First section

The first section is composed by Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 and it includes yog-asana entailing an extended and open body shape. Lower limbs and upper limbs diverge from the central line either on the sagittal or frontal planes, or away from armpits and groins.

Part 3 includes more complex standing asanas with an additional challenge for balance, stability and compactness. In particular, the first two asanas - Vriksasana and Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana - are proposed with a support for the higher leg which gives more stability and access to the hip rotation.

In Vriksasana, the shinbone can press into the viparta karani box, while in Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana is by pressing the top part of the knee that the femur can be nicely drawn into the socket and the hip fixed in its own place.

Viceversa, in the Utthita Hasta Padangustasana series, I’m using the quarter round brick for two main purposes. In fact, while on one hand the brick creates an instability in the standing leg which challenges the equilibrium and trains it to a higher level, on the other hand it also allows to gain elevation and lightness in the position thanks to a better positioning of the sitting bones and pelvis extending the spine higher up.