Opening and releasing the front-side body can be challenging, as there is a LOT going on in the body! Let’s break it down:
Tight shoulders and a tense upper-back can result from many things, and more importantly can cause all sorts of imbalances in the body. This practice will not only help you to release some of that tension through the heart-opening movements + postures, but this can help your posture as well, through shoulder joint mobility work. These postures/movements can not only feel intense in the body, but can bring up a lot of tough emotions as well; I invite you to breathe through whatever may come up for you, and allow it to release in any way that feels natural to the body.
Not only are we opening the front-side body, but we are working our core and lower back as well! There is a lot of flexion/compression happening in our lower back when we open the chest; I encourage you to be gentle with your low back, and take all movements slow + controlled. It’s important that we do not dump into our lower backs, as that can cause injury; always move from a place of support by hugging in your lower belly to the spine, engaging the glutes as well as your quads. Depth is not important here; even though we are compressing the low back, it is still important to find that lifted support in the core, as we explore a deeper backbend.
Even though our feet never leave the ground, Wheel is still considered an inversion because our heads are below our hearts, and can feel just as intimidating as any other inversion. While I encourage you to try everything, never push into a place where you cannot control your breath; when you reach your edge, just continue to work from there. Strength + mobility will increase with time + practice. If you are already a pro at Wheel, feel free to explore further than me + let me know where this practice inspires you to play next!
Thank you for being open + willing to explore more of this beautiful practice with me. I hope this flow leaves you feeling rinsed, renewed + ready for more play!
New FB Plus Workout: Chest-Opening Power Yoga Flow with Back Bends
Increase your shoulder mobility ad open your heart with this power yoga flow that works toward our peak pose/inversion: Wheel!
Power Yoga Flow with Back Bends: Poses to Release Shoulder and Chest Tension
Opening and releasing the front-side body can be challenging, as there is a LOT going on in the body! Let’s break it down:
Thank you for being open + willing to explore more of this beautiful practice with me. I hope this flow leaves you feeling rinsed, renewed + ready for more play!
Marina