Hey all!  Hope you are all doing well!  I just got back from a black tie lawyers dinner.  It was just how it sounds-really dorky.  Haha!  Actually they were honoring lawyers who have been advocating for LBGT rights so it was quite inspiring (especially since my noble fights usually involve fighting for an individual’s right to more money).

Anywho, the dinner was rather large (3 course steak dinner) so I’m feeling a bit full.  I thought I would share with you one of my favorite ways to detox… YOGA of course!  Well, this isn’t just any yoga class,  it is Cardio Burn Yoga! I love relaxing, meditative yoga classes but let’s face it, they have their time and place and when you have overindulged, it is no longer their time and place!  So check out this practice that I have put together to really amp up the burn.  Let me know if you like it!

Cardio Burn Yoga

• Warm up with 2-4 rounds of Sun Salutations A & B (A is a normal sun salutation, B starts in chair pose and adds Warrior I and Reverse Warrior alternating the front foot).  To make it harder add in a double-dip on the chattarunga (push back up to a plank position and chattarunga a second time-basically a pushup!)
• From Plank, bring one foot forward into a low lunge and perform 20 Jump Switches alternating the foot that is forward in the lunge.
• Rise up into High Lunge. Hold here with arms overhead for 3-5 breaths.  Straighten the leg and perform 15 dynamitc lunges (bending and straightening the legs).  Vinyasa and switch to the other side and repeat with other leg in front.
• Cartwheel hands, vinyasa adding in a double dip.  Hold in downward dog.  Lift the right leg in air parallel to the floor.  Bring the right knee to the nose then straighten it back to parallel.  Repeat bringing the leg to the right elbow.  Repeat again bringing the leg to the left elbow.  Do entire sequence 3-5 times.  Perform a vinyasa, switch legs and repeat.  End in Downward Dog.
• From Downward Dog, bring the right foot through between the hands.  Cartwheel arms to Warrior II.  Hold Warrior II for 5 breaths.  Move forward into Half Moon.  Hold for 3-5 breaths.  Move into Standing Split.  Pulse the left leg in the air 10 times.  Drop the left leg.  Rise up to Mountain Pose.  Vinyasa and repeat on the other leg.
• From Mountain Pose, perform half of a Sun Salutation.  When you get to Plank Pose, before Chattarunga, perform 10 tricep pushups.  On the last one, finish the vinyasa.
• From Downward Dog, walk the feet in and perform 10 Donkey Kicks.
• From Downward Dog, bring the right foot through in between the hands.  Rise up into Warrior III lifting the left leg behind you.  Hold in Warrior III with arms extended out in front for 3-5 breaths.  Finish in Mountain Pose.  Repeat on the other leg.
• From Mountain Pose, perform a vinyasa.  From Downward Dog, drop onto your forearms and walk your feet in for Dolphin Pose.  Hold here for 3-5 breaths.  Push back up into Downward Dog.  From here, lift one leg in the air and perform 5 Handstands or Handstand Preps.  Repeat on other leg.
• From Downward Dog, straighten into Plank Pose.  Walk feet mat width apart.  Perform 20 Plank Jacks holding arms straight and bringing legs in close together and mat width.
• From Plank Pose, jump forward into Hindi Squat.  Stay here for 3-5 breaths.  Widen the Hindi Squat and come into a Plie Squat.  Flow through 10 Goddess Pose vinyasas.
• Move to the top of the mat for Chair Pose.  From Chair Pose, turn to the right for a Twist.  Hold here for 3-5 breaths.  Flow back to Chair Pose and repeat on the opposite side.  Repeat the flow from Chair to Twist with a faster pace, alternating sides.  Perform 10 twists (5 per side).
• Perform a vinyasa and end on the floor.  Spend some time here stretching before moving into savanasa and relaxing for 5 minutes.