Practice Now

This is your Best Friend Forever in your yoga practice. Take the time to center first -- not only on the mat but in your daily life activities.
01:05 Nostril breathwork seated
02:22 Diaphragmatic breath practice with palms tracking in-breath and out-breath
04:25 Notice the breath while sitting tall on forward part of sitz bones & notice spinal alignment
08:08 Notice how breathing provides a doorway to knowledge of the body
09:15 Engage the legs through the feet by spreading your toes & drawing from the earth to the pelvis
09:38 Make feet smaller from toe tips to heels to build arches
09:56 Pull heels back isometrically to engage the back side of the legs - the hamstrings

Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #chairyoga #breathwork

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Let's turn the traditional practice sequence around to calm our busy mind - supine, then seated, then standing to speed recovery and gain clarity when external issues overwhelm us.
01:28 Psoas release - inner knees touch, feet wide apart
01:49 Maintain the psoas release pose with diaphragmatic breathing
04:14 Windshield wiper pose
05:14 Hip opener - figure 4 and windshield wiper
8:18 Lumbar spine awareness and strength - palms to knees w/ legs & arms in isometric actions
09:30 Supine stretch to side body with arms overhead
11:54 Bridge pose with supta baddha konasana between cycles
15:26 Supine twist with one hip in flexion to variation of half happy baby
18:08 Happy Baby pose
20:00 Side body stretch in sukhasana
21:30 Childs pose with toes tucked under variation
22:10 Low lunge with pranam to each side
23:53 Happy Baby with side body stretch to each side
24:50 Downward dog with walk the dog
26:08 Chair pose with cat / cow spinal movement added
27:57 Prasarita Padottansana with movement to right and left side
30:10 Pranam in high lunge


Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #focused #yogainspiration

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Thanks to professional swimmers here are some moves that will keep your shoulders open for yoga postures -- whether you are seated or standing, grab a yoga strap, dowel rod, or broom and practice these moves.Big thanks to Jamal Hill and the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2024/swimmer-tight-shoulder-stretches/


Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #shoulderstretches #yogaexercises

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Short and sweet way to move before getting out of bed. If you need to recover and stay in bed here are some moves to open your hips.
00:28 Supine hip circles
03:49 Windshield wipers
04:30 Half happy baby - one leg straight
06:00 Supta Baddha Konasana
06:33 Garudasana legs - supine wrapped legs
08:48 Sucirandrasana - supine figure four to open hips
10:30 Low back strengthener - hip flexion with isometric action for back muscle strength
11:23 Savasana

Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #yogainbed #hipopener

6 0

Sometimes we do more stretching to the side muscles than strengthening - this sequence is balanced to allow the side body to provide spinal support.
01:18 Side body focus in sukhasana - tricep stretch then one arm overhead
04:42 Side pelvic lift - variation of vasisthasana
06:08 Sukhasana side body strengthener - both arms overhead
07:42 Dolphin pose toward forearm plank - side body lift "muffin buster"
08:56 Pelvic lift each side, forearm and knee foundation
10:58 Purvottanasana prep for upper chest opening then pelvic lift
11:50 Savasana


Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #sidestrength #yogapractice

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No need for a mat -- in this practice the chair enhances hip and shoulder movement in forward bends, backbends, twists and side angle poses for both seated and standing postures.
00:36 Downward dog with hands on chair seat
01:30 Plank with hands on chair seat
01:46 Pedal legs in downward dog with hand support on chair
02:46 Shift hips to side for side body stretch
03:20 Lunges - traditional bent knee to straight leg with support of chair
05:45 Lunge Twist
06:48 Three legged dog movement in hip flexion to extension
07:50 Shoulder opener - elbows to back of chair, hands in prayer position
09:00 Plank to Upward facing dog with hands holding chair seat
11:05 Side angle pose to triangle pose with lower hand to chair seat
13:46 Balance on sitz bones, feet lifted for abdominal muscle engagement, toe taps in balance
14:30 Seated cat/cow - spinal movement backbend to C curve
15:30 Assimilate and contemplate actions seated with eye closed, focused breath practice

Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #chairyoga #yogapractice

5 0

For knees that don't like full squats, practice this alternative. Studies show that this is good for those with high blood pressure. 4 cycles, 2 minutes each with 2 min rests.See the links below.

01:04 Wall Sit number one -- position feet parallel, bend knees
02:06 Side stretches
02:34 Cat / cow movement at wall
03:28 Stretch in rest - dog at the chair and shoulder opener
04:36 Standing hamstring stretch - parsvottanasana
05:10 Wall sit number two - go slightly deeper in the pose
05:45 Twist in wall sit
06:22 Forward bend in wall sit
07:01 Interlaced fingers, shoulder stretch at wall sit
07:21 2nd rest session - seated in chair
07:44 Rest in side stretch with side body length
08:18 Wide stance seated forward bend with side to side movements
09:23 Wall sit number 3 with neck stretch
11:13 Hip circles in rest session
12:43 Seated Cat / Cow in rest session
13:16 Wall sit number 4 arms in cactus - arms up, arms down
15:28 Rest seated


Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/01/30/wall-sit-isometric-lower-blood-pressure/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/well/blood-pressure-workout-wall-squat.html

#fulcrumblu #squateveryday #isometricexercises

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Yoga is a great way to regroup, to reenergize, to rejuvenate and explore a different perspective. This sequence enables a fresh start or a re-start when your thoughts take you to a place of contractedness.
02:18 Modified vajrasana to bent elbow upward facing dog
04:10 Hip flexion to hip extension from tabletop position
05:08 Low lunge to side stretch
06:36 Downward dog with calf and achilles stretches
07:56 Cat / Cow in Chair position
09:46 Twisted high lunge position
11:25 Plank to baby cobra
12:10 Ardha Dhanurasana - half. bow pose
14:12 Modified bow - dhanurasana
14:39 Childs Pose with side body lengthening and shoulder opening
18:21 High lunge with diagonal stretch for hip opening
20:23 Modified Pigeon pose
23:06 Dhanurasana sequence followed by 3 legged dog for a thigh stretch
26:01 Virabhadrasana 1 - Warrior 1
26:39 Legs in Pinwheel, with vasisthasana influence to lift pelvis
28:50 Ustrasana with variations
30:52 Sukhasana with side and neck stretch
33:04 Pinwheel legs to twist
34:50 Badha Konasana
35:22 Supta Badha konasana with upper back support
36:48 Supported Savasana




Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #yogafreedom #yogainspiration

5 1

Seated poses help stretches yet it is more challenging to get strength. Try this - hold onto some cans for fuller engagement for upper arm and shoulder muscles. As your arms get stronger, add more weight.
00:58 Arms with cans lift
01:06 Overhead arms to right and left side
01:18 Wrist strength and flexibility using cans
02:56 Figure 4 hip opening, with cans for added weight in forward bend
05:13 Cactus arms for shoulder strength
06:58 Hip lift as purvottanasana variation
08:58 Side angle stretch after lifted arm repetitions
11:54 Forward bend with arms winged, hands lifting cans
12:42 Warrior 2 to Goddess Warrior with palms up to support extra weight
15:40 Seated twist with cans
16:47 Pull back with cans to chest for abdominal engagement
17:41 Side muscle strengthening actions
19:17 Neck muscle stretch and twist
20:26 Focus on breath and results of the practice

Rita's website: https://fulcrumblu.com/
Anusara yoga website: https://www.anusarayoga.com/



#fulcrumblu #chairyoga #upperarms

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