Back from London.

Gabriella Giudilaro ran a four hour workshop on Oct 5th at Iyengar Institute Maida Vale. She closely followed Iyengar’s teaching: we must ”educate”our muscles, she said. Gabriella reviewed several backbend poses after warming up

Ado mukha virasana (the swan – to “release the brain and the abdomen”)

Ado mukha svanasana

(downward facing dog – work on opening upper arm opening).

Gomukhasana

Keep your elbow leveled with the shoulder (the right elbow on the photo should be facing ahead and the right hand should stay behind the right shoulder blade). Working that way, you’ll FEEL the difference.

Ado mukha vrkshasana.

Handstand. Preparation: two hands on the floor not far from the wall. Legs straight. Stabilize the pose before your lift one leg and go into the posture.

Pinca Mayurasana -

Elbow balance. Preparation near the wall: practice first with your hands (palms facing the ceiling) holding a block slightly off the floor. Push on your forearms . Legs straight. Walk toward your elbow. Lift a leg and then the other one. Push your ribs down and back, make sure your shoulders are away from your ears. Push into your flexed heels, push your buttocks up. And breathe.

Salamba Sirsasana.

Head stand. Preparation. Fold your mat in four. Cross your fingers, making sure your wrists are relaxed not  pressing towards each other. Bring the crown of your head on the mat , tucking your chin slightly in, within the nest of your hands. Stretch your legs and then either bend your knees or lift one leg after the other to come into the pose. Lift your shoulders. If your upper back is stiff, use a pile of three blocks to help pushing your shoulder blades in towards your chest. If your arms are long you can use a folded blanket under your head. Roll your thighs in and flex your feet . Push your buttocks up.

Salamba sirsasana in the ropes

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Upward facing dog. Try to work it by tucking your tailbone without squeezing your buttocks towards each other.  Use your hamstrings and back muscles to lift yourself up. Pull your hips and your abdomen upand forward.

Ustrasana (-The camel). Knees hip width apart. Tailbone down, thighs in. Hands on your hips. Lift your chest, bend you head slightly back, but keep your neck long, don’t let you head fall back. Then slowly arch your back and reach your heels with your hands.

Urdhva Danurasana

Upward bow. Preparation. Lie on your back, head not far from wall. You can put your hands and your head against the wall (or even put a folded blanket under your hands). Then bend your knees. Feet on the floor wide apart, thighs in. Hands at shoulders level. Lift your pelvis off the floor and push on your hands. First come onto your head. Keep your elbows slightly apart. Walk three times with your hands towards your feet, keeping your pelvis lifted and without squeezing your buttocks. Then push on your arms  and bring your elbows towards each other. You don’t need to have your legs straight. Try to bring your chest towards the wall

Dvi pada Viparita Dandasana without a chair

The weight is on the forearms the head and the feet.. Make sure your your ribs are pushed down towards your hips and you lift your pelvis up without squeezing your buttocks towards each other. Work  with your back muscles and tuck your tailbone right under.

Dvi pada viparita dandasana with a chair.

After backbends Gabriella came back into Ado mukha virasana to release the lower back.

Last but not least

Marycyasana 1

Twist. Make sure to keep both shoulders open

Gabriella gave five minutes relaxation 

Savasana (the corpse pose)

which (I thought) was MUCH too short….