Learn the arm balance eight angle pose (astavakrasana) step-by-step. This pose requires core and upper body strength, and very open hips and hamstrings. A sense of humor is also helpful! After you watch, try the classes below that prepare the body and build up to this advanced arm balance.
Here are some classes featuring Eight-Angle Pose.
By Ally Hamilton on Aug 5, 2023
If you want anything to operate optimally, you have to give it some attention, right? In many ways, we have all these expectations of our bodies...we want the body to do what we want it to do when we want it to do it! This practice is all about checking in and giving all of your major muscle groups some attention and love, along with your spinal health, your nervous system and your emotional body, too! We work at a steady, mindful pace, you are going to sweat (I snuck in a little yoga sculpt, you're welcome ;)), we will deeply open the hips, hamstrings and shoulders and fire up the core, you will have opportunities to explore some more advanced poses if that feels right, you can decide to play on your hands and upside down ... but more than all of that, you'll have the chance to be in a respectful, compassionate partnership with your body!
By Lauren Peterson on Jun 6, 2023
Though this class leads up to a challenging arm balance, the bulk of the practice is a balance of accessible poses to stretch and strengthen the body. We start on our backs with gentle core work and hamstring stretches. Once on our feet we do a series of sun salutations and standing poses. Then sitting, we get into the hips and hamstrings leading up to ashtavakrasana or eight-angle pose. We finish with a rest and closing. Enjoy!
By Ally Hamilton on Mar 4, 2023
What is the yogi LSD flow you may be asking? LSD stands for Long, Slow, Deep (Breathing!) If you really moved one breath per movement, you'd be going pretty slowly, right? And the longer you practice, presumably the greater your lung capacity, so the slower you'd go. When was the last time you truly practiced that way? If you want to experience what that feels like (and it is deep, intense and trippy) this flow is for you. We start with grounding and meditation, then begin with mindful juicy sweet movement and stay curious and open along the way. We deeply open the hips, hamstrings and shoulders, fire up the core, play with arm balances and inversions, all while staying with one breath/movement. You will be sore tomorrow, in the best possible way! And I vacillated between intermediate and advanced on this one. Intermediate yogis are absolutely welcome, just listen to your body and keep breathing. Enjoy this very deep practice yogis, and the natural high that comes with this kind of breath-work!
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 9, 2023
Oh hello yogis! If you're looking for a deep hip and hamstring opening flow with lots of core work, arm balances and inversions, here you go! Lots of heat-building and mindful sequencing so you're prepared to play with poses like bird of paradise, koundinyasana 2, compass pose, astavakrasana, wide straddles in tripod headstand and handstand, and some deep poses that dive into those hips once we're warm. Guided meditation in Savasana xx Intermediate yogis welcome, please listen to your body!
By Kate Duyn on Sep 7, 2022
This practice is all about the relationship you're having with light! Do you open up to the light? Invite it in? Seek it out? Foster it inside yourself?Or are you repelling light in any way, consciously or unconsciously? This practice peaks with compass pose, Surya Yantrasana - a pose that turns your body into a compass or sun dial so you set yourself up to receive the light when it's offered to you, cultivate it inside yourself, and offer it up to the world around you! Pretty sweet, huh? Grab two blocks and a strap and let's get our compasses calibrated, yogis!
By Ally Hamilton on Aug 6, 2022
This is a great practice for opening the hips, hamstrings and shoulders and firing up the core. We are working toward a possible eight angle pose as our peak, but whether you get there today or not, the point is never the destination, but rather the way we're opening to the journey! You will certainly walk away with a strong core, open shoulders and hips and your sense of humor intact! I film these classes on Mondays at noon PST and I zoom them at the same time, so you are welcome to join me and other members of our fabulous global community for some yoga in real time if you like! The link to join is always in the weekly newsletter :)
By Ally Hamilton on Jun 14, 2022
So much hip-opening worked into this juicy flow that builds heat and gives you options for compass pose and eight angle pose, handstand hops and other fun variations. We're all being pulled in so many different directions, and this practice (and eight-angle pose) weaves in the idea of keeping your center strong as you handle everything with more grace, ease and breath!
By Kate Duyn on May 24, 2022
A hip-opening flow that may or may not lead you to a funky eight-angle pose, but is sure to leave you smiling big! Lots of hip, hamstring and shoulder-opening along the way, twists, turns and core strengthening so you're centered, and options to have fun with our friend the lotus once you're warm! Grab a blanket and a block and let's have some fun!
By Ally Hamilton on Oct 20, 2021
This is a deep hamstring-and-hip-opening journey that may or may not lead you into astavakrasana (eight-angle pose). This pose has us moving in all different directions! You need open hamstrings, hips and shoulders, you need a fired up core. You need to be ready to play with balance and counter-balance and maybe even fall on your face or your asana a bunch of times along the way! But more than all of that you need an open mind and the willingness to play. Ready to move and breathe and see what happens? *Please note! There are advanced poses in this flow but there are also tons of variations and building blocks to help you explore where you are now, and how you might move your edge a little bit! And there is Yoga Nidra in savasana, so no matter what happens you'll walk away from your mat with bliss in your heart <3
By Ally Hamilton on Sep 4, 2021
I've had so many requests lately for grounding practices. Here's one of my answers :) This is a methodical steadily-paced class where we go deeper and deeper into the hips, hamstrings and shoulders as we build heat and focus on deep breathing. You will feel your body start to release layers of tension if you can make this whole practice about breathing deeply and staying curious. You can expect to sweat, we work hard, do core strengthening, arm balancing and inverting, but the emphasis is on staying rooted. Intermediate students are welcome, just please listen to your body and don't force anything! Sending you all a lot of love. Keep breathing ;)
Ally Hamilton
