Asana Sequence: Short Power Flow

Not one that I’ve used for classes, just for my own purposes. Because there are days when I have a lot of energy but not a lot of time.

Time: about 30 minutes

Props: perhaps a strap for sunbird, perhaps a block for camel

Short Power Flow:

1. Cat/cow, 5 rounds.
2. Sunbird, 5 rounds. Then a sunbird backbend vinyasa, inhaling into the backbend and exhaling to relax it, 5 rounds.
3. Repeat sunbird sequence on the second side.
4. Downward facing dog, 5 breaths. Then step forward into ardha uttanasana, uttanasana, and mountain.
5. One full C-series sun salute, with 3 round vinyasas in cobra as well as low lunge/half pyramid each time.
6. 5 A-series sun salutes.
7. Dolphin-plank pushups, 10 rounds.
8. Elbow plank hold, 10 breaths.
9. Child’s pose, 5 breaths.
10. 5 more A-series sun salutes.
11. Goddess flow, 10 rounds.
12. Hold in goddess, 10 breaths.
13. Wide angled forward fold, 5 breaths.
14. Modified B-series sun salute, with warrior 2 vinyasa (5 breaths), warrior 2 hold (5 breaths), extended side angle hold (5 breaths) on each side.
15. Modified B-series sun salute, with triangle vinyasa (exhaling into and inhaling out of triangle) for 5 breaths, triangle for 5 breaths, and triangle with side stretch (difficult to find a pic, your triangle may be more extended) for 5 breaths. Repeat to each side.
16. Crow, 10 breaths, moving toward crane if that is your thing.
17. Thunderbolt, 3 breaths.
18. Camel variations — supported camel, 5 breaths; half camel vinyasa with toes tucked under, 3 rounds; camel with toes tucked under, 5 breaths; half camel with feet flat, 3 rounds; camel, 5 breaths. Rest in thunderbolt as needed between each camel rendition.
19. Seated forward fold, 10 breaths.
20. Child’s pose, 3 minutes.

Particularly for shorter sequences, I am becoming a fan of child’s pose as final posture — though certainly, there’s nothing stopping me or anyone else from substituting or adding on a savasana to this sequence. Personally, I find it easier to drop in to a wide legged child’s pose, whereas I have to carefully and incrementally wind down for savasana. Like, a lot. Which certainly feels awesome when I have the time to guide myself there. But when I do not — as is often the case whenever I am in a time crunch, regardless of the physical vigor of my asana sequence — taking a restorative child’s pose as an alternative is often the best option I have.