Hello curious person
Have you ever tackled something outside your comfort zone in your yoga practice? I did just that this February with my Casually Core theme. And, let me tell you - I've fallen hard for it. In yoga, the core often brings to mind boat pose, which, as you know if you've been around for a while, isn't exactly my favourite. So, I usually steer clear of focusing on it. But I was brave and I forced myself beyond my comfort zone to teach a month that focused on the core.
One of the big things that I wanted when I renamed my classes was to experiment more. In January, we focused a lot on longer holds and working from the floor up (I’ll link my reflections from January at the bottom). In February, I wanted to take things to the next level - introducing more layers to our practice.
The first 20 (ish) minutes of classes consisted around variations of a very similar move. We established a foundational movement that everything else built upon. This foundational pose consisted of exhaling to wrap the elbows, push the lower back towards the ground and peel the shoulders away from the ground. Then inhaling to lower down, creating space between the lower back and the ground whilst throwing those elbows open wide. For simplicity, let’s call this a curl up.
The class opened with some pelvic tilts and simple twists to warm up and then we went straight into it. Using the breath to guide the movement. It looked something like this...
Curl up, bridge, curl up with a knee to chest, full body stretch, curl up and shift the weight into a shoulder blade to twist, side body stretch, curl up with a twist and a knee to chest, supine cobbler's pose, curl up with both knees to chest, instinctive counter movements and finally a curl up with the shoulders twists in one direction and the legs going in the opposite.
This covered the first 20 minutes of class and I know it sounds like a lot. The reality is that I was looking for this layered approach and it offered that perfectly. It was very easy for people to move as much as they wanted to because they were always in control of how much they lifted their shoulders in the curl up. This repetition always offered a sense of mastery, over the space of three weeks we explored this movement time and time again. Finally, people could take a previous option whenever they wanted to or rest at any point. It became everything I wanted it to be.
Once we’d finished with this portion of the class, it was really about finding different movements that continued to focus on the trunk of the body in a tabletop, kneeling and standing position. A shout-out to the balance/coordination drill we did - intense focus followed by some unexpected directional instructions (yes, I may have barked random directions for 60 seconds). Cue the laughter, once we had both feet on the ground again.
The best part, or the hidden gem as I’ve coined it in a social media post, was the chunk of Yoga Nidra at the end. We built heat, we moved, we challenged ourselves. And then we could crash down to the ground and completely decompress. It was bliss. Also, it was a great way to introduce some new people to aspects of Yoga Nidra.
I have to admit, this month really surprised me. Stepping outside my comfort zone with Casually Core wasn’t just about challenging those attending - it was about challenging myself, too. As I look back on the month, I’m reminded of why it’s so important to expand beyond my familiar routine. This block of classes has brought the kind of atmosphere I’ve been striving for - one that invites exploration, growth, and a deeper connection to movement. Layer by layer, we not only built core strength but also fostered an environment where everyone could feel empowered to explore their practice, at their own pace.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this—whether you’ve tried something new in your practice or just have something to share, feel free to leave a comment below!
That’s a wrap on February! Thanks for a brilliant month of yoga - looking forward to what March has in store.
Sam
P.S. If you’re a member of the On Your Terms subscription, you can now access all of the Casually Core classes in the on-demand area, anytime, anywhere. Whether you missed a session or want to revisit the movement layers, you can explore the classes at your own pace. Not a member yet? Join today and get full access to all past and future classes. Ready? Sign up here!
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