- Hello, everyone. Welcome to Yoga With Adriene. I'm Adriene, and we have another feel good flow, this one with a focus on the upper back body. So hop into something comfy, and let's get started. (upbeat music) Alright, come on down to the ground, and let's begin in Child's Pose. If Child's Pose or Extended Child's Pose isn't a comfy spot for you to start in, you can choose a nice comfortable seat of your choice. So knees wide or together. Come on down to the ground, and begin to draw your attention inward, whether you're starting in the Child's Pose, or just an easy seat. Close your eyes. Begin to notice your breath, and allow that to maybe, right away, inspire some deeper inhalations, and some longer exhalations. Allow your shoulders to relax, your fingertips and toes to soften their grip. Continue to notice your breath. Gently deepening your inhales as you're ready. And allowing the exhale to become longer as you're ready. This is time for you to check in with yourself, mind, body, and heart. And let your breath guide the way. On your next inhale, slowly bring the arms forward, lift up, or if you're in a seated position, come forward, and we're gonna meet as we come onto all fours. Spread the fingertips wide. Curl the toes under, inhale in, exhale, lift the knees. We're starting with a Hovering Table right away. So warm up the body, and connect us to center, to the core. You're only here for three, breathe deep, two, and one, slowly lower, press into the tops of the feet. Drop the belly, open the chest. Inhale, look forward. Good, exhale, round the spine, chin to chest, Cat Pose, you know it. Creaky old floor here in the house today. Inhale, drop the belly, open the chest. Look forward. Exhale, round through the spine. Really get articulation going in these moves, these next few rounds. Now following the sound of your breath, dropping the belly on the inhale, rounding the spine on the exhale. Let's do one more, and really slow it down. Feel it out. Nice, then we'll come back to Tabletop, nice neutral spine. Benji just let a loud sigh out. We're gonna turn the fingertips out, and in towards your body. So peek at me if you need a little demo, and if this is too much, you can just do one hand at a time. Or of course, you can decrease the rotation a little bit. From here, we're gonna draw gentle circles one way. And as you do this, gently deepen your breath, the connection to that inhale. Nice and full, and that exhale nice and long. Nice and easy, reverse the circle. And just notice what's happening in the rib cage, the front body here. See if you can draw some energy up through that area of the body. Beautiful, slow and steady. Come back to stillness, we'll release. Bring the hands forward, send the hips back, Extended Child's Pose, just for one breath in, and long breath out. Good, inhale, rise back up, curl the toes under, exhale, send the hips up high and back, Downward Facing Dog. I have a beautiful view of my other Downward Facing Dog here. Start to bend the knees, pedal it out. Feel that nice stretch through the foot. Notice how that's connected to the ankle, the calf, the knee, all the way up the hamstring, to the hips. Again, find that connection to center by drawing the navel in and up a bit, engage your abs. And then take a look underneath your right shoulder. And then back to center, and slowly dial it underneath the left shoulder. Back to center. Then bend the knees, inhale to look forward. Exhale to make your way to the top of the mat. So you can take baby steps, you can hop. We're gonna start with the feet hip width apart here, Standing Forward Fold at the top of the mat. Bend your knees generously, pull the hip creases back, and allow the head to hang. Grab opposite elbow here, and gently sway side to side if that feels good. Really grounding through the feet here. Lots of love and attention on the feet here in this Standing Forward Fold. Start to take a few more audible breaths now and again, connecting to the sound of your breath. If you're familiar with Ujjayi, excuse me, you can start to connect to that Ujjayi breath, that ocean sound. Let any stress or tension you might be carrying on your shoulders, let it melt away here as you release the hands, and with the knees generously bent, so strong legs, strong connection to core, we'll begin to roll it up nice and slow. Keep the legs engaged, protect the low back. Draw the navel in and up, as you slowly stack the spine. Lift your heart, roll the shoulders forward, up and back, and come to land in your beautiful Mountain Pose. Head over heart, heart over pelvis. We're gonna inhale. Send the arms forward. Exhale, right arm underneath the left. We're gonna wrap it at the elbow, or at the forearm here. And if the palms come together, great, if not, no worries. Inhale, elbows lift up. Exhale, keep the legs straight. We're just gonna draw the navel back, and round through, chin to chest. Peek at me if you need to. Now inhale again, lift up. Think Cat Pose, so long belly. And exhale, chin to chest, round forward. Feel that deep stretch in the neck and the upper back. Once more, inhale, lift the elbows. Exhale, round through, chin to chest. Now this time, we're just gonna keep the journey going. So we're gonna bend the knees. Keep the bind in the arms, bend the knees, send it all the way into the Forward Fold. Beautiful, from there, release the bind, and on your next inhale, halfway lift, long neck, flat back. Elbows squeeze into the side body. Good, release it. And on your next inhale, send the fingertips up, ground through the feet. Reach all the way up towards the sky. Big breath, big stretch, and exhale, hands release. Arms gently back to your sides. Mountain Pose. Good. Inhale, send the fingertips forward. Once again, exhale. This time, left arm underneath the right, we find the bind. Inhale, lift the elbows. Exhale, legs stay straight here as we draw the chin to chest, navel back, feel this stretch in the neck, the shoulders, upper back. Good, inhale, rise. Elbows lift, chest lifts, and exhale, round. Inhale, lift. Exhale, round. Good, this time, start to slowly bend the knees, take it nice and slow all the way down. Grounded through all four corners of the feet. Let the weight of the head hang. Let the weight of the arms hang. And then we release the bind. Inhale halfway lift, crown of the head shoots forward, tailbone back. And then exhale, slowly release. This time, plant the palms, step one foot back, then the other for Plank Pose. Draw the navel in and up, send the heels back, broaden through the upper back. So you want your shoulder blades to almost feel like they're going left to right. So there's this doming effect in the upper back body. My abdominal wall is turned on here. We're gonna squeeze the right knee up, and in towards the chest. Inhale, exhale, send it back. Left knee up and in towards the chest. Inhale. Exhale, send it back. Right knee, and left knee. Right knee, and left knee. One more time on each side, you have it, right knee, and left knee, and slowly lower all the way to the belly. Beautiful. Take an inhale in here. Drag the hands in line with the rib cage as you exhale. Squeeze the elbows into the side body. On your next breath in, inhale for a low Cobra. Draw the shoulder blades together, and exhale slowly release. Curl the toes under, inhale in. Exhale, press up, power up to Plank Pose. Quietly whisper to yourself, "I am strong." I am strong. Then send the hips up high and back, Downward Facing Dog. Nice. Inhale in deeply here. Exhale to let something go. Good, bend the knees. Inhale, look forward. Exhale to make your way to the top. Once you're at the top, let the weight of the head hang, and on your next breath in, lift up halfway. Hi, Benji, and then exhale slowly, release. Great, root to rise here, ground through the feet. Spread the fingertips, inhale. Reach all the way up. And exhale, hands release down gently to your side. Mountain Pose. Inhale in deeply, observe your breath. And exhale completely. Observe the quality of your breath. Nice, interlace the fingertips now behind the back. We're gonna draw the knuckles down here as you open up through the chest. Really squeeze the shoulder blades together. Maybe find some soft easy movement in the head and the neck. Then if they are not already there, walk the feet together, really together, arch to arch. Ground through all four corners. Find that four-part equal standing here. Lift up through the front body, ground through the back body. Inhale in deeply here. Keep the bind, as you exhale, bend the knees. Start to melt your heart forward. Come into the Forward Fold here. Inhale in with control. Exhale, release the bind. Inhale, halfway lift. Crown of the head reaches forward, long neck. Exhale to soften and fold. Hi, Benji. Step the right foot back. Excuse me, step the left foot back. (laughs) Got distracted by Benji. Step the left foot back, just the left foot, and inhale, sweep the fingertips forward, up and back. So front knee's bent. Left foot is really reaching, left heel is really reaching, high lunge. Good, draw the navel in and up. Open up through the chest. Imagine you're holding a big beach ball up and overhead. Good, inhale. Exhale, right arm underneath the left arm here. Find the Eagle bind again. Inhale, lift the elbows up, and exhale, same thing as before in Mountain, but this time we're in the high lunge. Draw the chin to chest, hollow through the front body. Think about lifting, and squeezing up from the base of the spine. Good, inhale, lift up. Then exhale round through. Find your center. Inhale, lift up, last one. And lifting up from the pelvic floor as you round. Beautiful, from here, we're gonna pivot on the back foot. Release the bind, right elbow comes to the top of the right thigh. Inhale, send the left fingertips forward, up and back, big circle, forward, up and back. Last time, forward, up and back. And this time we might take it all the way back to the low back, or maybe to the front of the right thigh for the bind. You can stay here, or if you wanna deepen the posture, take the right fingertips all the way down to the earth. Extended Side Angle. Take one more deep breath here. And then exhale, slowly unravel. Bring everything back to that nice low lunge. Plant the palms, step the right toes back, Plank Pose. Inhale in here. Exhale, lower to the belly or Chaturanga. Inhale, Cobra or Upward Facing Dog. Exhale, Downward Facing Dog, meet me there. Connecting to your breath, inhale in deeply. And exhale completely. Bend the knees, inhale, look forward. Exhale to step or hop your way to the top. Inhale, halfway lift. Exhale, soften and fold. Feet together, really together, root to rise here. Inhale, reach for the sky. Exhale, release, going right into the second side. Interlace the fingertips behind the back. This time, the opposite thumb on top. Draw the knuckles down and away. Open up through the chest. Inhale, lift the chin slightly. Exhale, bend the knees. Begin to melt your heart forward. Coming into the fold. Take a moment here, breathe. And on your next exhale, gently release the bind with control. Inhale, catch a wave, halfway lift. Exhale to soften and fold. This time, step the right foot back. Keep the front knee bent. Find your center as you lift the fingertips forward, up and back. High lunge. Navel draws in and up, squeeze inner thighs to the midline. Big beach ball up and overhead. Right heel reaches actively towards the back edge of your mat. Beautiful, then left arm underneath the right. Inhale, lift the elbows up in the bind. Exhale, round slowly. Upper back body stretching is the navel, low belly lifts up and in, Uddiyana Bandha. Inhale, lift up. Exhale, slow and with control here. Find the lift. Inhale, lift up. And exhale, lift and squeeze, round. Great, from here, pivot on the back foot. Right outer edge of the right foot really glues to the mat. Left elbow to the top of the left thigh. Right fingertips reach forward, up, around, and back, breathe deep. Forward, up, around, and back. Last time forward, up, around, and back, and this time, find what feels good. Maybe the right hand on the low back. Maybe you take it around for the bind. Opening up through the chest. Maybe left fingertips come all the way down. Extended Side Angle variation. Take a deep breath in, neck is nice and long. Strong legs. And then slowly on your exhale, release. Dial it right back down to that low lunge. Plant the palms, step it back. Belly to Cobra or Chaturanga to Upward Facing Dog. Move with your breath. Meet me in Downward Dog. Nice, find your breath. Inhale, lift the right leg up high. Exhale, step it forward. Inhale, sweep the arms forward up and back, high lunge. Exhale, right arm underneath the left elbow. Okay, so from here, we can move nice and slow, but we're gonna find a little balance, and we're gonna inhale in, exhale, shift forward. Step the left leg over to cross the right. You can do this in baby steps, so you can do it in one move to Eagle, or you can take little baby steps along the way. Let's play. Bending the knees generously, dropping the center, coming into Garudasana. Find your focus, find your breath. Inhale in. Exhale, send the left leg all the way back. Release the bind, open up through the chest, and just bring it all the way back down to your lunge. Plant the palms, step the right toes back. Take a little vinyasa here. Belly to Cobra, or Chaturanga to Up Dog. Let's meet in Downward Facing Dog. Take a deep breath in when you get there. Exhale completely, let something go. Inhale, lift the left leg up high. Exhale, step it all the way up. Inhale, high lunge. Exhale, left arm underneath the right. Let's try it on this side. Take as many steps as you need. Inhale in, exhale, right leg crosses the left this time. Bend your knees generously. It'll help you find your balance. Draw your navel in and up. Control your breath. And after a little play time, send that right foot back. Inhale, lift the elbows. Exhale, release the bind. Open up through the chest. Good, take it right back to that nice low lunge. Last vinyasa here, step it back. Move with your breath. Downward Facing Dog. Sorry, Benji. Inhale in deeply here. Exhale completely. Turn the toes in just a bit. Press through the left hand firmly. Lift your right hand, and bring it to the outer edge of your left leg, anywhere that feels good. If it doesn't reach, you can just reach towards the outer edge of your mat here for a twist. And then release that, take it to the other side, pressing firmly into the right hand. Take the left arm, cross it over. Look underneath the bridge of your right arm for a deep twist here, breathe. And release, awesome. From here, inhale in. Exhale, lower to the knees. Cross the ankles. Use your hands to guide you as you come all the way through. Cross-legged, send the legs out long. And slowly roll all the way to your back. Nice, just take a second to relax the weight of your body here. And when you're ready, hug both knees up to the chest. Wrap your arms around the shins. You can close your eyes now, and just rock gently side to side. Maybe take some circles one way, and then the other, massaging the low back. Then drop the feet, walk the heels close to the hips. Plant the palms, toes pointing forward. Inhale in, tuck the chin. Exhale, begin to slowly lift the hips for Bridge Pose. Slowly lifting, lifting, shins forward. Sits bones feel like they're reaching towards the back of the knees. The shins feel like they're reaching towards the front of the mat. Lift your chest to your chin, and your chin to the sky. Then if you like, one final bind here, interlacing the fingertips underneath the tailbone here, walking the shoulder blades close together. Finding that beautiful stretch in the neck, the shoulders, the upper back body. Creating stability by pressing into all four corners of the feet. Inhale in deeply. Then exhale to slowly release. Bring your hands to your belly. Bring the soles of the feet together, knees wide. Inhale lots of love in. And exhale lots of love out. Inhale lots of love in. And exhale lots of love out, extending one leg out long, and then the other. So hands can stay on the belly here, come gently to your sides. You can bring them behind the head, opening up through the armpit chest. Just take a moment to allow yourself to simply be. Relax the weight of the body completely and fully into the earth. Great work today. Thank you so much for sharing your valuable time and energy with me, and with Benji, and all of the beautiful people practicing together around the world. If you like, draw the hands together now. Thumbs to third eye, we'll take a final breath in together. And exhale to close. Namaste. (upbeat music)