This Free Guide is an excerpt from the comprehensive 65+ page Reference Manual featured in the How to Be Inversion Free Course.
Downloadable as a PDF, it is designed for anyone seeking modifications to common yoga poses, regardless of their specific goals.
Whether you’re looking to enhance accessibility or simply aiming for a more tailored practice to feel your best for profound well-being, this guide is a valuable resource.
Keep it on your smartphone, tablet, or in print next to your mat during your practice sessions.
Want to learn how to apply your inversion free yoga skills to your everyday life?
Because you want to improve your overall well-being both on and off your yoga mat?
If you’re practicing yoga without going upside down, that probably means that you’re avoiding going upside down in your everyday life too.
You’re most likely not bending over to pick things up off the ground, or bending over to tie your shoe or to pet your pets.
You have to make an adjustment of some kind in order to do these everyday movements without allowing your head to go below your heart.
Strengthening the lower body is super important for your ability to get down to the floor without bending over. So is working on your mobility of your joints including your hips, knees, ankles, and feet.
👉 If it’s challenging to lift your thigh up higher than to take a step, then it might be that you need to strengthen your hip flexors.
👉 If you have tight hips, this means the sides, fronts or backs of the hips, it could be restrictive mobility, lack of flexibility or a combination, both of which can be worked on.
👉 If your leg shakes a bit when you bend deeper than you’re used to, it’s conceivable that your core and stabilizer muscles throughout your torso and lower body might need strengthening.
This guide is here for you to work toward strengthening and mobilizing your lower body to be able to improve your movement on and off the mat.
Utilize the 3 Essential Elements; 1. Working on Balance Poses, 2. Core Work, & 3. Mindful Movement, to unlock your No Inversion Lifestyle
Get ready to take on the world with a new level of strength and confidence!
2. Stay Grounded (all movements originate in a seated position)
Each section has 2-3 levels of intensity
Start at Level 1 Repeat this daily until it’s easier.
Then go to Level 2 Do Level 1 & 2 daily until it’s easier.
Then go to Level 3 Do all 3 Levels daily to build strength & mobility.
Tips & Suggestions: 🪷 These poses & sequences can be done in an order that makes the most sense to you. 🪷 Focus on Quality over Quantity to practice Mindful Movement. 🪷 Control your movement and coordinate them with your breath. 🪷 Use a chair, blocks, or wall for support if needed. Work toward not using support at all.
Stay on Your Feet
Level 1
Half Sun Salutation LEVEL 1 Half Sun Salutations (Inversion Free Style) fires up your lower body, strengthening the legs, glutes, and core, PLUS it improves joint mobility, leaving you invigorated and more mobile on the mat!
Level 2
Half Sun Salutation LEVEL 2 Level 2 unlocks greater joint mobility, taking you deeper than ever before.
Level 3
Half Sun Salutation LEVEL 3 This challenging variation amps up the intensity by incorporating a powerful squat that will push your mobility and strength to the max! 👉 For balance support use a chair or the wall.
Chair Pose LEVEL 1 Get ready for the ultimate mind-body challenge with Chair Pose – this beloved posture is a true test of strength and focus, requiring you to dig deep and push past your limits, all while staying connected to your breath for a truly transformative experience.
Chair Pose LEVEL 2 Level 2 intensifies your core workout with subtle weight shifts that engage muscles like never before – keep those hips stable for maximum impact! 👉 For balance support use a chair or the wall.
Warrior 1 LEVEL 1 Warrior 1 builds strength, flexibility, and endurance, pushing your limits to unlock a new level of power and resilience!
Warrior 1 LEVEL 2 Level 2 introduces dynamic movements activating multiple muscle groups and challenges your balance, all while flowing seamlessly into the ever-exhilarating Warrior 3. 👉 For balance support use a chair or the wall.
Warrior 1 LEVEL 3 Level 3 ignites coordination, balance and strength for an impressive challenge! 👉 For balance support use a chair or the wall.
Warrior 2 LEVEL 1 Warrior 2 strengthens, lengthens, and builds endurance, unlocking enhanced vitality and flexibility.
Warrior 2 LEVEL 2 Level 2’s dynamic challenges and mobility focus empower your lower body for total strength!
Warrior 2 LEVEL 3 Level 3 challenges your strength and endurance but also works on the intricate hip transitions between Warrior 2 and Triangle Pose, discovering a new level of fluidity, grace, and control.
Goddess Pose LEVEL 1 Get ready to feel strong and empowered with Goddess pose – this yoga pose builds strength in your thighs AND improves mobility in your hips, leaving you feeling energized and ready to take on the world!
Goddess Pose LEVEL 2 Level 2 brings you deeper into Goddess Pose, challenging you moving laterally; ultimately stretching and strengthening the hips and legs.
Goddess Pose LEVEL 3 👉Grab some blocks. This electrifying variation intensifies your experience by evolving Goddess Pose into Skandasana (side lunge) AND pushes your hips and legs to their edge of comfort, ultimately unlocking a new realm of strength, flexibility, and mobility.
Stay Grounded
Level 1
Bound Angle Pose LEVEL 1 Unleash your stability potential with this simple but effective exercise that targets your hip rotator muscles, inner and outer hips, strengthening and toning them like never before, leaving you feeling unshakeable.
Level 2
Bound Angle Pose LEVEL 2 Level up your stability with this effective exercise that targets your hip rotator muscles and inner thighs, leaving you feeling stronger than ever before!
Level 3
Bound Angle Pose LEVEL 3 Level 3 demands the most from your hips and inner thighs, pushing your limits and leaving you feeling powerful!
Boat Pose LEVEL 1 This challenging posture engages your abdominal muscles, builds strength and stability in your core, and helps to improve your overall posture, leaving you feeling stronger and more confident both on and off the mat!
Boat Pose LEVEL 2 Level 2 takes your practice up a notch with a focus on coordinating breath with movement, igniting your balance and strength to reach new heights!
Boat Pose LEVEL 3 Level 3 takes you to the ultimate challenge in Boat Pose targeting your abs and obliques, pushing your balance, coordination, and strength to the limit. Get ready to feel the burn and unlock your true core power!
Bridge Pose LEVEL 1 Build a stronger core with this bridge pose variation that targets and isolates the glutes and lower abs, improving balance and making it easier to rise and lower to the floor with grace and ease.
Bridge Pose LEVEL 2 Level 2 ignites your glutes and abs with a challenging isometric hold, pushing your strength to new limits.
Bridge Pose LEVEL 3 Get ready to feel the burn by adding this one simple adjustment that creates a powerful trifecta of strenght in the glutes, abs, and hamstrings, making you unstoppable!
Childs Pose – Squat LEVEL 1 This dynamic sequence enhances ankle and hip mobility, unlocking your potential to transition seamlessly between seated, kneeling, and standing positions. 👉 For balance support use a chair or blocks.
Childs Pose – Squat LEVEL 2 Level 2 takes it up a notch from level 1 with seamless transitions between sitting, standing, and squatting, taking your mobility and strength to the next level. 👉 For balance support use a chair, blocks, or the wall.
Childs Pose – Lunge LEVEL 1 This simple but powerful transition from child’s pose to lunge not only stretches your hips but also ignites your muscles, paving the way to increase your strength and ability to stand up effortlessly from the ground.
Childs Pose – Lunge LEVEL 2 Level 2 takes your lower body to the next level, unleashing more strength and power into your legs, boosting your balance, and expanding your range of motion like never before. 👉 For balance support use a chair, blocks and/or the wall.
Childs Pose – Lunge LEVEL 3 Level 3 takes your practice to new heights by seamlessly transitioning from mat to standing and back again, utilizing all the skills honed through this guide. The 3 essential elements of balance, core work, and mindful movement culminate in this ultimate challenge, as you push your body and mind towards the goal of a No Inversion Lifestyle. 👉 For balance support use a chair, blocks and/or the wall.
Congrats on taking the first step to re-imagining your yoga practice without inversions.
How will you develop in the group?
You don’t have to feel like you’re missing out. Many people sit out during inversions that come up in class – but you don’t have to; you can fully participate in your classes with these steps…
Learning how to modify and adjust common inversions will allow you to build confidence and take control of your yoga practice so it can evolve, restriction free…
Avoid common mistakes that people make when staying head over heart and accelerate your transformation.
Stop feeling frustrated and practice without sacrificing your goals.
Practice those goals while keeping your head in-line or above your heart.
Want to become more consistent with your yoga practice and gain the physical, mental, energetic, spiritual and emotional benefits of spending time on your mat?
Remember: You form a habit over time through repeating actions which, in turn, develops:
→ Discipline and self-control → Higher level of trusting yourself → Which Builds self-confidence
Momentum needs you to keep showing up so your snowball can keep rollin’!
Who doesn’t love a good Leg Day? 🥴 This Vinyasa Flow gives all the love to your Quads. It’s great for strengthening and supports a weight loss regimen. Inversion Free options offered!
This is the first of a series of strengthening classes. If this was challenging for you, I recommend doing this practice three times a week until it gets easier. Then, move onto the next Leg Day Vinyasa Flow #2.
Props: Optional Yoga Strap or like item; if you can’t reach your feet behind you easily.
Enjoy! Be well. Remember to breathe. 🙏🏼Namaste my friends🙏🏼
A NOTE ON “YOGA for WEIGHT LOSS”: Practicing yoga alone is not a weight loss remedy. When used in combination with healthy habits off the mat it can be a great help. Especially to lower stress levels and find a deeper connection with yourself; physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. You can indeed get your heart rate up with some practices, you can sweat, strengthen, tone, detox, and burn calories. To be quite honest, I don’t love using this term, but it’s a VERY high ranking SEO term; meaning people search it A LOT. I’m using it to direct more people to become aware of their mind body connection while working into a healthier lifestyle. 💫
Have you ever had an ‘A-ha’ moment during your yoga practice?
Don’t worry if you didn’t.
Not every yoga practice is a life changing moment but instead builds moments to a life change.
After Savasana, I always prompt this:
“Take a few moments to check in with how you feel. How do you feel physically, emotionally, mentally, energetically, and spiritually?”
What does all this mean?
Yoga isn’t just the physical practice. Yes, we get on the mat, we move physically but when we move physically, it effects everything else.
Ever go into a fitness class or dance class in a foul mood but walk out feeling SO MUCH BETTER?? Yeah, it’s because of all the beautiful hormonal changes that happen when we move our bodies…
Moving your body has been scientifically proven to keep us healthy. It creates the happy hormones; Dopamine, Serotonin, Oxytocin, & Endorphins.1
Once you stop moving, your body starts to weaken and things start to deteriorate. Physically AND mentally. Because…MOVEMENT IS LIFE.
I digress…(and I gracefully step off my soap-box)
Here’s what I’m really asking you to observe and think about at the end of each practice.
Notice what you feel physically. The good, the not-so-good, and the bad. i.e. tingling, tightness, weakness, stretched out, muscle fatigue, soreness, etc. ~ By taking notice, you learn what poses, what style of yoga, what breath work, and what meditations work for you and your body.
2. What do you feel emotionally? i.e. boredom, excitement, sad, happy, peaceful, or maybe you can’t label what you feel. ~ If a wave of emotion comes up, do your best to experience it, even if it’s uncomfortable. By experiencing it, you’re allowing that energy to release. Releasing allows space for new energies to replace them.
3. What’s going on mentally? i.e. are worries popping up, are you anxious about something, are you thinking about something else or someone else, do you want to stay longer, (Monkey Mind) etc. ~ A big part of practicing yoga, is observing our thoughts. This is the perfect time to do so. Just ‘cause the thought is there, doesn’t mean it’s true or you have to act on it.
4. How do you feel energetically? i.e. are you fidgety, fatigued, sleepy, calm, re-energized, etc. ~ These signals help you figure out if and how the practice helped you, or not.
5. What, if anything, has come up spiritually? i.e. any ‘A-ha’ moments, epiphanies, or personal realizations, any noticeable changes within yourself; how you cope with stress, life changes, beliefs, etc. ~ Sometimes, this is as simple as an answer to a complex issue you were having…maybe how to resolve a relationship issue or how to execute a plan.
I’ll say this: not every practice is going be a life changing epiphany. Sometimes we get these awesome ‘A-ha!’ moments but more often than not, the changes are subtle and appear over time. This is why having a consistent yoga practice is important. Small changes culminate to create awareness and mindfulness.
Have you had an ‘A-ha’ moment during your yoga practice? What light bulb went on for you?
Have an awesome day! Namaste my friends.
1Shah, A., 2020. Happy hormones: 4 chemicals that activate happiness and how to increase them naturally. [online] Everyday Science. Available at: https://www.everydayscience.blog/happy-hormones/ [Accessed 11 June 2021].
