Tips for Transitions

In today’s blog, we are featuring tips from Lauren Hill, one of our instructors from the Triangle Studio in Texas. Lauren has some great suggestions for how to move gracefully from posture to posture, while still maintaining balance and poise. Read on to learn more!

What class styles do you teach?

C1 and C2

What is your favorite class to take?

That's a tough question, as it varies from day to day. If I had to choose, I'd say my favorites are C2 and Hot Power Fusion equally.

What asana do you feel the most graceful flowing into and why?

I feel most graceful flowing into Reverse Warrior from Extended Side Angle. There is something about the transition that makes it feel like dancing. I suppose that might be because there really are many ways to transition—whether you’re sweeping your arm around or tracing your shoulder and head with your fingers—there is so much room for self-expression.

What is your favorite asana to watch your students flow into and why?

I love watching my students flow from Reverse Warrior to Half Moon. It can be a tricky transition, particularly if you've already been in any Crescent Lunge or Warrior variations for some time. It’s fabulous to watch students flow through, especially when you know they've been working hard.

What tips would you give a student about how to move more gracefully in class?

For me, there are two things in particular that are important to flowing gracefully. The first of which is to move with a slow and steady breath, letting your breath guide your movement. When your breath and body are in synergy, grace is almost inherent. And of course, one can't begin to move more gracefully without a certain amount of humor and non-judgment. Not all of your movements will be smooth and beautiful. With that in mind, smile when you aren't graceful. Let go of any judgment and release expectations, preparing to happily, lightly and gracefully flow into the next asana.

Why is it important to move with intention in yoga?

Beyond the intention to move with grace, intention serves as a protection from injury. I've found that the moments in which I lose intention in my practice are often the moments I'm least graceful and sometimes inadvertently injure myself. Not only that, intention is what makes the asana no matter what variation of it you may be in. Crow is a wonderful example because you see students in the same class all practicing various stages of crow. Even though they are in different variations, they all have the intention to shift their weight forward, send their hips high and lift their toes off of the ground.

Has yoga changed your movement off the mat? If so, how?

It has taken a long, long while, but yoga is slowly but surely changing my movement off the mat. I'm naturally a pretty clumsy person—mostly due to poor eye sight and spastic, rushed movements. However, I finally feel like I've started to bring the intention of grace that I have on my mat out into my life. I notice I'm carrying myself taller, and in general, walking and moving slower and with intention.

Does your playlist influence your class? If so, how?

I wouldn't necessarily say that my playlist influences my class, but rather I cater my playlist to the particular needs of my sequence. I try to conduct energy through my music to either fuel my students in a challenging asana, or encourage surrender in a resting asana.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I think grace is fueled by self-expression. I really never considered myself a graceful person, but somehow during my practice I have these moments when I truly feel graceful. Those moments happen at CorePower Yoga.