Alignment Principles

• Start in Warrior II alignment; front heel in line with your back arch, aiming for a lunge of 90 degrees in the front knee, back foot is at a 90 degree angle and parallel to the back edge of your mat, back leg is straight and strong, keep your front hip moving back with the knee tracking over the ankle and in line with the center of it, tailbone is lengthening down with the core drawn in, arms are parallel to the floor and reaching to the front and back of the room, gaze forwards.
• Exhale to take the front hand down to the mat at the inside of the front foot.
• Back arm extends upwards towards the sky.
• Keep your sides and spine long and twist upwards so that your heart can remain open to the sky, shoulders stacked.
• Front hip is still drawing back, it’s not popping out to the side.
• Take your top arm behind you and reach it towards the front hip.
• Fold deeper into your front hip and thigh as you reach the bottom arm underneath the front thigh to reach up and try to hold your opposite hand, forming the bind.
• Keep your front hip drawing back & torso and chest twisting up towards the sky.
• Lean back with the shoulders as you press the pelvis slightly forwards, taking everything into one line.
• Back foot is still grounded through the heel.

Prep. Poses:

• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
• Reverse Warrior
• Supported Extended Side Angle (Salamba Utthita Parsvakonasana)
• Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
• Wide Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana)