It’s been a wonderful last few days, I was feeling fit after my back episode earlier this month, but also heeding my body’s request – which was made so painfully clear – to remember to slow down and take rest too. So I was very careful to intersperse my skiing with gentle yoga to help restore and refresh my muscles. I took a class with my friend Jessica, who owns Be The Change yoga studio, where I also teach in Boz. Lucky me, that day the focus was plenty of gentle backbends, twists and lunges – just what I needed. I’m loving the supported lunge we did, so wanted to share it here.

You can do this lunge with or without the block; it is more intense without.

• From sitting on your heels, bring your right knee forward, and line it up directly over your ankle.
• Move your left knee way behind your left hip, so that you can feel the stretch in the front of the left hip (you can adjust this to be more or less).
• Option: take a yoga block and put it under your right sit bone (the tall way); the longer edges of the top of the block should line up with where your bum meets your leg. It should feel supportive.
• Use your hands to gently press off your right thigh, to lift the upper body and straighten the spine. Be sure not to hunch your shoulders here.
• Option to intensify: take your right elbow just above your knee for support. Reach back with your left hand for your left foot; be careful not to be right on the kneecap here, move your knee back so that the softer area just above the kneecap is on the floor.
• Slowly move your hips forward to deepen the pose. Repeat sequence on the other side.

I definitely recommend using the block to make this lunge lovely. Namaste.