Yoga Style (Hip-Hop) Teaching Methodology

Begin with Pelvic - Hip Bumps, anterior and posterior flexion & Core - side abdominal (oblique) strengthening and stretching, warming-up front (anterior) and back (posterior) abdominals and muscles by strengthening and stretching opposing (antagonist) muscle groups! Practice a QuadStretch (Natrajasana) variation. Do a full body Stretch, Stabilization & Strengthening asana, as your able, during Explorers (Virabhadrasana I, II & Reverse). HeadStand (Shirshasana), by some references, is known to be the King of Poses - performed here with an inverted Pike. Strengthen Arms by sequencing into CrowPose (Kakasana), if you like. Endure Core strengthening in plank/hover (Chaturanga Dandasana) as well as Swan Feather (Hamshasana). Periodizing pelvic flexion and extension as well as leg strengthening and stretching in Splits (Hanumanasana). Ending in a final supination; namaste! A client/friend of mine arranged for a meeting to provide group yoga. I chose to meet and immediately agreed to teach dance students. Yoga Style Hip-Hop began a new adventure. The clip shows similar poses (asanas) as those practiced during the first class! A Deva Premal Chants and incantations station was changed to Hip-hop music. While listening to the electronic style 'gunfire' sounds I ticked my physical body to the beat. I had practiced similarly having learned inner subtle body movements from the instruction of Jayi Kumar Swamysree, not far from a ghetto of people living in tents near Mysore India while studying abroad in 2008. Feeling each adjustment I pretended to be titanium, as a song mentions - fully protected (Pancha-maya-kosha). Continuing to integrate moves listening and thinking 'vilkalpa', non-judgment of terminology. During a rap story, "Bitch" was expressed. A puppy raced to mind. Smiling, while sequencing puppy pose also known as foxtail pose was helpful. Gazing over the shoulder towards the outer (lateral) pelvic bones where the Greater Trochanter's ball joints of the upper legs connect to the socket joints of the pelvis which holds the longest bones of the body, the femurs. When class time rolled around, preparation paid. "Okay," time for hip bumps, "Keep your hips moving from side-side". Now, to cue Tail Wag Pose, "... find your booty". We started with the basics. "Try Standing Cat/Cow", a fun movement with tailbone tucks and lifts. 'Putting our back into it', prepared us for more advanced poses as core work facilitates upper body stretching, stabilizing and strengthening to reverberate to the lower body and vie-a-vie. Flowing, yoga hip-hop style like a lotus flower in murky waters we practiced sensory withdrawal (pratyahara). During life chants (raps) we continued posing in Dancer (Natrajasana). The class waged peace in Warrior poses (Virabhadrasana), used core strength and balance (udyana bandha) lifting into headstands (Shirsasana) and learned to flow from Tripod to Crow (Kakasana), a basic forearm balance. After more planks (chataranga dandasana), practicing splits pose (Hanumanasana) - one of the most intense deep stretches - and some up-dogs (urdhva mukha shvinasana) the class rested. We listened to yogi raps (mantras) during Final Relaxation (Shavasana). Our first yoga style hip-hop class completed. Bliss out; bliss be!

First published 11/2014; written update 1/2024

Restorative Sequence

While practicing a Restorative Sequence be inclusive, intrinsic, intuitive & conscious while feeling, breathing and listening.  Stay in each pose a few minutes.  Use blankets and pillows for comfort and support.
 
1.)  Upright Legs (Supta Dandasana) - Lengthen legs up a wall or head board.  Stretch tailbone through to the top of the head.  Aligning while stretching the hamstrings group of muscles and back; depending on flexibility move closer or further from the support.

2.)  Supine Butterfly (Baddha Konasana) - Touch feet together with knees splayed apart, opening and stretching the adductor muscles (inner thighs including groin) Relax and breathe long and slow feeling at ease.
 
3.)  Supine Twist or Revolved Stomach (Jathra Padangusthasana) - Bring knees towards the chest then place knees to one side, rest, then move to the other side.  Lay with head facing away from knees.  This pose benefits the stomach and other internal organs. 
 
4.)  Fish (Matsyasana) - Elongate the body.  Place hands underneath the body aligning forarms.  Lift the chest towards the sky, arching the back away from the Earth and relax the head.  This is an anti-aging pose.

5.)  Feet to Hands (Apanasana) - bring knees towards chest and hold the soles of the feet while laying on your back.  Feel the spine lengthen.  Place hands under knees or hold arms at the elbows as another option.

6.)  Final Relaxation [S(h)avasana] - Relax shoulders back and down by lifting up and gently squeezing the rhomboids - muscles connecting the shoulder blades at the back side heart center.  Articulate through the spine from the tailbone to the first vertebrae at the top of the neck (cervical spine).  Roll eyes back into their sockets and breathe through the entire body beginning with toes and fingers, opening through the abs and expanding the chest.  Upon exhalation feel the body relax completely.
While breathing use the mantra "Let" on the inhalation and "Go" on the exhalation to let go of a tight, tense and/or sore body and/or mind.  Be accepting, feeling for what you have done, loving, listening, smiling and appreciating yourself and the world around you.  Feel restored with a reinvigorated mind and body.