Episode 16: Root, Rise & Squat Mandala Classic Flow
This is a 65-minute Classic Flow. The focus of this class is lower body, especially outer hips, glutes, and quads. Your attention will be repeatedly drawn to your feet in order to create balanced muscle engagement and stacking of joints. Release expectations of classic Sun Salutations (beyond two and a half rounds of side-wall lengthening Sun A to calibrate the breath), be ready to move front to back of the mat, and take it one breath at a time. We will hold, we will flow, we will challenge muscle memory. Hip-opening horse squats and hip-strengthening active malasana squat with a twist make an appearance in this flow and invite you connect with your center. The center line is explored further in balancing postures like standing figure four and tree pose. Hip, core, and balance work come together in our peak pose – side plank tree leg variation. Half-pigeon finishes the hip opening theme with a bang, providing much-deserved ‘dessert’ as you hold and breathe. What has been opened must be closed, and in the wind-down we explore postures with neutral and closed hip alignment. Legs up the wall pose finishes our lower-body journey and prepares the body for rest in savansana. Enjoy! P.S. If you have a child that already began the school year, I bow to you for surviving the summer-to-reality transition and for rolling out your mat. Let’s GO, parents!