Community & Government, Wellness
Yoga Warm-up Practices
Lesson time 10:21 min
Employ effective warm-up practices and techniques to ensure the body is prepared for more intense movements.
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Topics include: Primary Figure 8 Loop • Forager Fold • Downward-Facing Dog| Adho Mukha Svanasana • Mountain Pose | Tadasana
Teaches Yoga Foundations
Renowned yoga instructor Donna Farhi teaches you the most essential physical and mental elements of creating a safe, sustainable practice.
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[MUSIC PLAYING] - Warming up is very, very essential to the longevity of your body. So whether you're young, whether you're middle-aged, whether you're older, it's a commitment that you make to preparing the body well. And if we prepare the body well, there's a lot less likelihood that we're going to injure ourselves as we move, whether we're moving into a yoga practice or some other activity. [MUSIC PLAYING] The primary figure eight loop mobilizes the hips, spine, and joints, preparing them for more intensive postures. You begin by bringing the feet wider than your hips, and this is so that, as your body weight shifts to the side, the pelvis is supported over the foot. So if you're feeling unstable with it, it may be because your stance is too narrow. So take a wide stance. Gently begin to shift your weight over the right foot, and then over the left foot. As you shift your weight over the right foot, feel that quality of yield into the earth which is creating the conditions to push back from the ground. Now, as I shift my weight over the right foot, I begin to circle the right pelvic half around the right foot and then the left pelvic half around the left foot. To the right, I'm moving clockwise and to the left moving counterclockwise. And that's probably one of the most common errors is people rotating the knees inwards, so moving counterclockwise on both sides. So right moving clockwise, left moving counterclockwise. The movement begins from the ground and sequences through all the joints of the body up to the head and neck, and gradually, as the movement becomes bigger, I let my gaze reflect the spiraling action of the movement, so following with the eyes. The movement can speed up or slow down. And a general principle here is that, if you have a condition in your body, such as a knee injury or spinal injury, keep the lens very close to the body, and make the movement more discrete. As you get stronger through the core of your body, you can extend your limbs further away from the center. This is the primary figure eight loop. I also like to warm up with a pose which is a standing forward bend I named the Forager Fold, because it both strengthens and prepares the core body for a yoga practice and teaches us how we should bend in everyday life. When you're ready, bring your feet closer together, hips width apart. So let's come through the midline first, centering the way through the two feet. Curling through the spine, knees begin to bend. Soon, as you feel the mid-back flex, creasing through the hips. Folding over the legs, heavy head. Then, going down to come up. It's the Downward movement of the legs that sends the spine up into space. Once more, coming down through the center. And then slowly coming off center, I'll look at my second toe. You'll want to be conservative and come off center just a little ways, because you are twisting your back, coming up from the side. Notice that I'm keeping...
About the Instructor
With nearly 40 years of experience, Donna Farhi is one of the most sought-after yoga instructors in the world. Now the “teacher of teachers” is sharing her approach to creating a safe, sustainable yoga practice with students of all levels. Whether you’re looking to realign with the heart of traditional yoga or are just getting started, learn postures, foundations, and philosophies to guide you on your journey.
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Donna Farhi
Renowned yoga instructor Donna Farhi teaches you the most essential physical and mental elements of creating a safe, sustainable practice.
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