One Leg Circle

So we're taking a look at the fourth exercise in the list. This is the Single Leg Circle or the One Leg Circle. So I would like to first address this long body. So feel yourself stretch out long on the mat. The exercise really is for pelvic stabilization, so the less wiggle the better.

And mobilizing the hip joint. It could be about breathing, it could be about the feet, other things as well. But we're mainly going to be watching the pelvis and its stability and the motion in the hip. So Kristi is long and stretched out, a really nice set-up. I want you to raise your right leg straight up over the hip.

And we will do this exercise with slight external rotation with a soft pointed foot. And I will preface the exercise to say that you'll learn and hear different breathing cues from your teachers and possibly different foot set-up. But again primarily it's pelvic stabilization and hip mobility. So the first motion is going to cross over-- hugely important-- being able to take the leg over the body but not the hip. That's your first motion.

Continue the circle all the way down to the other ankle around and back up to the top. So we're going to find a flow here as she circles. There's the mobility. And notice how nice and stable the pelvis is, but yet the hip motion and the mobility in that socket. She gets the crossover, she gets the swing-- one more this direction.

And pause. And we will do the other side. Or you should still do the other side. And around. So we're going out to the outside of your mat, working within the framework of your mat.

The crossover of that leg. Why the crossover? You're going to get an inner thigh contraction. You'll get some tone in your inner thigh. The abdominal muscles are still playing a very important role of stabilizing-- through the pelvis, one more time.

Usually there are five circles one direction, five the other way. And simply lower the leg. And you will do your other side. And here we go. Getting the crossover and a swing down to the other ankle and around up.

Cross, swing around and up. I'm going to kneel down and just take a look at how nice and stable the pelvis is. The shoulders are relaxed. She's maintaining a nicely stretched out body. But again, the mobility in that hip.

You want a little bit of a swing in there. Last one this direction. And then five coming the opposite way. Breathing could be-- an inhale and an exhale. You're going to hear different things.

You might have a whole breath in one circle. Today it's an inhale as she starts, and the exhale to complete the circle. One more time. And simply lower your leg, at that's the Single Leg Circle.