I like to have a theme for a month when teaching yoga. It helps keep me focused on one area and hopefully you see the benefits over that period of time, increased skill, strength, clarity etc.
For January that was legs, over the course of month sequences had in them different ways to strengthen and use your legs in a yoga practice. This included actions like adding in a squatting action or moving deliberately slowly in various transitions, but also the isometric strengthening of holding a position for a while. Typically in January that was standing and balancing poses, adding demand as the sequence progressed.
And to add another layer here, how we stand, walk, run, generally carry ourselves about in this world is using our legs. I would argue that having strong, functional, powerful legs can translate to every day movements feeling easier, for example stairs, squatting down, general balance and feeling ‘good on your feet’.
Also, just a thought here, our legs developed as the stress put upon them in childhood to stand and walk and explore, to be more free to move independently. If we can embody those qualities through experimenting with movements that are foreign, with slower transitions, stronger actions and beautiful gliding movements in a yoga practice perhaps we can get a bit of that excitement and freedom.
Below is a short practice with a few ideas, I would encourage you to expand and add as you go, hold different positions for longer, add in vinyasas of any kind, go for another family of poses like inversions but place your focus and awareness on your legs.
