Australian Yoga Journal — July 2017

78

july 2017

yogajournal.com.au

PHOTOS: RICK CUMMINGS; MODEL: SADIE NARDINI; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; HAIR/MAKEUP: BETH WALKER; TOP: KIRAGRACE; BOTTOMS: NOLI YOGA

1 Mountain Pose

Come to stand at the front of your mat with your

feet either together or hip-distance apart and your

arms at your sides. Root down evenly through

your feet and lift up through the crown of your

head as you take a few mindful breaths through

your nose or mouth.

2 Fists-of-Fire Flying Chair

Step your feet hip-distance apart. With your

feet evenly grounded and toes spreading (not

gripping the mat), bend your knees. Reach your

arms up to find Utkatasana (Chair Pose) and

inhale. On an exhale, straighten your legs and

lift your heels off the mat as you bring your fists,

facing upward, to your hips. Repeat for

30 seconds, then begin to jump off the mat

entirely on your exhales, making sure to land

with your hips back, which will take pressure

off your knee joints. Repeat for 1 minute.

HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL

TRAINING (HIIT)

has been trending for the

last few years for good

reason: There’s strong

scientific evidence that it

can help you do everything

from burn fat and build

muscle to improve your

metabolism and heart

health. Yet as yogis, we

don’t always incorporate

this kind of cardiovascularly

challenging exercise into

our regular routines. Enter

the following sequence,

my blend of asana with a

HIIT tempo, which can help

you build strength and burn

calories while also inspiring

you to feel empowered,

and all in 15 to 20 minutes.

Practice Tips

1. Do each move for 1
   minute, then transition to
   the next. With each HIIT-
   inspired asana, aim for 30
   seconds of slow, mindful
   motion, followed by 20
   seconds of a faster pace,
   and finally 10 seconds of
   high-intensity movement
   in which you move as
   strongly as you can while
   still maintaining good
   alignment.


2. Breathe through your
   mouth whenever needed,
   and feel free to walk in
   place for 1 minute between
   each 1-minute active
   round as you build your
   cardiovascular endurance.

A home practice to

get strong and empowered

OUR PROTeacher and modelSadie Nardiniis the founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga, a biomechanics-based flow style, and she is

the lead singer of Salt & Bone. Nardini teaches online and around the world. Learn more at sadienardini.com.

HOME PRACTICE

r r ti

By Sadie Nardini