Extraite de l'étude "Efficacy of Yoga for Depressed Postpartum Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial", je vous propose la séquence suivante pour vous aider à garder le moral. Je propose également des cours de Yoga Post-Natal ici.
Séquence sans détails
Warm-up (8-10 minutes) Seated: Arms overhead/down (5 sets)
Cat Stretch (5 sets)
Thread the Needle (R/L: 5 breaths)
Downward Dog (DD) (5 breaths)
Transition: walk to top of mat
Standing forward bend (5 breaths)
Spinal roll up (5 breaths)
Mountain pose (5 breaths)
Sun Salutation A (3-5x, with modifications)
Integrative (25 minutes) Lateral side stretch (R/L: 5 breaths)
Standing: Arms overhead/down (5 sets)
Modified crescent lunge (R/L: 5 breaths)
Transition: Spinal roll up to mountain pose
Warrior II* (R: 5 breaths)
Exalted Warrior* (R: 5 breaths)
*R: L (5 breaths)
Forward bend (5 breaths)
Modified extended side angle* (R: 5 breaths)
Triangle* (R: 5 breaths)
*R: L (5 breaths)
Tree (R/L: 5 breaths)
Transition to Floor Sequence
(1 minute)
Child’s posea (5 breaths)
Transition: table top position
Cat Stretch (5 sets)
Cool down stretches/Close of
practice (20-22 minutes)
Half camel posea (2 sets: 5 breaths)
Transition: DD -> top of mat, seated position, roll back onto
mat
Bridge Pose (2 sets: 5 breaths)
One knee-to-chest pose (R/L: 5 breaths)
Both knees-to-chest (1 set: 5 breaths)
Modified supine twist (R/L: 5 breaths)
Happy baby pose (5 breaths)
Corpse pose (8-10 minutes)
Détail des asanas
Sequence I: Breathing/Meditation (5 minutes)
• Sit upright with an erect spine and legs crossed at ankles; lengthen through the
crown of the head towards the ceiling (may alternate between starting in a seated
position and child’s pose)
• Draw shoulders back and down from the ears
• Begin to relax the face and jaw
• Start to notice the rise and fall of the abdomen with every inhale and exhale
Note: As student’s begin to prepare for their practice by connecting to their breath and
dropping into their bodies, encourage them to use the breath as an anchor point during
their practice to bring them back to the present moment when the mind wanders or drifts.
Sequence II: Warm-up (10-15 minutes)
Seated: Arms Overhead/Down
• Remain in a seated position (if starting in child’s pose with knees wide, slide
hands back to knees and draw knees together, come back to a seated position)
back straight, navel pulled in slightly
• On the inhale, lift your arms overhead; on the exhale, draw your arms down to
your side laterally, as though you are pushing something down with the palms of
your hands (Modification: arms may be slightly bent)
• Repeat this movement, and link breath with movement
• Repeat for 4 sets
Transition to tabletop position: At the end of the last set, bring your hands forward to the
top of the mat, separate your hands shoulder width distance and press down into your
palms. Slide your knees forward slightly so they are directly underneath your hips, and
are hip width distance; shins and feet are resting on the mat.
Cat Stretch/Spine Flexion (from tabletop position)
• Place your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread
your fingers wide, and press through the base of your fingers (Modification:
balance on your knuckles if you feel strain in your wrists)
• On the in breath, focus on your neutral spine
• As you exhale, draw your belly in, round your back, and draw the tailbone down
between your legs
• Drop your head down, and tuck your chin towards your chest as you look up
toward your navel. On your next inhale, tilt your pelvis back to neutral position
so that your back is in a flat position, chin forward away from chest and eye gaze
forward.
• Inhale, maintain a neutral spine; on the exhale repeat the rounding of the back and
tilting of the pelvis
• Repeat for 5 sets
Thread the needle
• From tabletop position, slide your right hand through the space between your left
arm and left thigh as though you are threading a needle
• Draw your torso, chest, and right ear down toward the mat; eye gaze at the edge
of your mat
• Press down through your left hand, and put a slight bend in your left elbow
(Variation: To increase the stretch through your torso and shoulders, reach your
left hand towards the ceiling and continue to stretch through your right hand,
sliding it away from your body)
• Hold for 5 breaths; to release, take an inhale and on the exhale slide right hand
back to the mat to come back into table top position; inhale, on the exhale repeat
on left (hold for 5 breaths)
Transition: tabletop position
Downward Facing Dog Pose (from tabletop position)
• Spread your fingers wide, and root down through your palms
• As you inhale, curl your toes under and on your exhale, lift your knees away from
the mat and hips toward the ceiling
• Knees are slightly bent and heels are lifted away from the floor
• Lift the sit bones toward the ceiling, and press your thighs back
• Press your heels down toward the mat, and straighten your knees
• Press down into the palms of your hands and draw your shoulder blades down
your back, toward your tailbone
• Press firmly and evenly down through your palms and fingers, and engage your
legs
Transition: slowly walk your feet forward to the top of your mat, preparing for standing
forward fold.
Standing Forward Fold
• Separate feet hip width distance (wider if you feel strain in the lower part of your
back)
• Soften your knees, draw the navel in toward your spine
• While rooting down through your feet, feel your legs engage and sit bones
extending upward
• Allow your shoulders to roll forward towards the mat, harms hang heavy
(Variation: grab opposite elbows)
Spinal Roll Up
• Bring hands down to the mat, and roll up one vertebra at a time, bring the chin up
last
Reach both arms up toward the ceiling and then lower arms down to your side
with palms facing out
Mountain Pose
• Stand tall, draw shoulder blades back and down
• Crown of the head lengthens toward the ceiling
• Pelvis is neutral, tailbone draws down toward your mat
• Root down through the soles of your feet as you spread your toes wide apart
Sun Salutation A
• Plank: starting position for a push up.
• Pressing hands into the ground-wrists elbows and shoulders are in one line
• Press out through your heels as though you were standing in Mountain Pose
• Keep from sinking in the lower back or pelvis by reaching your tailbone toward
your heels and drawing your navel toward your lower spine
• Modified version: build from this point
• As you exhale, lower your knees, chest, and chin to the floor (“eight point
posture”)
• Inhale into cobra. Press your hips toward the floor as you slide your chest forward
between your hands, point your toes and roll up into Cobra. Then, pull back into
downward facing dog.
Sequence III: Integrative poses (25-30 minutes)
Standing: Lateral Stretch
• On the inhale, reach your right arm toward the ceiling
• Exhale, stretch right hand towards left side of room as you press your right hip in
the opposite direction
• Lift out of your waist, draw your navel in toward the spine, and press your feet
down into the mat (hold for 5 breaths)
• Inhale to stay, on the exhale reach your right arm back up to the ceiling and float
the arm down to your side
• On your next inhale, reach your left arm up toward the ceiling and continue to
lengthen out of your waist; on the exhale stretch your left arm towards the right
side of the room and press your left hip towards the left, in the opposite direction
• Right hand slides down your right leg as you continue to press down through your
feet, thighs are contracted, legs are strong. Both hips are level, in one line from
the side.
• Take an inhale through the nose, as you exhale use the left arm to pull you back
up to standing position, left arm floats down to your side
Standing: Arms overhead/down
• As you inhale, reach both arms overhead and as you exhale float your arms down
to your side, creating natural resistance through the arms
• Repeat 4 more times, linking breath with movement; as you inhale reach arms
overhead and on the exhale, draw your arms down to the side
Transition: Mountain pose to forward fold
Modified Crescent Lunge
• From forward fold, step left foot back, and come into a lunge with your right knee
directly above your ankle
• Keep your fingers on the mat for support; work to lift your torso off your thigh
with the crown (top) of your head extended toward the front of the room
• Lower your left knee to the mat and flatten your left foot, toes extending
• Place your hands on top of your right knee; hold this position, keep your pelvis
neutral (tailbone draws down toward the floor)
• To move deeper into lunge, bend the front knee and allow the hips to come
forward toward the mat
• To release, press hands down into the mat, use for support as you lift the left knee
off the mat, curl over your left toes, step your left foot forward to meet your right
foot.
• Inhale, lift the chest; on the exhale, fold forward. Repeat lunge on opposite side
using same instructions.
Standing Forward Fold
• Stand in mountain pose, hands on hips. As you exhale, bend forward from the
hips and lengthen the front of the torso.
• With knees straight, or slightly bent, bring your finger tips (or palms) to the floor
slightly in front of your feet
• Press heels firmly into the floor and tilt your tailbone back, spiral the thighs
inward
• With each inhale, lift and lengthen the torso; with each exhale, release more fully
into the forward bend
• Relax your neck, allow the head to hang heavy, soften the jaw
• Release any tension in the neck or shoulders
Warrior II Pose
• Start in a wide stance, turn the right foot out, the left foot slightly in, bend the
right knee and draw the knee toward the little-toe of the front foot
• If the knee goes past the heel, slide your front foot forward (or slide back foot
back) for a wider stance
• Front sit (R/L) bone draws down and under toward the mat
• Back leg is strong; press outer edge of back foot toward the mat to create lift
through the arch of the foot
• Shoulder blades draw down the back; energy draws up through the spine and
crown of head
Triangle
• Start with a wide stance, length of arms extended parallel to the floor. Turn right
foot to a 90 degree angle, the left foot turns in slightly.
• Shift hips to the left, draw the right sit bone under while reaching out to right
through the spine and arm; create maximum extension through the arms.
• Release hand (R/L) to lower leg or ankle (shin to modify), opposite hand reaches
toward the ceiling. Legs are straight and engaged without hyper-extending
through the front knee.
• Torso is long, and the neck is relaxed
Standing Forward Bend
• Feet separated wide (similar to triangle pose), outer edges of the feet parallel
• Knees should be slightly bent (prevents constriction in the hamstrings and lower
area of the back)
• Draw pubic bone back and up while stretching the belly button and sternum
toward the floor
• Bring weight forward to the balls of the feet while grounding the fronts of the
heels, hips should be directly over the heels, and neck relaxed (chin should not be
forward; eye gaze down toward the mat).
• Legs are straight (slight bend in the knees) and strong
Tree Pose
• Press down through the heel of the left foot to encourage engagement through the
leg and heel
• Pick up your right foot and place on the inside of your ankle, shin, or thigh
• Place hands at hips to modify; or, place palms together at center of chest and
either stay here or reach hands overhead
• Repeat on opposite side
Transition to Floor Sequence: step to top of mat -> mountain pose into forward fold
-> modified high plank to low plank pose to upward dog
Cat Stretch/Spinal Flexion: see “Warm-up sequence” for instructions
Child’s Pose
• Slide your arms forward to the top of the mat and your hips toward your heels;
allow your forehead to rest down on the floor.
Stretch the arms in front of you for greater extension of the spine; feel free to let
your arms come alongside your body to relax your shoulders.
• Stretch through your fingers on an inhale, and sink back toward your heels on the
exhale.
• To transition, keep your hands at the top of the mat and bring yourself back up
into tabletop position, slide your knees toward the middle of your mat, stack the
hips above the knees.
Sequence IV: Cool down stretches/close of practice (20-22 minutes)
Camel Pose
Transition: Tabletop position
• Place palms on your sacrum with fingers pointed down, lift your chest, and let
your head drop back if comfortable (if not, keep head up and face forward).
• Press your pelvis forward and arch your back, continue to breathe long and deep
through your nose.
• To move into the full expression of the pose, lean back and place your right hand
on your right heel, then your left hand on your left heel.
• Continue to press your pelvis forward and lift your chest so that the weight of
your body is not in your hands.
• To release out of pose, move your right hand to your lower back, then your left
hand.
Bridge
• From a supine position, slide feet toward buttocks, with feet hip width distance
and parallel.
• Take a deep breath in, on the exhale press down through the feet and lift up your
hips.
• Feel your inner thighs spiral toward one another as you root down through your
feet, the tailbone is lengthening down toward your feet.
• Draw your arms underneath your back, clasp your hands together and interlace
your fingers. Move the shoulder blades together, releasing any tension from your
neck, and draw your chin toward your chest.
• Hold for 5 full breaths. On the last inhale, start to lower body slightly to the mat
and as you exhale, bringing arms out from underneath your back and your lower
back to the mat one vertebrae at a time. Straighten your legs out in front of you.
One Knee-to-Chest Pose
• From a supine position, draw your right knee toward your chest, and clasp your
hands on the shin, below the kneecap.
• Left leg stays straight; flex the left foot to maintain a strong and active leg.
Squeeze your elbows down and in toward the sides of your body, and gently tilt
your chin toward your chest (you should feel extension in the neck; if any strain,
lift the chin slightly).
• On the inhale, soften your grip slightly; on the exhale, move deeper into the
stretch.
• To release, unclasp the hands and bring the right leg back to a straight position;
complete on the left side.
Both Knees-to-Chest Pose
• Lying on your back, draw the knees toward your chest, keep your feet side by
side, in a relaxed position. Reach for opposite elbows across your shins (or
forearms/wrists if can’t reach the elbows).
• On the inhale, release knees slightly away from your chest; on the exhale, squeeze
the knees in. At the same time, work to keep the lower part of your back and
tailbone rooted into the mat.
• Relax your chin down toward your chest; again, focus on extension in the neck.
Supine Twist
• Draw both knees in toward your chest and allow your knees to drop over toward
your left.
• Place your left hand on top of the right knee, and extend your right arm out to the
side, away from your body. You may look over your right shoulder unless this
strains your neck.
• The twist should be felt in your torso and through the upper part of your back, and
cervical spine.
• Take a deep breath in, on the exhale release and come back to center with knees
in toward your chest. Repeat by moving your knees to the opposite side.
Happy Baby Pose
• With legs straight in front of you, draw your knees back into your chest. Lift your
feet up, but keep your knees bent. Grab for the outer edges of your feet, keep the
feet flexed. The soles of your feet are facing up.
• Tuck your chin toward your chest (create extension in the neck), stretch your
knees toward your chest. Press your lower back down into the mat, with the
tailbone lengthening away from your body.
• To intensify the stretch, spread the feet wider apart, as you continue to press the
lower part of your back down into the mat.
• To release, bring the soles of your feet together and lower your feet down to the
mat, arms are down alongside your body. Rest here in bound angle pose.
• Slide your feet forward toward the top of your mat, arms down alongside the
body.
Corpse Pose
Integration: This is the final pose that closes the student’s yoga practice, allowing for full
integration of the practice. In yoga philosophy, this is an important pose in the practice
as it provides an opportunity for reintegration after practicing the physical postures and
breathing series.
Instruction:
• Lie on your back, and spread out comfortably on your mat.
• Relax arms and legs on the mat, with palms of the hands facing up.
• Lift your chest slightly off the mat and draw your shoulders down and back away
from your ears.
• Take a deep breath in, and on the exhale allow your body to sink down into the
mat and breathe naturally.