My Practice: Yoga for Mobility, Recovery, and Longevity
For nearly than three decades, this practice has been my anchor.
Over the years, this evolving blend of Hatha yoga, Yin postures, and simple Qi Gong has flowed with me through every version of my body: from injuries that left me stranded on my back if I moved the wrong way, damage from years of working at a desk, through the slow and steady journey from my highest of 260 pounds to a healthy 190, and now into my fifties—where it keeps me flexible, strong, grounded, and pain-free.
full sequence with therapeutic Breakdown
1. Tadasana — Mountain Pose
2. Utthita Tadasana — Extended Mountain Pose
Systems & Anatomy:
- Postural chain (feet, arches, ankles, knees, hips, spine).
- Deep core stabilizers (TVA, multifidus), neck alignment, scapular stabilizers.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Grounding + postural reset.
- Improves proprioception and weight distribution.
- Wakes up breath and vagal tone.
3. Uttanasana — Dangling Forward Fold
4. Ardha Uttanasana — Half Lift
Systems & Anatomy:
- Hamstrings, gastroc/soleus, spinal erectors, diaphragm, cervical extensors.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Decompresses lumbar spine.
- Encourages parasympathetic activation via baroreceptor stimulation (head below heart).
- Mobilizes posterior chain.
5. Phalakasana — Plank
6. Chaturanga Dandasana — Four-Limbed Staff Pose
7. Urdhva Mukha Svanasana — Upward-Facing Dog
8. Adho Mukha Svanasana — Downward-Facing Dog
Systems & Anatomy:
- Core, wrists, chest, anterior shoulders, lats, serratus, glutes, calves, hamstrings.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Full-body activation + circulation increase.
- Strengthens scapular mechanics and reduces shoulder instability.
- Down Dog specifically lengthens fascial lines from hands to hips.
9. Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana — Extended Runner’s Lunge (Left)
10. Adho Mukha Svanasana — Downward-Facing Dog
11. Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana — Extended Runner’s Lunge (Right)
12. Adho Mukha Svanasana — Downward-Facing Dog
Systems & Anatomy:
- Hip flexors, psoas, quads, glute med/min, hamstrings, calves.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Opens hip flexors and hydrates hip joint tissues.
- Begins balancing left/right asymmetries.
- Supports SI-joint health and stride mechanics.
13. Uttanasana — Forward Fold
14. Ardha Uttanasana — Half Lift
15. Tadasana Pranamasana — Mountain Prayer Pose
Systems & Anatomy:
- Posterior chain + breath column.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Resets spine after heat-building section.
- Encourages mindful return to neutral.
- Parasympathetic drop-in.
16. Tuishan 推山 — Push Mountains
Systems & Anatomy:
- Shoulder girdle, elbows, wrists; thoracic spine rotation and extension.
- Engages dantian breathing and fascial spirals.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Regulates breath rhythm + lymphatic flow.
- Clears tension from upper chest and jaw.
- Calms mind through slow, smooth directional movement.
17. Utthita Tadasana — Extended Mountain Pose
Therapeutic Effects:
- Re-establishes vertical alignment after QG spirals.
- Reconnects breath wave from feet to fingertips.
18. Prasarita Padottanasana — Wide-Legged Forward Fold
Systems & Anatomy:
- Adductors, hamstrings, inner groin, lower back.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Lengthens inner line (Kidney/Liver channels).
- Relieves pelvic floor gripping.
- Supports circulatory return from legs.
19. Malasana — Garland Pose
Systems & Anatomy:
- Ankles, knees, hips, pelvic floor, deep core stabilizers.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Repositions pelvis into its natural squat mechanics.
- Improves digestion + pelvic organ support.
- Super helpful for SI-joint pain relief long-term.
20. Vajrasana — Thunderbolt Pose
21. Balasana — Child’s Pose
22. Shashank Vajrasana — Hare Pose (with gentle backbend variation)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Knees, quads, shins, spine, diaphragm, intercostals.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Major downregulation: vagus nerve stimulation (forehead placement + diaphragmatic compression).
- The backbend variation counter-stretches thoracic spine for breath expansion.
- Balances sympathetic/parasympathetic states.
23. Upavistha Konasana — Seated Wide-Leg Forward Fold (Middle)
24. Upavistha Konasana — Seated Wide-Leg Fold (Left)
25. Upavistha Konasana — Seated Wide-Leg Forward Fold (Middle)
26. Upavistha Konasana — Seated Wide-Leg Fold (Right)
27. Upavistha Konasana — Seated Wide-Leg Forward Fold (Middle)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Adductors (longus, brevis, magnus), hamstrings, lower back, pelvis, diaphragm.
- Liver & Kidney meridian lines.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Deep fascial hydration in inner thighs and lumbar fascia.
- Restores pelvic mobility and reduces chronic SI tension.
- Supports emotional release stored in adductors (common in trauma/ADHD bodies).
- Long-hold yin encourages profound parasympathetic shift.
28. Savasana — Reclining Rest
Therapeutic Effects:
- First integration moment.
- Nervous system consolidates “stretch load.”
- Breath and heart rate stabilize.
29. Eka Pada Apanasana — Single-Leg Wind Relieving Pose (Left)
30. Uttanapadasana — Raised Leg Pose (Left)
31. Supta Matsyendrasana — Supine Twist with Quad/Hip-Flexor Stretch (Left)
32. Uttanapadasana (Left Only) — Raised Leg Pose (Left)
33. Eka Pada Apanasana — Single-Leg Wind Relieving Pose (Left)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Psoas, quads, obliques, QL, glute med/min, low back.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Releases chronic psoas contraction (especially effective due to the double Uttanapadasana).
- Hydrates lumbar discs via twist.
- Rebalances left/right neurological patterning (amazing for pelvic asymmetry).
34. Savasana (Second Integration)
Therapeutic Effects:
- Allows left-side work to “set.”
- Drop in cortical activation → right hemisphere softening.
35. Eka Pada Apanasana — Single-Leg Wind Relieving Pose (Right)
36. Uttanapadasana— Raised Leg Pose (Right Only)
37. Supta Matsyendrasana — Supine Twist with Quad/Hip-Flexor Stretch (Right)
38. Uttanapadasana — Raised Leg Pose (Right Only)
39. Eka Pada Apanasana — Single-Leg Wind Relieving Pose (Right)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Same muscular and neurological targets as the left.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Equalizes pelvic torque patterns.
- Encourages balance in SI joint for people with asymmetrical hips (like yours).
- Supports balanced gait patterns.
40. Savasana (Third Integration)
Therapeutic Effects:
- Nervous system equalization.
- Final balancing before deep-floor work.
41. Apanasana — Wind Relieving Pose (Both Knees)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Low back, hip capsules, diaphragm.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Massages ascending/descending colon.
- Releases low-back residual tension.
- Major parasympathetic activation.
42. Ananda Balasana (Happy Baby)
Systems & Anatomy:
- Pelvic floor, adductors, hamstrings, lumbar spine.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Opens base of spine energetically + physically.
- Prepares body well for Snail or deeper posterior chain opening.
43. Karṇapīḍāsana — Snail Pose
Systems & Anatomy:
- Thoracic spine, upper back fascia, hamstrings, neck, shoulders.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Decompresses the vertebrae and activates deep fascial lengthening.
- Stimulates thyroid/parasympathetic system.
- Excellent for chronic nervous-system fatigue.
44. Paschimottanasana — Seated Forward Fold
Systems & Anatomy:
- Entire posterior chain: plantar fascia to occiput.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Calms mind deeply (baroreceptors + vagal response).
- Lengthens spinal sheath.
- Integrates all earlier hip/pelvic work.
45. Pranamasana / Closing
Systems & Anatomy:
- Breath, heart, vagus nerve.
Therapeutic Effects:
- Honors internal quiet.
- Resets mind-body unity before re-entering the day
WHY IT WORKS FOR ME
This isn’t a trendy sequence or a 'perfectly optimized' flow. It is a lived practice—
Tested under real pressure and enhanced through decades of study, meditation, movement, and healing, including assisted stretching and yoga-based mobility training. This approach has become the backbone of my own wellbeing, the lens through which I teach, and the method I use in my mobility coaching to help others reclaim mobility, reduce pain, and reconnect with their bodies.
816 Philadelphia Ave, Warrington, PA 18976