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Each morning I get up, slip on my boots, and stroll down the identical road to the identical neighborhood espresso store the place the identical baristas know my order earlier than I say it. If I wouldn’t present up for just a few days, they’d fear about me. However one morning earlier this yr, feeling caught and stagnant in my life, I spontaneously determined to stroll in the wrong way. I discovered a little bit cafe I’d by no means seen the place they provided me a drink I’d by no means heard of earlier than and proceeded to spell my identify incorrect on the cup. Enchanted, I spent some time sitting there and having a dialog with an entire stranger.
On the stroll again, I felt area in my thoughts that I hadn’t skilled in awhile. And within the days that adopted, I felt creatively revived from simply that small shift.
In yoga, we normally discover ourselves visiting the identical locations day-after-day—Down Canine, Facet Angle, Pigeon Pose. We go to these postures so often that it’s straightforward to search out ourselves transferring on autopilot. However what if we approached these shapes in a brand new method? How would possibly we see them and ourselves anew by means of some artistic yoga transitions?
Radical thought: Should you’re craving a shift of some type in your life however don’t know the place to start, begin small.
5 Unusual Yoga Transitions Into Widespread Poses
Coming into any pose the place can change into ordinary fairly shortly. Some artistic entries can deter that from taking place. Strive these surprising methods to origami your method into acquainted poses on the mat and see whether or not you additionally expertise a shift off the mat.
1. Down Canine to Seated Ahead Bend
Shout out to yoga and meditation trainer Zach Seaside for this surprising—and exhilarating—yoga transition that appears and feels so intuitive you might surprise why it’s no more widespread.
How you can: Inhale in Downward-Dealing with Canine (Adho Mukha Svanasana) as you lengthen your proper leg upward in Three-Legged Canine. Exhale as you shift your weight ahead over your wrists, bend your proper knee, and draw it towards your left elbow. Straighten your proper leg and attain it towards the left aspect of the mat as when you had been coming into Fallen Triangle after which decrease your self to the mat along with your legs straight. Flip your chest to face the again of the mat, fold ahead in Extensive-Angled Seated Ahead Bend (Upavistha Konasana), and breathe right here.
2. Standing Ahead Bend to Head to Knee Pose
I like to consider this yoga transition as swinging by means of to sitting.
How you can: From Extensive-Legged Standing Ahead Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana), inhale as you half-lift with a flat again, after which exhale as you convey extra weight into your left foot. Plant your proper hand a couple of foot inside your left foot as you pivot your left foot towards the again of the mat. Convey your total weight into your left foot and permit your proper knee to bend as you swing it by means of the area between your proper hand and left foot as you come to a seat going through the again of the mat. Hold your proper leg straight and produce your left foot towards your proper leg, making contact with the thigh. Breathe out and in, folding ahead out of your hips in Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana). Don’t overlook to repeat on the opposite aspect.
3. Down Canine to Pigeon Pose
As you come into your most popular model of Pigeon Pose from a Determine-4 Down Canine, it helps to contemplate it “Touchdown Pigeon.”
How you can: Begin in a Downward-Dealing with Canine and shift into Determine-4 Down Canine by bringing your proper ankle to your left thigh simply above your knee. Inhale after which as you exhale, draw your shoulders ahead over your wrists as when you had been coming into Plank. Convey your proper knee simply outdoors your proper wrist and permit your left leg to increase behind you and decrease to the mat. Make any changes wanted along with your entrance shin. Stay upright or fold ahead into Sleeping Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana).
4. Standing Ahead Bend to Facet-Angle Pose
Right here’s learn how to construct your Facet Angle “from the basement to the roof.”
How you can: Start in a Extensive-Legged Standing Ahead Bend. As you exhale, angle your proper toes towards the entrance of the mat and bend your proper knee. Permit your left foot to shift so your toes level angle towards the entrance fringe of the mat in a Warrior place. Convey your proper forearm to your proper thigh and have interaction your core as you lengthen your left arm over your proper ear and lengthen by means of your aspect physique. Breathe right here. Repeat on the other aspect.
5. Boat Pose to Down Canine
The problem is to maintain your arms straight the whole time so that you’re transferring from a “canine overboard” form to a standard Down Canine.
How you can: Start seated in your mat within the Boat Pose (Navasana) of your alternative, legs straight or knees bent, stretching your fingers towards your ft. Convey your arms alongside your ears and switch your palms to face the ceiling. You’re in the very same V-shape as Downward-Dealing with Canine however going through the ceiling somewhat than the mat. From there, cross your ankles and hold your arms straight as you convey your weight ahead, plant your palms and knees on the mat, uncross your shins, and flip your boat to land in Down Canine. Alter your foot placement as wanted.
Images taken at Brooklyn Stream Yoga in Park Slope.
