Australian_Yoga_Journal_October_2017

25

october 2017

yogajournal.com.au

PHOTOS: DEAN RAPHAEL

SHAPE: Upward-Facing Dog. This is one of my favourites — a really challenging

pose to get right. Remember to keep the lower body lifted off the ground and keep the

shoulders down and back away from the ears.

ACTIONS: Keep the same actions in the arms as plank. Then work with specifics in

the arms and chest. Pull the back of your armpits backwards while trying to lift the front

of your armpits forward. It’s like you’re splitting your chest in two directions. Then with

all of this still happening, lift the centre of your chest upwards toward your chin.

SHAPE: Plank. Create a long, balanced shape. It should look the same as if you were

standing in Tadasana with no exaggerated curves in the spine.

ACTIONS: Extend long from the crown of your head to your inner heals, growing

through the front and back body equally. Now, work with the arms — try to squeeze the

lower arms in toward each other, while at the same time spreading the upper arms away

from each other.