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About Chris Loebsack

• ​Chris Loebsack, 500 E.R.Y.T,  fell in love with yoga in 1995 and began teaching in 2003. Chris uses the power of yoga to create a space for students that cultivates trust, playfulness and Divine connection with themselves and with community. Living by her mantra, Clarity, Integrity and Love, she draws upon her partner yoga practice to share the healing power of touch and safe intimacy. A passion for discovering subtlety in movement has lead Chris to deepen her education with the Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers® kinesiology program. Her playful yet focused classes are filled with user friendly gems of applied anatomy leaving students with a greater understanding of how to find comfort and space in their bodies and smiles beaming across their faces. She encourages teachers to set a higher standard of excellence through knowledge and has become a valuable mentor to many upcoming yoga educators. 
  Chris's Teaching Schedule

Hold the squat for 30-60 seconds, or try our squat challenge and build up to a longer hold!

Author: Chris Loebsack

Añjaneyāsana, the lunge, also sometimes called crescent pose, features a kneeling back-bend with the thighs moving asymmetrically towards a front split. The pose may be done on it's own, or is often found in classical style sun salutations. Some variations keep the arms down and others lift the arms up as seen in the photo of Jennifer above. The position in Sanskrit is named after Añjani, the iconic mother figure of Hanuman (hanumanasana - the splits pose).

Benefits 

• Strengthens the ankles, inner thighs, quads, glutes, back muscles (spinal erectors), pelvic floor muscles, and core muscles. If the arms are lifted it will also strengthen the back of the shoulder and the triceps.
• Stretches the ankle, hip flexors, groin muscles, and front of the torso. If the arms are lifted it also stretches the lats. 

Common Pitfalls

• If there is weakness in the inner thighs and core muscles, palace the hands on blocks on either side of the hips for support and balance help until you build the strength to hold yourself upright. 
• If there is sensitivity in the neck avoid looking up or taking the head back and instead keep the neck neutral and look forward. 
• If there are specific knee or back injuries avoid the pose, or minimize the depth of the lunge by keeping a shorter stride. 

Step by Step Instructions

1. From a table top position step your right foot forward. If your knee is sensitive, you can place a blanket under your back knee or double up your yoga mat for more cushion.
2. Place blocks on wither side of the front foot and then the hands on the block. Lift the chest and look forward. Stay here or go to #3
3. Bring your hands onto your right knee and your right knee directly over your right ankle. Stay here or go to #4
4. Inhale and raise your arms above your head, keeping the arms in line with your ears.
5. To deepen into the lunge press firmly into your feet as you allow your hips to shift forward. As you do, your left thigh comes closer to the floor. To support engagement and to avoid sinking into the joints, hug your inner thighs in towards one another (adduction of the inner thighs).
6. You may enjoy taking the upper spine into a back-bend if that feels comfortable. If you choose this option keep the chest lifting upward and core engaged to avoid sinking into the low back. 
7. Exhale to release the hands down, re-frame the front foot, and release the pose.
8. Repeat on the left side.

Hold Time
30 seconds - 2 minutes
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Dandasana is known as the staff pose and is a foundational seated posture. Danda means staff and asana posture or seat are combined to form the term dandasana. If you have taken a flow class you may have heard the term combined with another word Chaturanga Dandasana or the 4 limb staff pose that is often shorted to simply chaturanga . 

Dandasana is the basis of all seated postures. The staff position is often used as a preparation for other postures, yet alone it holds its own beauty in strength and power and subtle nuance. 

Staff Strengthens
Ankles 
Shins
Quadriceps (top of the thighs)
Spinal muscles
Pelvic floor and core muscles 
Triceps
Lower fibers of the traps

Staff Stretches
The soles of the feet
Calves
Hamstrings
Glutes
Back of the neck
Wrists flexors
Biceps and anterior arm and forearm

Subtle Anatomy
This pose activates the root lock (mula bandha), belly lock (udiyana bandha) and chin lock (jalandahara bandha), collectively known as the great lock (maha bandha). This contains and circulates the energy within the torso. The hand lock (hasta bandha) may also be engaged if the palm is flat on the floor with activity evenly spread across the hand to engage the arches of the palms.

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Hanumanasana  (hah-new-mahn-AHS-anna) (aka monkey pose) is the Sanskrit yoga name to the famous front splits: an intense but stunningly beautiful posture that requires consistent practice to achieve the rage of flexibility. Hanuman is the name of the iconic monkey character in the story the Ramayana. In the stories he was the son of Vayu, the God of the Winds. Hanuman was famous for his magically powerful leaps, as he was able to jump over incredibly long distances. In one tale, Hanuman leaps over the ocean and moves a literal mountain to save Sita from the demon Ravana to reunite her with her great love Ram. As such he represents devotion to friendship and sees the love of is friends in all things.

The fuller expressions of spits can vary from intermediate to advanced. Yet Hanumanasana is easily adapted for the beginner practitioner with a few props or by working the sides of the splits separately by taking a half spits to access the front side (calf, hamstrings, groin, hip flexion) and a lunge pose to access the back thigh (quads, hip flexors stretch and groin). Do good warm up before doing the posture with some extra focus on the hamstrings and hip flexors. You can also do back-bend in Hanuman asana as variation (mild back-bend version pictured above), for advanced version we recommend working with a teacher. Practitioners with hamstring, low back or groin injury should avoid this pose until they get a doctors clearance.

Benefits
Improves flexibility of hamstrings, calves, groins, pelvis, and hips.
Tones the pelvic floor (root lock)
Gives a feeling of grounding.
Stimulates the abdominal organs as you engage your core.
If taking a back-bend version it will also strengthen the spinal muscles. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare your body for Monkey Pose by doing a warm-up.

1. Come to a kneeling position with your thighs perpendicular to the floor. 
2. Exhale as you lower your hands to the floor in front of your knees, "tenting" them so you are up on your fingertips. 
3. Bring your right leg straight out in front of you, the heel on the floor. Flex your right foot strongly.
4. Begin to slide your right foot forward, keeping your right leg straight, as you also extend the left leg as straight as possible behind you. It helps to bring your right heel off your mat so that it slides more easily. 
5. Keep your hips facing forward. The toes of the left foot can be tucked under or you can release the top of that foot to the floor.
6. Hold the pose for five to 10 breaths (or the time of the monthly challenge) and then repeat on the other side.

Common Pitfalls 

As with all intermediate and advanced postures we highly recommend working with a qualified teacher to help you find your form and understand your appropriate limits. 

Hanuman pose features a closed hip position to fully access the hip flexors. It is common to open the hips up in an effort to get closer to the floor. You will get more out of the pose that will set you up for other expressions later bu taking your time and working more patiently and skillfully through the closed hip variation. 

Variations to Progress

Make it easier:
Place a blanket under your front heel to help you slide forward. Go slowly by squeezing the thighs towards each other so that you can control your descent and stop when you need to.

Place a yoga block under each hand to support yourself if you cannot straighten your back leg completely or the floor simply feels far away.

Place this block under your front hamstring for support if it does not come down to the floor.

Add a challenge:
If you are able lower yourself all the way to the floor with fully straight legs, lift your arms overhead and take a slight back-bend. 
or 
Bow fully forward to deepen the hamstring stretch on the front thigh. 

Preparation
Prepare your body for Monkey Pose by doing other yoga poses that stretch the hamstrings and open the hips.

Dangling
Downward Facing Dog
Warrior Three
Yin- Dragons
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