As you can tell, I love exercise.  It’s a bit of an obsession for me and the only thing I love more than doing it myself is coaching others to enjoy it as well!  But for as much fun as it is to sweat, shake and push the heart rate up during a training session, it’s just as important to take the time to slow down and just breathe deeply into an exercise.  I’ve been posting a little but about using flow sequences as part of a warm up or cool down to gradually raise or lower the temperature of your body.  This is an example of taking one of those moves and just relaxing into it and feeling everything it demands from your body.

To get into this position, start first in a standard forward lunge except you’re going to actually allow the back leg to be straight.  Keep the front foot pointed forward and slowing allow the back foot to face the opposite way or as far as your body will let you.  Lower your torso so that your forearm rests on the forward leg while reaching the other arm for the sky.  You also want your gaze to follow that hand as well.

Ok, you’re in the pose…….now what?

Here are the keys to engaging and getting the most out of it: (let’s assume your right leg is the forward one)

•  Feel your right hip pushing forward and the right knee drawing back
• You want your shoulder blades to be pulling towards your back pockets
• Breathe deeply in to your stomach focusing on the air filling all the way around your center and then to the lungs last
• Check in on the resting arm, you should feel that there is still space between your ear and shoulder on that side
• With each breath, ask for just a little more from these cues always staying within the boundaries of your body
• Finally, if you can find a great view, this exercise will be even better!

Take a time out today and try this one, you’re going to love it!

-S