Upload
others
View
14
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
table of contents
1.
About Me 3
2.
How to Use This e-Book 4
3.
Ways to Stretch 6
4.
Shoulders 7
5.
Legs 42
6.
Sample Practices 75
7.
Love Love 76
Page 2
About Me
Hiya! I’m Chelsea and yoga stole my heart
back in Oct’ 2014. It allowed my busy mom
brain some stillness, quiet, and focus (an
uncommon thing as a mom of three). I don’t
have a background in gymnastics, dance, and
am not naturally strong or super flexible so
I’ve gained a lot since starting my practice.
My 2017 brought some major life changes. In
areas I once found comfort, safety, and
familiarity in, I found myself face down in
the mud, single, and starting anew. These
changes led me to shake up a lot of things
and I started by setting down my daily
routined ashtanga practice. I forced myself
to get uncomfortable and I tried a lot of new
things, especially with my yoga practice. By
sitting with emotions, taking more time to listen to my quiet inner voice, and
asking my body to show up and find strength where I used to feel weak … I was
Rising Up Stronger and releasing my first ebook.
Now, two years later, I’ve leaned into a lot of “firsts”. I’ve traveled the globe,
I’ve led yoga retreats on five continents, and settled into my new “job” outside
the home after twelve years as a stay-at-home mom. I’m learning to trust myself
more than ever. I’m leaning on my strength to carry me into the next “right” thing.
And I am constantly reminding myself that I am ENOUGH.
It takes time to see big changes in yourself and your practice but it’s the little
wins that take us there. Make yourself a priority. Give yourself the time. Show up.
I firmly believe that if I can do this, YOU can do this too. I couldn’t be more
excited that you're starting the next phase of this journey with me. Cheers to the
next chapter!
love love,
Chels Page 3
How To Use This e-Book
When I started practicing handstands I became so obsessed about getting upside down that I started to neglect areas in my body that needed opening. In order to make the journey easier, lighter, and stronger I needed to create a sense of overall body awareness.
You will see lots of static holds, gentle movements, and stretches in these pages. Take time to explore Ballistic Stretching, Dynamic Stretching, Static Stretching, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching (p. 5)
There is a lot of freedom in how to build your practice using this ebook. You can follow the Sample Practice I provide on page 75 or build your own. Start with some wrist warmups each day and follow with your workouts/stretches based on your personal goals or what your body is craving. I have actual days that I can feel the ache in my chest begging me for heart opening or back-bending sessions.
The length of time in this practice is dependent on how long you choose to hold each posture. You will find the minimum amount of time I typically spend in each pose listed on each page. For example, if I wanted to work into my Middle Split, I would typically spend around 20 minutes stretching to find my deepest range and would likely repeat each pose 2x through.
Page 4
Ways To Stretch
Ballistic Stretching - Bouncing repeatedly into a stretch. This reminds me a bit of Jane Fonda and the 80s and is something I’ve more recently fallen in love with. Gentle bounces leading up to longer holds feels fantastic!
Dynamic Stretching - This is slow movement stretching and it takes its time to ease deeper into each posture. This is super common when taking yoga classes when working toward peak postures. Think progressively increasing your range as your body warms.
Static Stretching - This is more about time. They can be done passively or actively and are generally held for 15-60 seconds but some schools of thought can go as long as 5+ minutes.
Proprioceptive Neuromucsular Fascilitation Stretching - PNF stretching is lovely because it combines isometric contractions with a passive stretch. Think contract-relax. I often use this approach when working into my splits. This is great with partners or manual assists because you work against your partner’s efforts to contract and to lengthen the muscle.
Page 5
Medical Disclaimer
Before beginning any new exercise program it is recommended that you seek
medical advice from your personal physician. This book is not intended as
a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should
regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and
particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or
medical attention.
Copyright Disclaimer
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in
any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by
any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—
unless used for personal use only.
Page 6
dolphin pose
• forearms down and parallel to one another
• ears between biceps and gaze back at your
shins
• the key here is to really press away from
the ground and create as much distance as
possible between your ears and shoulders
• draw your naval to spine
• hold for 30 seconds
Page 8
In my practice… I will allow my hands to come closer together to access a bit more room in the shoulders for longer holds
cactus shoulder roll
•belly down
•cactus your left arm out to 90
•tent your right fingertips to press and leverage against
•bend and lift your right knee
as you roll onto left shoulder
• allow right foot to rest on ground
• press into right fingertips to actively
roll left shoulder open
• relax left temple to your mat
• stay for 60 seconds, then switch sides
Page 9
straight arm shoulder roll
•belly down • extend left arm out in line with your shoulder
• bend your right arm, tent your right fingers into your mat
• bend and lift right knee as you open your hip
• allow right foot to rest on the floor
• allow left temple to rest on your mat
• press into right fingers to actively roll left shoulder open
• stay for 60 secs and then switch sides
TO DEEPEN POSE GO TO NEXT PAGE
Page 10
double shoulder roll
Page 11
• flip palm up with thumb pointing down
• deeply roll onto left shoulder and lift right arm up and back to search and reach toward left hand
• roll more onto left hip to anchor yourself down
• if your hands touch try to interlace your fingers
• stay for 30 secs and then switch sides
prayer drops on the wall
• measure your footing a gentle arm’s distance away from the wall
• bring elbows to wall to frame out your face
• to access a bit more room in your shoulders, bring your palms together and allow them to fall toward your shoulder blades
• gently ease chest toward wall
• stay for 30+ secs
Page 12
In my practice… I add some ballistic stretching here and bounce my chest before finding my deepest hold
puppy pose on the wall
Page 13
• measure your footing a
gentle arm’s distance away
from the wall, feet together
• reach your hands up the
wall then drop and drag your
chest down toward the floor
• play with the position of your head and see
what feels best as you work into your
shoulders
• stay for 30+ secs
For more…
Try walking your feet in a step and bring
your chest to the wall as you send your chin
up toward the ceiling
puppy pose
•from your tabletop,
walk your hands forward
as you start to melt
your head and chest
down
•as you deepen you will work into your thoracic spine
•maybe your chin softens toward the ground as you melt your
heart down
•stay for 30-60 secs
*notice the shallow sips of air
while you stay here and breathe
Page 14
• if you’re feeling
comfortable with your
chest down, untuck your
toes, lift your knees,
and straighten your legs
into Extended Puppy Pose
fists behind back
• internally rotate your arms to bring hands behind your mid-back
• create knuckles and press firmly into each other
• draw shoulder blades together and broaden collarbones to stay active
• stay for 5 breaths
Page 15
reverse prayer
• internally rotate your arms and bring hands behind your mid-back
• press palms together starting at the pinkie and then closing off with the
thumbs
• draw shoulder blades together and broaden collarbones to stay active
• stay for 5 breaths
Page 16
In my practice… Adding arm variations like these into my standing postures gives the added bonus of shoulder openers! Try in Warrior 3 or Pyramid Pose
• internally rotate your left arm and bring hand behind your back (you can use
your right hand to assist your left elbow to press your left arm back)
• reach your right arm up and overhead and then down between your shoulder
blades to find the bind (to assist the bind … use a strap or towel)
• press the back of your head back into right elbow to deepen stretch
• stay for 5 breaths and then switch sides
Page 17
gomukhasana arms
outer shoulder stretch
•internally wrap
left arm and bend
elbow at 90°
•keep palm open and
thumb reaching up
•grab right bicep, bend
your right elbow, and
gently pull right arm
forward to stretch left
shoulder
•stay for 15 secs
•switch sides
Page 18
thread the needle •from table top, press into left hand and pick up your right
• slide right arm under body to sink onto right shoulder, dropping
right temple to your mat
• tent left fingers to leverage your twist deeper into the pose or
bring left hand to the front of right thigh
• keep hips squared off to focus more on the shoulder
• stay for 30+ secs and switch sides
Page 19
1 2
3 4
5
child’s pose
•while this pose
can seem pretty
straight forward
you can change
how active you
are in it
• try with your
knees pulled
together OR
separate them wide so your ribcage falls between your thighs
• relax your elbows and hands down to your mat OR try reaching and gripping your hands,
lifting the elbows, and stretching more into the shoulders
• stay for 60+ seconds
Page 20
eagle arms
•
Page 21
• cross, wrap, and twist your
right arm around your left
• pull shoulders down and away
from your ears
• spread your scapula away from
one another to more deeply
stretch into your shoulders
• stay for 30 secs and switch
sides
Page 22
wide legged forward fold
• step your feet 3+ feet apart and
slightly turn toes in
• interlace your hands at the base of
your sacrum
• hinge forward and keep your back
long and flat reaching through the
crown of your head
• allow your hands and shoulders to
rotate, creating a shoulder rinse
as they reach toward the floor
• let the crown of your head relax
down between your feet and use your
breath to relax deeply in the pose
• stay for 30+ seconds
criss-cross
Page 23
• belly down
• thread right arm
under left
• cross right arm in
front of left
• palms up
• rest forehead down
to floor
• maybe flip palms
down
• stay for one minute
• switch sides
Page 24
•come into your yogi
squat
•thread one arm
between your waist
and thigh
•squeeze your
knee inward to
deepen the
stretch
•stay for one
minute and switch
sides
•f o r m o r e ,
t h r e a d b o t h
hands through
a n d s q u e e z e
both knees in
t o d e e p e n
stretch
chicken pose
Page 25
bound malasana
•find your yogi squat
• internally rotate
your left arm to
reach in front of
your left knee and
reach behind your
your hip
• allow your right hand
to reach behind your
back and maybe find
the bind
• if you find the bind,
use the left hand to
pull the right hand
down - opening the
right shoulder more
• switch the gaze up
and over the right
shoulder
• stay for 5 breaths
• switch sides
• for more, work both
arms around the hips
and sink low into
your hips to stretch
deep into your
shoulders
Page 26
bridge pose
In my practice… I use bridge not only to stretch into the shoulders and as a gentle backbend, but also to stretch to the core and the hip flexors
• focus on the shoulder rinse more than the backbend
• knees and ankles stacked, feet and knees parallel
• glutes are firm but not overly engaged (to avoid knees from splaying out)
• interlace the palms and roll the shoulders under
• stay for 60 seconds
camel pose
•come onto your knees and bring them hip’s width distance • lift and send your hips forward once your hands reach back for your heels • turn your arms outward and squeeze shoulder blades together • gently relax head back and cradle between shoulders • stay for 30 seconds
Page 27
camel pose variation
•sit back onto your heels and plant your left hand on your left heel • inhale, lift and send your hips forward • right arm reaches up and over, stretching right side body • stay for 30 seconds • switch and repeat on other side
Page 28
In my practice…
I move a lot in this variation. Floss and glide your arms and find your sticking point. Is it more in the side body? The shoulder? Stay inquisitive in your stretching
Page 29
wheel pose
•from your wheel
pose, rock back and
forth by bending and
straightening your
legs to bring your
chest and head
further forward
through the arms
• think more about
your shoulders
versus just your
backbend
hollowback on the wall
•measure arm’s length
from the wall and place
hands down where your
feet were marked
•kick up to the wall,
straighten the legs,
and gently let hips
land
•point the toes and
slowly slide hips down
the wall as you send
the chest away
•the lower your hips
slide the more you’ll
feel it in the
shoulders and thoracic
spine
Page 3054
1 2 3
4 5
bow pose
•belly down
•bend your knees and reach hands back to outside edges of your feet
•peel your chest up and back while drawing your shoulder blades together
•kick into your hands and lift your thighs up off the ground
*TO GO DEEPER, SEE PAGE 35*
Page 31
Page 32
forearm wheel •from your
forearm wheel,
rock back and
forth by flexing
and extending
your knees to
bring your chest
and head further
forward through
your arms
• play with the
rotation of your
shoulders and
placement of
your hands
• try with palms
together, up, or
down
• after several
rocks,
straighten your
legs and find a
static hold
• stay for a count
of 10
locust pose
•reach arms actively up and back through fingertips
• scapulas firmly squeeze toward one another
• lift thighs up away from your mat and work to bring toes together
Page 33
In my practice… I never realized how important prone backbends were to back body strength. Often we think of core strength having only to do with front side body but it’s about the entire corset. The more I practice these, the more I feel a difference in stabilizing my handstands.
cobras
Page 34
• allow your backbody to do the work
• keep minimal weight in your hands as you peel your chest up and back
• as you start to press more into your hands, think about letting your chest come through your arms (this will work more into your thoracic spine and not just your low back)
• finally, take your gaze up to work into all spinal curves
Page 35
flip your grip •bend your knee, flex your foot, and reach your hand (palm up) under the top of your foot
to the inside arch
• as your thigh lifts, pull the heel toward your shoulder to make room for the shoulder
rotation
• wing your elbow out to the side as you keep a strong grip on your foot
• as your gaze moves forward so does your elbow and your shoulder rotates all the way around
Page 36
cat cow
• these can feel so simple
but spend some time to
linger
• in cat pose. think about
letting the scapula spread
and separate from your
midline. Tuck the chin
deeply into the chest
• in cow pose, reverse the
action. Open your throat,
squeeze the shoulder blades
together, and inhale into
each bit of the front chain
of the body
Page 37
upward facing dog
• press palms firmly into your mat while drawing shoulders away from ears
• send chest through the arms (envision emerging through a tunnel)
• thighs and knees lift up from the floor
Page 38
• unlike Bow Pose, here we reach for our ankles and keep thighs glued down
• inhale to lift your chest and kick your shins up and back
• keep thighs anchored to the ground and think more about opening the chest and shoulders through the kick
rocking horse
•slide left leg under right side body
•spin the hips up to the ceiling and peel your
right shoulder up and back, shining your heart
up to the sky
•think more about rotation in the shoulder and
flirt with the idea of the fingertips reaching
toward the ground
•stay for 5+ breath
•switch and repeat on the other side
Page 39
wild thing
Page 40
In my practice… I prefer to rotate my shoulder to enter kapotasana but you can also walk the hands in after you lower the head down. The forearms follow shortly after and then fingers walk toward your toes or heels.
kapotasana •use your inhale to lengthen the spine as much as possible and bring palms to your sternum
as you send hips forward and gaze up
•separate your hands and reach them up and over toward the floor behind you. Hips move
forward to balance your head and chest.
• lift your pelvis, lengthen and extend your thoracic spine. Press your shins and forearms into the
floors, Keep lifting your sternum up while actively drawing elbows toward the midline
legs
Page 41
fish pose
In my practice… I love the anchoring effect of taking full lotus and reaching my hands to my feet, but feel free to extend the legs long.
•press your forearms into the floor. shoulder blades squeeze together and lift
torso away from the floor as you let your head rest down
•tuck your forearms and elbows in close to your sides
•if comfortable, walk your hands down to straighten the arms and reach for the feet
pyramid pose
•from standing, step
right foot forward
and spin back heel
to a 45 degree
angle
• hinge at the hips
to fold over your
front leg
• let your hands
frame the front
foot or reach back
and tent the
fingers. If you
have more room,
reach both hands
behind the back leg
• maybe your chin
reaches toward your
shin as you
lengthen the spine
longer
• stay for 5+ breaths and
then switch sides
Page 43
This is one of my favorite poses to add a ballistic stretch to. Try pulling the ball of your front foot up and gently bouncing your torso 20x over the front shin.
skandasana variations
•work into your hips using my favorite side lunge, but play with arm variations
•add in some static holds, some gentle ballistic stretches, or some dynamic
movements
•a perfect shape to add a lot of shoulder openers. Think draping forward, binds,
or peeling arms up and back
Page 44
For more: Try playing with your points of contact. You might start with both hands down, but try lifting one finger, maybe two. Maybe your hands lift. Try moving between transitions with your hands lifted.
wide legged forward fold
Page 45
• step feet 3+ feet apart and point toes slightly in
• as you fold forward, hinge first at the hips with a flat back, and
then allow your thoracic spine to round as you lower the crown of
your head down
• reach your hands to the outside of your feet and use your bicep
strength to deepen the fold
• stay for 5-10 breaths
seated forward fold
Page 46
• find a comfortable seat and wiggle side to side to sit on to your sits
bones
• inhale to create a long spine
• exhale to hinge first at the hips and then allow your thoracic spine to
round over as you reach your hands forward and melt down
• stay for 60+ seconds
Page 47
janusirsasana b
•bend your left knee and pull
your heel into your right hip
crease (half lotus)
• on an inhale, sit up tall in
your seat
• on the exhale, hinge forward
with a long flat back and reach
toward your foot
• lead with your chest and chin
• once you maximize your depth,
then allow your thoracic spine
to round and hold your pose
• stay for 5-10 equal breaths
• repeat on other side
Page 48
janusirsasana a
• from a comfortable seat,
bring your left foot to the
inside of your right thigh
• use your inhale to lengthen
out and then hinge forward,
leading with your chest and
chin
• use your next inhale to
create a little more length
as you hinge a little
deeper
• exhale, round your upper
back, and relax into the
pose
• stay for 5 breaths and then
switch sides
revolved janusirsasana
•bring your left heel in close to inner right thigh and open the left knee up
beyond 90 degrees
•hinge and revolve at the waist to steer the right ribcage slightly in front
of your right thigh
•reach your left arm up and over the right leg and maybe your left hand finds
your right foot
•spin and open your chest up the sky as your peel your left arm up and back
to open your shoulder
•hold for 30+ seconds and then repeat on the other side
supported modified
Page 49
Page 50
three legged dog
from your downward facing dog, inhale your left leg to the ceiling
You have two places to move from…
1. square your hip off. Roll the front of the left hip down and reach
your leg high (think leveling off your hips)
2. open the hip up. Think about spinning the left hip point away from
the ground (your left shoulder will likely follow
I always work to create a little space in the shoulders here too. I
think about sending my chest toward the mat and sometimes even putting
my forehead on the ground
4
In my practice… I take a lot of liberties in my three legged dog by wiggling into the hips, bending into my knees, or allowing my head and chest to move down through my arms and toward my mat.
Stay for 5- 10 breaths and then switch sides
hip CARS
•the point of hip CARS is to hit your end of range motion within your hip
sockets
• from your downward facing dog, inhale and lift your left leg and then move
in all directions in your hip.
• try with a bent knee and see how that changes it
• complete 5 circles clockwise and then 5 counter-clockwise
• switch sides
Page 51
Page 52
shoelace pose
•bend your
right knee and
pull your foot
up and over
your left leg
to the outside
of your left
hip
• stack your
knees over top
of each other
• inhale and sit
up tall in
your seat. On
the exhale,
hinge forward
with a long
flat back and
reach toward
your foot
• round your
back and fold
over your
knees
• keep your
belly pulled
in
• stay for 10
equal breaths
then switch
sides
Page 53
• extend your left leg up
while your right hand rests
on your right thigh
• keep both hips anchored to
the mat (let your right
hand assist in that)
• externally rotate your leg
and open it up and out to
the side
• stay for 10 breaths and
then switch sides
supta padangusthasana
uttanasana
Page 54
• from standing, take an exhale and forward fold over your legs
• hinge as much as you’re able at the hips and then allow your
upper back to round as you take your deepest expression
• work this as a progression and when you need to back off,
inhale into your halfway lift
• use active strength in your core to pull you deeper and also
let your biceps do some work to assist in your end range
Page 55
•find a wide legged seat. Inhale and
lengthen your spine
•exhale, keep the length, rotate your pubic
bone toward the floor, and start to walk
your hands forward as you reach your torso
long
•extend from your base instead of bending
from your waist (keep the front body long
rather than collapsing the chest and rounding the back). If you can keep your sits bones
grounded and your quads facing the ceiling, try to lay your chest down
• keep your sits bones grounded to maintain your stability
• stay for 10 breaths
For more…
If you’re able to bring your chest down, try reaching your two peace fingers for your big
toes and lowering your shoulders to the ground. Maybe the chin lowers as well
‘pancake’
upavistha konasana
An Assist:
Place a block under
your sits bones
before you fold to
ease up on your
hamstrings
gate pose
•from kneeling, extend your left leg
out long, perpendicular to your right
shin
• open your right side body as you
reach your left arm toward your left
leg and your right arm up and
overhead
• check in with your neck and decide which position feels best
• stay for 5-10 breaths and then switch sides
Page 56
Page 57
• the focus here is not just to stretch your hamstrings and quads, but also to
stretch deeply into the hip flexor of the back leg
• play with variations … try stacking the front knee over the heel or wiggle the
right foot beyond and see how that feels
• continue driving your left hip down and forward, relaxing into the hip flexor
• stay for 10+ breaths and then switch sides
TIP: This is a great place to add blocks under the hands and create little bounces to move deeper into the pose
low lunge
Page 58
low lunge variation cont.
See what happens
when you…
• try bringing your
hands to your
knees
• frame out your
front foot
• wing your front
leg and gently
press the knee
open
• maybe try coming
onto your right
forearm
• extend your left leg long while
keeping your hips square
• frame out your left leg with
your hands
• on the inhale, lengthen your
spine
• on the exhale, hinge at the hips
and fold over your shin
• think about first sending your
chest and chin down to the leg and once you’ve hit your max depth, round your upper back
• stay for 10+ breath and then switch sides
Consider…
Adding a ballistic stretch over the front leg. Bounce 20x and then find your static stretch.
Page 59
half splits
splits
Page 60
• if you’re feeling warm after your low lunges, try easing your front leg forward into a
deeper position (and maybe) to find your full splits
• continue to pull your left hip point forward to square your hips
• play with your upper body and what feels best to help you stay for 5-10 breaths, and then
switch sides
Modifications:
Try using a block at different heights under your front thigh to elevate you a little
higher as you’re gaining your splits
compass pose
Page 61
option 1 hip lifted
option 2 hip grounded
• sit onto your right hip, bend your knees, reach right hand to outside edge of
your left foot
• pull your right knee high up onto your right tricep
• straighten your left arm and drive your left hand into the mat
• straighten your left leg up as you pull your right shoulder back and send your
chest through, creating a rotation
• play with keeping your left hip grounded or lifted to see what changes in the
sensations
• stay for 5 breaths and then switch sides
compass pose
Page 62
twisted quad stretch
•from your low lunge, bend
your right knee and reach
your left arm back to catch
your foot
• spin to the outside edge of
your left foot and let your
knee fall open
• pull your heel to your glute
to intensify the quad
stretch
• back off on your lunge to
find the connection. On your
exhale, send your hips
forward as you sink back
into your left knee
• move only as far as your
heel/glute connection stays
locked
• pull your left shoulder back
as you shift your gaze back
• stay for 5-10 breaths and
then switch sides
For more… try coming onto your right forearm
baddha konasana
• find a comfortable seat and bring the soles of your feet together
• gently use your hands to press your knees down (maybe they find the floor)
To Deepen…
• Walk your hands forward and fold over your legs
• Try gripping the floor to pull yourself deeper
Page 63
Page 64
pigeon pose
•bring your right
shin toward the
front of your
mat
• listen to how
your knee feels
and adjust
accordingly how
close your foot
needs to be to
your groin
• keep rolling
your left hip
forward to
stretch deeply
into your hip
flexor
• maybe you lower
down onto your
forearms
• maybe your lower
your head down
• stay for 1+
minutes and then
switch sides
Page 65
gomukhasana
• find a comfortable seat and stack your left knee over your right
• the further your heels are from your hips the more intense this
outer hip stretch will be
• Stay for one minute and then switch sides
For More…
• Fold your upper body over your legs
• Slide your heels out (while keeping your knees stacked) before
folding forward
Page 66
double pigeon
• find a comfortable seat
• stack your shins over one
another and flex your feet
• the tighter together you
pull your knees, the more
intense the stretch
• if above feels good, fold
forward over your shins
• continue folding to your
deepest hold
• stay for one minute and
then switch sides
malasana
•find your yogi squat
• nestle your elbows between your knees and bring your knuckles or palms
together to press out and deepen into your hips
• explore and play with widening your knees, sitting taller in your seat, or
pressing your elbows more into your knees
• stay for 60+ seconds
Page 67
To Modify… Keep your hands down on the ground. Consider resting heels on a blanket, blocks, or fold your mat up under
Page 68
supta baddha konasana
•from a reclined position, bring the soles of your feet together
and let your knees fall open to the sides
• play with your arm variation. Maybe on the the heart and one to
the belly. Maybe you reach them up and over head. Maybe they
rest on your thighs
• stay for one or more minutes
Page 69
• from your back, reach your hands to the outside edges or inside arches of your your
feet
• use a little arm strength to gently pull the feet to stretch into your hips
For More…
Straighten one leg at a time, roll to tap your toes to the ground
Reach hands to your heels. Straighten both legs and use arms to gently help feet to the
floor
happy baby pose
Page 70
reclined hero pose •find your seated hero pose
• check in with your quads and knees as you begin your journey down, and stop
wherever your max depth is
• stay for one minute
Note…
This can also be done with one leg at a time. Just extend one leg straight
forward and then switch sides
Page 71
frog pose
• on your belly, bring your
left leg into a 90 degree
bend
• make sure your knee is in
line with your hip
• stay for one minute and then
switch sides
For More…
• bring both knees in line with
your hips
• set pillows, blankets, or
bolsters beneath your torso to
settle in
• let your feet stay close
together and work to soften
hips down
• keep knees in line with hips,
and then create a 90 degree
bend in your knees
• take a look back to make sure
all of the angles are correct
and be mindful to keep sending
hips back (they will naturally
want to fall forward)
• stay for one or more minutes
Page 72
• step your feet 3+
feet apart and
slightly pigeon toe
your feet in
• sink your hips down
as low as is
comfortable
• play with arm
variations and see
how that changes or
intensifies the
hold
• stay for 10+
breaths
For More… Try lifting your heels up high to challenge your ankle mobility and balance
goddess pose
Page 73
• from table top, reach
your left arm and leg out
to create length
• bend the left knee and
reach your arm back to
find your foot
• kick into your hand to
open your shoulder more
Now Try…
• Extend opposite arm and leg long
• Bend your left knee and reach your right arm
back to find your foot
• Kick into your hand and to stretch into the
shoulder
• Maybe flip your grip to deepen your shoulder
stretch
tiger pose
Page 74
lizard lunge
•from table
top, step your
right leg to
the outside of
your right arm
and lower down
onto your
forearms
•wiggle your
left knee back
until you feel
a deep stretch
in your left
hip flexor
•stay for 10+
breaths and
then switch
sides
For More…
• Try lifting
your back knee
and see how
that changes
the action
sample practices Feel free to get creative and choose different poses from each section to
create your own practice. Since these can all act as stand alone postures, you can change the amount of time spent in each one. You can also experiment with how you enter [ie. ballistic, dynamic, PNF, or
static stretching (p.5)]. This practice schedule is built around peak posture work that many yogis are always working to improve. I often
revisit any posture that feels like it needs extra time.
forearm stand Shoulders:
Cactus Shoulder Roll
Straight Arm Shoulder Roll
Puppy Pose
Wild Thing
Chicken Pose
Dolphin Pose
tight hip flexors Shoulders:
Bridge Pose Legs:
Hip CARS
Low Lunge Variations
Twisted Quad Stretch
Supta Baddha Konasana
Lizard Lunge
Pigeon Pose
Reclined Hero Pose
handstand
Shoulders:
Cat Cow
Puppy Pose on the Wall
Prayer Drops on the Wall
Fists Behind Back
Legs:
Wide Legged Forward Fold
Seated Forward Fold
Pancake
Hip CARS
Skandasana
back-bending
Shoulders:
Cactus Shoulder Rolls
Cobras
Puppy Pose
Locust Pose
Bow Pose
Rocking Horse
Camel Pose
Wheel Pose
Forearm Wheel
Kapotasana
splits
Legs:
Pyramid Pose
Three Legged Dog
Skandasana
Low Lunge Variations
Half Splits
Lizard Lunge
Seated:
Janusirsasana
Pigeon Pose
middle split
Legs: Happy Baby
Supta Baddha Konasana
Malasana
Skandasana
Wide Legged Forward Fold
Goddess Pose
Hip CARS
Pancake
Gomukhasana
Double Pigeon
Frog Pose
Page 75
love love,
After releasing my first ebook, I was completely blown away by everyone’s
support, love, kind words, and stories. Seeing all of your transformations
makes me so incredibly proud and beyond humbled. Thank you for walking
alongside me, sharing your journeys, and being a part of the Rising Up
Stronger family!
Thank you to my mom and photographer
@kathleenwilliamsphotography for opening up your home,
rearranging all of your furniture, shooting, and editing these beautiful photos!
Thank you to Liforme (@liforme) for sponsoring this e-book, making my most loved yoga mat of all time, and being the best brand to work so
closely with.
Thank you to Alo Yoga (@aloyoga) for supplying the beautiful clothing.
And lastly, thank you to all of YOU!! Without your constant love and support, I wouldn't feel so comfortable sharing what I’ve learned and
love. I am here to support you in your journey, so always feel free to
reach out whether it’s an email ([email protected]) or a DM on
Instagram (@chelseasyoga).
I am so excited to watch you #RISINGUPSTRONGER so share your journey with
me! Post your progress and transformation photos on Instagram and tag
#RISINGUPSTRONGER so I can follow along!
X, Chels
Page 76