The powerful movement and sequence of a wave is used to create a rippling effect in the body by mimes, break dancers and even ballet dancers (think of the dying swan’s wings). It transfers energy from one point to another. A wave can also be used to clarify our neuromuscular patterning. We can feel for ourselves how the links in our chain of movement work together, or maybe how they don’t.
The joints of the arm – shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers – move upward, one after the other, slowly at first. Later on in class I alternated the right arm wave with the left arm several times – faster and slower, bigger and smaller. Is yoga aerobic? In the case of this class and all that waving, it is.
After doing the warm up once through on each side through #13, try the second variation which adds some core work.
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1. Sukhasana |
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2. Right Arm Wave: lift right shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers in sequence one after the other. |
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3. Side Bend: with right palm facing up. |
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4. Sit Vertical: right arm up. |
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5. Smooth Forehead: place the heel of your right hand at your hair line. |
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6. No More Wrinkles: slide the right heel of your hand down your forehead to the space between your eyebrows. Relax the expression on your face. |
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7. The Thinker: keeping your forehead cupped in the palm of your hand, place your right elbow on your left knee – or as close as you can get to it, for a relaxed and twisted forward bend. Let your shoulders drip away from your head. |
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8. Twist Left: sit vertically with back of right hand on outer left knee, right hand behind you on the floor. |
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9. Bent Knee Boat: both hands behind on the floor with finger tips facing back. |
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10. Sukhasana: with prayer hands |
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11. Sukhasana: interlace fingers |
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12. Bow Down: place palms down on ground. |
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13. Sukhasana: to repeat. |
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Variation 2: begins after Bent Knee Boat – #9. |
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10a. Plant Feet: almost as wide as mat, hands in prayer. |
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11a. Roll Down: interlace fingers, press palms forward while rolling down, placing one golden vertebra on the ground after the other. |
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12a. Lie Down: arms overhead. |
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13a. Arms Open |
| 14a. Roll To Side: to right. |
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15a. Return to Sukhasana: to begin left side. |
Thank you to Lululemon for the bright colors.
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