december 2017 / january 2018yogajournal.com.sgHOME PRACTICE
practice well
By Papo CaballeroA sequence for
Healing and strength
WHEN I FOUND YOGA
11 years ago, I had decades
of cycling and soccer playing
behind me. My body was
tense, perpetually sore, and
in some places, wrecked:
A bad cycling accident had
left me with a broken femur,
where it connects with the
hip socket. The physical
pain, even in recovery, was
excruciating. And mentally,
I felt way off my game. I
turned to yoga to help repair
and rebalance my body and
mind. The practice delivered:
I gained new flexibility
that helped correct the
asymmetry caused by
my injury, and I was able
to relieve my nagging
chronic pain.
The following sequence
is designed to foster greater
resiliency and confidence
in your ability to walk, run,
cycle, or enjoy asana for
years to come.
PRACTICE TIPS
1.Use your breath to build
heat and focus. Inhale,
visualizing your breath filling
your pelvis, low back, and
ribs; exhale, visualizing
your breath leaving your
ribs, low back, and pelvis.
Breathe through your nose,
eventually adding Ujjayi
Pranayama (Victorious
Breath).- Warm up with three
rounds of Surya Namaskar
(Sun Salutation) A or B—to
heat your body and focus
PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MODEL: PAPO CABALLERO; STYLIST: MATTHEW PERIDIS; GROOMING: LAURA DEE SHELLEY; TOP: GAPFIT; BOTTOMS: VUORIyour mind.
1 UTTHITA PARSVAKONASANA
Extended Side Angle Pose, variation
From Tadasana (Mountain Pose), reach
your arms in opposite directions. Bring
your feet beneath your palms. Turn your
left foot and leg outward 90 degrees,
lining up your left heel with your right
arch. On an exhalation, bend into your left
knee, making sure it doesn’t move past
your left ankle. Inhale to extend your right
arm toward the sky. Gaze up or straight
ahead, and hold here for 3 breaths.3 PRASARITA PADOTTANASANA
Wide-Legged Forward Bend, variation
Place your hands on your hips and bring
your feet back to parallel. Interlace your
hands behind your back. Exhale to fold
forward, and stay in the fold for 4 breaths.
On your next inhalation, come up,
stopping halfway to release the bind and
bring your hands back to your hips. Then
come all the way up.4 PARIVRTTA UTTHITA
PARSVAKONASANA
Revolved Extended Side Angle Pose, variation
Return to Warrior II. Come onto the ball of your
right foot, squaring your hips forward. Exhale
and twist from your belly to bring your right
hand to the inside of your left foot. Keep your
right hip lifted as you inhale and extend your
left arm toward the sky. Keep your left knee in
line with your left hip. Stay here for 3 breaths.2 VIRABHADRASANA II
Warrior Pose II
Inhale to come up into Warrior II with your
torso stacked over your hips, your arms
extending in opposite directions again.
Make sure your left knee stays directly
above your left ankle. Continue to slightly
draw your left hip up and back toward
your right hip, stacking your torso over the
creases of your hips. Stay rooted through
your back foot. Gaze over your front hand,
and hold here for 3 breaths. Inhale to
straighten your front leg and come out
of the pose.