Flow-ish Sequence

So we had a good time at Bfree last night for advanced flow. I thought I would share the sequence in case anyone needed some inspiration or ideas for a strong flow class for capable students. Lots of these could be broken down and modified for an all-levels class for sure.

We had a hot and sweaty room, some good tunes and willing group. One thing I love about teaching at Bfree is that everyone is pretty okay with my "flow-ish" style when I teach there. Flow-ish means that I mostly keep everything flowing and linked together somewhat creatively but at times the choreography is not stellar or seamless and if, at any point  I look around and see an obvious way to help people improve their poses I will cut off the music and give an explanation or demonstration or partner assist, particularly on the hard stuff, so that people can learn how to advance.  Other than that I try not to micromanage and we have a pretty good time together. So, flow-ish.

Flow-ish Sequence from Last Night at Bfree:

Centering Sequence:
OM
Childs Pose
Down Dog
walk back to uttanasana
tadasana

Warm Up Sequence:
(This is morphed from the Ghosh Lineage's Salutations to the Gods and Goddesses. Inspired by and not identical to, etc.)
1. step forward to high lunge/vira 1 variation with right leg--turn to back of mat, left leg lunge/vira 1--turn to front of mat for right leg high lunge/vira 1- hands to floor--down dog-- uttanasana to standing
Repeat with left leg first.

2. Same thing and on the last lunge, add on: back knee down 3 inches behind front foot, take  forehead to knee, place prayer hands in front of front foot, round spine, come upright, place hands and go to Down dog then back to uttanasana to standing
repeat with left leg first

3. Same thing and after rounded spine on right leg, stretch high to the sky and then back bend as far as you can go--anywhere from straight up and down to touching the floor behind you and then upright`, place hands, down dog to uttanasana to standing

(It occurs to me a little video of this might be useful... Anyway, I will do that for asana junkies for sure but it is simliar to this opening on the yogaglo class- DEEP HIPS FLOW

Simple lunge surya namaskar variation borrowed from the Ghosh lineage-- 4X-
1. anjali in tadasana-
2. standing back arch-
3.uttanasana with hands to sides of feet--
4.squat down--
5.leg back to lunge with forehead to knee-
6. look up--
7. high plank
8.low plank
9. high plank
10step to lunge
11. forehead to knee
12. squat
13. uttanasana
14. anjali
15. standing back arch
16. tadasana
note: the squat position is key here to really open and prepare the hip joint. not super flowy and fluid at this point but very effective.

Standing Poses (which become the basis for the flows)
crescent/side stretch
standing back arch
uttanasana
step wide and keep feet wide for fairly quick holds to create movement and familiarity with the baseline poses. Do the right side of each pose then the left, do not do all right side and then all left as it would be brutal to the legs and hips! (Those of you in sequencing part 2 and in TT will notice these as our very familiar postures from the sequence we were working with.)
trikonasana *
parsvakonasana **
vira 1***
vira 2 ****
parvottanasana
uttanasana

Flows:
quicker for more fluidity:
crescent/side stretch
standing back arch
uttanasana

trikonasana flow* (2X each side)- trikonasana- sweep foot in front of you, grab outside of foot with top hand and come to visvamistasana variation- one-legged down dog- wild thing/flip dog- one-legged down dog- parsvakonasana- stand up in a one breath vira 2 and repeat on second side.

Parsvakonasana flow **(2X each side)- parsvakonasana- grab outside of foot with bottom hand- place opposite hand on floor and go to vasistasana 2- parsvakonasana- ardha chandra chapasana- ardha chandrasana- parsvakonasana- stand upon a one-breath vira 2 and repeat on second side

Vira 1 flow*** (2 X each side)- utkatasana through vinyasa- vira 1- eagle arms in vira 1- step into eagle on front leg- step back to vira 1 stretch eagle arms into back bend then to upward prayer then vinyasa and repeat on other side.

Vira 2 flow **** (2X each side) Vira 2--clasped parsvakonasana- clasped uttanasana-- Bird of Paradise--clasped uttanasana--clasped parsvakonasana-- vira 2

Parsvottanasana with gomukhasana arms
uttanasana
adho mukha svanasana

Backbends
anjaneyasana
pigeon with a forward bend

Flow-- from pigeon with right leg in front,  take back leg across front leg for ardha matsyendrasana twist--then take left  leg toward the back of mat for janu sirsasana starting position- twist over bent leg- fold over straight leg- then place right hand by right leg, lift hips, sweep left arm overhead  for stargazer pose. From stargazer, place left hand on floor shoulder width apart from right hand,  take right leg and cross it on left thigh for baby cradle in down dog. make sure your left leg is bent and then pivot on your foot and balance on your left foot and left hand and take you right foot into bow for kapinjalasana variation then go to one-leg down dog and switch sides.

pigeon with a quad stretch
anjaneyasana with deeper back bend
ustrasana
supta virasana then place hands like Urdhva Dhanurasana then come up to kneeling
setu bandha
chatush padasana
urdhva danurasana

work on:
supta virasana to urdhva D arms to kneeling
toes tucked under camel to urdhva D to camel
tadasana to urdhva dhanurasana to tadasana

then we did a few more  refinements on urdhva D

Closing
supta padangusthasana series
succirandrasana, flexed foot on upper thigh
succirandrasana, pointed foot on middle thigh
reclined twist
sukhasana forward bend (alternate leg in front)
sukhasana, seated meditation

savanasana

Have at it.

In terms of theme, I talked last night about Light, my very favorite topic. After all, tis the season to contemplate light. And in the midst of the various acts of darkness plastered all over the media this week, it makes for a good consideration, I think. Lots could be said about that but I will save it for another time. It is a beautiful day outside and I am going to spend a little time outside before I go inside and practice some asana this afternoon.