Hangzhou: November 7 – 10, 2019

Workshop at Iyengar Yogashala, Hangzhou.

Post menopause. Time to sharpen up your practice.

Ardha Chandrasna is the quintessential woman’s pose. Practice it (and the other lateral standing poses) with the back to the wall to reduce pelvic rigidity. It gives freedom in the pelvis and spine; spreads the torso and pelvis horizontally and therefore cools. Practicing it facing the wall with a chair is helpful for women with fibroids because you can soften the abdomen. It also helps those with low back issues. To elongate the lumbar spine and to prevent it from falling forward (and therefore compressing), move the standing leg buttock toward the wall. Turn the hips up, and lengthen the tailbone away from the head.

 

Urdhva Dhanurasana from a chair. To develop enough strength to push up into the pose, start on a chair. You are already half way there – all you have to do is push the reast of the way up. The chair also helps keep you orientated. To avoid swinging backward or forward, keep your pelvis centered above the chair seat as you come up.

Cool down with Supported Halasana. Place enough support between the thighs and chair seat to maintain an upright spine.

 

© 2020 Bobby Clennell.

Hangzhou: November 15 – 18. 2017

Workshop at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of China in Hangzhou.

Helping this student touch base .

To reach the floor with the fingers, coil and firm the back ribs.

Practicing in the lunch hour, I am on the left. Unbeknown to me, my translator is copying me – she’s on the extreme right, and her friend, facing in toward her  is copying her!

Workshop finished and going to dinner, feeling happy.

© 2018 Bobby Clennell.

Hangzhou: November 10 – 13, 2016.

Workshop in Hangzhou, China.

At the tailors with Lily, Ming and Cerise.

During menopause, face the wall.

After menopause – “I’m back!”

Virabhadrasana three. Extend from the navel forward to the little finger, and back through the lifted leg big-toe mound.

Post menopause, it maybe time for you to work with support (back leg could be supported too). As we age, balance becomes more difficult, so through a variety of poses, find a way to keep it a strong part of your practice.

Chair Sarvangasana. Align the breast plate: To bring it parallel with your chin and perpendicular to the floor, raise your back ribs away from the floor and press them forward toward your chest.

© 2017 Bobby Clennell.

Hangzhou

Out and about in Hangzhou.

Watching a mahjong game.

Hot fruit tea. There is no such thing as cold jiuce – or even cold water – in China.

Workshop

Pincha Myorasana (Elbow Balance) is all about musclular alignment, as opposed to Vrksasana (Full Arm Balance), which has more to do with skeletal alignment. Pull the triceps onto the upper arm bone, and slide it up onto the deltoid. ‘Fix’ the deltoid muscle up onto the shoulder blade. Hold those muscles firm and you have your balance.

In order to keep the pelvic organs healthy, learn how to avoid compression and  maintain extension throughout the front of the pelvic area.

Elongating the abdomen before twisting in Parsva Swastikasana.

Practice the “L” shaped poses to create space thoughout the pelvic organs. This pose, in combination with other poses, helps reduce excessivly heavy menstryal bleeding.

Sarvangasana. Start in Halasana. Press the outer edges of the feet into the sides of the chair, as if you were trying to break the chair apart. Absorb your spine into your back. Open up the backs of the knees to the ceiling.

This prop, which is two covered foams, zippered together, are unique to China. Press the outer edges of the shoulder blades foreward into the chest.

Sarvangasana. Role the outer, upper arms down. Don’t let the weight of the back ribs drop onto the hands. The hands should press into the back ribs.

© 2015 Bobby Clennell.