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Goes over the basics of a sun salutation that you will find in the warm ups of pretty much any yoga class that is considered power flow or flow or ashtanga based.

Yoga is great for strengthening the muscles supporting the spine. It is also great for aligning each of the vertebrae with all the twisting and bending and stretching done in yoga. It is the only form of movement that can get at the spine. Running, spinning, lifting, crossfit, all these things are good, but they can not help your spine the way a regular yoga practice can. Incorporate this routine in your daily practice and you will find more strength in your spine. 10 minutes a day can keep you from seeing the chiropractor for a lifetime.

Kapalbhati pranayama breathing Increases capacity of the lungs. Helps with digestion. Gets rid of stale air. Done at the end of class the Breath of Fire known as Skull shining is the final exercise in the sequence. Enjoy this demonstration

Differences in a class called vinyasa or flow or power flow vs any other style of class. This goes over the most common vinyasa you will find in a vinyasa class. Simple and easy to understand

This short yoga pose demonstration video is one of my favorite core poses called navasana (boat pose). I believe this pose is used in Pilates and called the "teaser". It is excellent for building core strength. I cue it in almost every class I teach. Do it while watching TV or any time you have a few minutes to take a seat.

sun salutation b is another warm up exercise typically done after sun salutation a. This version gets deeper into the hips and builds up a little bit more inner heat. The demonstration helps you understand what to expect in a yoga class. It isn't challenging to do the poses but it does make you get out of breath if you do them quickly enough

Practicing yoga in the morning helps set your day off right. You can do this morning series anywhere. . . even in your bed. It takes 5 minutes and it can make a big difference in your day. Enjoy this video and let me know if you have questions.

Hip opening sequence if you only have a few minutes in your day. It is a good idea to focus on your hips if you sit a lot in an office or drive a lot. We hold a lot of tension in the hips. If you just do this 10 minute program you will find much more comfort during your day.

The wrists get a lot of pressure in a vinyasa or power flow class. Spreading the fingers can help protect the wrists by distributing the weight evenly. But warming up the wrists will help to prevent injuries to any of the small bones in your wrists. Do these warmups when you are starting a lengthy power flow class with inversions and arm balances.

Vinyasa (plank, chataranga,, updog, downdog is the sequence of poses that link different sets of poses together in a power flow or vinyasa class. This video explains the proper breathing technique along with the movement so that you can get the most out of your vinyasa and practice.

Brian Thacker demonstration of a typical power flow class. Video designed for potential students as well as possible employers.

I'm posting this description years after making this video. This is the more traditional sun salutation that many people in India use. The sun Salutation A and Sun Salutation B that I normally do and use is taken directly from the Ashtanga series of yoga. This variation is a little bit different. It gets deeper into the hips a little bit more. I've heard these variations called "moon salutation" or maybe even sun salutation C. At any rate all sun salutations are great for a full body program. Surya Namaskar can be done for anyone at any level.

Practice realigning body's "plumb line" using inhale breath to facilitate spinal elongation creating space & unbinding then exhaling & revolving like a spindle. Leaning hip & back against wall allows for deeper stretch without falling over. Firmly planting rear foot heel against adjacent wall for additional leverage & stability- sorry forgot to show that. Helps cultivate awareness of asymmetries & alleviate back pain.

Song: "Cantina Band" piano duet played by Martin Spitznagel & Bryan Wright