Teaching the transition from Crow Pose to Tripod Headstand is one of my favorite options for a class with multiple level students. It’s great because it gives students lots of options to choose from when it comes to practicing the peak…

✧ They can stay with just Bakasana (crow)
✧ They can work on just tripod headstand
✧ They can do tripod headstand prep
✧ They can hang in Malasana as a first step to crow

or… they can practice the whole transition.

The nice part is, the class you put together to prep for this can be modified along the way as well. The sequence below focused on the strengthening of the shoulders (like eagle pose) and lift of the belly that’s needed to support these poses.

If you’re looking to change things up a bit and try a double-peak option in your class, this is a great way to give it a go!

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• Childs pose w/ Shoulder Stretch
• Cat/Cow (focus on the cat back)
• Lizard Lunge
• Wide Squat with Eagle Arms
• Tadasana with Gomukasana Arms

Sun Salutations:

• 4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Warrior 2
• Extended Side Angle
• Triangle Pose
• Ardha Chandrasana
• Fallen Triangle (*note: This isn’t technically a standing pose, but I worked this in once we got to down dog as a way to help students connect to the core engagement needed for the peak!)
• Warrior 1
• Devotional Warrior

Balance Pose:

• Eagle Pose

Twist Pose:

• Revolve Extended Side Angle

Peak Pose:

• Crow into Tripod Headstand

Wind Down Poses:

• Supported Fish Pose
• Bridge Pose
• Full Wheel
• Happy Baby

Savasana

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I didn’t mind most of it, but the bane of my existence was the “sit and reach” activity where we’d sit without feet against this ruler thing and have to reach our arms forward into a forward fold shape and see how far past our feet we could go.

I always got -2 or worse… meaning 2 inches behind my feet. I was the leader of the Tight Hamstring Club growing up. Touching my toes felt like something that would never happen for me.

Yoga changed all of that. Within a few months of committed practice, I was able to touch my toes – it literally blew my mind.

And once I realized that this practice had the ability to increase my flexibility like that.. I started to wonder… “what else could be possible? A split maybe? One day?”

Spoiler alert: Hanumanasana, or a full split, did become possible for me one day.

But, it’s one of those poses that sometimes I feel great in and sometimes reminds me of that sit-and-reach challenge from my childhood days.

It’s a pose that truly is an example of the yoga practice meeting you where your body is at on a specific day and a reminder that it may look very different than it did the day before or what it will look like in days to come.

The nice thing is, props can make all the difference with this pose. The use of blocks makes it possible to work on it no matter how close or far away from the floor your hips are.

The sequence below, of course, opens the hamstrings, but actually brings a lot of focus to the back hip flexor and psoas. So often the hamstrings get all of the focus in Hanumanasana classes, but I like to change it up sometimes and build a sequence that targets the opening of the hips as that’s an often overlooked element that needs to happen in order for the hips to release towards the floor.

Puttering/Warm-Up

• Supta Padaghustasana A
• Anjenayasana
• ½ Split (Runners Lunge Stretch)
• Pyramid Pose with blocks
• Uttanasana with clasped hands

Sun Salutations

• 3-4 Rounds of Surya Namaskar A

Standing Poses

• Warrior 2
• Extended Side Angle (with hand outside of the ankle)
• Triangle Pose
• Ardha Chandrasana
• Ardha Chapasana
• Warrior 1
• Parsvottanasana

Balance Pose

• Padangusthasana A
• Standing Split

Twist Pose

• Revolved Triangle
• Anjenayasana Twist

Peak Pose

Hanumanasana

Wind Down Poses

• Reclinded Figure 4
• Happy Baby
• Supine Twist

Savasana

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

And, if you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide:

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Generally speaking, practicing backbends rejuvenate the spine, and develop physical strength and vitality to the entire body. They are mentally uplifting and keep the mind sharp and alert. Specifically, Purvottanasana strengthens the wrists, arms, shoulders and back as well as the ankles and hamstrings. It also improves mobility of the spine and shoulders and opens and stretches the pelvis and chest. This intense opening of the front body reduces fatigue and boosts the spirits.

Purvottanasana is considered a basic backbend as it teaches students how to extend the spine properly as they gain the strength and flexibility required for more advanced backbends. In this sequence, we focus on lifting both the pelvis and the chest with the support of the back body. The opening of the pelvis comes from the thigh bones moving back while simultaneously moving the tailbone forward and down. This creates opening in the pelvis and stability in the lumbar spine. The opening of the chest also comes from the shoulder blades moving in and down, which lifts the back ribs and opens the heart. Ultimately, the entire front body is open and spacious with the support of the entire back body underneath.

In this sequence, we start with poses like sukhasana twist, reverse table top, and paschima baddhanguliyasana, that move the upper arm bones back to lift the corners of the chest. This is a key action that supports the opening of the front body because it allows the shoulder blades to press into the back ribs thereby lifting the heart. The standing poses, in general, open the body in all directions, but the focus while practicing should be on the integration of the tailbone and shoulder blades from the back body to the front body. Next, we move to the wall to work on handstand and forearm stand. Even though the arms are overhead, not behind the torso as in Purvottanasana, the actions of the legs, tailbone, torso, and upper back are similar to the actions required to perform Purvottanasana.

We are now prepared to work on Purvottanasana. Combining the actions learned in the various poses prior, the opening of the pelvis and chest should be familiar. Sit in Dandasana, with your hands by your side, fingers facing forward. Bend your knees and lift your hips as high as possible. Draw your shoulder blades in and lift your chest. If possible, extend the legs one at a time. Stay for a few breaths and come down. Repeat one or two more times.

Winding down after Purvottanasana, we start with Bharadvajasana, a seated spinal twist to neutralize the spine after backbending. Halasana also helps open the back after deep back bending which is why it is included before Shoulderstand and eventually towards final relaxation, Savasana.

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• Sukhasana Twist
• Dandasana
• Reverse Table Top
• Downward Dog
• Tadasana w/ Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana
• Utkatasana w/ Paschima Baddhanguliyasana

Sun Salutations:

• 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Warrior 2
• Extended Side Angle
• Trikonasana
• Utkatasana
• Warrior 1
• Parsvottanasana w/ Paschima Namaskar
• Prasarita Padottanasana C

Balance Pose:

• Warrior 3

Invert:

• Handstand
• Forearm Stand

Peak Pose:

• Purvottanasana

Seated:

• Bharadvajasana
• Janu Sirsasana

Wind Down:

• Halasana
• Shoulderstand

Savasana

Give it a try and let us know how it goes! To catch a few video clips of this sequence in action follow Patrick Franco and @yogarenewteachertraining on Instagram and if you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide: 

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When practicing revolved poses, the challenge is often finding the physical space necessary in order to twist and turn the spine comfortably. One way we can try to create more space is by lengthening the spine before twisting. Lengthening along the front and sides of the torso can help create the additional space needed to twist more deeply. Additionally, many students find breathing deeply in revolved standing poses to be a challenge. Creating more space in the torso while twisting can help you breathe more deeply and smoothly. Breathing deeply while twisting is essential to keeping a quiet mind in this introspective and nourishing pose.

For this sequence, in preparation for the deep twist, we focused on lengthening the side body. In general side bending and side lengthening is great for preparing for deep twisting and can even be used as a counter pose to deep twisting. During Puttering, poses like seated side bending, Child’s Pose, and Thread the Needle lengthen and extend the front and sides of the torso. When we move into the Standing Pose section we explore poses like Warrior 2, Peaceful Warrior, Gate Pose, and Extended Side Angle that are bent leg standing poses that also lengthen the side body. These poses specifically teach many of the principles of alignment needed later in Revolved Side Angle.

We also typically practice the “open” version of a pose before practicing the revolved version (in this case, Extended Side Angle). In the Balance and Twist Sections of class, we work on Tree Pose and Revolved Chair Pose which both lengthen the sides and begin to turn the trunk. By now, you should now be ready to practice this deep standing twist: Revolved Side Angle. Remember, to create length first before twisting and to breathe deeply and slowly. Stay for 5 breaths on each side.

Winding down after this pose we transition to the floor in Downward Facing Dog which opens the body fully and provides some necessary abdominal space. Once we get to the floor, we take advantage of all the side body lengthening in Janu Sirsasana, Head to Knee Pose, which is a seated forward fold before transitioning to our back for Bridge Pose. In Bridge Pose we get to counter the forward folding with spinal extension before transitioning into Savasana, final relaxation.

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• Sukhasana Side Bend
• Sukhasana Twist
• Child’s Pose
• Thread the Needle
• Downward Dog
• Tadasana w/ Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana

Sun Salutations:

• 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Warrior 2
• Peaceful Warrior
• Extended Side Angle
• Gate Pose
• Chair Pose

Balance Pose:

• Tree Pose

Twist Pose:

• Revolved Chair

Peak Pose:

• Revolved Side Angle

Transition:

• Downward Dog
• Child’s Pose

Seated Poses:

• Bharadvajasana
• Janu Sirsasana

Wind Down:

• Bridge Pose
• Reclined One Knee to Chest

Savasana

Give it a try and let us know how it goes! To catch a few video clips of this sequence in action follow @patrickfrancojr and @yogarenewteachertraining on Instagram.

And, if you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide:

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Now here me out on this…

The reason I feel this way is that it requires a lot of upper body + core strength but also needs a lot of flexibility and opening through the shoulders in order to setup the alignment of the pose.

It’s a pose that is really an example of the need for both strength and stretch.

The wonderful thing about this pose is that there are lots of ways to work on it for beginners (hi dolphin pose!) and ways to incorporate props to help make the pose feel more stable.

The key with sequencing classes for this pose is incorporating lots of side body opening, shoulder opening, and core stabilizing poses that integrate the whole core– abdominals and back.

And, of course, having a playful attitude goes a long way for making your students comfortable to try this pose.

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Forearmstand Vinyasa Yoga Sequence:

Puttering/Warm-Up:
Anjenayasana with hooked thumbs
Tadasana with gomukasana arms
Forearm plank
Sphinx pose

Standing Poses:
Warrior 2
Extended Side Angle (with hand outside of the ankle)
Triangle Pose
Ardha Chandrasana
Warrior 1
Devotional Warrior

Balance Pose:
Eagle Pose
Warrior 3

Twist Pose:
Revolved Extended Side Angle

Peak Pose:
Forearmstand

Wind Down Poses:
Tarasana
Paschimottanasana
Supine Twist

Savasana

And, if you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide:

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Even though this pose has a great many benefits, it should be practiced with precision and care. The proper position of the head, neck and shoulders are essential for practicing this pose safely.
Even though “classically” this pose is practiced without the use of props, it is helpful to utilize 2 or 3 blankets to lift the shoulders which reduces the amount of flexion in the cervical spine. This enables students to support the weight on the shoulders, as the name suggests, instead of the neck. Practicing Sarvangasana in this way can greatly reduce the risk of injury. In addition, utilizing props can reduce the amount of strain or tension while practicing the pose which can enhance the therapeutic benefits that were discussed earlier.

For this sequence, we look to prepare the body for Sarvangasana by opening the back and shoulders, straightening and extending the legs fully, while remaining mentally clear and quiet. During puttering the focus is on shoulder mobility. Poses such as Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana , Paschima Baddhanguliyasana, and gomukhasana start to move the arms in various positions. Standing poses like Trikonasana, Parsvottanasana with Paschima Namaskar, and Prasarita Padottanasana C emphasize straightening the legs with various arm and shoulder movements. As we transition towards the floor, the seated twist Bharadvajasana with bind is a fantastic pose that opens the chest, back, and shoulders. Lastly, before moving towards Sarvangasana, we practice Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, also known as Bridge Pose, which is the perfect pose to help set up of Shoulderstand. It includes many of the essential alignment points and key actions without the students having to fully invert.

The idea is to keep the mind quiet and equanimous, while the body works to maintain lightness as it ascends upward.

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• Sukhasana Forward Fold
• Sukhasana w/ Twist
• Downward Dog
• Tadasana w/ Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana
• Tadasana w/ Paschima Baddhanguliyasana
• Tadasana w/ Gomukhasana Arms

Sun Salutations:

• 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Triangle
• Extended Side Angle
• Warrior 1
• Utkatasana with Interlaced Palms Behind Back
• Parsvottanasana with Pascima Namaskar
• Prasarita Padottanasana C

Balance Pose:

• Warrior 3

Twist Pose:

• Revolved Triangle

Seated Poses:

• Bharadvajasana w/ Bind

Backbend:

• Salabhasana

Wind Down Poses:

• Bridge Pose

Peak Pose:

Sarvangasana / Shoulderstand

Savasana

Give it a try and let us know how it goes! To catch a few video clips of this sequence in action follow @patrickfrancojr and @yogarenewteachertraining on Instagram.

If you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide:

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I remember when I first started doing yoga, I would look at the people effortlessly going into headstand in the middle of the room and think, “maybe one day!”

In a Level 2 class, you may end up with many students who have a strong headstand practice and even though it’s always a fun pose to work on, sometimes it’s nice to offer a headstand variation so those students have a new place to work within the pose.

Enter Parsva Sirsasana (Revolved Headstand)!

This pose takes Sirsasana and adds a twist of the trunk, which brings in extra challenge both physically and mentally as well.

The great thing is you can build a sequence around this Sirsasana variation but also give your students the option to work on regular Sirsasana A or even headstand prep – making it great for an open-level class where you know some more advanced practitioners may show up.

The key with building this sequence is focusing on poses that stabilize and strengthen the shoulder girdle and muscles of the upper back while also incorporating twisting elements to help students find the turn of the trunk while upside down.

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• Child’s pose with blocks (elbows on blocks to open shoulders)
• Sukasana with side body stretch
• Anjenayasana
• Low lunge twist
• Parsvottanasna with blocks

Sun Salutations: 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Warrior 2
• Triangle Pose
• Extended Side Angle (with hand outside of the ankle)
• Warrior 1
• Parsvottanasana

Balance Poses: Eagle Pose and/or Standing Split

Twist Pose: Revolved Extended Side Angle

Peak Pose: Parsva Sirsasana (Revolved Headstand)

Wind Down Poses:

• Pavritta janu sirsasana
• Paschimottanasana
• Bridge pose
• Supine twist

Savasana

If you want more in-depth vinyasa sequences like this along with teaching notes + tips on how to cue them, enter your email below to grab our FREE guide:

The post Yoga Sequence to Parsva Sirsasana (Revolved Headstand) appeared first on YogaRenew.

I’ve taught classes on some “heavy” days over the years where emotions are high and you can feel that students are craving some type of relief from whatever it is they’re carrying.

My favorite way to do that?

Teach a handstand class.

There’s honestly almost nothing more fun than leading a group of adults through a class that flips them upside down and has them acting like kids again. It’s immediately uplifting to the spirit and it recharges the energy. That’s exactly what a handstand class does.

I definitely recommend practicing this at the wall. And, depending on the level of students you have, leading them through L-shaped handstand using the wall first is a great way to get everyone upside down, while still keeping your class accessible.

The key with this big post is to create a sequence that focuses on a lot of shoulder and side body opening while incorporating core integration and straight leg poses.

I keep a handstand class in my mental back pocket at all times so if I ever need to teach a fun class last minute, I always have one ready.

Have fun and let me know how it goes!

Puttering/Warm-Up:

• High lunge with hooked thumbs
• Low Lunge Twist
• Modified Parsvottanasana (use blocks!)
• Tadasana with Gomukhasana Arms

Sun Salutations:

• 3-4 Rounds

Standing Poses:

• Warrior 2
• Triangle Pose
• Extended Side Angle (with hand outside of the ankle)
• Ardha Chandrasana
• Warrior 1
• Parsvotanasana

Balancing Poses:

• Tree Pose
• Standing Split

Twist Pose:

• Revolved Triangle

Peak Pose:

• Handstand

Wind Down Poses:

• Wheel
• Reclined Spinal Twist
• Happy Baby

Savasana

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