Sequencing Strategies with Christina Sell

Sequencing Strategies with Christina Sell

TEACHING METHODS- SEQUENCING STRATEGIES Tracing the lineage of the peak pose Every advanced pose has what I call relatives or distant cousins. By this I mean that there are related postures from the basic syllabus of poses that share similar shapes and similar benefits. By knowing the lineage of the pose, you can create progressive sequences. A progressive sequence offers a training effect for the body (athletes are happy), provides an education for the mind (engineers are happy) while empowering the students through serious of successful outcomes (mystics are happy). Example #1 baddha konasana janu sirsasana pascimottanasana

Example #2 parsvakonasana trikonasana Vira 2 Ardha chandrasana utthita hasta padangusthasana to the side with bent leg utthita hasta padangusthasana to the side with straight leg vasisthasana vasisthasana 2

Example #3 urdhva hastasana Adho mukha svasana handstand virabhadrasana 1 anjaneyasana supta virasana setu bandha sarvangasana urdhva danurasana

Example #4 standing shoulder stretch with hands bound uttanasana uttanasana with hands bound lunge lunge with forward bend and hands bound parsvakonasana parsvakonasana hands bound virabhadrasana 1, variation virabhdrasana 1 with hands bound anjaneyasana anjaneyasana, hands bound shalabasana variation setu bandha sarvangasana ustrasana When sequencing to a peak pose, brainstorm about the following: What are the common misalignments of the posture? What parts of the body need to be opened and prepared? What are the key actions are required to do the pose? What is the lineage of the pose? What are the repeating shapes? Then take all of this information and begin constructing a sequence using the general template as a guide.

How to Use Sequences A-G The following sequnces use the postures from the Fundamental Yoga Postures Sequence as either peak postures Level 1 students for or as building-block postures for Level 2/3 students. These sequences are designed to help you understand how to build up to postures and how to make distinctions between levels of classes and postural appopriateness. These sequences are designed to stimulate your creativity, to show possible ways to sequence creatively and effectively not to be definitive or limiting.

Sequence A: Level 1 lateral Angle postures Simple Sun Salutation Variation jumping wide work *tadasana windshield wiper pose in 2 stages succirandrasana *SPG- hands around back of thigh with strap around foot Grab big toe option *SPG 2- with Strap variation allowing tilt jathara parivarttonasana- show basic form teach the turning of the belly *tadasana *vrksasanause wall Ft. placement and action level hips open knees wide midline and rooting for balance *Trikonasana- hand on block hand on ankle fingers down palm flat (proabbly not for level 1 but for purposes here its where it might go) *parsvakonasana forearm to thigh hand to inside of leg hand to outside of leg plam flat (again, not likely for level 1) *Prasarita Paddottanasanahands under shoulders, arms straight hands on the same line as feet, arms straight *uttanasana variation *Down Dog Childs pose sukhasana savanasana

Sequence B Level 2/3 Sun Salutation Handstand *parsvakonasana *trikonasana ardha chandrasana vasisthasana vrksasana parsva utthita hasta padangusthasana vasisthasana, foot in tree vasisthasana 2 succirandrasana windshield wipers *setu bandha sarvangasana Chatush padasana shalabasana danurasana parsva danurasana ardha chandra chapasana kapinjalasana wild thing flip dog *Down dog child s pose bhradvajasana 1 maricyasana 3 pascimottanasana sukhasana savasana

Sequence C: Virabhadrasana 1 Peak Pose for Level 1/Intro clasping sun salutation variation Introduce the arm variations to come: urdhva hastasana urdhva namaskarasana with forefinger released Urdhva namaskarasana wall shoulder stretch (stretch pecs and deltoids) crescent pose (Stretch lats) upward prayer *virabhadasana 1 variation with back heel up in middle of the room soleus stretch at wall standing quad stretch at wall vira 1 with front knee at wall vira 1 in the center of the room *prasarita padottanasana - concave spine stage Foward bended *uttanasanahip distance feet together *Down dog Child s pose *bharadvajasana 1 sukhasana savasana

Sequence D: Backbends for Level 2/3 Sun Salutation A Sun Salutation B vrksasana trikonasana parsvakonasana handstand pinca mayurasana (?) *Virabhdrasana 1 crescent pose back heel up in crescent pose-- Key detail: tone the back shin and firm the back inner thigh back heel up in cresence into the full posture Classic entry from tadasana parsvottanasana legs, concave spine gomukhasana arms reverse prayer parsvottanasana AMS shalabasana makrasana danurasana ustrasana setu bandha sarvangasana chatush padasana urdhva danurasana SPG, hands to back of thigh SPG 1 Bhradvajasana 1 maricyasana 3 pascimottanasana sukhasana savasana

Sequence E: Forward Bends for Level 1: Introduction to Janu sirsasana and Pascimottanasana Simple lunge variation sun salutation Simple lunge variation sun salutation with twists tadasana vrksasana uttanasana- legs wide from squat uttanasana- legs together from squat parsvottanasana- hands on blocks parsvottanasana- hands on floor, concave spine Down dog childs pose adho mukha parsva vajrasana baddha konasana dandasana uppa vista konasana janu sirasana parivritta janu sirasana, stage one pascimottanasana hip width apart legs pascimottanasana for siffer folks, bent legs purvottanasana bhradvajasana 1 sukhasana savasana

SEQUENCE E

Sequence F: Forward Bends for Level 2 Lunging surynamaskar Lunging surya namaskar with twists 1 minute timings: parsvakonasana- lateral hip opening trikonasana- lateral hip opening vira 1- quad opening parsvottanasana- hamstring stretching, transition to forward bends uttanasana- hamstring stretching Adho Mukha Svasana- change the weight bearing emphasis, stretch the spine, transition to floor childs pose- spine stretching adho mukha parsva vajrasana- spine stretching, fascial release baddha konasana upp vista konasana janu sirsasana to middle janu sirsasana SPG 1, 2 reclined half lotus seated half lotus ardha badha padma pascimottanasana vajrasana gomukhasana legs, classic form virasana triang mukaika pada pascimottanasana malasana half malasana lunge maricyasana 1 urdhva mukha pascimottanasana pascimottanasana bharadvajasana 1 sukhasana savasana

SEQUENCE F

Sequence G: Forward Bends for Level 3: Janu Sirsasana, Parivritta janu sirsasana, ardha baddha padma pascimottanasana, triangmukaika pada pascimottanasana, krouncasana, pascimottanasana, parivritta pascimottanasana, ubhaya pascimottanasana. Childs Pose Down Dog uttanasana parsva uttanasana foot work calf work SPG Series headstand with leg variations baddha konasana dandasana janu sirsasana parivritta janu sirsasana ardha baddha padma pascimottanasana triang mukaikapada pascimottanasana krouncasana uppa vista konasana parsva uppa vista konasana pascimottanasana parivritta pascimottanasana ubhaya pascimottanasana purvottanasana sarvangasana with leg variations halasana matsyasana knees to chest savasana