- Welcome to Fightmaster Yoga
where you don't have to be perfect
and it's not just about the pose.
Hi, I'm Lesley Fightmaster.
Begin sitting tall, deepen your breath.
Take your fingertips to the
earth to feel more grounded.
This 30-minute total body yoga workout
will make you feel strong
as you twist and stretch.
The backbends will energize you,
but most importantly, you'll feel better.
Bring your hands together
in front of your hearts.
May you give this world good energy today.
Inhale the future.
Exhale the past.
Quiet your mind, free your body.
Roll yourself forward
and come into Child's Pose
with your arms extended.
Arms, shoulders-distance apart.
Point your thumbs up to the sky
so you can roll your outer-upper
arms toward the earth,
and then take your palms flat.
Deep Ujjayi breaths, in
and out through your nose.
Relax around your neck,
and as you inhale, come on to the knees.
Bring your chest forward,
lift your chin, tailbone up.
Exhale, round your
back, chin toward chest,
slowly taking hips to heels.
We're gonna do this slower each time.
See if you can take a deeper breath.
Inhale, keep inhaling as you come forward.
Widen your collarbones, look up,
and then exhale
slowly as you move your
hips back to the heels.
Hold the breath out a moment.
Last one, longest breath, inhale.
Long smooth inhale as you come forward.
Bring your heart forward
through the gates of the arms
and long exhale as you round
your back, chin toward chest.
Pull your belly in,
lift your pelvic floor.
At the bottom of your exhale,
draw your belly in a
little bit more and pause,
and then inhale, on to the knees.
Tuck your toes, stretch into Down Dog.
Keep your knees a little
bit soft to begin.
Arms shoulders-distance, feet hips-width,
and then start to bend one knee
and the other, bicycling your legs,
as you stretch your
hamstrings, your calves,
in your first Down Dog.
Keep your arms and ears in
line, and then bend both knees.
Keep your hips high as you stretch back
as much as you comfortably can.
Remember as you practice,
work at about 80% of your capacity.
That will keep your body safe.
Keep your breath smooth and steady,
and then inhale, on to the toes,
exhale everything out.
Step your feet toward your hands.
Inhale, again, come halfway up, lengthen,
and then fold forward,
bending the knees as needed.
Now rooting down through
your feet, rise up.
Inhale, look up, lengthen.
Keep your ribs and belly in,
and exhale, hands to heart.
Feet hips (mumbles) distance apart,
or big toes touching,
heels slightly apart,
standing in Tadasana.
Inhale, sweep your arms up.
Exhale, hinge from your
hip creases to fold.
Let your head hang.
Inhale,
halfway lift.
Exhale, bend the knees, plant the palms.
Step your right foot
back, right knee down,
and pad it up as needed.
Inhale, reach up.
Pull the left hip back.
Keep the ribs and belly in.
Exhale, bring the hands
down, step to Plank.
Knees can be up or down here.
Shift your shoulders
forward, hug the elbows in,
lower all in one piece to your belly.
Hands by low ribs,
inhale, peel the chest up,
pull the hands toward the
feet, exhale, release.
Tuck the toes, knees can be up or down.
Take a breath in, exhale to Plank,
and then lift back into Down Dog.
As you take your next
inhale, right leg lifts.
Keep the hips level.
As you exhale,
step it up by the right
hand, left knee down.
Pad up that knee as needed.
Inhale, reach up, Low Lunge.
Pull your right hip back.
Lift your frontal hip points
towards your lower ribs.
Exhale the hands to the mat.
As you inhale, step
your left foot forward.
Come halfway up, Arda Uttanasana.
Exhale, fold into Uttanasana.
Inhale, press through the feet,
and rise up, Urdhva Hastasana.
Exhale, Samastithihi.
Now we'll start with the left leg.
Inhale, reach your arms high.
Exhale, hinge from the
hip creases and fold.
As you inhale, come halfway up, lengthen.
Exhale, bend the knees, plant the palms.
Step the left foot back, left knee down.
Pad it up if you need.
Rise up on your inhale,
pulling right hip back.
Now take your left arm
forward and reach it,
and then bend the elbow
and press your palms together for a twist.
Keep that right hip pulling back.
As you inhale, lengthen
through your spine,
and as you exhale, turn and
twist through your rib cage.
Take another breath here,
and then release it.
Step back into Plank.
Again, knees can be up or down.
Shift about an inch forward
with your shoulders.
Slowly lower all the way down
in one piece on your belly.
Hands by low ribs again,
roll the shoulders away.
Inhale, baby Cobra,
or you can do higher Cobra,
but pull the belly in,
lengthen your buns to
the backs of the knees,
then lower all the way down.
Tuck the toes under, knees, up or down.
Big breath in,
and then exhale to Plank
Pose all the way up.
Lift your hips, and Down Dog.
On your next inhale,
lift the left leg up with level hips.
Looking forward,
step it all the way
through by the left hand.
Right knee down, pad it up as needed,
rise up as you inhale,
sinking forward, but lengthening
through your low back.
Pulling the left hip back
as you reach right arm forward,
and bend the elbow, press
your palms together and twist.
Breathing here, every inhale,
create length from your waist
through the crown of your head
and then every exhale,
turn through the rib cage.
Release any tension around your neck.
Come back to center, palms flat,
and step your right foot to the front.
Inhale, halfway lift.
Fold on your exhale.
Pressing through the
feet, inhale to rise up.
Exhale, bring palms together.
To the top of the mat again,
we'll sit back, inhale,
Utkatasana, Chair Pose,
then exhale, belly to thighs,
and strengthen the legs any amount.
Come halfway up, inhale.
As you exhale, step to Plank.
Knees, up or down, Chaturanga.
Inhale, Upward Dog, or
Cobra if you prefer.
Thighs and knees are
off the mat in Up Dog.
Down Dog, exhale.
Right away, step your right foot up,
swing your back heel down, Warrior I.
Make sure right knee is over the ankle.
Exhale, lower back down
through Chaturanga.
Inhale, pressing into Upward
Dog, shoulders above wrists.
Exhale, stretch to Down Dog.
And right away, left foot steps
forward, right heel is down.
Rise up, Warrior I, left knee over ankle.
Exhale, ride the breath
down through Chaturanga.
On your inhale, open your hearts,
roll the shoulder heads back a little.
Exhale, Downward-Facing Dog
and we'll stay and breathe.
Anytime you need a break,
push that pause button,
take a Child's Pose.
Your breath is a great
indicator of how you're working.
If it gets away from you,
it's too much effort.
So listen to your breath,
listen to your body.
Inhale, on to the toes.
Exhale everything out.
Lift the belly and pelvic
floor, lightly step or hop.
Inhale, lengthen the spine.
Fold as you exhale, and then
bend the knees, drop your hips,
inhaling, Utkatasana, weight in the heels,
and to stance, Samastithihi.
We're gonna do a little
variation on the Surya B.
Inhale, again, bend the
knees, draw up the hips.
Weight in the heels,
sink down a little lower, a little lower,
a little lower, coming
all the way to the buns.
You can take your hands down first,
and then sit right into Navasana.
Make sure your spine is not rounded.
So lift your chest and pull your belly in.
Knees can be bent or
straight as you breathe here.
Draw your low belly in, lift
up through your pelvic floor,
and cross at your ankles, hands
just in front of the hips,
pick up anything at all,
roll forward, step or hop, Chaturanga.
Inhale, press through the hands and feet.
Exhale, Down Dog.
Again, right away, right
foot steps back, heel down.
Inhale, Warrior I, heel-to-heel
or wider for your hips.
Exhale,
Chaturanga.
Inhale, pressing Up Dog
or stick with Cobra.
Exhale, stretch, Downward Dog.
Left foot steps back, heel is down.
Rise up on your inhale, Virabhadrasana I,
and exhale, lower back down, Chaturanga,
or feel free to skip it.
Inhale, pressing up,
and exhale, stretch all the way back,
again, evening out your breath here.
Arms and ears in line,
draw your lower belly in and
up and draw your front ribs in.
Press the weight up through your hips,
and then reach it down through your heels
and tell yourself that
you're doing an amazing job.
Say, I am doing an amazing
job, because you are.
Take another long breath here,
and then inhale on to
the balls of the feet.
Exhale it out, keep your hips high,
look past the fingers,
lightly step or hop.
Lengthen the spine, inhale.
Fold forward, exhale.
Inhale, bend the knees, drop the hips,
and reach up, weight into the heels,
and to stand, Samastithihi.
One more,
a lot like the other one.
As you inhale, sit back,
weight into the heels.
Draw your belly in, sit a little deeper,
and a little deeper.
Keep that weight in the heels.
Maybe you won't use the hands this time.
Come right into Boat Pose, Navasana.
Squeeze your knees together.
Inhale, right leg straight, then bend it.
Inhale, left leg straight, exhale, bend.
Inhale, right,
exhale, bend.
Inhale, left, exhale, bend.
Right leg straight, and bend it.
Left leg straight, and bend it.
Keep your spine long, both
legs straight if you can.
Lift and widen your collarbones,
breathe, breathe, and release.
Cross the ankles, pick up anything at all,
step or float, Chaturanga.
Inhale to press up.
Exhale, stretch all the way back.
Right away again, right foot steps back,
heel is down, Warrior I, inhale,
and then exhale, ride your breath down,
shoulders no lower than the elbows.
Inhale, keep your belly lifted in Up Dog.
Exhale to Down Dog.
Left foot steps back, heel is down.
Rise up, Warrior I,
stretch tall.
As you exhale, release back down,
skip the Chaturanga if
you wish or go for it.
Inhale, Upward Dog or Cobra,
and exhale, use your belly
muscles, stretch to Down Dog.
Even out your breath here.
Pay attention to how you're breathing.
If you need a break, take it.
And while you're here,
tell yourself how strong you are.
Say to yourself,
oops, exhale everything
out and come to the knees,
and then say, I am strong.
Now spin your inner thighs back.
Bring your hands to your low ribs.
Roll your shoulder heads back
and begin to lean back, little by little.
Lift frontal hip bones toward low ribs.
If it's okay for you to reach your heels,
then reach the heels,
but you don't have to.
Let your head go back any amount.
Keep lengthening your sitting bones
toward the backs of your knees.
Pull your belly in a lot.
Lift your pelvic floor.
Spine those inner thighs
back as you breathe.
Come up, both shoulders at the same time.
Take your hands to the mat, come to Plank.
Exhale, Chaturanga.
Inhaling for Upward Dog and
exhaling for Downward Dog.
Ustrasana Pose, little Camel Pose,
thrown in just in the middle.
Even out your breath again,
feeling the energy
moving through your body
from that little Camel Pose.
Inhale, come on to the balls of the feet.
Exhale everything out,
step or hop forward.
Lengthen as you inhale,
and fold in, exhale.
Bend the knees, drop the hips.
Inhale, come to Chair Pose.
Reaching up, lengthen
through your sitting bones.
Now hands to heart, lean forward,
hook your left arm across.
Make sure your knees are in line.
So pull that left hip back.
Keep the weight in the heels.
You can keep your hands at heart center
or left hand to the floor, right arm up.
Now little trickiness here.
So we're gonna keep the
weight in that right foot.
Step your left foot back for a High Lunge.
Adust as needed.
Hands can be together or you can keep
that left hand down, right arm up.
Pull the right hip back
and drop it down as you breathe here.
Now look down.
We're gonna windmill the arms up.
Take the back heel down,
line up heel to arch
and come to Warrior II.
Make sure your right
knee is above the ankle
and point it over your middle toes,
gazing over your fingertips.
Soften around your neck,
then drop the left arm, reverse.
Exhale, bend your right knee.
Keep reversing, and now slowly
straighten your right leg.
Exhale here,
and then inhale, come up,
setting for Triangle Pose.
Shorten the stance if you like.
Hinge from your hip crease,
reach, reach, reach out, and then down.
Wherever that right hand falls is perfect.
Stretch up through the left arm,
and then a little tiny backbend here.
Start to reach your left
arm behind you in space,
but keep your right hip drawing under you
and keep firming into the big
toe mound of the right foot.
Firm your leg muscles,
but soften your knees.
Look down to the mat, both
hands down, Plank Pose.
Exhale, Chaturanga.
Inhale, full breath in for your Up Dog.
Exhale, Down Dog.
Just a breath here.
We'll inhale, come on to the toes.
Exhale it all out, keep the hips high.
Step or hop, inhale, halfway lift.
Fold, Uttanasana, exhale,
and then inhale to bend your knees
and drop your hips, Chair Pose again.
Sitting in the heels, bring
your hands to heart center.
Lean forward to hook the right arm across.
Check out your knees.
If your right knee went ahead of the left,
pull the right hip back.
You can keep palms together
or right hand can come to the
earth, left arm to the sky.
Start to ground down
through that left foot.
Step your right foot
back when you're ready.
Might need to do a little adjusting.
Remember hands could be at heart center
or you can keep that right
hand down, left arm up.
Keep pulling the left hip back
'cause remember we wanna
twist from above the waist,
breathing here.
Nice work, my friend.
Now look to the floor.
Take your back heel down and,
whoop, back to Warrior II.
Not as graceful as I
would've liked it to be,
but hey, we got there.
Make sure you're lined up heel to arch
and the left knee's over the ankle.
Point it over the middle toes.
Draw in through the low
belly, the pelvic floor,
and widen across your heart.
Soften around the neck.
Drop the right arm, reverse.
Bending into the left knee, exhale.
Slowly straighten the left leg.
Inhale here, exhale and come on up.
Set up for Triangle Pose.
Still heel to arch, reach, reach, reach.
Through the left hand, take
it down wherever it lands,
shin, foot, floor, block,
reach through the right arm.
Take an inhale,
and then reach that right arm back
so you're getting a little backbend.
It's almost as if you could turn your
whole chest to face the sky.
Looking up, unless it bothers your neck,
you can always look forward or down.
Keep that left hip underneath you.
Look to the floor, bend
the knee, step back,
Chaturanga, exhale.
Inhale, Upward-Facing Dog,
and exhale, Downward-Facing Dog.
Stretching back, we'll stay
here for a few breaths.
So once again, come back to your breath.
Even it out.
And
if you're still here,
don't forget to stay all
the way through Shavasana.
It is the most important
part of your practice.
Come way up on to the toes, exhale it out.
Step or hop, and sit.
We're gonna make our way on to the back,
use your hands, or not,
for our Bridge Pose.
Make sure the outer edges
of the feet are parallel,
heels under knees.
Now inhale, tilting the pelvis up,
low back, mid back, maybe upper back.
And you can grab the sides of the mat
and pull or interlace your fingers,
spiral your inner thighs down and lengthen
your buns toward the backs of your knees.
Keep your neck long as you breathe here.
Steady Ujjayi breath.
Release any tension in your jaw.
Come on down.
Soles of feet together, knees apart.
Inhale health.
Exhale peace.
Inhale peace.
Exhale healing.
Inhale healing,
and exhale peace.
Bring your knees back up.
So we're gonna do some more bridges.
Very slowly,
we'll inhale and come slowly
slowly up into Bridge.
You can roll your shoulders a
little bit, but don't clasp,
and then as you exhale,
begin to slowly lower down.
When you just feel the floor,
you'll inhale and slowly
lift up again into Bridge.
Lengthen butt to backs of knees.
Exhale slower as you
lower down.
Inhale, begin to lift again.
Did I mention to do it slowly?
Exhale, come down.
Slowly,
one vertebra
at a time.
As soon as you feel the
floor there, inhale,
press down into the heels
and start to slowly come back up.
Spin the inner thighs down.
Keep your neck long.
Exhale,
long breath as you come down,
vertebra, by vertebra, by vertebra,
slightly touching the floor,
and then rise up again,
inhale a big breath.
Keep the belly lifted,
pull those front ribs in,
and then we'll hold here a moment.
See if you can lift your
upper back a little more
so your chest starts to move
a bit closer toward your chin,
and then release down.
Soles of feet together, knees apart,
close your eyes, breathe
into your open heart center,
and think of three things
you're grateful for.
Last backbend,
take your feet back to
hip socket-distance apart.
So you can come into Bridge
Pose all the way up and hold
or take your hands up by
your ears if you take Urdhva.
Come on to the crown of your head.
Line up wrists with elbows.
Make sure those elbows don't
splay out and press up.
Make sure the outer edges
of your feet stay parallel,
inner thighs spinning down.
Lengthen your sitting bones
towards the backs of your knees.
Press your bottom tips
of your shoulder blades
towards your chest.
Breathe, stretching the
whole front of your body.
Beautiful open heart energy.
Take your chin to your chest and lower.
Hug your knees in
and rock.
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Either roll to your right to come up
or roll up and down your spine
to come all the way up to seated,
extending the legs, and
then Baddha Konasana,
soles of feet together, knees apart.
Sit nice and tall, inhale.
Hinge from your hip creases as you exhale.
Try to come forward with a very long spine
instead of rounding it,
although we will do that in a moment.
So your outer thighs spin
down toward the earth,
and then keep leading
with your chest gently
and soften around your neck.
Deep, deep breaths.
Inhale, make your way up.
Now slide your feet forward,
about 12 inches or so,
and then round down your
forehead to your feet
and just be sure your shoulders
are not creeping up by the ears.
I know mine have a tendency to do that.
Just allow yourself
to relax in this forward fold
so you can release any
tension in your back.
Inhale to make your way up
and we're gonna come
into Upavistha Konasana.
So I'm gonna turn to the
long side of the mat.
You can join me in that or not.
It's up to you.
Point your toes and
knees up toward the sky.
Bring your hands behind you, sit tall.
Bring your right hand in
front of your right foot.
Leaning over, reach left arm up,
or you can take your left arm across
and hold the foot with both hands.
Try to bring your bottom
side of the rib cage forward
and the top side back toward the sky,
maybe looking up, but if
that bothers your neck,
you can let your head go.
Inhale to come up
and sitting tall,
and then left hand to the
inside of the left ankle
and stretch your right arm up.
If you like take your right arm across,
maybe you can find that foot there
and just try and lengthen
through the side body,
but soften around the neck
so that your shoulders
aren't again up around your ears.
Feel free to look forward or down.
Firm your legs,
but press those heels down
so you can soften the knees
and make sure they don't
lock up, we don't want 'em to lock.
Inhale, make your way up.
Again, hands behind you, sitting tall.
You can stay right here or
walk your fingertips forward,
hinging from your hip creases
and making your way forward any amount.
So just allow yourself to breathe here
and if it seems like going
deeper works with your breath,
then gently move deeper.
If it doesn't seem like
that's happenin' today,
don't force it.
It's a process
and it can take,
well, it takes what it takes.
And I can tell you this, slow is real,
and it took me a very long time
to be able to come this far forward
and I have touched my chest
all the way down to the earth
and I can tell you, there's
no enlightenment there.
So there's no rush.
Make your way up as you inhale.
And if you want sideways,
you can face the front of the mat again,
and roll yourself on to your back,
with or without your hands.
Use your hands if you've got back issues.
Hug the right knee in, exhale.
Take it to the left and twist.
Look over your right shoulder.
Deep breaths here as you turn
your belly up toward the ceiling,
just a short twist.
The left leg can be straight or bent.
It's up to you.
Inhale to center, hug the left
knee in, extending the right.
Exhale, guide it over to the
right side and look left.
As you take your deep breaths,
turn your belly up toward the sky.
Release any tension in your
jaw, in your shoulders,
and that right leg can
be bent or straight.
User's choice.
Inhale, make your way to center.
Hug your knees in one more time,
this time lengthening sitting
bones toward the earth.
Take your feet down
and keep lengthening through the low back.
Draw shoulder blades
gently toward the waist.
Let your feet flop in or
out, whatever's comfortable.
Palms facing up, arms away from you.
Release any tension in your jaw.
Our quote comes from Swami Satchidananda.
"Yoga believes in
transforming the individuals
"before transforming the world.
"Whatever change we want to happen outside
"should happen within."
Quiet mind.
Quiet body.
Shavasana, rest.
Wherever you are, take a
slightly deeper breath in.
Exhale, start to move
your hands and your feet.
Stretch out through
your arms and your legs,
and then inhale, bend your knees.
As you exhale, roll to your
right, pause and honor yourself,
thank yourself for showing up today.
Use your left hand to carefully
make your way up to seated,
crossing at the shins, hands together.
Bring your hands to your forehead,
reminding you to have
clear and loving thoughts.
Hands to your heart,
reminding you to have clear
and loving intentions.
And hands to your mouth,
reminding you to have clear
and loving communications.
Sending all this positive energy
out to all beings everywhere, namaste.
Your core muscles, your bandhas,
are what give you strength
throughout your entire body.
They are so important to develop.
I've created a special class just for you.
The link is right below
in the description.
It's also pinned to the
top of the comments.
If you enjoyed today's
total body yoga workout,
you're gonna love this one.
Everybody really enjoys it.
So save it for later or you
could practice it right now.
