Posts tagged 70Mins
Cross Overs - IT Band LoVe

70 Mins

Cross Overs - IT Band LoVe

Crossing over with our Yoga posing targets new muscles groups to feel and focus on. It also adds a new dimension to our twists practice. I would say we cover a little bit of everything here; alongside IT band (outer thigh), we twist, focusing on rotation of the trunk, challenging the spinal rotation meanwhile challenging the abdominal muscles to steady us from falling over, balancing and with this strengthening of the legs, lengthening of the hip rotators and finding stability and support from our hip joints too. And remember it’s good for our brain to do new things and/or to do the same things in a new way :-)

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HATHA FLOW, Function, Chest opening, Abdominals, Mobility, Legs, Balance, TwistsGemma Nash70Mins
Twists with a Twist

70 Mins

Twists with a Twist

Twists with a twist refers to the way in which we take parts of our body from one side and cross them over to the other. If some families of twists feel confined this sequencing is more about elongation and rotation of the ribs. Like a combination of side lengthening, twists and forward extensions. To gain the greatest ease, mobility and length we make repetitive movements that feel like pulsing in and out. Less holds, more movement.

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HATHA FLOW, Function, Chest opening, Shoulders, Abdominals, Mobility, Twists, Upper BodyGemma Nash70Mins
Taking It Out

70 Mins

Taking It Out

This practice was filmed on a hot day in the summer. This is the time when we need to temper the heat with the water element in our bodies so although we make the most of having more energy and enthusiasm during the lighter months, to avoid depletion we need to rest the body too. We focus on poses that take our legs wide in this practice, externally rotating the legs for the most part, exploring balance as well as taking supports, especially when feeling over heated. The last third of this practice restores the body with more supportive and restful ways of forward bending.

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HATHA FLOW, Function, Legs, Chest opening, Shoulders, Hamstrings, Hips, RestorativeGemma Nash70Mins
Royal Posing - An Ode to the Queen

70 Mins

Royal Yoga Posing - An Ode to the Queen

When this practice was recorded it was during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in the UK. So I thought it only fitting that we explored postures that reference Royalty, including the asanas named after Hindu gods and deities. We have the ‘raja’s’, King Cobra (raja - bhujangasana), King Pigeon (eka pada raja-kapotasana), King Dancer (nata - raga - asana) - or at least the working towards of these more extreme (let’s call it that rather than advanced). And of course the King and Queen of all the asanas, named so for the sheer number of healing qualities they are said to possess if practiced correctly; headstand (sirsasana) and shoulder stand (sarvangasana). In essence we are also practicing how to build up arm and leg strength with upper back flexibility in order to support these inversions and arm balances. Working towards vashitasana and ashtavakrasana. Have fun exploring :-)

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HATHA FLOW, Function, Balance, Legs, Mobility, Hamstrings, Chest opening, Hips, Backbends, Hip FlexorsGemma Nash70Mins
Up and Out - Lengthening, Lifting and Revolving

70 Mins

Up and Out - Lifting, Lengthening and Revolving

This class is juicy. We lengthen, lift, revolve and extend through our side body. Starting by opening the groins and lengthening the inner thigh we create more room for the diaphragm to move in space. In turn this allows us to lift out of our pelvis, open our chest, twist and side stretch with increased ranged of movement. This sets us up perfectly to move and balance in more challenging standing pavrittas (twists). This can all be developed from simple asanas practiced passively at first to enable us to hold for longer periods and in turn see more significant change in the body that helps us develop the more complex movements and asanas with greater ease.

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HATHA FLOW, Function, Balance, Legs, Mobility, Hamstrings, Adductors, Chest opening, Groin, Hips, Shoulders, Twists, Upper BodyGemma Nash70Mins