Phalakasana - Plank

FULL BODY STRENGTH
Phalakasana/Plank is a full body high return strengthening pose which doesn’t require you to hold it for very long before you start to feel the benefits and the challenge. It is often used as a benchmark pose to check core, shoulder and arm strength in a student to see if they are ready to try more challenging arm balancing poses. It quickly generates heat. It offers a mental and physical challenge and a challenge of both stamina and patience similar to our principal in yoga of effort and ease.

THE BENEFITS OF PHALAKASANA/PLANK
Phalakasana/Plank is one of the basic arm balancing poses used as a progression towards stronger arm balancing poses. It strengthens the shoulders, spine, arms, core, glutes, quads and hamstrings. As gravity presses down on your whole back body in Phalakasana/Plank your shoulders and core in particualr feel the challenge in holding the pose for any length of time. Making it a very good pose for building strength in the abdominal, the rotator cuff (SITS) and scapula stabilising muscles of the shoulders. It is an isometric pose which means the muscles are active and strengthening in a static pressing position. It also builds a strong spine, increases bone density, builds focus, heat, stamina, energy and circulation

EXPLORING PHALAKASANA/PLANK IN YOUR PRACTICE
Similar to Vasisthasana/Side Plank, when you are in Phalakasana/Plank scan from the base of your feet to the tip of your crown and remember your Tadasana/Mountain alignment cues. In Tadasana/Mountain we are pressing through the feet, hugging the hips to the midline, lengthening through all sides of the body and broadening through the collarbones. In Phalakasana/Plank we are following these exact blueprints and adding an extra level of lifting the hips against gravity with the strength of the core.

If your shoulders are not ready for Phalakasana/Plank stay with the version with the knees down and gradually build your shoulder strength. The shoulders appreciate consideration and require good stability awareness before you add a weighted challenge. If you are in the full version make sure your hips are maintaining the diagonal line from heel to tip of crown. If they are too high it will reduce your opportunity to strengthen the full body and if they are too low it will push pressure onto your lower back. Core strength is very important in this pose. If your wrists are sensitive try folding your mat over and placing your hands on the crease to lift the root of the palm up to reduce the extension in the wrists.

ALIGNMENT CUES
In this sequence you will use Cat/Cow to start the warm up process for Phalakasana/Plank. Remember to stay with the knees down version of Phalakasana/Plank if knees up is causing you any discomfort in the shoulders. You can repeat this sequence over the corse of a few months to build up towards Phalakasana/Plank.

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Adho Mukha Svanasana, inhale, reach forward and stack your shoulders over your wrists, press into all five knuckles of your hands, roll your biceps forward, shoulder blades spread outwards.

• Press out through your heels to firm your legs, hips level to the ground, hug your outer hips to the midline. Exhale, draw your navel towards your spine, broaden through the collarbones.

• Lengthen from your heels all the way to the tip of your crown in a diagonal line, keep your head in line with your spine, back of the neck long, gaze to the ground.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Parsva Bakasana - Side Crow

THINK LIGHT AND LIFT
In yoga there are poses with sister poses that keep the same foundation and add an upper body twist into the equation – Utkatasana & Parivrtta Utkatasana; Ashta Chandrasana & Parivrtta Ashta Chandrasana and Bakasana/Crow & Parsva Bakasana/Side Crow. If you find you are happily taking flight in Bakasana/Crow, and you are able to take a deep twist, it might be time to try Parsva Bakasana/Side Crow. Both poses are challenging arm balancing poses but you might be surprised to find that a strong core is more important than strong arms. With a strong core you can scoop your belly in to create the required curve in the spine, control your centre of gravity, and take some of the force out of the wrists. A strong core will also give a fulcrum to the pose, and a lightness to the lifting leg as you tip the weight forward, like the principle of a seesaw. 

THE BENEFITS OF PARSVA BAKASANA/SIDE CROW
Parsva Bakasana/Side Crow is a twisted, arm balancing pose. It stretches the muscles of the spine, core and glutes, and strengthens the shoulders, spine, core, hip flexors, glutes, groins and hamstrings. As an arm balance it builds heat, confidence, stamina, balance, coordination, focus, energy and strength. As a twisted pose it aids detoxification, digestion, tones the abdominal organs, boosts the immune system, circulation and eases fatigue, stress, tension and anxiety. It gives the gut a fantastic twist which makes it a great pose to practise if you find you need a bit of help to get, or keep, things moving.

EXPLORING PARSVA BAKASANA/SIDE CROW IN YOUR PRACTICE
Similar to Bakasana/Crow, if you are nervous of face planting, place a pillow or blanket on the ground in front of you. If you are not able to lift the second foot, practice lifting one foot up and hold for a few breaths. Use your strong core to play with your centre of gravity by tipping your weight forward until you feel ready to lift the legs. You might find your wrists fatigue very fast, but they also come back to life quickly too. Sit back on your heels and circle tour wrists until they feel ready to give the pose another go.

If your shoulders would benefit from some propped support you can try the first version of the peak pose in the sequence where you use a brinks under each shoulder at their highest height. Remember the bricks are not very sturdy so be sure to use your core to power the pose and the bricks up gently support the shoulders rather than take all your body weight.

ALIGNMENT CUES
This sequence warms up the spine with lots of twists and prepares the core, shoulders and arms without fatiguing them before your peak pose. 

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Malasana, step your feet together, twist to your right, place your hands on the ground to the right of your feet a little wider than shoulder width, fingers facing away from the legs.

• Bend your elbows and place your left elbow above your right knee.

• Strongly draw your navel towards your spine, round your upper back. Lean to your right side, shift your weight into your hands.

• Exhale, with control, lift your feet up one at a time or both together, squeeze your inner thighs together, press into your hands, gaze slightly forward.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru

Parivrtta Utkatasana - Revolved Chair

INTERNAL GENERATOR
Parivrtta Utkatasana/Revolved Chair is the revolved version of Utkatasana/Chair. They are both very strengthening poses, particularly for the legs, and build instant heat when held for just a few breaths. When we add the twist we add a deep abdominal compressive massage to this already challenging pose. This deep twist stimulates all the organs of the abdominal region and fires up good digestion and elimination, absorption of nutrition, and increases circulation – all important jobs for building a strong immune system. Both versions are great poses to add into the start of each of your standing flows, as I have done in this sequence. It helps you to find your fierce strong legs and your connection to the ground beneath you.

THE BENEFITS OF PARIVRTTA UTKATASANA/REVOLVED CHAIR
Parivrtta Utkatasana/Revolved Chair is a twisted, standing pose. It stretches the muscles of the spine, shoulders, chest, core and glutes, and strengthens the spine, arms, core, hip flexors, glutes, quads and hamstrings. As a standing pose it builds heat, focus, energy, stamina, strength and good posture. As a twisted pose it aids detoxification, digestion, boosts the immune system and eases fatigue, stress, tension and anxiety.

EXPLORING PARIVRTTA UTKATASANA/REVOLVED CHAIR IN YOUR PRACTICE
There are lots of versions of Parivrtta Utkatasana/Revolved Chair to tailor to your spinal and shoulder mobility. This sequence offers two main versions – a gentler first version with the arms placed on the knee and hip, and a second version with the arms in prayer position. Regardless of which version you are happiest in, remember to lengthen through the spine to create space before you ask it to take this deep twist. Before you bring your gaze to the side, have a quick check that your knees are both still squared to the front of your mat. The hip on the side that you are twisting away from will want to join in on the twist, hug the hips to the midline and square to the front and only take the twist to the extent where your knees and hips stay forward. You can also add a brick between the knees to help you keep them level, help you hug the outer hips to the midline and lift the pelvic floor.

ALIGNMENT CUES
Notice how your breath reacts to this deep twist. When you arrive in your twist pause and breathe as deeply as your twisted torso will allow to challenge and nurture you lung capacity

Have a read of the tips below and either print out the sequence or save it onto your device:

• From Utkatasana, feet together, bring your hands to prayer position in front of your heart centre.

• Inhale, lengthen through your spine, exhale, twist to your right from the waist, place your left elbow outside your right knee. Check your knees are level.

• Press your hands together, broaden through the collarbone, stack your shoulders, open your chest to the right, forearms stacked, bottom waist rolls forward, top waist rolls back.

• Lengthen through your spine to the tip of your crown, gaze forward or over your right shoulder.

To save the images for personal use click and hold down the image until the ‘save image’ option appears; on Mac hold down ‘control’ and click the image to get the option box; on PC right click on the image to get the option box. Scroll down in the ‘option box’ and click ‘save image’.

Ruth Delahunty Yogaru