All things in “Sync”- Strength and balance flow

It’s here, It’s here, it’s finally here!!!

The much anticipated “Yoga around the Triangle” series is finally taking flight with the first edition hosted at Sync Studio Downtown and yours truly. This flow series is directly inspired by the active yet balanced vibe of the Sync Cycle and Yoga community and will surely help you stand stronger, taller, and more open to life’s little jewels of humility. Open up those hips, strengthen your thighs and core, and let your heart sore.

The video and the images show three different options (krama) of the asana (poses) to choose from. I reccommend watching the video and then printing off the pictures to make your own flow based on your bodies needs (click on each individual picture for a larger view if needed). Introduce yourself to the flow by allowing for a few minutes of centering exercises, some basic vinyasa (think sun salutations) to warm the body, and maybe some core work to bring awareness to the muscles that will help you balance and connect. When you enter the flow don’t automatically go to option 3 if your not quite read in the moment. Let your body cycle through several rounds of the wave or break it down into several waves with flow through in between to prepare the body to open to space. When you feel organically ready to wind down allow for some deep stretch time on your mat (I recommend some back-bending of choice and some twisting: make sure to lengthen the spine in down dog or child’s pose before transitioning to twists after backbends to keep your spine healthy). As always end your session with at least 5-7 minutes of corpse pose (savasana) with props if needed. RELEASE.

Asana One: Warrior 1 or Virabhadrasana 1

Option 1: hands to hips focusing on squaring of hips

Option 2: Stacked spine arms extended over head

Option 3: backbend with lifted gaze

Asana Two: Warrior 2 or Virabhadrasana 2

Option 1: hands in namaste pressing shoulders back.

Option 2: Arms extended, deeper in the hips

Option 3: Deeper in the hips than Option 2.

Asana Three: Warrior 3 or Virabhadrasana 3

Option 1: hands to heart or by hips

Option 2: arms in a "T" (airplane arms)

Option 3: arms overhead triceps towards ears

Asana Four: Knee Up balance

Option 1: hands to hips, focus on keeping hips in line.

Option 2: hands to heart, heart pressing to thumbs

Option 3: arms overhead, triceps towards ears

Asana Five: Big Toe Stretch or Padanghustasana

Option 1: knee bent

Option 2: leg extended

Option 3: big toe hold

Asana Six: Big Toe Stretch Series part 2

Option 1: knee bent

Option 2: leg extended

Option 3: big toe hold

Asana Seven: Big Toe Stretch Series part 3

Option 1: knee bent in twist

Option 2: leg extended in twist

Option 3: big toe hold in twist

Asana Eight: Standing Split

Option 1: fingertips light to floor

Option 2: one hand to ankle- more balance work

Option 3: both hands to ankle or heart

Asana Nine: Half Moon or Ardha Chandrasana

Option 1: hand to block and hand to hip

Option 2: arms open, shoulders stacked

Option 3: poet's pose or hand to foot (see video)

Asana Ten: Low Lunge or Anjaneyasana

Option 1: fingertips to blocks

Option 2: fingertips to floor

Option 3: backbend & upward gaze

Asana Eleven: Half Split or Ardha Hanumanasana

Option 1: fingertips to blocks

Option 2: hands to the floor

Option 3: hands in namaste at heart

Asana Twelve: Hip Flexor and Quadricep Deep Stretch in Low Lunge

Option 1: resting up on the palms

Option 2: resting on the forearms

Option3: knee out to side/inner foot sole off floor

Asana Twelve: Low Lunge Twist

Option 1: gentle raised twist, hand to sacrum

Option 2:raised twist with quadricep stretch

Option 3: Low twist with spinal flexion

Thank you so much to yogis Christine W., Maria S., and Sophia G. for being such willing and gracious subjects. These women are so inspiring and strong (which is why they are featured here!) and wonderful examples of awareness and grace. Also thank you so much to Heba Salama photography and Julie Nickle videography for helping this series to come to fruition.