From spending the last few months focusing on our core centre the next few months will move onto our new theme of working around the arms. We will explore poses that help to release tension and tightness around the shoulder area which can be very releasing and bring a new lease of life into them.
Later on over the next month we'll focus on strengthening around the arms. Don’t worry, for those of you that have been enjoying some core strengthening and plank work in class, we'll still sneak in a few postures as a lot of strength comes from building up these poses over time.
Arms, Shoulders and Upper Back - Spread Your Wings
Week 1 - Free Your Shoulders - Focus on shoulder openers to increase mobility, release tension and improve posture. The shoulders are one of the places in the body that hold stress, tension and tightness. For many of us we can get tight from jobs involving sitting down positions and then even more sitting down driving home from work. Yoga can help us to counteract this by opening through the front body and chest.
Week 2 - Binding Arms and Shoulder Openers - Binds are when the hands are clasped together in any pose while you are doing yoga and are a great way to open the shoulders and build energy in the body. By strengthening the shape's structure you can allow your muscles to relax, and you are able to sink deeper into the posture. Binds help to increase flexibility and our range of movement.
Week 3 - Release Tension In Upper Back, Shoulder and Neck - Areas of the upper back also can get very tight from a rounding over position during the day and by including poses that help to stretch out the back, shoulders, and neck we are able to release some of that tightness and tension. A great practice to release in those parts of the body that build up tightness over time.
The most important pieces of equipment for doing yoga are your body and your mind
This Months Music
Here's the usual selection of music that Vicky has been listening to this month.
| Steve Gorn | Indian Nights |
| Rajendra Teredesai | Poorna |
| Benjy Wertheimer and David Michael | Calling |
| Vinod Kusari | Sachetan |
| Benjy Wertheimer | Remembrance |
| Likkma | Lion’s Breath |
| Gabriele Morgan | Savasana II |