WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.061
- What's up everyone?
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

00:00:02.061 --> 00:00:03.780
Today on the
Foundations of Yoga

00:00:03.780 --> 00:00:06.760
we're learning Standing Splits.

00:00:06.760 --> 00:00:08.250
So you've requested we start to

00:00:08.250 --> 00:00:09.990
carve through the
advanced postures.

00:00:09.990 --> 00:00:11.400
This is one of them but it's

00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:13.410
beginner-friendly as well
'cause we're gonna work it

00:00:13.410 --> 00:00:16.920
from the ground up with lots
of integrity and lots of love.

00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:18.939
So hop on your
mat and let's begin.

00:00:18.939 --> 00:00:22.578
(upbeat music)

00:00:30.262 --> 00:00:31.040
Alrighty, my friends.

00:00:31.040 --> 00:00:32.930
So to get into
the posture today,

00:00:32.930 --> 00:00:37.170
we're gonna start on all fours,
moving nice and slow.

00:00:37.170 --> 00:00:40.460
Making sure that as we learn

00:00:40.460 --> 00:00:43.880
new postures and return to the
basics that we're being really

00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.336
mindful of how we get
in and out of things,

00:00:46.336 --> 00:00:48.714
so that we can make
sure that it feels good.

00:00:48.714 --> 00:00:52.040
So you might even sneak in a
little Cat-Cow here, why not?

00:00:54.546 --> 00:00:55.370
And then when you're ready,

00:00:55.370 --> 00:00:59.060
we'll lift the right foot up
and come into a nice low lunge,

00:00:59.060 --> 00:01:00.140
lifting the back leg.

00:01:00.140 --> 00:01:01.160
You might keep it down for a

00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:04.784
breath or two while you
stretch out your lower body.

00:01:04.784 --> 00:01:07.340
Connect to your breath
and whenever you're ready,

00:01:07.340 --> 00:01:08.630
keep that front knee stacked

00:01:08.630 --> 00:01:11.120
over the front ankle as
we reach the fingertips up.

00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.290
Strong powerful pose here
coming into a high lunge.

00:01:14.290 --> 00:01:17.120
And the reason we're
coming here is to really kind of

00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.000
connect to strength, power,
stability in the lower body,

00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:23.210
and keep this awareness in
the upper body of course, too.

00:01:23.210 --> 00:01:25.664
So we're reaching up,

00:01:25.664 --> 00:01:27.719
we're finding the 
strength in the lower body

00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:30.410
and I'm also pulling my
right hip crease back.

00:01:30.410 --> 00:01:34.510
Making sure to remember
foundations of high lunge here.

00:01:34.510 --> 00:01:38.460
Nice lengthening of
the tailbone down.

00:01:38.460 --> 00:01:40.523
Just paying
attention to the sacrum here.

00:01:40.523 --> 00:01:43.920
Inhale in here,
one more strong breath.

00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.880
And then exhale
back to your low lunge.

00:01:46.880 --> 00:01:47.770
Awesome.

00:01:47.770 --> 00:01:51.350
Now we're gonna slowly hop
the left toes in a couple times,

00:01:51.350 --> 00:01:52.560
you don't have to
do it all in one.

00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:54.530
And then on a big, big exhale.

00:01:54.530 --> 00:01:56.630
So take a deep
breath in on a big exhale,

00:01:56.630 --> 00:01:59.790
we'll lift the back leg up.

00:01:59.790 --> 00:02:02.510
So we're gonna build this,
in fact, I'd like to invite you

00:02:02.510 --> 00:02:07.523
to forget what you know about
the shape of Standing Split.

00:02:07.523 --> 00:02:09.200
So we know
this big, big thing,

00:02:09.200 --> 00:02:11.460
see if you can just
keep it nice and low.

00:02:11.460 --> 00:02:15.580
Have integrity and mindfulness
as we build this posture.

00:02:15.580 --> 00:02:17.240
So I can actually do a higher

00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:19.577
one but I'm going to
keep it nice and low,

00:02:19.577 --> 00:02:20.720
and I encourage you to too,

00:02:20.720 --> 00:02:22.750
even if you think
you can go higher.

00:02:22.750 --> 00:02:24.722
Keep a soft bend 
in your standing leg,

00:02:24.722 --> 00:02:25.870
foundations of yoga,

00:02:25.870 --> 00:02:28.698
pressing into all four
corners of the standing foot.

00:02:28.698 --> 00:02:30.160
Fingertips on the mat,

00:02:30.160 --> 00:02:34.650
long beautiful neck here,
just to start.

00:02:34.650 --> 00:02:36.830
So lot's of
awareness in the shoulders.

00:02:36.830 --> 00:02:38.730
We might begin to feel a shake,

00:02:38.730 --> 00:02:41.254
so strengthening 
that standing leg

00:02:41.254 --> 00:02:45.051
and really kind of
connecting to our core here.

00:02:45.051 --> 00:02:48.270
And then I'm gonna
slowly press out really slow,

00:02:48.270 --> 00:02:51.525
so bend your left knee
and then slowly press out.

00:02:51.525 --> 00:02:55.280
Awareness through all
four corners of that left foot,

00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:58.413
flexing the left foot
and spreading the left toes.

00:02:58.413 --> 00:03:00.600
Now everyone energetically draw

00:03:00.600 --> 00:03:03.670
your right hip and
maybe take your right thumb,

00:03:03.670 --> 00:03:06.360
and energetically pull
your right hip up here.

00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:09.830
So we're kind of
leveling the buttocks here,

00:03:09.830 --> 00:03:12.660
squaring the hips
sometimes we call it.

00:03:12.660 --> 00:03:15.450
And I'm gonna take
one more breath here.

00:03:15.450 --> 00:03:17.850
And then on an exhale,
I'm going to release back down.

00:03:17.850 --> 00:03:20.270
Awesome.
Come back to all fours,

00:03:20.270 --> 00:03:23.310
sit back on your
heels and take a rest.

00:03:26.140 --> 00:03:27.603
That was fun.

00:03:27.603 --> 00:03:30.040
Let's try it again,
same side, okay?

00:03:30.040 --> 00:03:32.090
Back to all fours.

00:03:34.337 --> 00:03:37.550
Find your breath and
we'll step the right foot up.

00:03:37.550 --> 00:03:38.640
In your own time,

00:03:38.640 --> 00:03:41.490
make your way up to that
high lunge for one swift breath,

00:03:41.490 --> 00:03:43.645
inhale in.

00:03:43.645 --> 00:03:44.760
Pull the right hip crease back,

00:03:44.760 --> 00:03:49.090
connect to the power of your
legs and on an exhale release.

00:03:49.090 --> 00:03:53.730
Then we'll step the left
toes up and on an exhale,

00:03:53.730 --> 00:03:56.528
press into the standing leg.

00:03:56.528 --> 00:03:59.100
Draw energy up from the
arch of that right foot.

00:03:59.100 --> 00:04:01.638
This time, maybe the
palms come to the mat

00:04:01.638 --> 00:04:03.570
and I'd like to 
invite you to really

00:04:03.570 --> 00:04:05.370
tone your
left quadricep here.

00:04:05.370 --> 00:04:07.860
So engage the left quad

00:04:07.860 --> 00:04:10.340
as you press
into your left foot.

00:04:11.540 --> 00:04:14.520
And again, we go through our
checklist, spreading awareness

00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:17.100
through all four corners
of the feet, finding length,

00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:19.240
awareness in the
neck and shoulders.

00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:22.867
This time, we can allow the
crown of the head to draw down

00:04:22.867 --> 00:04:25.140
and we pull the
right hip crease back.

00:04:25.140 --> 00:04:26.580
Hug the outer ribs in,

00:04:26.580 --> 00:04:30.990
so nice awareness here
in the torso and we breathe.

00:04:30.990 --> 00:04:32.490
Tuck the chin into
the chest if you can,

00:04:32.490 --> 00:04:35.570
or keep your gaze
down nice and strong.

00:04:36.756 --> 00:04:38.980
Great, so we're 
leveling the hips here

00:04:38.980 --> 00:04:41.520
and we're focusing
on sensation rather than shape.

00:04:41.520 --> 00:04:43.110
So if we kind of blast through,

00:04:43.110 --> 00:04:48.605
then we never really get to a
nice beautiful Standing Split.

00:04:48.605 --> 00:04:52.690
Or at least we can't evolve it,
it kind of just stays that way.

00:04:52.690 --> 00:04:54.470
So forget what 
you see in the magazines

00:04:54.470 --> 00:04:56.220
and just focus 
on the sensation here.

00:04:56.220 --> 00:04:59.605
Nice strong pose,
one more breath.

00:04:59.605 --> 00:05:01.820
And then we use 
an exhale to release.

00:05:01.820 --> 00:05:02.810
Awesome.

00:05:02.810 --> 00:05:06.090
Coming back through the
lunge and then to all fours.

00:05:06.090 --> 00:05:08.890
Feel free to sit on the
heels or maybe this time,

00:05:08.890 --> 00:05:11.590
you rest in a Child's Pose.

00:05:11.590 --> 00:05:13.350
Feel free to wiggle
out the fingertips,

00:05:13.350 --> 00:05:14.680
rotate the wrists.

00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:16.455
Anything and everything 
that feels good here,

00:05:16.455 --> 00:05:18.843
let it all go. (laughs)

00:05:24.413 --> 00:05:26.390
Then we'll slowly come back up

00:05:26.390 --> 00:05:28.290
and we'll try the same
thing on the other side.

00:05:28.290 --> 00:05:31.410
So from all fours, we step
the left foot up into our lunge.

00:05:33.890 --> 00:05:36.670
Curl the right toes under,
come through that low lunge.

00:05:36.670 --> 00:05:40.355
Stretch it out here
for a couple breaths.

00:05:40.355 --> 00:05:41.370
And then when you are ready,

00:05:41.370 --> 00:05:44.785
we'll inhale, sweep the 
fingertips up and overhead

00:05:44.785 --> 00:05:46.560
and just connect to
the power of the legs here.

00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:50.270
So I like to bend my right knee
lengthen the tailbone down,

00:05:50.270 --> 00:05:52.180
pull the left hip crease back.

00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:54.840
So we're really coming 
into the power of the legs

00:05:54.840 --> 00:05:57.460
and already paying attention
to my sacrum here,

00:05:57.460 --> 00:05:59.400
so that when
I come into the posture,

00:05:59.400 --> 00:06:03.219
I can work to keep that
nice and flat, nice and stable.

00:06:03.219 --> 00:06:05.310
Inhale in wherever you are and

00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:08.540
use your exhale
to return back down.

00:06:08.540 --> 00:06:11.590
And then we'll step
the right toes in once,

00:06:11.590 --> 00:06:16.335
twice, three times 
a Standing Split.

00:06:16.335 --> 00:06:18.700
Just kidding. (chuckles)

00:06:18.700 --> 00:06:20.850
Inhale in, exhale,
lift the right leg up high.

00:06:22.514 --> 00:06:24.690
So couple of things
I'll show you on this side,

00:06:24.690 --> 00:06:27.990
if you're watching or if you can
just listen to my voice here,

00:06:27.990 --> 00:06:30.780
the right hip wants to stack
over the left and so I'm gonna

00:06:30.780 --> 00:06:33.940
draw my right toes
down towards the yoga mat,

00:06:33.940 --> 00:06:36.720
and level out the buttocks.

00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:40.460
Level out the hips,
pull the left hip crease back.

00:06:40.460 --> 00:06:45.038
And again, we can
tone that right quad.

00:06:45.038 --> 00:06:47.390
Stay long in the neck.

00:06:47.390 --> 00:06:49.170
Draw energy up
from your standing leg.

00:06:49.170 --> 00:06:51.947
Careful not to lock
that standing knee.

00:06:51.947 --> 00:06:55.050
Deep breath in here everybody.

00:06:55.050 --> 00:06:57.670
And then exhale
back to your low lunge.

00:06:57.670 --> 00:06:58.910
We're just gonna 
take our break here

00:06:58.910 --> 00:07:00.990
in the lunge this time.

00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:04.300
So one breath in
and a long breath out.

00:07:06.894 --> 00:07:08.740
And then we'll
return to the high lunge,

00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:10.660
so here we go on
a swift breath in,

00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:14.501
come into your
power high lunge.

00:07:14.501 --> 00:07:16.150
Exhale, straight
to Standing Split.

00:07:16.150 --> 00:07:18.617
Maybe you do it in
one step this time,

00:07:18.617 --> 00:07:21.781
and maybe that's just
somewhere we head later.

00:07:21.781 --> 00:07:24.780
Other options to head for

00:07:24.780 --> 00:07:27.610
are wrapping the arms
around the calf here.

00:07:29.226 --> 00:07:31.950
Maybe it's just
one arm to start,

00:07:31.950 --> 00:07:35.117
maybe eventually we get both.

00:07:35.117 --> 00:07:37.830
So really working
from the ground up though.

00:07:37.830 --> 00:07:40.720
Adding things on with
time and with breath.

00:07:43.518 --> 00:07:45.340
Wherever you are,
take one more breath in.

00:07:45.340 --> 00:07:48.220
Radiate energy
throughout the entire body.

00:07:48.220 --> 00:07:51.210
Make sure you're not clenching
in the neck and shoulders.

00:07:51.210 --> 00:07:54.843
And then we'll slowly
release back to the low lunge,

00:07:54.843 --> 00:07:56.140
and we'll plant the palms and

00:07:56.140 --> 00:07:59.100
step the left toes
back toward a Downward Dog.

00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:01.670
Pedal it out.

00:08:01.670 --> 00:08:03.990
Walk the feet to 
the center of the mat,

00:08:03.990 --> 00:08:05.530
and then
we'll slowly roll it up.

00:08:05.530 --> 00:08:07.410
Nice work everyone.

00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:13.334
Deep breath in as we
rise up into Mountain Pose.

00:08:13.334 --> 00:08:16.120
And exhale, shake it off.

00:08:17.912 --> 00:08:19.300
Alright my friends,
awesome work.

00:08:19.300 --> 00:08:22.060
So that was the
basics of Standing Splits.

00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:24.370
This is a wonderful
posture to return to,

00:08:24.370 --> 00:08:27.500
you know, once a week or when
you're doing your home practice,

00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:30.890
play time to see how
it evolves and grows.

00:08:30.890 --> 00:08:32.670
Be patient, be kind.

00:08:32.670 --> 00:08:36.040
Really work on building
these poses from the ground up,

00:08:36.040 --> 00:08:41.246
so you can have a
strong foundation to fly free.

00:08:41.246 --> 00:08:42.160
I'll see you next time.

00:08:42.160 --> 00:08:43.900
Free yoga
videos every Wednesday.

00:08:43.900 --> 00:08:47.264
Questions, comments down below.
I love you guys. Take good care.

00:08:47.264 --> 00:08:49.198
Namaste.

00:08:49.198 --> 00:08:52.691
(upbeat music)