What happens when you combine crazy core activating poses, super smart and creative sequencing and two of the top badass yoginis around? You get a workshop with Ame Wren and Sadie Nardini and it will rock your world. It did mine. Saturday I took the Hot Core/Cool Sequencing workshop with these two lovely ladies and was in a sweaty heaven filled with twists, deep lunges, arm balances, fists of fire (say what?!), fierce lion (double what?!?!) and the list goes on...
Sadie and Ame tandemly taught a 2-hr vinyasa class (say that 3 times fast) building up to the peak pose, or what Sadie would call the "super adventure pose", dragonfly - see below, as demonstrated by Ann Pizer on about.com.
Even considering getting into a pose like this takes a lot of preparation for the average joe like myself. But by dissecting the peak pose and then working backwards to create a class, Ame and Sadie focused on all the key areas that were needed to open, lengthen, twist, etc., making the peak pose more realistic and achievable (for some - haha). Big up to my girl Kate Heffernan for rocking it out on the mat next to me! As for me, I was close. But as they say, close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. So alas, another pose has been added to the list...
If you have been reading this blog you probably already realize how much I love and adore Ame Wren and her teaching. She has been a HUGE inspiration to my practice and I am honored to be able to call her a mentor and friend. So let me just take a few minutes to explore the awesomeness that is Sadie Nardini. First, she is totally Brooklyn. Being from the Dirty Jerz myself, I like people with a little edge, with a little "fuhgeddaboudit" in them. But don't let the all black outfit fool you, Sadie's presence is sweet and caring and she is genuinely there to make your life better. It is undeniable. Secondly, she has developed a way of teaching the yoga poses, along with creating some of her own, that connect you deeper to your core body and core being. I love this. My flubby abs love this.
To quote her views about the "Core" from her website (http://www.sadienardini.com/core-strength-vinyasa-yoga.html):
In my view, the “Core” is too often seen as only the superficial abdominal muscles. They are important, but there is a whole world of muscles, actions, energy and philosophy contained within the core of the body and spirit complex. I teach it all to you so you can demystify what’s at your core and how you can make it work for you instead of against you both on and off the mat.
Strengthening your mind and body with yoga goes far beyond your experience on the mat and I can relate to Sadie's outlook and approach to finding that balance.
Curious about Sadie's poses like Fists of Fire and Fierce Lion? You can find all the fixings to turn yourself into one kickass yogi, and perhaps maybe even a ninja, here in the Core Strength Vinyasa virtual library of poses:
Rock on.
Day 26 overall: My body was literally buzzing after class from all the energy pulsing through me. Cloud nine. Love love love all around.
Oh! And a side note: Kate Heffernan not only killed it at dragonfly, she taught me how to get into Eka Pada Koundinyasana II AND I held it (all be it, momentarily) on both sides. LOVE HER. Her tip to me was - as a beginner to this pose, avoid getting into it from lizard pose. Your hips, bum, body, everything is too low to the ground to get any lift from there. She suggested I try coming into the pose from down dog. So starting in down dog, come forward toward plank with the right leg (or left, depending on what side you are doing) to the tricep, getting it as high up on the arm as possible. Engage that core! Once the knee is in place, start to extend the leg out. Then find chaturanga arms (think push-up arms), lift the chest/gaze slightly as if in chaturanga, shift the weight forward a bit and then extend and lift up through the back leg. Voila! E.P.K.II. Word.
Mine ain't pretty but it's a start!!
