Chapter 2

Preparing with Powerful Warm-Ups

In This Chapter

Finding ground zero with floor-based warm-ups

Feeding the tiger in your tank

Standing up to your warm-ups

Ever driven your car without first warming up the engine? Everyone knows that a cold engine is a poor performer, subject to backfiring and stalling out. Well, the wonderful machine that you call your body doesn’t run smoothly without a warm-up, either. If you want your body to function at full capacity, with limber joints, flexible muscles, and energy to spare, you need to take time to warm ’er up before any strenuous activity — and that definitely includes your Power Yoga workouts. Even the most advanced Power Yoga practitioners take time to warm up before launching into a fast-paced Power Yoga session.

In this chapter, you find a series of warm-up routines. They’re divided into two categories: warm-ups practiced on the floor (lying down, sitting, or kneeling) and standing warm-ups.

Getting Down with Warm-Ups on the Floor

These gentle warm-ups are designed to gradually speed up the circulation of your whole body, through balanced stretches and counter-stretches. (A counter-stretch stretches the opposite side of the body or muscle, as the case may be. For example, the counter-stretch for a forward bend is a backward bend.) As an added bonus, these warm-ups help you develop coordination and balance as they take you through twists, turns, and stretches.

Twisting with the spine toner

The spine toner is relaxing, easy to practice, and a great way to flex your spine. Your everyday routines — work, play, even sitting — can deliver lots of abuse to your spine. This simple warm-up helps your spine recuperate from its long, hard days.

The spine toner invigorates your entire spine with gentle twisting movements that stretch the muscles in your back and hips. To get the most from this warm-up, be sure to combine it with the Power Yoga breathing techniques described in Book IV, Chapter 1.

Follow these steps to tone your spine:

1. Lie down on the floor on your back, with your legs straight and your feet about 12 inches apart (a position known as the corpse posture; refer to Book III, Chapter 1), and extend your arms straight out from your shoulders at a 90-degree angle from your torso.

2. On an inhalation, bend your right knee and lift your right leg toward the ceiling; exhale, lower your right leg over your left leg toward the floor on the left side of your body, and then extend your leg fully to the side.

   Keep your legs straight, but not rigid. If you find this posture uncomfortable, keep your right knee bent.

3. Your right hip will automatically rise off the floor, and your whole torso will twist, but try to keep your shoulders flat on the floor as you turn your head and gaze to the right.

   Figure 2-1 illustrates what this pose looks like.

4. Hold this position for 5 to 15 slow, deep breaths, and then slowly lift your right leg and return it to its original position (see Step 1).
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4, this time using your left leg and gazing toward the left in Step 3.
6. Relax in the corpse posture for 5 to 10 slow, deep breaths.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-1: The spine toner gently twists your spine.

Walking upside-down

Even for a complete novice, this exercise is easy and fun. In this pose, you look like someone who’s walking upside-down — and you don’t require a zero-gravity chamber! This exercise delivers many of the same benefits to your body that you get from walking right-side up. The upside-down walker is an excellent warm-up exercise; it speeds up your circulation, stretches your arms and legs, and helps send a fresh supply of blood to the brain.

Follow these steps to walk upside-down:

1. Lie flat on your back, with your arms and legs straight but not rigid.
2. Stretch your arms and legs upward, pointing toward the ceiling, like a bug stuck on its back.

3. Now swing your arms and legs as though you’re walking in the air (see Figure 2-2).

   Swing your left arm forward (toward your face), when your right leg is forward; then swing your right arm forward when your left leg is forward.

   If you have stiff leg muscles and tight hips, bend your knees more to protect your lower back from overstrain.

4. Take 15 to 30 strides.
5. Return your arms and legs to the floor, and relax in your original position.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-2: The upside-down walker can make you feel like you’re walking on the moon.

Make sure to move your limbs in opposite directions — move your right arm and left leg at the same time and your left arm and right leg together.

Hugging those knees

Your knees are responsible for lots of work and some of your most important moves; here’s your chance to thank them for all their effort! In this exercise, you pay tribute to your knees by giving them a big hug.

This exercise relieves tension in your lower back, expands your chest, and tones up your stomach muscles. And as an added bonus, these knee hugs can also help relieve your system of excessive gas — something for which everyone can be grateful.

Hug your knees close to you with these steps:

1. Assume the corpse position: Lie down on your back, with arms by your sides, palms facing up, and legs extended.

   Leave your feet about one foot apart.

2. Calm your mind, and relax for a few slow, deep breaths.
3. On an inhalation, stretch your whole body in both directions, lifting your arms above your head and stretching your legs out from your feet; keep your head on the floor and gaze upward.

4. Exhale, and lower your arms toward your waist while bending your right knee into your torso, wrapping your arms around your shin, and hugging your right knee.

   If you have a weak lower back, bend your extended left leg, knee raised upward and place your left foot on the floor about 2 feet from your seat.

5. On an exhalation, lift your head off the floor and try to touch your nose to your knee.

6. Inhale, and release your knee, again stretching your whole body in both directions.

   Lift your arms over your head, and stretch your legs toward your feet.

7. Repeat Steps 1 through 6, this time hugging your left knee to your chest.
8. You can repeat this knee-hugging exercise three to five times.
9. Relax as you lower your arms to your sides and melt softly into the floor, returning to the corpse position.

Another way to ease the strain on your lower back is to bend your downward knee — point your knee toward the ceiling with your foot 12 to 18 inches from your seat. Keeping your knee bent reduces the intensity of the effort required and is gentler on your lower back.

Releasing shoulder and neck tension

Who can resist a nice shoulder and neck massage? All day, you build tension and stress in your neck and shoulders, and by the end of the day you need a massage in the worst way! The problem is that you also need a willing masseuse. Well, these two exercises let you give yourself a massage to roll the tension right out of those tight neck and shoulder muscles.

These exercises are also terrific warm-ups for your Power Yoga routines. Give them a try before your Power Yoga workout or anytime you need to roll the weight of the world off your shoulders.

Rolling the boulders off your shoulders

“Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream,” goes the song. Wouldn’t that hurt with your shoulders feeling as tight as they do right now? You need strong, healthy shoulders to excel in Power Yoga, so this shoulder roll exercise can be an important preamble to your workout.

In this exercise, you lift and lower your shoulders while rotating them in forward and backward circles. These shoulder rolls help you release tension from your shoulders and upper back, and get your rotator cuff (where your arm connects into your torso) warmed up and ready for action.

Follow these steps to get your shoulders rolling:

1. Sit on the floor, with your spine straight and shoulders back (see the seated angle pose in Figure 2-3).

   If sitting on the floor is uncomfortable for you, you also can sit on the edge of a sturdy chair.

2. On an inhalation, rotate your shoulders backward as you lift them up toward your ears.
3. As you exhale, finish the backward rotation as you lower your shoulders to their original position.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3, reversing the direction of your shoulder rotation.
5. Repeat each rotation three or four times, and then relax your shoulders.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-3: The seated angle pose.

Getting rid of that pain in the neck

When the muscles in your neck get tight and stiff, they can interfere with all your upper body movements. This exercise knocks the kinks out of stiff necks to get you warmed up and ready for action.

This simple but powerful exercise helps you to release stress and tension from your neck, stimulating the nerves in your upper spine and the base of your skull. It’s also a great way to build strength and flexibility in all the muscles in your neck, leaving you less prone to future attacks of neck stiffness and pain. Best of all, this exercise is very relaxing.

Follow these steps to warm up your neck muscles:

1. Sit on the floor (or on the edge of a sturdy chair) with your spine straight and your shoulders back; relax your arms and rest your hands in your lap.

2. On an exhalation, tilt your head forward and let your chin drop to your chest.

   You feel the muscles in the back of your neck stretch.

3. Inhale, and lift your head back to its upright position.

4. Exhale, and tilt your head back as far as you can without hurting anything.

   You feel the muscles in the front of your neck and under your chin stretch.

5. Again, inhale and return your head to its upright position.
6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 four times, and then return to your original posture.
7. Exhale, and lower your head to your right shoulder; inhale, and raise your head to its original position.
8. Repeat Step 7, lowering your head to the left side on an exhalation and back to center on an inhalation.

9. Relax for 3 complete breaths.

   Use your yoga breathing technique for maximum benefit.

10. On an exhalation, turn your head to the right, keeping your head level as you gaze over your right shoulder; inhale, and turn your head to look straight ahead.
11. Repeat Step 10, turning your head and gazing to the left on an exhalation and back to center on an inhalation.
12. Finish by closing your eyes and relaxing for 3 complete breaths.

Playing with the kitty (cat stretch)

The movements of the cat stretch resemble a cat stretching out the kinks after a good long sleep. An excellent exercise for almost anyone, the cat stretch tones up your back muscles and can make your entire spine feel stronger and more flexible. If you suffer from minor back pain brought on by stress, over-activity, or bad posture, this exercise can help relieve that pain.

Follow these steps to imitate a cat:

1. Start from a kneeling position; sit back on your heels with your toes pointed backward, your back straight, your neck lengthened, and your head facing forward.
2. Lift your hips, and place your hands on the floor so that you’re resting on your hands and knees.

3. Keep your back straight but not rigid, and relax as you take 3 slow, deep breaths.

   Your body forms a table in this pose, as shown in Figure 2-4.

4. On an exhalation, arch your back like a cat.
5. Relax your neck as you drop your head downward and gaze toward your knees, as illustrated in Figure 2-5.
6. On an inhalation, lower your back, expanding your chest, and let your back arch downward as you bend your arms to lower your chest and bring your chin to rest on the floor between your hands, as shown in Figure 2-6.
7. Exhale, and slowly draw your body up to return to the arched-back position you entered in Step 4.

8. On an inhalation, sway your back downward again, but keep your arms straight and lift your head up as you extend your right leg back and up.

   If your back is arched properly and your leg and head are extended up, your body forms a smile in this phase of the cat stretch, as shown in Figure 2-7.

   Don’t swing or jerk into this posture: Try to keep your movements fluid and soft as you lift your head and extend your leg back and up.

9. On an exhalation, reverse the stretch; arch your back again and drop your head, bending your right knee into your chest

   Try to touch your nose with your knee, as illustrated in Figure 2-8.

10. Repeat Steps 8 and 9, extending your left leg back.

    Beginners should practice one or two repetitions with each leg; more experienced students can practice three or four rounds.

11. Sit back on your heels, and relax your torso onto your thighs; extend your arms by your sides, and rest your forehead on the floor, as illustrated in Figure 2-9.

    This posture, called the child’s posture, is a good resting posture.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-4: The table pose.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-5: The cat stretch with an arched back helps loosen the muscles in your back and shoulders.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-6: The cat stretch with a swayed back helps relieve tension in your spine.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-7: The cat stretch with the right leg back.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-8: The cat stretch with nose to knee.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-9: The child’s posture allows your muscles to rest after a good stretch.

Chasing the wild alley cat

Alley cats tend to be a bit sassy and wild, and as the name of this exercise implies, you have to try a bit harder to catch this cat. The alley cat begins with the cat stretch (see the preceding section), and it delivers all the benefits of that stretch. It also gives your arms and shoulders an energizing stretch, and it promotes flexibility in your hips and thighs.

A soft exercise mat is an important prop for this exercise to pad your knees from the floor and increase your stability.

This exercise is definitely for those with healthy lower backs. If you have a weak back or have had problems with your back, the alley cat isn’t for you.

These steps help you tame the alley cat:

1. Follow Steps 1 through 4 for the cat stretch; as you complete Step 4, you’re on your hands and knees, with your back arched and your head and hips tucked down (refer to Figure 2-5).
2. Inhale, and open your chest by pulling your shoulders back, arching your back, and expanding your chest as you lift your right arm up and forward in front of your head.
3. Lengthen your right arm upward on an inhalation.
4. At the same time, lift and extend your left leg behind your back, keeping your knee bent (see Figure 2-10).
5. Lower your extended hand and leg to the floor; reach behind your back with your left hand and grasp your right ankle.
6. Stretch your leg back and up as you hold this position for 2 complete breaths (see Figure 2-11).
7. On an inhalation, release and lower your leg, and then lower your back; let your back sway downward as you bend your arms to lower your chest and bring your chin to rest on the floor between your hands, gazing in front of you.
8. Exhale, and slowly draw your body up to return to the arched-back position you entered in Step 1.
9. Repeat Steps 2 through 8, using your right arm and left leg in Steps 4 and 5.
10. Finish by sitting back on your heels and relaxing your torso onto your thighs; extend your arms by your sides, and rest your forehead on the floor in the child’s posture (refer to Figure 2-9).

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-10: Scratching (and yowling) like an alley cat is a fun and energizing part of this exercise.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-11: This phase of the alley cat gives your torso, hips, and thighs an extra stretch.

Strengthening with push-ups

Power cat push-ups are quite a bit easier than traditional push-ups and have a yogic flavor. You practice traditional push-ups with your legs straight, but power cat push-ups let you rest on your knees, making them a little easier.

Power cat push-ups work to strengthen your shoulders, arms, and pectoral muscles. This exercise is a great way to prepare you for the Power Yoga vinyasas. The core of Power Yoga is these flowing movements that keep your muscles working and your energy flowing between yoga postures.

Use these steps to get the most out of your cat push-ups:

1. Form a “table” by supporting your body on your hands and knees, keeping your back straight but relaxed and your abdominal muscles firm to help support your back.
2. Move your arms forward about 6 inches, bend your elbows, interlace your fingers, and, on an exhalation, flatten your chin and entire torso down on to your extended hands (refer to Figure 2-6).
3. Inhale, and push your torso up to the arched-back cat position (refer to Figure 2-5).
4. Repeat this exercise three to ten times.
5. When you’re done, relax into the child’s posture, shown in Figure 2-9.

Standing Up, Warming Up

Standing warm-ups are every bit as invigorating and useful as the floor-based models. Those explained here help limber up your body to give you more freedom of movement and stability. And these warm-ups also help heat up your body’s “engine” to keep it running strongly and smoothly.

Spinning with the windmill

In the windmill, you swing the upper part of your body, down, around, and up, moving in a circular motion like a windmill. You can get some real mental relaxation in this exercise if you imagine that you’re a windmill turning softly in the breeze of a warm summer’s day.

The windmill helps to open the upper part of your body with gentle, flowing stretches. The spine is flexed and stimulated as you stretch the muscles of your back, stomach, and chest. This exercise brings a fresh supply of oxygenated blood to the brain, leaving you refreshed and invigorated.

Make like Don Quixote and chase windmills, using these steps:

1. Begin in a standing position with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart.
2. On an inhalation, raise your arms to reach up and over your head and expand your chest.
3. As you exhale, move your outstretched arms and torso down and to the left in a circular motion.

4. On an inhalation, lift your arms and torso up and to the right to complete the circle, as illustrated in Figure 2-12.

   At the end of this exercise, you end up where you started, with your arms stretched over your head.

5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4, circling your arms and torso in the opposite direction and performing two repetitions in each direction.

   To get the most out of this exercise, make sure to time your movement with your breath.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-12: The windmill stretches your back, flexes your spine, and gets your blood pumping.

Going into the deep lunge

The deep lunge (sirsangusthasana) creates great strength in your legs and, at the same time, opens and expands your chest. This exercise also increases the mobility of your ankles and helps release tension from your neck. You’ll notice that this posture gives you a sense of strength and self-confidence as your balance improves.

You can easily see where this pose gets its name; in Sanskrit, sirsa means “head” and angustha relates to your big toe.

Lunge into this warm-up by following these steps:

1. Start from a standing position with your legs firmly planted slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
2. Place your arms behind your back, interlock your fingers, and turn your left foot to the left.

3. Lift your arms up and behind you on an inhalation, expand your chest, and then exhale as you bend your left knee down, lowering your head and torso toward the toes of your left foot as shown in Figure 2-13.

   Try to keep your back straight, shoulders back, fingers interlaced, and arms lifted off your back. If you’re a beginner, you can rest your torso on your left thigh.

   Listen to your body. If this stretch is very painful or just too much for you, you can just lower your nose toward your knee. This modification puts less strain on your back and legs.

4. Hold this position for 3 complete breaths, and then lift up to the center on an inhalation.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4, lunging to the right.

Photograph by Raul Marroquin

Figure 2-13: The deep lunge stretches your back and legs.

Expanding the toe touch

This exercise expands your chest and stretches your arm and leg muscles. This simple warm-up is excellent for toning and strengthening your back, as well as warming up your body.

Reach for your toes, not the stars, following these steps:

1. Start in the expanded mountain posture.

   Stand up straight, with your shoulders back and your feet about 4 feet apart. Turn your toes slightly inward and heels outward, grounding yourself into the earth. Then rest your arms by your sides and relax.

2. Bend your left elbow, and place your hand on your hip; inhale as you lift your right arm up straight over your right shoulder.

3. Exhale, and lower your right arm as you fold forward at your waist, trying to touch your left toes with your right hand.

   If you aren’t very flexible, bend your knees slightly. If you’re more flexible, keep your legs straight.

4. Inhale, and come to a standing position as you lift your arm over your right shoulder and stretch toward the ceiling.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 five times, and then lower your arms to your sides and return to the expanded mountain pose in Step 1.
6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5, lifting your left arm and touching your right toes.