- Howdy everyone.
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

I'm Adriene and per your request

some lower back love.

(clicks tongue)

So hop into something comfy.
Let's get started.

(bright music)

Okay, hi everyone.

We're gonna begin on our backs
today but I'd like to invite you

to pause the video and grab a
thick towel or a small blanket

if you have one.

If you don't have one,
it's not the end of the world.

You'll be just fine, my darling.

But if you have one and want
to grab it now, please do so.

Alright, then we'll
begin lying flat on our backs.

Hey buddy.

Take your time, particularly if
you're being particularly ginger

with your back, be nice and
kind here in the beginning,

nice and slow.

As we, of course, work to tend
to the lower back today we take

our yogic principles along with
us and remember that this is a

time to just kind of check in
with your whole self, all parts.

Think of the body as one

moving part and
work in that way.

Alright, so we're gonna bring
the knees up towards the sky

and we're gonna bring
the feet to the earth.

And if you did bring towel or
your blanky to your may you want

to use it as a pillow here,
you certainly can.

For your head.

Okay, then hands can rest
gently on the low ribs here.

Elbows out wide.

And take a deep breath in.

And as you exhale,
just take a second,

we're not going to do
any movement here

so you can comfortably
close your eyes and

just take a second to
land here in the moment.

Again, we're tending to the
low back but if we're really

practicing yoga we're
also recognizing that

this is valuable time

to just go inward, slow down,

tend to all parts of the self.

So particularly
when we're in pain

or if we're just
really busy, moving

without a particular mindfulness

we can certainly feel
the effects of that.

Versus when we
take time to slow down,

fill our cups, tend to
whatever's going on in the body

then that too has
it's own ripple effect.

So just close your eyes here
and start to deepen your breath.

Feel your yoga mat
kind of rising up to meet

your back body here.

Literally, but yes, of course,
there's a little metaphor there.

Just kind of acknowledging this
time and acknowledging that your

yoga mat has your back here.

We're gonna work it out.
We're gonna

find what feels good together.

Take one more
conscious cycle of breath in

and out here on your own.

And then when you're ready you
can keep working with the eyes

closed or you can open the
eyes and of course peek at me

whenever you need to.

Hands can stay resting gently
on your low ribs and we're just

gonna start by peeling the
tailbone up just a bit so that

your low back becomes flush with
the mat and you kind of feel

your lower abdominal wall
(snaps) turn on, baby. Okay?

And if you want you can
slide your hands down

to your low abdominal
wall and just kind of

feel those muscles turn on.

And then slowly release it.

Allowing the
tailbone now to drop

and the pelvis is gonna tilt.

Good, now same thing.

We're gonna slow and
steady bring the tailbone

up towards the sky.

We're rocking to bring the
low back flush with the mat.

Lower abdominal,
lower belly turns on.

And then slow and steady,

taking it in
the opposite direction

rocking the pelvis down,
lifting the low back up.

You kind of slide a little bit
on your spine on the ground.

Fabulous.

We're gonna repeat but now
add the layer of the breath.

So inhale

here and then exhale, you're
gonna tilt the tailbone up,

draw your navel down.

Scooping the tailbone up.

Feel the low back
flush with the mat.

Good, exhale.

Take it forward, rocking the
hips down towards the core of

the earth,
feeling low back lift.

Exhale, rocking the hips

up towards the sky.

Using your feet
to ground you here.

Inhale, rocking the hips
forward, lower back lifts.

Moving with your breath.

Exhale, low back
becomes flush with the mat.

Nice and steady.

Inhale, rock it forward.

And this will be our last one,
nice and slow, rock it back.

Hands return to the low ribs
here just so you can find that

nice connection of
the low ribs hugging in,

supporting the low back
as you turn on your core.

Okay.

Then from here,
keep this turned on as you

lift the right knee up.

And then keep this turn on
as you lift the left knee up.

If this is too much for you, at
whatever stage your work with

your low back, try working on
the ground with the ball joint

of the big toe on the earth.

Right? So we're just not
bringing it quite so far up.

Okay.
We're breathing here.

We're really overexaggerating
turning on though

the transverse abdominals here.

So you're trying to
turn on your center,

turn on your center,
breathe deep.

Wherever you are,
scooping the tailbone up.

Excellent and then release that.

Let it go. Hallelujah.

You're gonna walk
the feet together.

Nice and easy we're gonna

open the knees
wide with control.

So careful not to
let them slam out.

Nice and easy.

So knees go wide.

Breathing here,
low back comes up.

So you should be able to, if you
were to test out sliding your

hand underneath your low back
and you can of course give it a

go, you should be able to feel

a little bridge there.

A little gap.

Take a breath here in.

And out.

And then slowly use
your fingertips to guide you,

particularly if the low
back is feeling ginger today,

really ginger, and you're going

to bring the knees
back up to center.

Great, hug the
knees into the chest now.

Should feel really good.

Careful not to overdo it.

It just depends.

So many different types
of people practicing

so just be mindful here.

Move nice and slow and
really listen to your body.

If it feels right, start to
rock a little side to side.

Getting a nice massage here.

If you need more, maybe you're
doing this for more preventative

care, then start to peel
the nose up toward the knee.

Again, lighting up that core
as you turn up the tailbone.

Yes, fabulous.

If the heads lifted, release
it with control and then we're

gonna take just a left to the
ground and you're going to kick

slowly the right foot up high.

Find extension, if you can't
straighten the leg don't worry

about it here, keep the
right knee nice and bent.

And then when you're ready,

you're gonna take a deep
breath in and exhale.

You're just gonna cross
your right foot over towards

the left side of your mat.

And then you're just gonna
keep that momentum going

as you allow the weight of
your legs to fold over gently

to the left side of your mat.

And you can keep your
hands on the low ribs here.

So important that you
bring the breath here.

And if you want to take your
right ear to the right shoulder

you can but really we're kind
of focusing on a little low back

love today so breathe deep.

Excellent, and
then slowly unravel.

Ooh, that felt good.

Kick the right foot up.

Let the blood flow
opposite direction,

opposite direction,
opposite direction.

Okay and then foot down to the
earth and we'll just take the

same thing on the other side.

Ground down to your right foot,
kick your left foot up high.

Then when you're ready, you're
going to take your left foot

cross it over your right leg

and then just keep
that momentum going.

And we want to kind of move with
momentum rather than

(mimics crunching) into poses.

Squeeze, twist, particularly
when we're focusing on just the

targeted area so that
we can be really mindful.

And then of course, since I said
the words "target area" I just

want to remind you also
working with this mindset of

creating a full body experience

even in this kind of

low back workshop setting.

Okay, breathe into your belly.

Soften through your face.

Relax through your shoulders.

If you need it, take it,
in fact I encourage it,

nice audible breath here
and there whenever you can.

Yeah, baby.

Okay, bring it back by
connecting to your core.

That's why we already turned it
on so use it from here on out.

Excellent.
Kick the left foot up.

And then lower it down.

So you can turn onto one side
here if this next gesture is not

right for you otherwise I invite
you to bring your hands to the

backs of your legs,
your hamstrings.

Use that connection that we've
already established here in your

core and you're going to gently
begin to rock up and down the

length of your spine.

And if it feels really good,
keep it going.

If you're not sure,
just do a couple.

Just kind of massaging up and
down the length of your spine.

If you have the flexibility,
you're of course welcome to take

the toes back to touch
in this little gesture.

But mind, mind yourself.

(chuckles) Check yourself.

Okay, when you feel good
go ahead and come up to

a nice comfortable seat.

You're gonna cross the legs here
and just take a second to sit up

nice and tall and stack
your head over your heart

and your heart over your pelvis.

See if you can really lift up
out of the hips and then hug

those low ribs in again.

Close your eyes.

Just take a restful
moment here in Sukhasana.

Notice how you feel.

Gorgeous and then
we're just gonna take

a very gentle twist to the left.

Breathe in.
Lift up out of your hips.

Whatever that means for you.

Just imagine as you breathe
in and then as you exhale

remember where
your hands were earlier,

just soften that
area in here a little bit.

Then nice and easy stay
connected to your breath

as you come back to center.

We'll take it to the
other side nice and easy.

Breathe into your low belly.

Use your inhale
to lift up, lengthen.

No pushing or cranking here.

Just nice and easy.

Gorgeous.

Now from here we'll release back
to center and if you have your

towel or blanky go ahead and

bring it right
underneath your hips.

So we're getting a little
bit of a lift in the hips.

And from here we're going to
take the left heel in first.

And then the right
heel in to meet it.

So we call this Siddhasana.

And then you'll bring your
fingertips to the mat and this

will be a little bit different
for everyone in the hips.

And then low back,
of course, all connected.

So move nice and
slow here at first.

You're going to inhale to lift
your heart and open your chest.

And then exhale, just use your
fingertips to slowly crawl it

out but as you do so

try to keep your sit
bones reaching back and

your hips really heavy,
legs really heavy.

So you might come to
about here, breathing deep.

You might bring the forearms to
the ground, breathing deep.

In time you might be able to
get a little further down.

And if you find, you know what,
you're doing it and feel like it

would just feel a lot better
without the blanket or

the towel, go for it.

And then when you're ready,

allow the weight of
your head to relax down.

Kind of come into your own
private little love cave here

and listen to the
sound of your breath.

Now actively for
this last breath here,

draw the thigh bones down.

So actively engaging my legs.

I'm creating such
stability here in the femur

as I ground down
through my thighs.

And then I'm just gonna
walk my hands over towards

the left side of the mat.

Breathing into the lower
right side of the back body.

Legs stay active,
thighs grounding down.

Sits bones reaching back
as you walk through center.

And nice and easy,
take it to the other side.

Oh yeah.

Relax the weight
of your head over.

Again, breathe now into
the lower left back body.

And then slowly
bringing it back through.

Tuck the chin,
connect to your core,

roll it back up.

Take a moment here just to rest.

Notice how you feel.

Maybe take a
cycle of breath. In.

And out and then
we'll switch the legs.

So right heel comes in,
left heel to follow.

Maybe you use your blanket.
Maybe not.

Fingertips on the earth.

Important first to
really establish

this kind of grounding.

Open the chest and
then notice the sensation

as you slowly crawl forward.

And then notice perhaps this
side's a little different.

Maybe not.

Find a variation here with the
arms that suits you here as you

eventually fold in and listen.

See if you can extend
your inhalations here.

Extend your exhalations.

And use the breath,
man, use the breath.

Or woman or person.

Or pet.

Basically use the breath.

So feel the breath literally
stretch the skin of your back

body as you breathe in.

And then use your
exhale to ground down.

And then get really active.

Best you can, in the thighs,

so draw the thighs
down towards the earth.

It's this internal action
of hugging the femur in.

And that's what's going to
create a little stability for us

as we take the hands over to
the right side first this time.

Breathing deep.

Sending a love to
that left lower back.

Feeling that connection all the
way through the left side body.

Up to the rhomboid even,
your lats

even.

Oh yeah and then
walk it through center.

Keep breathing.

Then take it over to the left.

Okay, come back to center.

Stay connected to your core,
your center work is so important

to nurturing the back body.

Just getting really used
to always moving from

your center of gravity.

So it's so much more
than like getting your abs on.

It's a sensibility and it'll
literally change the way you

pick up a sock off the floor.

The way you pick up a child,
where you do your job.

So (clicks tongue)
all abouty-bout it.

I haven't said that in a while.

Hopefully by now
you're all the way lifted

and you're feeling good.

Taking that restful moment here.

Okay, so from here you're on
your blanket or towel maybe.

If you're not, you can grab it.

You're going to sit up.

And nice and slow, we're gonna
use the blanket or towel here.

You're gonna bring your feet to
the mat and there's gonna be a

little momentum
involved here for some,

not all, but that's where you're
going to use that center again.

So from here we're
going to inhale in.

You can watch me
first if you need to.

I'm gonna hike
my heels in close.

Inhale in, I'm gonna exhale.

Slowly come through to
a nice little squat here.

Ya there?

Okay, then reach back, grab thy
towel or blanket and just slide

it up, snuggle it up
underneath your heels

just to give you a
little more space.

Okay pals, here we go.
Inhale in.

Exhale, you're gonna slowly lift
your hips up and come into a

standing Forward Fold,
Uttanasana with heels on the

blanket but see if you
can move nice and slow.

Keep your knees bent.

Yes.

Then you can work in
time to straighten the legs.

Maybe fingertips
stay on the earth.

Or maybe you clasp
opposite elbow and

rock a little side to side.

Gently, gently, gently.

There's no rule book that says
legs have to be straightened.

And in honor of
our practice today,

I honestly just,

I just encourage
you to really look at that

and just bend
the knees basically.

Why don't I just
say what I really mean?

Say how you really feel,
Adriene.

Just bend your knees.

That's going to help kind of
bring that low back love in.

If this is much too much for you
then obviously you're gonna

keep your
fingertips on the ground.

See, I'm just a
little more grounding.

Let's take one more
breath here, wherever you are.

Awesome.

And then slow and
steady hands are gonna come

to the earth to help you here.

We're going to
slowly bend the knees.

Come back down.

So we have probably,
not probably,

we certainly
have different bodies,

if these transitions
aren't working for you.

Try not to get
too in your head just

know that this whole
practice is meant for you.

Really make it your own.
It's all good.

So from here we're gonna slide
the blanket down to the left

side of the mat.

And this is perfect little segue
and in terms of making it your

own, you're gonna come on to
your belly and you're going to

do it anyway that
feels good for you.

So just move mindfully.

I'm going to come to all fours
first with one knee, left knee,

on the blanket and one knee off.

And then I'm gonna
come to my belly from here.

You're just going to come on to
your belly and we're gonna bring

the left hip on to the blanket.

Elbows are gonna
come underneath us.

Just like we do in Sphinx Pose.

And then breathe deep as you
press your right foot into the

earth and you're gonna hug your
left knee all the way up so that

your left inner thigh

or your left knee is
resting on your blanket.

Now to protect the shoulders,
go ahead and press up out of the

earth and breathe deep here.

Ah.

Breathing down into the belly.

If you find that you want a
little more you can always stack

another blanky or a little
couch pillow or something.

Your dog. Just kidding.

Underneath.

Couple restorative breaths here.

Maybe you're just
getting settled in.

Excellent.

To come out,
this is so important,

take a second here to
connect to your center.

Hug the low ribs in.

Imagine where your
hands were on your low ribs.

You're gonna bring your hands
underneath your ribs here just

like you were going to do Cobra.

And then use that
connection to your core

to straighten your leg.

Great, then we'll
press up to all fours.

Slide the blanket
over to the other side.

And then you can come on to
your belly any way you want.

I'm gonna put my
right knee on the blanket.

Start on all fours.

And then from there, slide down.

Elbows underneath the shoulders.

Press away from your yoga mat
to not bring any undue

pain or tension
in your shoulders.

And let's check it out
here on the other side.

So this is kind of the final
beat of our practice so use this

time wisely to
maybe soften your gaze.

This is your time.
You've taken it for yourself.

Breathe deep.
Just be with your breath.

Be with yourself.

Trust that this is valuable
time that you're taking.

It will have
inevitably an effect on

everything else you do.

The moment you
step up off the mat

and into the rest of
your day or your evening.

Way to stick with it and way
to give your mind and body

some attention and love.

Cool.

To come out let's
take a deep breath in.

Exhale, release draw the
hands underneath the shoulders.

Just like we do in Cobra.

Hug the low ribs in,
connect to your center.

Extend the left leg out long.

Inhale to press up to all fours.

Bring your blanket to
the center now or

your towel to the
center of your mat.

Bring the knees wide and
you're gonna send it back.

We're going to
end in a Child's Pose.

It can be wide legged
or if that ain't your jam

you can bring the knees together

and use your blanket as a pillow

for a more traditional Balasana.

So Yogi's choice.

Pick your poison.

Pick your beautiful
Child's Pose which is our

last shape of the practice.

And listen to the
sound of your breath.

Listen to the
wisdom of your heart

as you listen to your breath.

And trust that when you do stuff
like that your body actually,

I think, responds.

Heals more quickly.

So any of these shapes you can
repeat on your own whenever you

just need a little
something something.

You can bookmark this
video of course to return to.

And if you're seeking more or

different types a low back yoga

you can look in the description.

I'm going to link to some other
low back and hips and even some

videos for back pain
that you might like to

supplement with this practice.

You can pause the video to
stay here a little bit longer.

If you're ready, I'll invite
you to come back up.

Come into a seat.

I'm gonna sit on my blanky.

And we're going to seal the deal
by kissing the palms together.

And bowing to you,
to me and to us.

Again, way to give
yourself some love today,

some attention.

Our attention spans are
so short and distracted.

I think now more than ever that

the body is getting
neglected too.

And the body has always been
built to work and do amazing

things but

since we're not taking
proper time to slow down

it can get a
little out of control.

If you're doing this video my
guess is you know and I'm saying

you have good intuition.

Love you so much.

Tell us how it went in the
comments section down below.

Please share this with someone
who you think might benefit.

A lot of people, I think, will
benefit from this lower back

love so spread the love.

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So thank you from
my heart to yours.

Namaste.

(bright music)