Back and Shoulders
“You are only as old as your spine”
Goes the saying. It’s really important for you to keep your spine moving so that it stays strong, healthy and flexible. But you knew that already. These videos are great if you have a desk job and don’t move as much as you could, or if you already have stiff spine, shoulders or hips. Just remember to do the practices in these videos. Every day. We have got videos of different lengths here so you don’t need to put your back out trying to fit it in your schedule.
We don’t guarantee that you’ll be ready to join the Chinese circus, but we think that your back will appreciate the extra loving you give it and will reward you with less pain. You’ll start feeling that your life has some backbone, quite literally. This will lead to you making better decisions, possibly leading a life from a position of courage. You may start to feel your back is longer, you may start to sit up taller, you may start to notice when you slump or st... Show more
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20:00Beginners 4: Twist to unwind
Twists help you feel yourself again. So whether you’re stiff, stressed-out, sluggish, or plain out of sorts, Clare’s simple twist practice will leave you feeling grounded and re-energised. Perfect for morning or evening. The class ends on a savasana, so feel free to lay down and soak up the practice for as long as you need.
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50:03Menopause Yoga: Befriending Your Body
A soothing and calming yoga class to cool hot flushes and help you surrender to the natural process of change associated with the perimenopause and menopause. Expect hip opening stretches and simple somatic movements through the spine which lead to a restorative yoga practice, followed by a deep relaxation, a guided meditation and a mantra. This class is taught wholly on the floor and is very gentle and grounding. It is designed to help you befriend your body with kindness and self-compassion at a time when your body is transforming and can feel out of your control. You will need a yoga mat, a strap or belt, 1 bolster and 2 cushions (or household equivalents), and 2 blocks (or thick books). NB - Modifications: take extra care with hip and knee injuries. Osteoporosis: avoid flexion rounding your back in forward folds; keep your spine straight. Trauma: please note that hip opening poses and stretches across the chest can release tension but may also trigger trauma. Follow your own breathing pace, pause the practice when needed and find a comfortable resting pose.
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10:55Arm and Shoulder Strength Burst
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40:00Yoga for Stress Relief: Neck Release
When the muscles of our neck are chronically tight we are more likely to maintain our nervous system in a state of stress. On the contrary, when we allow them to soften, our body and mind can more easily shift into a calm state. This floor-based yoga flow is specifically designed to help you release tension from your neck and shoulders, so you can feel more spacious and relaxed. This class is perfect for when you're busy at work, when you're feeling overwhelmed, when you've been driving a lot or are feeling stressed. This calming yoga practice will help you create more space and relaxation in your neck and stabilise your shoulders as you move.
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15:59Energise & Surrender: Shoulder Opening Vinyasa
This shoulder opening vinyasa yoga class is perfect to start the day with. Inspired by a song by Gerry Rafferty, 'Wise as a Serpent, Gentle as a Dove' which interprets the biblical saying: “butterflies are streetwise too, they have camouflage to predators, eyes painted on wings”. Harmonise the dual qualities of energetic zeal and and surrender in your yoga practice; play with yin and yang in each pose, in each breath, each balance. You will need a strap.
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27:26Pilates for Shoulder Stability and Neck Relaxation
A Pilates class for the shoulders and neck to build strength and mobility to help you find full range of movement to prevent injury. It will also help create more space and relaxation in your neck and stabilise your shoulders as you move. We will both clarify the upper body alignment of some common Pilates exercises (planks, shoulder bridges, the Roll up) and use an elastic band (or a sock!) to create deeper connection in the side body and upper back muscles, so that your neck and head can move more freely and without excess tension. A great class to refine technique, as well as for those of us who spend time at our desk or travelling.
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17:51Your Daily Shoulder, Neck & Head Practice
This short yoga class mobilises, strengthens, and relaxes the shoulders and neck through their full range of motion. This is so important for our sedentary lives, and is a vital class for when you've ben busy at work, when you're feeling overwhelmed or when you're travelling. Additionally, you will give yourself a face, head, and jaw massage to help you release tension and find calm. Practise this class regularly as a preparation for your time on your mat or simply to feel good in your body. You will need a yoga brick or block.
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07:12Forearm Balance Tutorial
A tutorial for pincha mayurasana, or forearm balance. Build strength and confidence with some preparatory poses, then learn the correct and safe way to enter and hold this asana, using props if need be. You will need a strap, block and your mat against a wall.
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35:41Your Calming Yoga Practice
This yoga class helps to ground and calm an anxious body or mind and bring us back to the present moment. Start with some grounding self-massage, then move gently with simple, repetitive, and breath-led movements to stabilise the nervous system. Additionally, we will pay particular attention to releasing tension in the head, neck, and shoulders to bring about a profound sense of relaxation and ease. This class is perfect after a long day or when we're overwhelmed. You will need a narrow block or a folded blanket and a brick.
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39:28Love Your Back: Gentle Yoga
A gently paced yoga class to put some love back into your back. This class starts supine with gentle somatic and yoga movements, unwinding the tension lying down and then incorporates standing poses to help with the release of tension throughout the day. This is the perfect class if you have a hard day and feel the tension in your lower back, it's a great antidote to having been sedentary at work or travelling.
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01:03:56Back & Core Strengthening Yoga
This really fun, strengthening yoga and movement class creatively works the back and core. Expect a full warm up and workout with options for all abilities. In this challenging class, you'll focus on the posterior muscle chain of the body (the back) and learn how to engage and recruit these muscles and then balance things out by working on the core to help create stability as we move.
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50:23Fun Forrest Inspired Yoga for Strength
This strong, hatha yoga class is inspired by Forrest yoga; it is strengthening and really great fun! Start with abdominal work and strengthening goddess pose, then explore how to lean into support: support of the props; of our experience; of our deep, considered breath. If you have dipped your toe into the Forrest Yoga pool already, this class is a chance to play with some arm balances and some stronger hamstring work. You will need two blocks, a blanket and a bolster (if you have one) for our exploration of splits and frog over a bolster.
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20:53Yoga For Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine which can present in spectrum of different grades. For some, a scoliosis can be very mild, hardly noticeable and certainly not an issue for everyday movement and living. For others it can be very inhibiting, restricting movement, causing pain and discomfort, perhaps even leading to corrective surgery. In this video, Lucy & Ben explain what scoliosis is and explore how you can help yourself, or loved ones, with this condition. Explore the role of good breathing and gentle movement to stretch out and gain ease and comfort. Please note that all advice and recommendations in this film are given generally and do not constitute any form of an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. A consultation with a medical practitioner or registered physical therapist is recommended.
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48:14Fiery Forrest Yoga Inspired Class
This strong, hatha yoga class is inspired by Forrest yoga and designed to ignite the light inside of us. Forrest yoga focuses on releasing a stiff neck and strengthening the shoulders. This yoga class has a particular focus on opening the back and hips with some powerful work to fire up the core and unlock our shoulders. The perfect class as an antidote to sedentary modern life! There is an intention to bring awareness to our breath and to soften, even in intensity. You will need a rolled up blanket and a towel for our abdominals.
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01:10:19Yoga Tutorial for a Healthy Spine
A yoga anatomy tutorial all about the spine; essential for any yoga students and teachers looking to expand their knowledge! The more we know about the spine the more remarkable and astonishing it becomes; it is fundamental in so many movement patterns allowing us to move in so many ways whilst staying light, graceful and steady. This video will teach you about the intricate structure of your spine and begin to respect its subtle changes and adaptations that make life on two feet possible and enjoyable. Class starts by offering you a way to gain a felt sense of your spine and its various ranges of movement and functions. Then discover how to find good posture in standing and sitting to limit those all too common issues of back ache. Finally, learn how to use your spine to inform your alignment, ease and freedom on your yoga mat. NB: All advice and recommendations in this film are given generally and do not constitute any form of an individual diagnosis or treatment plan. A consultation with a medical practitioner or registered physical therapist is recommended.
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36:48Yoga Flow: Root and Make Space
A grounded, well sequenced vinyasa yoga class with plenty of standing poses to energise and which focus on the upper body. Move mindfully between a range of postures for the the shoulders and back, making time to settle into the poses to cultivate release and spaciousness.
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26:39Pilates for the Back
A back strengthening Pilates-based sequence; starting with gentle spine mobilisation then moving into spinal strength exercises. Pilates based movements are fantastic at creating postural balance and strength by working the entire body synergistically. This sequence works through the entire spine with a combination of flowing movements paired with strength exercises. You will need a block.
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14:12Learn Safe Alignment
This is a crucial, in-depth yoga class for all of us to learn how to practice safely. It is especially good for those coming back into their yoga practice after injury of the ribs, shoulders, arms and hands. Learn how to practice in an integrated way, how to be balanced, and the correct orientation of the head and neck to the arms and torso. A really great yoga tutorial as well for all of us to learn correct arm, shoulder movements in poses like Eagle Pose.