I decided to put together a ‘yoga without’ series, where every week I’ll be sharing a new 30 minute beginners class, without something that you may experience/ use in a standard yoga classes. The first class of the series is this 30 minute ‘Yoga without Kneeling‘ class.
The ‘Yoga without’ Series
The other classes included in this series:
- Yoga without wrists
- Yoga without using arms
- Yoga without inversions
- Yoga without forward bends
- Yoga without shoulders
The aim of this series is to make yoga more inclusive for those that have injuries preventing them from doing specific activities, or for those that just don’t enjoy working with specific body parts/ actions.
So if there a ‘Yoga without’ class you’d love to see that isn’t on the list. Please comment in the section below or send me an email and I’ll add it to the list.
Yoga without Kneeling
This ‘Yoga without Kneeling’ class is a 30 minute standing class, which happens to also double up as a ‘Yoga without Wrists’ or ‘wristless’ yoga class too.
During the class we will flow through a type of sequence known as a Mandala sequence or flow. This means we will start at one side of the mat, then move around the mat, spending time in a couple of poses at each side of the mat. We will then repeat the sequence, flowing back the opposite way around the mat. These are quite fun sequences – and it’s not uncommon to mix the lefts and rights up on the way around. With is perfectly fine and normal – just see how you go.
Though we do not kneel or put pressure directly on the knees, we do still bend the knees and work to build strengthen in the muscles that support the knees. These poses include different variations of lunges (such as our Warriors), as well as a few squat positions (Chair and Goddess poses).
We also straighten the leg in some poses. When straightening the leg please be careful to not lock the knee. You want to keep a slight bend in the knee, as this means the stretch is going into the belly of the muscle and not the ligaments surrounding the joints (which can weaken the ligaments).
As always, please listen to your body and if you feel and pain or discomfort please gently come out of the pose. Everyone is different, which means we all have different limitations to work within – we just need to be accepting and mindful of this.
Props:
This class can be done with no props. Though there is the option to have a yoga brick/ block or rolled up towel if you like.
If you enjoyed this class and are looking for more, you might enjoy my Yoga for Kindness beginners class. This class I created for Mental Health Awareness week.
Of course, you should always check with a health practitioner or doctor before starting any new activity, specifically if you have any medical conditions or anything else that might impact your practice (for example pregnancy). It is the students responsibility to ensure they are able to take part in the class. Please be sure to read my disclaimer before practicing any online yoga classes. Thank you.