Low Back Love

A relaxing and strengthening six-class yoga + movement series aimed at helping you find your body’s compensation patterns so you can (gently, but surely) shift the way your low back feels over time. Build the confidence that your body CAN support you well in life, as you move in a variety of ways. All levels welcome.

#1 – Foundations

48 min

This first class sets the foundation for exploring spinal steadiness and movement so your low back can feel better. We start with breathwork, developing our ability to breath fully through the torso, then start to work with pelvic tilt/tucks and Pelvic Clocks. We’ll continue to explore moving arms and legs and spine, bouncing between moving the spine with ease and steadying the spine as the arms and legs move. Our practice culminates with a Tiny Marching and Leg Slides, and then stretch out a little before we rest in Savasana. Two blankets/towels, 2 tennis or massage balls, and either a blanket for hardwood floors or sliders/paper plates for carpet are recommended.

#2 – Feeling Inside and Out

47 min

In this class, we review several movements from the foundational class, and add a few more. Develop stamina in the muscles that support the low back through this work, which includes Tiny Marching, Clamshells, Side-Lying Leg Lifts, and Mini Hip Rolls with a block/ball. All of this practice helps us get in touch with how we feel inside our bodies (interoception) and how our bodies meet the world (proprioception), which gives us greater agency for feeling BETTER.

#3 – Harness the Power of the Pelvis

44 min

A big part of feeling great in the low back is being able to rely on the strength and support of the lower body: the pelvis, the glutes, and the hamstrings. This practice builds on the previous two practices to review and to establish core & spinal integration. Then you’ll learn some moves to focus on how to harness the power of the pelvis to support the spine as you move around in gravity. We end with a lovely seated twist before we rest. A resistance band is an optional prop for this practice.

#4 – Move Your Spine

46 min

Now that we have established some foundational strength in the “core” and the lower body, it’s time to explore some movements in the spine. Rotate, side bend, forward fold, and extend your spine in pain-free ranges of motion with an attitude of exploration and discovery. This class invites you to progress into other variations of movements we’ve done in previous classes if you’re ready, and I’ll remind you that you always have the choice to stay working at a level that is just challenging enough for YOU so you can build strength from a place that feels safe and relaxed. You’ll need a chair and a yoga strap/belt. Optional: resistance loop, blanket/bolster.

#5 – Hip Hinging

46 min

Start with some self-massage for the back of the hips and the IT Band, and then we’ll review Pelvic Tilts/Tucks and Mini Hip Rolls to get the legs engaged and the low back moving. This class culminates with how to hinge at the hips and fold forward, which is a very functional skill to have for every day life. We end with a little stretch and a well-deserved rest. Helpful props include a foam roller, tennis / self-massage balls, and a chair.

#6 – Practice Makes Permanent

48 min

As the last class in this six-week Low Back Love series, we review much of what we’ve learned in the previous sessions so we can repeat, refine, and PRACTICE in order to shift into new patterning, which can really help our bodies feel better. I’ll invite you to add or subtract from poses, either by changing position, adding or taking away complexity, or adding resistance and load. Practicing doesn’t make perfect; rather, practicing makes permanent. So be cognizant of what you’re practicing, and give yourself just the right level of effort and the right level of challenge so you can feel strong, both physically and emotionally/mentally. Props for this class (optional): Strap/belt, a tennis or massage ball, resistance loops, blanket/bolster, and a chair.