Align & Flow Sequence: Revolved Half Moon to Standing Half Bound Lotus

I'm scheduled to teach two classes a week at Binghamton Yoga:

• 75 Minute Align & Flow Class Friday Morning at 9:30 am
• 60 Minute Flow Class Monday Evening at 5:45 pm

I've found that the best way for me to approach planning these two classes is to develop a plan for my 75 minute class, teach it, work out the kinks, and then shorten it for my 60 minute flow.

This week I wanted to work on twisting and given the fact that I love "flying" type postures, Revolved Half Moon (Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana) seemed like a great pinnacle pose.  Therefore I broke down its parts and considered what I'd need to do to get the body ready to perform this posture.  Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana is a standing one leg balance version of Revolved Triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana), which is a closed, cross-body twist but probably not the biggest twist we can think of.  Both postures require foot stability, leg strength, balanced hips, mobile mid-section, and flexible shoulders. So, here's the sequence:

 Opening

• Start seated ... relax face & find breath
• Extend one leg ... support knee with block ... point, flex & rotate foot then articulate toes individually
• All-4's 
• Cow / Cat
• Extend distance between knees & hands for Cow / Cat Spinal Activation Roll
• Down  Dog ... Walk the Dog Calf Stretches
• Walk Hands to Feet ... Roll to Stand

 Neck & Shoulders

• Clasp hands around back of neck and roll head gently massaging muscles
• Tip chin to chest and move slightly to side then add hand to lengthen - articulate chin rotation toward shoulder - come back up between sides
• Tip head back and move slightly to side - articulating scalenes - come back between sides
• Turn head to side wait - then other side
• Elevate shoulders & drop REPS
• Straight Arms Out to Sides at 45 degrees then Pulse Reach to become aware of Supraspinatus REPS
• Draw Elbows to body and bend arms to 90 degrees at sides - rotate Hitchhiker REPS to become aware Infraspinatus
• Straight arms out to sides 45 degrees again - now slowly flapping arms like wings REPS
• Arms in T then bend at elbows to 90 degrees and rotate goal post arms REPS
• Last Time Straight arms out to sides 45 degrees - Subtle Pulse of Shoulder Blades to articulate Teres Minor & Rhomoids REPS
• Wash it all away with light Standing Oblique Twists

 Surya Namaskar - First Time

• Simple Sun Salutation
• Right Leg Back with Anjanayasana
• Plank between sides
• Right Leg Forward with Anjanayasana
• Uttanasana
• Gently Rotated Parivtta Uttanasana 

Surya Namaskar - Second Time

• Simple Sun Salutation
• Right Leg Back with Anjanayasana -- Lift Right Arm to Sky and Begin Gentle Twist
• Plank between sides
• Right Leg Forward with Anjanayasana -- Lift Left Arm to Sky and Begin Gentle Twist
• Uttanasana
• Utkatasana --> Parivrtta Utkatasana

Surya Namaskar - Third Time

• Simple Sun Salutation
• Right Leg Back with Anjanayasana -- Lift Right Arm to Sky and Slide into Parivrtta Parsvottanasana
• Plank between sides
• RIght Leg Forward with Anjanayasana -- Left Left Arm to Sky and Slide into Parivrtta Parsvottanasana
• Uttanasana
• Utkatasana --> Parivrtta Utkatasana

 Wide Angle Interlude

• Begin Fourth Surya Namaskar but turn Sideways for Prasarita Padottanasana
• Establish Feet --> Reach Arms Long in Front for Wide Leg Down Dog
• Walk Hands Back in and then Set up for First Twist here
• Right hand to outer left Ankle & left hand to hip then Rotate optional arm raise
• Turn to Left Side for Parsvottanasana -- Establish Balance
• Place Right Hand on Left Side of Left Foot for Parivrtta Trikonasana
• Go to Other Side
• Re-establish Parsvottanasana then Rock Forward & Back Feeling the Front Leg Pivot while Reaching the Back Leg Up -- Walk Hands Forward to 3-Point Balance -- Adjust hands and Revolved Half Moon -- Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana
• Control the Decent Out of the Posture
• Repeat on the Other Side

At this point I realized I've got both MORE TIME and MORE POSTURES that could go with this.  In fact, the next most natural posture to explore is Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana (Revolved Hand to Big Toe).

Getting to Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana

• Simple Surya Namaskar with Minimal Backbend & Child's Posture
• Tadasana
• Vrksasana Both Sides
• From Vrksasana Reach Opposite Hand Across Body to Outside of Lifted Foot then Extend into Parivrtta Hasta Padanghustasana

And now here again I realized I've got both MORE TIME and MORE POSTURES that could stem from this position.  I've built a strong standing one leg balance with hand coming across the body, so why not continue into Standing Half-Bound Lotus (Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana)?  To get there I'll end our twisting with a few gentle forward bends while simultaneously getting our hips ready to abduct and rotate that foot up & into the opposite hip crease.

Getting to Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

• Simple Surya Namaskar with Transition Thru Egg into Seated
• Paschimottanasana
• Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana - Gently Encouraging Foot into Opposite Hip and use opposite arm behind back to bind with elbow of same-side hand
• Gentle Pigeon (Variation of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
• Stand
• Vrksasana
• From Vrksasana Reach Opposite Hand Across Body to Outside of Lifted Foot then Gently Encourage Foot to Come into Opposite Hip for Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana with opposite arm behind back to bind with elbow of same-side hand

 Ending Postures

• Shoulderstand - Salamba Sarvangasana
• Plow - Halasana
• Fish - Matsyasana
• Corpse - Savasana

This week's class proved to be more of an evolution than a straight line.  Getting ready to experience Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana led me into Parivrtta Hasta Padangusthasana which then led into Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana.

Students seemed to like the class.  I got several happy comments from both classes.

For the 60 minute class, I could see reducing the shoulder work and/or dropping the Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana sequence.