5 Surprising Yoga Transitions Into Frequent Yoga Poses

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Each morning I get up, slip on my boots, and stroll down the identical avenue to the identical neighborhood espresso store the place the identical baristas know my order earlier than I say it. If I wouldn’t present up for a number of days, they’d fear about me. However one morning earlier this yr, feeling caught and stagnant in my life, I spontaneously determined to stroll in the other way. I discovered just a little cafe I’d by no means seen the place they provided me a drink I’d by no means heard of earlier than and proceeded to spell my title mistaken on the cup. Enchanted, I spent some time sitting there and having a dialog with a whole stranger.

On the stroll again, I felt area in my thoughts that I hadn’t skilled in awhile. And within the days that adopted, I felt creatively revived from simply that small shift.

In yoga, we often discover ourselves visiting the identical locations each day—Down Canine, Facet Angle, Pigeon Pose. We go to these postures so often that it’s simple to seek out ourselves shifting on autopilot. However what if we approached these shapes in a brand new approach? How would possibly we see them and ourselves anew via some inventive yoga transitions?

Radical thought: In case you’re craving a shift of some type in your life however don’t know the place to start, begin small.

5 Unusual Yoga Transitions Into Frequent Poses

Coming into any pose the place  can develop into ordinary fairly shortly. Some inventive entries can deter that from taking place. Attempt these surprising methods to origami your approach into acquainted poses on the mat and see whether or not you additionally expertise a shift off the mat.

1. Down Canine to Seated Ahead Bend

Shout out to yoga and meditation trainer Zach Seashore for this surprising—and exhilarating—yoga transition that appears and feels so intuitive you might surprise why it’s no more frequent.

The way to: Inhale in Downward-Going through Canine (Adho Mukha Svanasana) as you lengthen your proper leg upward in Three-Legged Canine. Exhale as you shift your weight ahead over your wrists, bend your proper knee, and draw it towards your left elbow. Straighten your proper leg and attain it towards the left aspect of the mat as in the event you have been coming into Fallen Triangle after which decrease your self to the mat together with your legs straight. Flip your chest to face the again of the mat, fold ahead in Vast-Angled Seated Ahead Bend (Upavistha Konasana), and breathe right here.

2. Standing Ahead Bend to Head to Knee Pose

I like to think about this yoga transition as swinging via to sitting.

The way to: From Vast-Legged Standing Ahead Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana), inhale as you half-lift with a flat again, after which exhale as you deliver extra weight into your left foot. Plant your proper hand a few foot inside your left foot as you pivot your left foot towards the again of the mat. Deliver your whole weight into your left foot and permit your proper knee to bend as you swing it via the area between your proper hand and left foot as you come to a seat dealing with the again of the mat. Maintain your proper leg straight and produce your left foot towards your proper leg, making contact with the thigh. Breathe out and in, folding ahead out of your hips in Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana). Don’t neglect to repeat on the opposite aspect.

3. Down Canine to Pigeon Pose

As you come into your most well-liked model of Pigeon Pose from a Determine-4 Down Canine, it helps to think about it “Touchdown Pigeon.”

The way to: Begin in a Downward-Going through Canine and shift into Determine-4 Down Canine by bringing your proper ankle to your left thigh simply above your knee. Inhale after which as you exhale, draw your shoulders ahead over your wrists as in the event you have been coming into Plank. Deliver your proper knee simply outdoors your proper wrist and permit your left leg to increase behind you and decrease to the mat. Make any changes wanted together with your entrance shin. Stay upright or fold ahead into Sleeping Pigeon (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana).

4. Standing Ahead Bend to Facet-Angle Pose

Right here’s find out how to construct your Facet Angle “from the basement to the roof.”

The way to: Start in a Vast-Legged Standing Ahead Bend. As you exhale, angle your proper toes towards the entrance of the mat and bend your proper knee. Enable your left foot to shift so your toes level angle towards the entrance fringe of the mat in a Warrior place. Deliver your proper forearm to your proper thigh and interact your core as you lengthen your left arm over your proper ear and lengthen via your aspect physique. Breathe right here. Repeat on the other aspect.

5. Boat Pose to Down Canine

The problem is to maintain your arms straight the whole time so that you’re shifting from a “canine overboard” form to a standard Down Canine.

The way to: Start seated in your mat within the Boat Pose (Navasana) of your alternative, legs straight or knees bent, stretching your fingers towards your toes. Deliver your arms alongside your ears and switch your palms to face the ceiling. You’re in the very same V-shape as Downward-Going through Canine however dealing with the ceiling somewhat than the mat. From there, cross your ankles and preserve your arms straight as you deliver your weight ahead, plant your fingers and knees on the mat, uncross your shins, and flip your boat to land in Down Canine. Alter your foot placement as wanted.

Pictures taken at Brooklyn Circulation Yoga in Park Slope.