lucy aldridge

 by lucy

Egg-splaining Bakasana

Strengthen your arms, legs and abdomen.
Bakasana (birdpose) was re-named by my boys “baby handstands”.
It’s important to be able to feel the weight through the arms before you head towards lift off.
This practice will encourage you to learn to trust your arms, and connect the tail-bone towards the crown of the head, enabling this pose to take flight.
A posture journey through adho mukha svanasana (dog head down), uttanasana (forward bend) and malasana (garland pose), I hope this practice will bring a new insight into this beautiful little compact pose.

Contra-indications:
Pregnancy
Carpal tunnel syndrome

in 30 minurte Practice / Intermediate Yoga / Iyengar Yoga / video / yoga practice 0 comments
 by lucy

Yoga Unplanned – episode 3

I remember learning to take the weight on my arms for hand-stands during the yoga class, it was a pose that always made me want to leave the room.
My teacher would say “Just kick up!”. Of course, eventually I did.
This pose strengthens the arms, shoulders and wrists. Practice this with gentle repetition to gradually increase strength, so as to not strain the wrists etc.
Inversions are not advised through the Iyengar tradition during menstruation as it goes against the flow in the body at that time of the month.

in 1 hour practice / Beginners Yoga / Intermediate Yoga / Iyengar Yoga / video / yoga practice 0 comments
 by lucy

Getting to know your hamstrings

These standing poses will wake up the back of the legs.
Give the poses and your legs time. Muscles take a while to increase their length, so, just like you would not expect your muscles to grow immediately (think Pop-eye) don’t expect to be as bendy as Olive oil immediately either.
The stretch should feel more like a wide stretch in the main part of the muscle rather than a sharp pointy stretching sensation at the top of the leg near the buttocks.
Keep each stretch within your own capacity and enjoy the sensation of fresher feeling legs.

in Covid 19 Lockdown / Home / Iyengar Yoga / video / yoga practice 0 comments
 by lucy

Ease into the evening

I’m tired. I don’t feel like doing anything. I especially don’t feel like anyone looking at me…
These are the times when our practice can become a real friend. It whispers to you “relax, take your time, be gentle, take care, breathe smoothly, breathe quietly, becalm”

This practice is perfect as a post-work, pre-evening practice.
Be gentle , listen to your body and don’t push.
Enjoy

in Covid 19 Lockdown / Home / Iyengar Yoga / yoga practice 0 comments
 by lucy

Standing poses and inversions

Using the wall for support brings a whole new clarity to the leg work in this practice.
The wall gives stability allowing our balance to come more naturally, allowing the feeling within each pose to go a little deeper.
Working from Utthita Trikonasana through to sarvaganasana this practice takes just over an hour. I tried to guide you through savasana so many times but the noise over the hedge was just too much this time. So please settle yourself for savasana well at the end of this session
Shine bright
Lucy

Please work to your own capacity and be gentle with yourself 🙂

in Covid 19 Lockdown / Home / Iyengar Yoga / yoga practice 0 comments
 by lucy

Yoga shorts mini dawn practice

Don’t let this mini practice deceive you.

I would like you to see that in just 4 minutes you can be inspired to do a “yoga short asana practice”

It actually took more than an hour, although only 4 minutes is seen here.

It started with silent meditational bare-foot  walk down to the beach, focusing on the breath and the sounds of nature.

Then came the small focus on asana (posture) meditation before finishing with standing ujjayi breathing.

I always try to finish with a focus on gratitude, whether prayer, meditation or contemplation. Being thankful is a great way to see the positives in life (even when it seems there are few).

 

Too often we think that yoga is just something to be done “on the mat” but in fact true yoga is a lifelong path of constant non-judgemental correction to improve our daily lives from moment to moment.

Gathering and releasing thoughts, letting go of the impulse patterns that no longer serve , is a great way to start the day .

No input from any outside source other than what nature can give to you.

Giving your “watcher within” the opportunity to be heard.

What a blessing.

in Covid 19 Lockdown / Iyengar Yoga / Lifestyle / video / yoga thoughts 0 comments
 by lucy

Parsvottanasna in more ways than 1

25 minutes, one pose; It went really quickly.
The back leg is crucial to keeping balance. Often we focus on the front foot because that’s the one we can see. Get the back leg as your anchor, balance the front foot and hey presto, you can start to play in this wonderful hamstring lengthener.
Not really suitable if you are nursing your hamstrings or if you are having lower back problems.
As always, work to your body’s own unique own capacity.

Love and light,
Lucy

ps Lucy means light… soon i’ll sign off love and Lucy 😉

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 by lucy

Tree pose variations

Tree pose, Vrksasana, is a fun standing balance. We prepare by working the shoulders…slightly left field I know, but it will become clear as you move through the sequence.
It is worth persevering with this posture, (even if you never make the full foot to thigh action) because as we age, our sense of balance can deteriorate.
Have fun and move within your own capacity.

Love and light
Lucy

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 by lucy

Standing balances into twists

This practice follows me through the standing balances Arhda and Parivrtta Chandrasasana (half moon and rotating half moon pose), into sun salutes and Jatara Parivatasana (abdominal rotation).
Please be aware this is not suitable for practice during pregnancy, menstruation or for anyone with low back/neck problems.
Move with compassion, awareness and within your own capacity.
Love and light
Lucy

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