MIMI  LIU  WORKS  

Yoga I:

 

-Start in Child's pose, then, rock side to side

-All 4s Cat and Cows

-Arms and Legs balances, move into R arm reach up to thread the needle; Change sides+arm circles

-Down Dog, walk it!

-To mountain Flows 4 times+back bends

-To 3 legged dogs/scorpion/knee to nose, then set shin and knee on mat, transition to modified side planks+ arm circles

-3 legged down dog to standing postures, to crescent moon, arch back, lengthen to flight x 3 to build leg strength, transition to warrior 2, reverse warrior, to side angle x 3. Shin to mat, vinyasa * Other side.

-Knee to nose, knee to elbow, then set foot into low lunge, move into pyramid stretch, go straight into half moon, to standing splits, then to warrior 2, straighten front leg to triangle, reverse triangle, flow to mat, *Other side.

-Chair, chair prayer twist, vinyasa.

-Scorpion dog, to mountain, to chair, to eagle, or tree.

-Vinyasa. 

-Stretch R leg open to 2nd on mat, L leg tuck fold into R thigh. Face R leg, fold forward, breathe. Come up, flow the L arm up and bring it back to the L side/sits bone and arch the spine straight up, reach R arm up, hips lifts straight up. *Other side.

-Final savasana. 

 

Yoga II:

 

-Start in a sitting position, hands rests on knees, eyes closed. breathe. 

-To table, arm/leg balances, to grab foot.

-To child pose, side to side

-Back to table, tuck toes under to down dog. Walk the dog

-To mountain, to heart center to mountain to swan dive down to forward fold, 1/2 way lift, fold, to chaturanga, to down dog.

-To crescent lunge, straighten leg, back to crescent 5 times, to crescent twist, hold! To exhaled!!

-Back to crescent, then into standing R leg balance, knee to chest, then open to the side, you can hold foot with fingers and extend and balance. Back to center, and mountain.

-Other side

-Step to the side of the mat, warrior 2, to reverse, to side angle, to warrior 2 to triangle; Other side.

-To tree pose

-To a chair, prayer twist to the R, then to the left, then back to chair, and pivot at the hips, fold.

-Into Star, and fold forward, to frog, to jazz side to side squats.

-Release and back to mountain.

 

 

Hip Opener Exercise:

 

It is known that many of our negative emotions are stored within our hips, meaning that the stress and tension that we hold tends to build up in the hip joint, thus, creating a lot of tightness within this tender area of the body.

 

Here are 2 exercises (after you do a warm-up), inspired by yoga, to alleviate this cringe-like feeling:

 

-From crescent lunge R leg front, go into a prayer twist, after 5 breaths, frame the front foot and slide into half moon, then evolve into a twisted half moon with the opposite arm (R) reaching for the ceiling, come down to a deep lunge with the back knee on the floor, breathe, and shift back into a half split, hold in this position for about 20 seconds, shift your weight back onto the front foot and place your R hand onto your R knee to wiggle out the hip joint, feel the stretch in the L hip socket. Step into forward fold. Other side. 

 

-From down-dog, raise the R leg high, and bring in the the R leg to the R elbow, drop the foot on the floor and come into pigeon pose. Stay here for about a minute, and do the same on the other side.

 

-Finish in the straddle position where the legs are open to the sides, and slowly lowering your body in front of you.