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Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal Yoga - Cat Tilts

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Kathy Duke
Yoga Alliance
www.abundanthealthyoga.net  
(703) 244-6561

Kathy's love of yoga began when she started taking classes nearly 10 years ago. In 2000, she completed the Health Advantage Yoga Center Teacher Training Program with Betsey Downing and Doug Keller. Since then, she has studied with Kaustaub Desikachar, David Frawley, John Friend, JJ Gormley, Judith Lasater and Erich Schiffman and has completed prenatal courses. An Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Kathy Duke also holds certifications from the American Council on Exercise and the American College of Sports Medicine. Her teaching experience includes leading classes and individual sessions in the corporate environment, health clubs, studios and in-home, she has volunteered as an EMT and instructed CPR and first aid certifications. After earning a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, she has worked in the health and fitness industry for more than seventeen years. Kathy's comprehensive style emphasizes alignment and form of yoga postures, and integrates breathing and relaxation techniques into classes. Kathy is sensitive to the needs of beginers and accomodates those with more experience. Kathy currently teaches classes and workshops at the Health Advantage Yoga Studio in Herndon, VA and The Women's Club in Chantilly, VA and presents yoga seminars in the Northern Virginia area.

Prenatal Yoga - Cat Tilts

Yoga teacher Kathy Duke guides participants through a prenatal yoga practice. This video includes a centering breathing practice, postures to increase flexibility and strength, and a soothing relaxation at the end. The sequence shown is appropriate for anyone who is expecting, and is suitable for those without any yoga experience. Although all poses are adapted to be safe during pregancy, consult with your health care practicioner before beginning.

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Hi, I am Kathy Duke. I teach prenatal yoga at the Health Advantage Yoga Center in Herndon, Virginia. Today, we are doing prenatal yoga. We are going to stretch our back and hips with cat pose.

Starting on an exhale breath, you will press down into your hands, into your knees and start to lift the middle back, rounding the spine as you come upward, on in inhale breath allow the spine to lengthen, keeping all of your natural curves.

Exhaling again, round the back upwards, gently lifting the belly towards the spine, and on an exhale, feel the crown of your head and your tailbone, gently moving away from each other.

Continue to breathe, allowing the breath to guide each movement. Let the exhales extend and feel the length and the space that you create in the back body. Cat pose not only release tension from the lower back and hips, they are also good for digestion.

Try one more cycle and then allow your big toes to come together. Take the knees wide enough to accommodate your belly and your chest and on an exhale breath, take the hips backward into a resting position called childs pose.

Stay here for as long as you like, letting your arms stay in a comfortable position, your forehead can come all the way to the floor or you can place your hands below your forehead for support.

And that is how we stretch the spine with cat pose.

Next, I am going to show you how to strengthen the muscles that support the lower back.

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