Videos

Los Angeles Inversion Weekend with Angela Kukhahn Sept 20-22 2013

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Angela Kukhahn in Handstand. Photo by Jasper JohalInversions Weekend
Angela Kukhahn
Sep 20 – Sep 22 2013
South Bay
$35 Friday, $45 Saturday or Sunday, $110 entire weekend

This weekend has something for all levels of flyers so come willing to sweat, play, and let go of some old fears!
Friday Session (7:15-9:15pm): Grow Your Inversions
Beginner: This inversions basics workshop is designed to make you comfortable to go upside down. We will discuss the fundamentals of inversions; begin with an inversion specific warm-up followed by core work, headstand A & B, forearm balance, and handstand at the wall.

Saturday Session (2:00-4:30pm): Fly Like a Yogi
Intermediate: This workshop is playful on purpose to get you out of your head and flying with ease. While staying grounded in the essential elements of alignment, we will play with creative ways of balancing away from the wall. Expect a strong Vinyasa warm-up, plenty of core-work, and lots of fun.

Sunday Session (12:00-2:35pm): Fun with Flying
Intermediate & Advanced: For the advanced yogis, this workshop will focus on slowing things down and moving exclusively from the core to control your inversions. We will discover the importance of the abdominals as we play with scorpion in forearm balance and handstand.

Yoga Workshop on Inversions with Angela Kukahn Saturday March 9th from 2-5pm

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Yoga Workshop on Inversions with Angela Kukhahn 
Angela Kukhahn in Handstand. Photo by Jasper Johal
In Advance: $45
Day Of: $55
This is an All Levels Class!
Playing Upside Down: From Fear to Fun!
In this workshop we will explore inversions with a sense of adventure, curiosity and most of all fun! Inversions are for everyone and are extremely beneficial in strengthening the body and focusing the mind. We will work on the strength and flexibility needed for inversions, develop core awareness and discover proper alignement for floating and flying. We will explore headstand, forearm balance, and handstand. In addition we will explore how different variations and the use of props make inversions approachable to just about anyone! Come expecting to sweat, laugh, play and fly!
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Yoga Handstand Hip Opener: Handstand with Baddha Konasana

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Doing Baddha Konasana in handstand sounds ridiculous, but it is actually quite delightful ounce you get the hang of it.

I remember the very first time I tried this. I was just beginning to flirt with the idea that I may indeed be able to do a handstand. This really helped give me the confidence to try handstanding in the middle of the room.

The reason this works so well is because when you bring your feet together it helps to get your hips up over your hands. Also, your center of gravity is lower than it would be in a traditional handstand.

Start by warming up for your handstand with a few Sun Salutations and a seated Baddhha Konasana. The Sun Salutes will warm up your hamstrings, shoulders and the Baddhha Konasana will prepare your hips for this handstand.

Try a few practice hops.

My teacher always says”Remember they are like pancakes, the first few are never that good”.

Remember these key points…

Keep your eyes focused between your index fingers.

Draw your arm bones into the shoulder sockets.

Do not let your elbows bend

Exhale and pull your navel back towards your spine as you go up. It is normal to get nervous and forget about the breath so try a few where you exhale audibly to get the hang of it. Once you are sure that you are breathing properly feel free to go back to silent breathing.

Have fun handstanding!

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Yoga Handstand Video Tutorial: Handstanding 101 “The Basics”

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Yoga Handstand Video Tutorial: Handstanding 101 “The Basics“

Do you want to do a handstand but have no idea where to start?

Good!

You have come to the right place!

This handstand tutorial video will cover all of the basics from hand placement to how to kick up!

  • Place your hands on your yoga mat shoulder distance apart and spread all ten fingers gripping the mat lightly with your fingertips
  • Wrap your triceps back towards your ribcage and roll your biceps forward.
  • Engage your biceps by trying to “wrinkle the mat” between your hands. You will probably not actually cause the mat to wrinkle but this isometric contraction will help your bicep muscles to fire up!
  • Pull your navel in towards your spine and your bottom floating ribs in and up towards the tops of your thighs.
  • Walk your feet as close as you can to your hands. This should feel a lot like Ardha Uttanasna with your hands flat on the floor and your feet about 18 inches behind your hands. Do this while still keeping your shoulders firmly planted on your upper back and not sliding forward towards your ears. If this happens, slide your shoulders back down and maybe walk your feet back an inch or two.
  • Lift one leg into the air and straighten it all the way. Think of trying to stretch the skin on the back of your knee.
  • Turn the lifted foot pinky straight down towards the ground squaring off the hip.
  • Keeping the lifted leg as straight and firm as possible bend your standing leg and on an exhale kick the straight leg up into the air. (Exhaling as you go up will draw your navel towards your spine and help to engage your core)
  • Keep your eyes fixed just in front of your index fingers the whole time. Resist the temptation to gaze back at your feet.
  • Once you find your balance squeeze your inner thighs together (think thigh master!) draw your navel towards your spine and reach your tailbone towards your heels!
  • You can practice this at the wall and then move away from the wall as you feel more confident.
  • Practice, practice, PRACTICE! It is 99% effort and 1% theory!
  • Subscribe to my blog for more yoga inspiration, videos, practice tips and much, much more!
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Yoga Video Inspiration: Amazing Transitions with Krista Cahill

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Need a little extra inspiration to unroll your yoga mat?

Look no further!

 Watch this inspirational yoga video of my good friend and yoga teacher Krista Cahill tackle some very challenging yoga transitions….perhaps even more incredibly she manages to make them look easy!
Watch as she goes from Crow Pose to Handstand Scorpion and then drops onto her forearms for Forearm Scorpion and then whips her feet back into Chaturanga.
Enjoy!
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Dolphin Pose Variation – The Dynamic Duo External Rotation and Strong Forearms!

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Learn how to externally rotate your arms and strengthen your forearms in this amazing dolphin pose variation by Jill Miller.

Two essentials for yoga inversions are external rotation of the arm bones forearm strength.

External rotation is the thing that allows you to take the training wheels off and start flying. It connects your shoulder girdle to your core via your Serratus anterior muscle.

The Serratus is a badass muscle that lives underneath you underarm  and wraps your front body to your back body. Hiding from plain view like a ninja shrouded by darkness this muscle doesn’t get noticed.

Until now…(cue dramatic music…)

To my delight this variation on dolphin pose addresses both of those issues!

On top of all that it also feels delicious in its ability to solidify the shoulders onto the upper back. It feels sturdy. Always a good thing when you plan to balance upon them.

I owe this genius photo and pose to Jill Miller of Yoga Tune Up. I found this in a wonderful article of hers on wrist health. To read the original article click HERE.

Dolphin Pose with Palms Facing Up

a) Rest forearms on a yoga mat, and place a yoga block in between the wrists along the pinky side of hands.

b) Pike the hips upwards, forming an upside down “V” shape with the body (bend the knees if the hamstrings are very tight).

c) Attempt to press the thumb side of the hand into the floor, and feel the traction and stretch deeply within the muscles of the forearms as the spine extends away from the rooted forearms.

(Item D is my addition to Jill’s amazing instruction)

d) Prepare for world domination now that you have the mighty Serratus holding your shoulders on your upper back like superman’s cape!

New Yoga Video: Big Beautiful Backbends With Briohny Smyth

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Love Briohny Smyth?

Good.

Me too!

I thought I’d share yet another beautifully made and meticulously produced video of her by Equinox Fitness.

I think is pretty inspiring, and hope it gives you another reason to unroll your mat today and dive into your yoga practice!

What’s cool about this one is you get to hear her voice as she lays down some yoga wisdom on backbending. I personally love backbending and love to inspire my students to pursue the bigger backbends with enthusiasim snd a healthy dose of caution and patience.

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Funny Music Video “Not Berkely Enough” with Fog and Smog

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Here is another opportunity to laugh with DJ Dave rapping about wether he is still “Berkeley Enough”…

I can’t get enough of these guys these days and although this is not my absolute fave it’s hilarious and so well put together like the rest of the videos from Fog and Smog.

These guys are legends in my books! Enjoy!

If you haven’t already seen them check out my earlier posts with more from these guys and their must see videos…

Whole Foods Parking Lot

Put Your Phone Down

Yoga Girl Video