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Day 7 - Gulnaz - Forward Bends

Tamara Hockey

A quiet day for me today. I braved the practice session at the institute and reaffirmed to myself that I don't really practice properly unless I'm on my own in a quiet space. It's strange for me to have so much time on my hands and its only now that I've stopped that I realise just how busy I've been, trying to hold down a full-time day job whilst maintaining my practice and (my much reduced) teaching. My studio closed in August 2020 after the owner had a change of heart and it was a real wrench to see all the love and energy that I had put into making it a success come to an abrupt and unwanted end. Perhaps because of this, I wanted the certainty that a salaried job would provide and also a complete and total shake-up to keep life interesting and stimulating.


I work with 'troubled families' helping them to remove barriers to work and / or get their benefits sorted out. The people that I am supporting are often at the lowest point of their lives, having fled domestic abuse or recovering from substance misuse or sometimes they are foreign nationals who have just been granted emergency recourse to public funds after social services have placed their children with them or the death of a loved one has left them destitute with children to look after. Whatever the particular situation, they are always in need of someone calm and confident to look at the situation and shine a light on the path forwards. I like it. But it does mean a huge loss of freedom and far more time in front of a screen than is healthy. My practice has suffered and I can't tell you how pleased I am to have a whole month to immerse in yoga and reflect on how I want the next few years to look.


I found out today that Abhi is in Australia for a week, which is disappointing as I have yet to be taught by her on this trip at all. Fingers crossed she'll be back and ready to teach for backbend week. Tonight Gulnaz taught forward bend class at a cracking pace with rapid changes between sides and lots of motion - the preparation for forward bends was forward bends themselves. We got straight to it, which meant that there was time for a lot of repetition and a greater range of poses than I normally manage to fit into a class. There were very few instructions (she had lost her voice) and she kept us moving constantly. Her assumption was that we don't like forward bends, but actually I love them! Sequence below some more pics of the institute upgrade and new outdoor bookshop counter.







Day 7 – Gulnaz Forward Extensions

  • Swastikasana invocation

  • AMVirasana – AMSvanasana – Uttanasana x 2

  • Turn short end of mat to front of class, take thick mats and sit in dandasana.

  • Parsva Dandasana x 2 each side.

  • UH Dandasana to feet apart Paschimottonasana up and down rapidly X 3 and then hold the 10 toes and concave the back and back to UH Dandasana – Dandasana

  • Rapidly swapping the sides Janu Sirsasana (just the legs not catching the foot) x 5 swaps each side – NO HANDS! – we were not allowed to hold the foot and place it with the hands. NO PROPS! On 5th go raise the arms – UH Janu Sirsasana and extend forwards to touch the floor beyond the foot x 3 – on 3rd go catch the foot and extend forwards taking the head down. Repeat on left side.

  • Dandasana – UH Dandasana – Paschimottonasana

  • Dandasana – Parsva Dandasana

  • Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottonasana (whoever is going to die with pain, take a blanket, otherwise, no!) Just the legs, rapid swapping of sides x 6

  • Trianga Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottonasana – Bend left leg to Marichyasana – Extend leg straight for Krounchasana taking leg higher – Once! Twice! Three times! And hold.

  • UHasta TMEP with right leg in virasana – Catch the foot and back up x 3 – On 3rd go extend forward and take the head down, keeping the elbows up – Raise the head up, release the foot and bring left leg into marichyasana – extend left leg up for Krounchasana – bring the leg in and then release it slightly x 3 raising leg higher. Release extended leg and bring it into padmasana for Bharadvajasana 2 turning to right side. Repeat sequence of these 3 poses on left side – TMEP – Krounchasana – Bharadvajasana 2

  • Dandasana – UH Dandasana – Paschimottonasana

  • ABPadma Paschimottonasana

  • Paschimottonasana

  • Dandasana – Parsva Dandasana

  • Marichyasana 1 – UH Marichyasana 1 – Catch the foot and extend forwards, head to touch shin x 2 each side.

  • Paschimottonasana

  • Marichyasana 1 entwining twist x 2 each side

  • Paschimottonasana

  • Parsva Dandasana rapidly x 3 each side

  • Dandasana – swinging the legs, no hands into Bharadvajasana 1 And then rotation x 3 each side.

  • Paschimottonasana

  • AMS – step right foot forwards Pasvottonasana head down – AMS – step left foot forwards, Parsvottonasna head down.

  • UHastasana - Uttanasana – Urd Prasarita Eka Padasana right leg – Uttanasana – Urdhva Hastasana – Uttanasana – Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – Uttanasana

  • AMS – UMS – AMS x 3

  • Uttanasana head down, longer stay – tadasana

  • Sirsasana

  • AMVrksasana not staying, kicking up x 5 each leg.

  • Set up for Sarvangasana and then lie on the back and wait. Hold the ankles, Chatushpadasana x 5

  • Sarvangasana – Stay tall, lift up higher. Cut the buttocks in and take the legs back. Join the feet and extend the legs higher upward.

  • Uttanasana.

  • Prone Savasana – folded blanket under the forehead, arms bent out to the side 5 mins here and then remove the blanket and rest on the side of the head.


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