It’s a prone backbending week, which for most people is what Geeta Iyengar calls “donkey work”. It’s just a lot of effort without much grace. Or so it feels. The key for me is to get the chest open and use the breath to combing the action of “rolling the collarbones from bottom to top” and tucking the tips of the shoulder blades into the chest. Using these images and actions helps coil the chest open.
Virasana (Hero pose) – lean back on to hands behind and coil the chest. Allow the head to follow.
Adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog) with planks and leg lifts
Lie over blocks two ways (with the spine and across the upper back)
Bhujangasana
Urdhve mukha svanasana (upward facing dog)
Ardha bhekasana (half frog pose)
Dhanurasana (bow pose)
Parsva dhanurasana (depending on how dhanurasana went)
Adho mukha svanasana
Ustrasana (camel) a couple of ways with the chair – (intermediate class only)
Salamba sarvangasana (shoulderstand) dropping back to setubandha at the wall or
Vipariti karani
Marichyasana III
Savasana
Pam Lindberg Yoga 