calm the mind. Inhale deeply, belly swell, chest rise and hold for a few seconds, don’t try too hard. Then exhale slowly, the abdomen falls, the chest collapses. Then inhale again to expand the abdomen, expand the chest, hold the breath. At the end of deep breathing practice, we exhale out of breath and then relax, breathe naturally for a while.
- Sun Salutations:
First, we practice standing in the right posture:
- Stand at the top of the mat, about 2 feet away from the edge of the mat
- Stand with your feet parallel to each other, pressing all four corners of your feet into the floor. Squeeze your feet together or slightly apart.
- Pull the thigh muscles up.
- Roll your butt down to hide your tailbone and pull your pubic bone up to elongate your waist.
- Raise the sternum to relax the abdominal muscles.
- Pull the shoulders back, feel the chest muscles relax, the chest expands.
- Extend the back neck up, keeping the head of the neck and back aligned on the vertical axis.
- Maintain the correct standing position and relax until the breath is smooth and clear
When the body is relaxed, the breath is clear, we begin the sun salutation exercise:
- Inhale, exhale, hands clasped in front of chest.
- Inhale at the same time with both arms reaching up high, lifting the chest to the sky, bending the upper back, keeping the lower back straight
- Exhale and bend your hips forward until your hands touch the floor, level with your feet, back straight, legs straight
- Inhale and step back with your right foot long, stretch your right foot, left foot perpendicular to the floor, back straight, hands touching the floor.
- Hold your breath, step left foot behind right leg, squeeze thighs, roll buttocks, waist straight, arms perpendicular to the floor, hands stretched, head, neck and back in line, face looking at the floor
- Exhale while lowering knees to floor, chest to floor, forehead to floor, forearms vertical, elbows close to waist, shoulders open, chest muscles stretch.
- Inhale to lengthen the whole body, raise the chest with arms, navel touches the floor, shoulders open back, arch the upper back (cobra).
- Exhale, straighten your arms, shift your weight back, legs straight, back and arms in line, head relaxed, feet parallel, heels touching the floor (inverted V)
- Inhale, shift the center of gravity forward, step right foot horizontally with 2 hands, right foot perpendicular to the floor, lower left knee, extend foot, raise chest, straighten back.
- Exhale, shift your weight to the front foot, step the back foot back to the front foot, feet parallel, close or half-closed, hip flexed, hands touching the floor.
- Inhale, raise your arms above your head, in line with your back, lift both your back and arms up, roll your butt down to keep your waist straight, lift your chest up to the sky, arms open all the way back.
- Exhale, stand up straight, and lower your arms back to the starting position.
- Legs Lift:
- Lie on your back on the floor, legs close, feet upright, perpendicular to the floor, hands down the body, hands pressed to the floor.
- Roll the buttocks down, stretch the waist, and press the waist close to the floor to protect the lower back from pain, and strengthen the abdominal muscles.
- Inhale, raise your legs perpendicular to the floor, keep your legs straight, buttocks touch the floor, and lift your chest and head up to look at your navel.
- Exhale, slowly lower your legs while lowering your chest and head
- Repeat this 5 to 10 times each set, each session 1 to 2 sets, gradually increasing the number of times according to your fitness.
Note: After the leg lift exercise, lie down and relax, feel the abdominal muscles and listen to the breath for a while until the breath is balanced again.
- Dolphin:
- Sit on your heels, bend forward, stretch your arms forward, forehead touching the floor
- Raise your butt and torso, knees and forearms still touching the floor
- Adjust the elbows so that the upper arms are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the floor
- Interlaced hands, press the side of the hand, wrist and forearm close to the floor, keeping the wrist in line with the edge of the hand and forearm
- Inhale, raise your knees, straighten your legs, push your buttocks up as high as you can, lengthen your spine, straighten your back, pull your shoulders up so that your head doesn’t touch the floor, draw your chin close to your neck.
- Exhale, push forward, back straight, legs straight, look forward
- Repeat 5 to 10 times per set, 1 to 2 sets per session, gradually increasing the number of reps according to fitness
- At the end of the exercise, we lower the knee to the floor, the buttocks to the heel, the feet stretch, the forehead touches the floor, the hands go back, and relax in the baby pose.
- Plank:
- Similar to the dolphin exercise, we support the body with the wings keeping the forearm, wrist, and side of the hand straight, pressing down on the sieve, the upper arms are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the floor.
- Back, buttocks, and legs in line with each other
- Roll your butt down, pull your abs up to keep your waist straight
- Press your hands into the floor and raise your chest as much as you can
- Hold it for as long as possible
- Upward Dog – Plank – Downward Dog:
- Sit on your heels, bend your hips forward touching the mat, arms outstretched forward parallel with each other. Fingers pointing wide and forward. Stretch out the arms and lengthen the spine.
- Press the ankles down, lift the buttocks, then lift the knees. Straighten the legs, with your heels flat on the ground, feet parallel to each other.
- Press the hands down firmly on the mat, stretch both the arms and spine. Keep the back and arms in a straight line.
- Stretch out the back and the lower belly, at the same time do keep your arms and back straight
- Keep the Downward Facing Dog position, deep and steady breathing.
- As you exhale, push the body forward, 2 arms perpendicular to the floor. Back, buttocks, and legs in a straight line. Squeeze in the buttocks and keep a straight line, forming the ‘’Phalakasana’’, or plank position.
- As you inhale, lower your hip. Push the chest forward, and open up the chest. Open up the shoulders, and face upwards.
- Exhale, shift the focus to the lower body. Push the buttocks back into Downward Facing Dog. Ending the first sequence.
- Repeat 5-10 times for each session, and increase the repetitions as you get stronger.
- Upward Dog – Plank – Chaturanga – Downward Dog:
- From downward dog, inhale and shift your body forward into plank position
- Exhale, bend and lower the elbow, then lower the body down without touching the floor. Keep your forearm straight, also keep the head, neck, back, hip and legs in a straight line.
- Inhale, push the arms up into upward dog again
- Exhale, shift the body backward into downward dog, ending one sequence
- Repeat 5-10 times each session, increase as you get stronger.
- Deep relaxation:
- Lie on your back on the floor, legs slightly separated to 2 sides, 2 toes pointing to 2 sides, 2 hands about 15 degrees from the body, palms facing up, so that the chest is expanded, the head is kept straight but released. liquid, eyes half-closed.
- Consciousness, feeling each part of the body, wherever you feel, remind yourself to relax there until the whole body melts in the middle of the floor.
- Remain awake but completely relaxed, listen to the breath, feel the deep relaxation in body and mind.
