Cosmopolitan_SriLanka_December_2016

Cosmopolitan ^ DECEMBER 2016 ^169

body

4

handstand hops

From Airplane, set foot

down. Bend knees and

place hands on mat, slightly

in front of feet. Keeping

right leg bent, step left foot

back into a low lunge [a].

Shifting weight onto the

3

airplane for

allover toning

Set weights aside, rotate

body to face forward, bring

feet together, and raise

hands to Prayer position at

chest. Inhale and extend

left leg off ground behind

you. Bend knee, drawing it

towards the right ankle as

you hinge forward at hips

[a]. Exhale, straightening

right leg and extending

arms and left leg to hip

height behind you [b].

Reverse motion. Do 20

reps, then switch sides.

how-to

do all the

reps of each

move in

order,

transitioning

mindfully

from move to

move. repeat

the circuit

twice.

prop yourselF up

Wobbly? Set fingertips on

the ground. can’t reach?

put yoga blocks under each

hand. you’ll work the same

muscles without having to

fight gravity.

arms, kick both feet up, lift-

ing left leg towards the sky

[b]. On descent, switch

legs, landing in a low lunge,

left foot forward, right foot

back. Continue, alternating

sides for 30 seconds.

start small handstands

can be scary, so don’t feel

pressured to try it if you’re

not comfortable. “Do little

hops, focusing on keeping

shoulders over wrists and

piking your hips up,” says

opielowski. “you’ll get your

heart rate up either way.”

2

Warrior 2 for

arms

From Chair pose, step left

foot back; bend right knee

into a low lunge. Keeping

right knee over ankle, rotate

hips, shoulders and left foot

to the left. Extend arms

down, palms out. Exhale

and bend elbows, curling

weights to shoulders

[shown]. Inhale and reverse

motion. Do 20 reps, then

switch sides.

Don’t Force it many yoga

students think the hips have

to be square to the side in

warrior 2. not true! “open

the hips only as far as they’ll

go naturally,”

says opielowski.

5

eagle for your abs

Lie faceup on mat.

Cross right knee over left

leg. Cross right elbow under

left arm. Exhale, drawing

right elbow toward right

knee [shown]. Inhale and

lower shoulders and hips to

mat. Do 20 reps, then

switch sides.

Finish strong

corepower specialises in

high-intensity workouts,

but “flexibility is part

of all our classes,” says

opielowski. “it helps get

that long, lean muscle.”

Stretch for five minutes

after you’ve completed

all three rounds of

the workout.

not just abs!

crossing your

legs works the

inner thighs

too.

a

a

b

b

f ashion E

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