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Learn To Fly In Side Crow

by Trisha Curling | Jan 26, 2023 | Main Page Display

Learn to Fly in Side Crow

Get to the Core with 3 Variations

ARM BALANCE

LEARN TO FLY IN SIDE CROW

Getting to the core of this arm balance will awaken a potential in your body that you may not be aware is even present. Learning to fly in Side Crow actually goes deeper than going through the motions of different variations. If you’ve been practicing with Matt, then you know that he teaches and applies very specific techniques within a posture and/or its variations; these techniques show you how to intellectually approach the execution of a yoga posture. The 3 variations you’ll see in today’s video will show you how to properly activate the muscles (obliques, abductor group, adductors, and hip flexors) in order to tap into the potential that awaits you.

BREATH OF FIRE

Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
Core strengthening & integration
Master your breath with pranayama practices
Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

THE 2 MAIN ACTIONS

The clips from today’s video are taken from the Anatomy of Arm Balances immersion. In the full class, Matt invites you to step back from balancing in the posture so you can actually connect with your core muscles. How is this done? It’s the positioning of the arm that’s furthest away from your body that allows the core connection to take place. You’re left with no choice but to utilize the obliques to gain height. Action #1 then is to hike the top hip up towards the same-side shoulder (obliques and gluteus medius activation). Action #2 requires the activation of the hip flexors. Here, you’re pulling your knees towards your chest while energetically pulling your bottom knee (if it’s the right) towards your right shoulder. This common thread runs through all 3 variations in some form. Let’s examine the techniques involved.

WATCH THE VIDEO

LEARN TO FLY IN SIDE CROW: GET TO THE CORE WITH 3 VARIATIONS

SIDE CROW: NO PROPS

Starting with this variation provides a nice baseline for you to see where you may need to place more emphasis. You’ll see how wide the distance is between Matt’s hands. Spreading your hands far apart forces you to lift the hips up as high as possible, which turns on the upper obliques. Dropping the hips (which is common) significantly minimizes your use of the obliques. These 2 main actions, along with leaning more forward and of course gripping your fingers into the ground, are the keys. If you are challenged anywhere along the chain of events, dial it back and work on the sensations of the activations (e.g., hands wide while lifting and lowering the hips with a contraction in the obliques). Still unsure what to feel? Have a look at the variations with props.

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SIDE CROW WITH A STRAP

This Side Crow variation with a strap is a great option to explore if you require more awareness of the upper obliques. This particular variation also places weight on the activation of the tensor fasciae latae (TFL). The TFL is both a hip flexor and internal rotator. The internal rotation helps to fire up the abductors of the bottom leg. Doing this creates more stability and provides greater access to the posture. Adding a strap doesn’t make it easier, but what you will receive is feedback. Pressing into the strap is like pressing into the guiding hand of a yoga teacher. You won’t be able to ignore the sensations here, I promise you. The abductor muscles will speak to you, and it will be quite the conversation!

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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SIDE CROW WITH A BLOCK

Lastly, Matt demonstrates Side Crow with a block. Placing a yoga block between your thighs or shins helps you to squeeze everything into the center. Here you’ll feel the adductors while you try to hold the block in place. This option is closer to the first variation as regards shape, so it’s a great one to incorporate into your practice to encourage the 2 main actions with your legs hugged in towards one another.

EXPLORE AND INTEGRATE

In conclusion, unlearning some of the habits you’ve patterned that don’t require you to focus on just how strong can become in Side Crow will pay off in the long run. When the effort is appropriate, it is what drives you forward—as Matt always teaches, “explore and integrate.” Thinking about the possibilities available to you is actually pretty exciting. When you focus on building strength, you can learn to fly in Side Crow. After strength, weightlessness and lightness in the posture follow. A challenging arm balance like Side Crow will then emanate more ease than effort.

Register for Matt’s February immersion, Breath of Fire. This immersion will go deeper into how you can access your core muscles in order to progress in the awareness of your body and your practice.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Anatomy Of Arm Balances

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

BREATH OF FIRE

Moderate Vinyasa-style classes
Core strengthening & integration
Master your breath with pranayama practices
Access your core in arm balances, heart openers, twists, forward folds, inversions, and more
Learn where and how to breathe in challenging postures
Each class will include one pranayama (breathwork practice) and several core strengtheners
Access your core muscles: deep, superficial, anterior, posterior, and lateral
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that’s convenient for you

$148.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

Learn to Fly in Side Crow Get to the Core with 3 VariationsARM BALANCELEARN TO FLY IN SIDE CROW Getting to the core of this arm balance will awaken a potential in your body that you may not be aware is even present. Learning to fly in Side Crow actually goes deeper...

Create Fluency In Your Flows

Create Fluency in Your Flows Workshop These Vinyasa TransitionsFLUIDITYIS IT "FIND" OR "CREATE" FLUENCY IN YOUR FLOWS? It’s most definitely possible to say “find” fluency in your flows when it comes to a Vinyasa-style yoga practice, but I believe “create” is a more...

Build Strength & Endurance

Build Strength and Endurance Infuse Calisthenics Into Your Yoga PracticeresilienceSTRENGTH AND ENDURANCE WITH CALISTHENICS There are both simple and more complex ways of infusing calisthenics into your yoga practice, especially as you get stronger and build upon...

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 Five Drills for Greater Accessflying splitsEKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA 2: STRENGTH AND POISE The elegant long lines of a posture like Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 require a great deal of strength and preparation. The pose also requires both ease and...

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs Skillful Transition Techniques SimplifiedmovementSEATED JUMP THROUGHS It’s true that seated jump throughs are an example of how to seamlessly create a link between two yoga postures, but they also provide a lot of information about how you...

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana Prepare for Seated Forward Foldstaff poseSEATED VS. STANDING DANDASANA Seated vs. Standing Dandasana (Staff Pose)—why compare the two? Not only are we going to examine how they differ, but we’re also going to dive in and really look at...

All Videos

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Create Fluency In Your Flows

by Trisha Curling | Jan 19, 2023 | Main Page Display

Create Fluency in Your Flows

Workshop These Vinyasa Transitions

FLUIDITY

IS IT “FIND” OR “CREATE” FLUENCY IN YOUR FLOWS?

It’s most definitely possible to say “find” fluency in your flows when it comes to a Vinyasa-style yoga practice, but I believe “create” is a more appropriate word to use here because it implies that you have to take action to make fluency happen. It’s vital to be very intentional about your approach when you are integrating something into your life, and it’s no different with regard to your yoga practice on the mat. Matt teaches specific techniques and strategies to make it easier for you to be intentional. Sometimes you have the yearning, but you don’t know what steps to take. In today’s video, you’ll see how Matt workshops how to utilize strength, the creative use of props, and harmony between breath and movement for a perfect equation to create fluency in your flows.

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS

A Vinyasa-style practice is associated with almost seamless, flowing-type movements on your mat. The synchronicity of movement with breath elicits a certain pace and a “push” quality, since you are always looking ahead or moving towards the next posture. Doing this requires a degree of strength in order to flow with confidence.

It’s also important to understand that moving with control and elegance on your mat is so much more than the aesthetics. You can’t deny that watching someone gracefully move across their mat is beautiful, but what you’re actually witnessing is the time and effort that has gone into developing strength. Navigating your way through a sequence of postures requires not only focus in the moment but also anticipation of what is coming next.

The clips from today’s video are from Matt’s MOVE Immersion. In the clips, he teaches you, with explicit instruction, how to transition from Warrior II to Half Moon Pose and how to Jump Back into Chaturanga from Standing Splits. Woven into the instruction of both transitions is how to utilize strength and how the power of props helps to pattern the fluidity of these transitions into your nervous system.

WATCH THE VIDEO

CREATE FLUENCY IN YOUR FLOWS: WORKSHOP THESE YOGA TRANSITIONS

WARRIOR II TO HALF MOON

First, let’s look at Warrior II to Half Moon. I would say that this is a fairly common transition, but without a deeper understanding of how to utilize your strength for balance, it can easily fall apart. For you to learn how to find fluency, Matt first advises you to come to the long side of your mat. From here, you can root down into your mat with your front foot. Next, he instructs you to take your back foot off of the mat. Doing this will help with the glide that’s necessary to “push” forward into Half Moon. What’s the best way to glide? The prop that’s used here is a sock on your back foot to glide across a hardwood floor or similar surface. The way to home in on strength here is to activate your gluteus muscles. Rooting down through your front heel encourages the activation of the glutes in the front leg. This firming down supports your ability to neatly drag or glide your back foot towards the front in order to lift into Half Moon. What happens when you return to your mat? You’ll see how Matt progresses you to the point where you can eventually take the contact of the back foot away from the floor completely. The return to Warrior II is simply the reversal of all of the steps. What you’re left with is powerful yet free-flowing movement that appears weightless.

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JUMP BACK FROM STANDING SPLITS

This transition exhibits an explosive amount of power. One of the keys to unleashing the power for the lightness of the float in the jump back is to strengthen your hamstrings and glutes. You’ll see how Matt utilizes a block to maintain the activation in these muscle groups. To create the foundation, you’ll also use socks as a prop to learn to pattern a smooth sweep back into Chaturanga (the progression here happens without the block). The lift of the top leg in Standing Splits requires glute and hamstring strength. Maintaining this lift while jumping back is what contributes to the buoyancy. Of course, the upper-body strength required is not to be neglected, but breaking it down and layering each aspect will assist in finding the fluency required here. In the video, you’ll also want to pay attention to Matt’s hand placement when he’s setting up “Standing Splits preparation.” This detail is essential for preparing the upper body to harness more strength.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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LET IT ALL GO

Finding fluency in your flows means that you’ve found this beautiful collision, where strength meets softness. There is a level of push and action while giving over to the flow of momentum. Fluency is accessible and possible. Cultivating strength is the foundation. The use of props can assist with strength and create ease. It’s true that your breath anchors it all, and it’s also what helps you to let go and flow freely.

There’s still time to register for MOVE, where Matt shares a plethora of techniques and tools to move with grace.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Clips Extracted From: Move Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

Create Fluency In Your Flows

Build Strength & Endurance

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Build Strength & Endurance

by Trisha Curling | Jan 12, 2023 | Main Page Display

Build Strength and Endurance

Infuse Calisthenics Into Your Yoga Practice

resilience

STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE WITH CALISTHENICS

There are both simple and more complex ways of infusing calisthenics into your yoga practice, especially as you get stronger and build upon various skills. First of all, movements associated with “basic” calisthenic exercises are already woven in many ways into asana practices such as Vinyasa and Ashtanga styles of yoga. What we need to understand, however, is that alongside the more traditional approaches, there are creative and innovative ways of incorporating calisthenics into our physical practice. Ultimately, what we are building over time is strength and endurance.

Matt breaks down exactly how to do this in the clips that you’ll see in today’s video, from his current MOVE Immersion. What is the reason for wanting to increase strength and endurance? Well, key components of overall health include both. If you consistently practice calisthenic exercises and/or incorporate them into your yoga practice, it’s inevitable that you’ll develop increased strength and endurance both physically and mentally.

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

WHAT ARE CALISTHENICS?

When you hear the term calisthenics, I wouldn’t be surprised if what comes to mind are some seriously strong folks doing pull-ups, chin-ups, a rude amount of push-ups or some “crazy” complicated movements requiring what may appears to be an obscene amount of coordination. You wouldn’t be wrong. The idea of incorporating calisthenics into your movement practice can be quite intimidating. The good news is that there are entry points, and they may be more accessible than you think.

Essentially, calisthenics are defined as a form of exercise where you’re using your own body weight for resistance. Exercises often associated with calisthenics are pull-ups, chin-ups, squats, lunges, planks, and push-ups, to name a few. How many times have you done chaturanga “yoga push-ups” in your practice? How many times have you moved in and out of Malasana? Runner’s Lunge? Can you see the crossover? There is a great deal of benefit both physically and mentally. Let’s have a look.

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BUILD STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE: INFUSE CALISTHENICS INTO YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

PHYSICAL STRENGTH & ENDURANCE

Without a doubt, calisthenics are going to help you to build a solid and strong foundation. Incorporating them into your asana practice means that your approach on your mat will be an intense one. To acquire the benefits of muscle strength and/or cardiovascular endurance, there must be repetition and vigor in your output of each drill or exercise, with minimal rest in between.

Although calisthenics have an impact on all muscle fibers, they are said to primarily work the slow-twitch fibers (type 1 fibers). These muscle fibers are associated with endurance. Because exercises like push-ups, lunges, and squats typically involve repetition, you can see how they are easily incorporated in the context of an asana practice. The physical demand and strain on your muscle tissues creates the stimulus for them to break down and therefore adapt and ultimately grow. In your yoga practice, the capacity at which you are working does not equate to muscular hypertrophy but to a remarkable amount of strength and integrity in your body.

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

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Deepen your yoga practice
Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
Learn foundational class structures and templates
Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

LEARN MORE!

MENTAL STRENGTH & ENDURANCE

The attention to skill and technique requires a great deal of focus and concentration. Depending on the level of coordination and difficulty involved in a particular exercise, you’re also building resilience and mental toughness. The drive to complete and “push through” various calisthenic exercises means that you’re also fueling yourself with confidence. You’re actually proving to yourself that you can confront the opposition in your mind that may be telling you that you can’t possibly go any further. As long as you are free from injury and pain, taking action and pushing through is what actually allows you to experience benefits like increased focus, confidence, and tenacity. The resilience you build on your mat will ultimately lead to the same type of resilience in other areas of your life.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

Get 500 hour certified
Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
Expand your teaching skills
Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

LEARN MORE!

FIVE WAYS TO INFUSE CALISTHENICS INTO YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

In today’s video, Matt outlines 5 ways to infuse calisthenics into your yoga practice. He includes both simplified and more complex options.

First, Chaturanga Dandasana is great for strengthening your core, chest, triceps, shoulders, and the muscles in your lower body. In the clip, Matt demonstrates the transition from Downward-Facing Dog to Plank (on knees or on toes), then he doubles the Chaturanga before coming all the way down to the ground. This may be a “simpler” way to increase intensity and muscle strength, but if you are not used to using this transition, it will take some time to feel stronger and more confident in your execution.

Second, Matt demonstrates a Boat Pose to Chaturanga transition. He breaks this one down into stages in which you can slowly build your way up to a full jump back into Chaturanga. This exercise will undoubtedly challenge your cardiovascular system and build more heat in your body. It also requires more coordination and timing as you progress into the jump back.

Third are the Adductor Slides With Socks and Blocks. This one is particularly innovative: Not only do you get the cardiovascular benefit, but you also build strength in your adductors (a muscle group that can often be neglected). In the full class from which this clip is extracted, Matt repeats the drill with a timer. He encourages you to perform it quickly while paying attention to very precise articulations in the hips and feet.

The fourth calisthenic exercise involves Plank—you might call this one a Side Plank (Vasisthasana) Crunch. Here, the focus is on strengthening your oblique muscles. It requires a great deal of muscle strength to balance while holding up your body weight and performing the “crunch” in the side body with control. This exercise definitely creates fire in the body! You will feel the elevation of your heart rate.

Lastly, Matt demonstrates another Plank variation. This one might be referred to as Side Plank (Vasisthasana) With Adductor Leg Lift. In this exercise, you are again strengthening your oblique muscles but adding in the strengthening of your adductor muscles. If you’re looking for a challenge, THIS—IS—THE—ONE! Again, the movements may appear to be quite innocent, but there is always more than meets the eye.

TRANSFORM YOUR PRACTICE

You can see that the intricacy of all of these exercises requires mindfulness, focus, and physical intensity on your part.

When you watch the video, you’ll see how Matt specifically outlines the techniques for each drill in order for you to gain the maximum benefit. This is important because what might appear to be a minor change in body positioning (e.g., the articulation of the feet as they move in and out in the Adductor Slides) can have a drastic impact on the experience within the exercises and the actual muscle groups you’re affecting.

All of the clips are from Matt’s MOVE Immersion. In each and every class, there are so many ways that Matt teaches how to incorporate calisthenics, for strength and endurance, into your yoga practice.

If you want to practice with more strength and grace, then this is definitely the immersion to sign up for.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Clips Extracted From: Move Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

Create Fluency In Your Flows

Build Strength & Endurance

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

by Trisha Curling | Jan 5, 2023 | Main Page Display

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Five Drills for Greater Access

flying splits

EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA 2: STRENGTH AND POISE

The elegant long lines of a posture like Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 require a great deal of strength and preparation. The pose also requires both ease and poise. Strength is required for more than holding the posture; it also contributes to the element of ease. There’s no doubt that this arm balance is a challenging one. If you believe that confidence is essential for a posture like this one, then you’re right! What’s appealing about working towards a posture like Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 is that you develop confidence through the preparation. How do you prepare? In today’s video, Matt demonstrates 5 drills that will help you develop the strength and poise that is expressed in the pose.

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

GROUNDWORK WITH YOGA BLOCKS

Breaking up the actions between the upper and lower body can really help to refine the execution of Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2. In the first drill, Matt demonstrates an option with yoga blocks set up underneath your chest to relieve some of the effort in your arms. Doing this helps you focus on the techniques utilized in the hips and legs, which create the height and length required for balancing the posture.

You’ll see that the first drill sets the foundation for all of the drills in the video.

Here are the core steps in Drill #1:

(left leg forward)

With hands wide and slightly behind either side of the blocks, place your left leg onto your upper left arm
Lean forward and place your chest on a block or blocks (depending on the height required for your body)
Create an anterior tilt of your pelvis while internally rotating the upper thigh of your left leg
Take the option to straighten the front leg—your back knee may stay on the mat

In the 2nd drill, you are repeating the same actions as above; however, you are adding on by straightening the back leg. Matt demonstrates this with socks on, making it easier to practice by gliding your back foot on the floor rather than on a yoga mat. This is the first step in creating those elegant lines.

WATCH THE VIDEO

EKA PADA KOUNDINYASANA 2: FIVE DRILLS FOR GREATER ACCESS

STATIC ENTRY WITHOUT YOGA BLOCKS

Drill #3 invites you to attempt entry into Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 from a static position, without the use blocks. Matt reminds you that entering the posture from a static position is muscularly demanding and that without the help of the blocks, it’s vital to create more stability in your upper body. If you’ve practiced with Matt before, then you know that one of the essential elements of an arm balance is to grip the ground with your fingers. As you grip the ground in Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2, it’s imperative that you lean forward to offset the weight in your lower body. While executing the actions of the hips (anterior tilt of the pelvis and internal rotation of the upper thigh bone), another action will help to solidify the pose: squeezing your thigh into your arm. This will strengthen the adductors and create maximum stability. From there, you can start to lengthen the legs out in opposite directions.

Practicing this posture in socks and on a hardwood floor can be extremely helpful in emphasizing a more graceful extension and easier access. Matt also offers the option of bending the knee of the back leg in order to gain a little more height before you straighten the leg out.

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

Deepen your yoga practice
Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
Learn foundational class structures and templates
Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

LEARN MORE!

STATIC ENTRY WITH YOGA BLOCKS

In this variation of Drill #3, the blocks support the back leg. The core actions remain the same, and you’ll see in the video that Matt stacks 2 yoga blocks on top of each other. Once you have both sent your weight forward into your hands and lengthened your front leg, you can take a deep bend of your back leg (while your back knee is resting on the blocks). You can experiment with either keeping the knee down or furthering the play with balance and lifting your back knee up away from the blocks.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

Master your skill set as a teacher through refined techniques, anatomy, biomechanics, sequencing, philosophy, meditation techniques, theming, yoga business, and much more!

Get 500 hour certified
Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
Expand your teaching skills
Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

LEARN MORE!

ENTRY WITH MOMENTUM

In Drill #4, you’ll explore coming into Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 with momentum. This allows you to practice a more dynamic way of entering the posture, which requires a great deal of coordination. Matt explains that less effort is required of the muscular system, but you’ll notice that you’ll require a slight pull back to keep yourself from falling. This means that the gripping of the fingers into the ground will also be key in maintaining balance.

Here are the core steps for entry with momentum:

(left side)

Begin in a short Downward-Facing Dog
Lift your left leg up
In one continuous motion, follow the steps to place your left leg on your left arm while creating the actions in your pelvis, upper thigh, and adductors

Drill #5 reintroduces the yoga blocks to get you started at a higher height. Matt places 2 blocks, stacked one on top of the other, underneath the foot of the leg that will extend behind you. This creates a “shelf” to help you gather greater height and momentum for the movement of your front leg. A tip is to place the blocks more directly behind the leg that will eventually come forward. You’ll see in the video how this really informs your ability to shift your weight more forward.

ONCE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FLOW

Matt advises you to practice these drills and variations repeatedly. As you experiment with them, you’ll build strength and confidence in the posture itself, and you’ll also build confidence in how you move your body as a whole. Repeating these drills creates an imprint in your body and puts your body “in the know,” or creates muscle memory. Once your body knows, you can release a little bit of focus as regards technique and allow yourself to flow and move between postures with more grace and ease. It’s not that you leave technique behind, but you develop a trust in your body’s ability to move with a sense of assuredness. You’ll access Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2 with more strength and poise, and you’ll reveal a seamlessness in your practice that helps you find your flow.

You’ll want to sign up for Matt’s Move Immersion to dive deeper into your movement potential.

See you on the mat!

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

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Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Vinyasa Immersion

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MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

Create Fluency In Your Flows

Build Strength & Endurance

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

All Videos

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Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

by Trisha Curling | Dec 29, 2022 | Main Page Display

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Skillful Transition Techniques Simplified

movement

SEATED JUMP THROUGHS

It’s true that seated jump throughs are an example of how to seamlessly create a link between two yoga postures, but they also provide a lot of information about how you move. It’s easy to find yourself more focused on the alignment, shape, and/or position of your body within a specific asana. This is not without good reason, because there is definitely a lot going on in a given posture, especially when you are considering when and how to create the appropriate muscle engagements in order to maximize the posture’s benefits. How you move and transition between each posture, however, also carries a great deal of weight within your yoga practice. In other words, what happens between each posture is extremely important. Moreover, your ability to control your body in order to maintain balance and safely move on your mat translates to how you move when you are off of the mat.

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

HOW ARE TRANSITIONS IN YOGA CONNECTED TO HEALTH?

Seated jump throughs are often used in Vinyasa- and Ashtanga-style practices to enter into seated postures more smoothly. Given the nature of these practices, which are more dynamic, this comes as no surprise. The pairing of movement with breath requires you to move with more “flow.” More vigorous practices like these provide benefits like increased strength or coordination and may even offer cardiovascular benefit. The benefits are not limited to the physical; these practices also improve cognitive function. Learning how to execute seated jump throughs offers much more than graceful ease on the mat.

WATCH THE VIDEO

SMOOTH SEATED JUMP THROUGHS: SKILLFUL TRANSITION TECHNIQUES SIMPLIFIED

MOVEMENT & CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

Practicing a skill such as a seated jump through requires more sophisticated movement and repetition. Even if it is a “simple” transition for you, doing it repetitively throughout your practice will definitely build heat in your body and increase your heart rate. If seated jump through is a more ambitious endeavor, then practicing the skills Matt breaks down will both build heat and provide the cardiovascular benefit of this type of movement.

“It is widely accepted that regular physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Frequent exercise is robustly associated with a decrease in cardiovascular mortality as well as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”

Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018 Sep 28;5:135. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135. PMID: 30324108; PMCID: PMC6172294.

When you watch the video, you’ll see the layering within the drills Matt offers. The effort involved in practicing the drills for the transition, along with this style of practice as a whole, will undoubtedly challenge you physically. Consistently practicing this way is the key to unlocking the benefits.

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MOVEMENT & COGNITIVE FUNCTION

The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is largely responsible for memory and learning. The researchers in this study “found the volume of the left hippocampus to be significantly greater among yoga-practitioners compared to age- and sex-matched controls with similar physical activity and fitness levels.”

Gothe, Neha P. et al. ‘Yoga Effects on Brain Health: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature’. 1 Jan. 2019 : 105 – 122.

The study finds that specifically asana has a significant impact in this area. Understanding this confirms the importance of movement and its impact on both the physical and the mental.

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SKILLFUL EXECUTION OF A SEATED JUMP THROUGH

As previously mentioned, Matt layers on each skill in order to make the practice of seated jump throughs more accessible.

In the video, you’ll see that Matt advises you to start from a “shortened Downward Dog” position, with hands wider than usual. From there, you’ll place one leg in front in order to cross at your shins as you glide your feet forward and then gently drop to a seated position. You have the option to then send both legs forward in order to start imprinting the full pattern of movement into your nervous system. In order to take the drill to the next step, you have the option to jump into the cross-legged seated position (important to note that you should land on the tops of your feet). This undoubtedly makes it more active (increasing your heart rate and the cardiovascular component). What is more, when you come to the tops of your feet, you’ll see how Matt demonstrates a play of buoyancy in the hips. This balance on your hands is also a great preparation for arm balances and for the strength required in the seated jump through when you start sending your legs forward with more fluidity.

Repeatedly practicing the skills required for seated jump throughs will only refine your movement and help you tap into the physical and mental benefits. There is so much more to uncover, as this only skims the surface.

Register for Matt’s next immersion, called Move, so that you may delve into your ability to move with ease and confidence on and off of the mat.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Vinyasa Immersion

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

Learn To Fly In Side Crow

Create Fluency In Your Flows

Build Strength & Endurance

Eka Pada Koundinyasana 2

Smooth Seated Jump Throughs

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

All Videos

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

by Trisha Curling | Dec 22, 2022 | Main Page Display

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana

Prepare for Seated Forward Fold

staff pose

SEATED VS. STANDING DANDASANA

Seated vs. Standing Dandasana (Staff Pose)—why compare the two? Not only are we going to examine how they differ, but we’re also going to dive in and really look at the parallels between these 2 yoga postures and how they inform one another. There is no way around the foundations of your yoga practice, and in today’s video, Matt demonstrates Seated versus Standing Dandasana. Not only are they substantial enough on their own, but they also serve as an important preparation for Seated Forward Fold. Matt also intricately demonstrates Seated Forward Fold at the end of the video, so that you’ll be able to see the direct correlation among all of these postures. Let’s take a look at how you can level up these foundational postures.

TWISTS & FOLDS

TWISTS & FOLDS

Strengthen core muscles of rotation and side bends
Improve spinal mobility
Improve spinal flexion for seated postures
Strengthen your back and deep core
Access greater flexibility of the hips for seated postures
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12 Classes: All levels appropriate
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PASSIVE VERSUS ACTIVE FLEXIBILITY

Unless you have been exposed to practicing asana in a way that offers a balance between active and passive flexibility, it’s likely that your body is widening the gap between the two. What is the difference between active and passive flexibility?

Active flexibility happens when a particular joint moves through a range of motion without any external assistance (e.g., a yoga strap, wall, or chair). The opposite is true for passive flexibility, which occurs when you are utilizing an external force (including gravity) to explore a given range of motion.

For example, Standing Forward Fold, when approached more passively, is not necessarily the best preparation for Seated Forward Fold because a greater amount of muscle engagement is imperative to safely and successfully execute the postures.

However, it’s not just about the postures. In his classes, Matt teaches us about the benefits of learning how to be more conscious of how and when to engage and release muscles. Being more conscious and intentional in this way means that the communication between your nervous system, brain, and body has become more intelligent and capable. Your ability both to move more dynamically and to hold postures/positions on and off the mat has multiplied because you are more proactive, rather than reactive. This also means that you have narrowed the gap between the two, and your body becomes more willing to surrender passively after you have spent time actively engaging muscles. This is where Seated versus Standing Dandasana comes in.

WATCH THE VIDEO

SEATED VERSUS STANDING DANDASANA: PREPARE FOR SEATED FORWARD FOLD

SEATED DANDASANA

As Matt demonstrates in the video, Seated Dandasana (Staff Pose) is a great precursor to Seated Forward Fold because of the muscle engagements involved.

One of the first steps involved in Seated Dandasana is to sit more upright. This involves lifting your belly in and up to engage your transversus abdominis. Once you’re sitting more upright, you’re also getting your back muscles involved, muscles like the quadratus lumborum (QL), particularly as you bring your pelvis into more of an anterior tilt. This anterior tilt, in conjunction with maintaining a strong lift of your chest and belly while keeping your legs straight, really helps to fire up your hip flexors. When you watch the video, you’ll see that Matt outlines a couple of key actions that also contribute to this hip-flexor firing. Those actions are creating dorsiflexion in your feet and pulling your kneecaps up in order to support the action of drawing your femur bones in towards the hip sockets (this helps to sustain and deepen the engagement of the hip flexors). All of these actions within Seated Dandasana help to create strength in a part of the body, the hip flexors, that is neglected in many. That alone validates the importance of this posture as one to incorporate into your practice on a regular basis. It equally validates why it offers excellent preparation for Seated Forward Fold.

200 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET CERTIFIED & DEEPEN YOUR YOGA PRACTICE

Deepen your yoga practice
Build confidence speaking in front of groups in person and online
Learn foundational class structures and templates
Learn techniques for a wide range of yoga postures
Get certified and highly qualified to teach yoga
Yoga Alliance Globally Recognized Certification Program

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STANDING DANDASANA

In Standing Dandasana, there are wonderful opportunities to work on a great deal of muscle engagement for the hip flexors; this may also allow time for a greater examination of how to engage the lower back muscles. In the video, you’ll see how Matt pushes his heels out isometrically in order to activate the tensor fasciae latae (TFL), which is a hip flexor. Additionally, the placement of your hands really informs how much sensation and strength you can create in the lower back. Lengthening your arms all the way out in front of you increases the effort and dance between keeping your sit bones lifted (which is the same anterior tilt required for Seated Dandasana and Forward Fold) while maintaining the lift of the chest. This is surely a recipe for the firing of the QL and erector spinae muscles.

300 HOUR ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING

GET 500 HOUR CERTIFIED AS A MASTER TEACHER

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Get 500 hour certified
Learn anatomy, biomechanics, asana techniques
Expand your teaching skills
Masterful sequencing and verbal delivery
Learn meditation and breathwork techniques
Transformative tools: theming, dharma talks, satsang

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HIP FLEXORS & HIP FLEXION

As already explained, one of the most important actions for Seated Forward Fold is hip flexion (the thighs moving closer to the chest, closing the hip joint). We’ve also established that hip flexor strength is essential for Seated Forward Fold. When attempting to gain strength of the hip flexors when it comes to Seated Forward Fold, you need to apply your understanding of the difference between active and passive flexibility. Allowing gravity alone to create the shape of Seated Forward Fold would likely simply create frustration due to the length of time it takes to see the results of going deeper into the posture. With the development of hip flexor strength and the practice of the articulation of the pelvis in postures like Seated and Standing Dandasana, you simply can’t go wrong when it comes to Seated Forward Fold.

SEATED FORWARD FOLD

After exploring Seated and Standing Dandasana from the perspective Matt offers, your body will display its readiness. During the setup in the video, you’ll see where Matt marries the passive and active in this posture. You’ll tap into the strength of your lower back with the same lift of the belly and chest along with the anterior tilt of the pelvis. Just like in Standing Dandasana, you’ll push your heels out isometrically, which will internally rotate your upper thighs, switching on TFL. Once you’ve performed the actions you practiced in Seated Dandasana, that is, plugging the femur bones into the hip joint and pulling the kneecaps up, you can lean more forward. This is the crucial point at which you may begin to relax your back muscles and transition to a more passive state in the posture. The negotiation that takes place in the body, however, is that while your back relaxes, you’re still maintaining the suctioning of the quadriceps and tensioning of the hip flexors. This creates an exciting conversation within your body. It creates a marriage between active and passive, which Matt describes as the nervous system more fully participating in the experience and improving the health and functionality of your muscular system overall.

Practicing in this way unleashes the potential functionality of your body. Registering for this month’s immersion will take you on a journey of deeper understanding, and it will help bring new life to foundational postures like the ones examined here.

You can register for Twists & Folds here.

The 200 Hr. Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

The 300 Hr. Advanced Teacher Training: Click Here to See the Next Start Date

Article by Trish Curling

Video Extracted From: Twists & Folds

← See Previous Story See Next Story →

MOVE

Access your movement potential
Sweat and raise your heart rate
Master your breath/movement coordination
Increase mobility at all major joints
Learn to gracefully transition between postures
Improve your flexibility
Strengthen your hips, back, shoulders, and core
Improve your balance
Each class will raise your heart rate, bring you to a sweat, and return you back to a relaxed state of mind and body
12 Classes: All levels appropriate
Lifetime unlimited access to all
Attend the livestream OR practice the replays any time that's convenient for you

$168.00

LEARN MORE!

Continue Learning

THE FREE TECHNIQUE PACK

When You Subscribe, You Will Get Instant Access to

the Technique Pack: 15 yoga pose breakdowns
exclusive online course discounts
exclusive blogs and videos

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