Fish-Out-of-Water Yoga Practice

Tall Mountain/Chair

Stand with your feet together or slightly apart, toes pointing straight ahead. Inhale and raise your arms overhead into tall mountain or rise up on the toes if you like. Exhale and melt down into chair pose, keeping the weight in your heels and pushing your buttocks back. Perform these two activities as a flowing movement five to 10 times. Allow a long, fluid breath to dictate the pace of your movements and imagine you’re moving fluidly as if you are doing this sequence in the pool. 

Flowing Shoulder Mobility Sequence

Stand at the front of your mat. Step your left foot back. Right foot is pointing straight ahead, your leg is straight, and your left foot should be turned at about 45 degrees outward. The left leg should also be straight. The leg position is the same now as for triangle pose.

Exhale, bending front leg and sweeping arms (palms down) up and then inhale, sweeping arms around and down and straightening the leg. Perform this sequence five times.

From the original triangle leg position, exhale, bending the front knee, gazing down, rounding shoulders and reaching forward; inhale, straightening leg and doing a rowing motion, moving the arms back, leading with the elbows, palms up. Repeat five times.

From triangle starting position, exhale, bending your front knee, rounding your shoulders and hugging yourself; inhale, straightening front leg and opening your chest into cactus arms. Perform this part five times and then repeat the whole sequence with a left leg lead. Please keep your upper body behind your front knee at all time during this segment to avoid placing undo stress on your lower back.

Lower Back/Hip Freeing

Stand in a wide stance on your mat or straddle it and then sink into the knees a little, keeping them slightly bent. Place hands on hips. Take a deep inhale, exhale, and angle the body to the right, sweeping forward and to the left and back up to vertical. Inhale at the top and then exhale, this time angling to the left and sweeping forward and over to the right before returning to vertical. Continue, doing at least five times on each side. Keep weight grounded in the center the whole time and imagine the cervical spine and the whole back is always lengthening throughout the movements.

Goddess

Stand in a wide stance on your mat or straddle it, toes turned outward. Inhale, reaching up toward the sky; exhale, melting down into goddess, bending the knees and taking arms into cactus arms while opening the chest/heart center. Perform this sequence at least five times. Maintain a comfortable flow, allowing your fluid movement to follow the breath.

Side-to-Side Lunge

Stand in a wide stance on your mat or straddle it, toes turned outward. Inhale, lunging to the right and raising the left arm up. Exhale, lunging to the left and lowering the left arm while raising the right arm. Do this flowing movement for at least five cycles per side, ensuring the knees never extend past the toes. Some people prefer to inhale for one lunge cycle and to exhale on the next one. Please do what feels right for you.

Straddle-Stance Forward Fold

Stand in a wide stance on your mat or straddle it, toes turned straight ahead. Inhale and then slowly melt forward, bringing hands down to the lower legs or holding on the big toes with your index and middle fingers. Ensure that your weight is not too far back and that it feels balanced. Inhale raising the head and then exhale, lowering the head and bending the legs, moving your buttocks back. Do this flowing sequence at least five times. 

Immerse Yourself in Relaxation

End your practice with five to 10 minutes of Savasana so that you can descend into a deep state of rest and finish your practice feeling calm and replenished. Relax on your back with your toes falling softly out to the side and your arms slightly away from your body, palms facing upward. You might listen to a meditation app such as Insight Timer or just try counting your breaths down from 15 to one during this time. I find it helpful during this dry spell to add a visualization component where I can experience a relaxing swim in my mind. Use all five senses to immerse yourself in the experience.