Claire Fountain’s Instagram account, @cbquality, immediately captivated us. The founder of Built and Bendyand the creator of #trillyoga is no typical yogi--her unique aesthetic combines killer poses with street style influences. As a self-proclaimed hustler who splits her time between yoga, training and writing, Claire is the ultimate New Yorker. She has laid out the importance of post workout stretches and demonstrated series of poses and a flow--all in a killer outfit by ALALA (**Use code HBFIT20 for 20% off):
POST WORKOUT YOGA STRETCHES:
“A mini yoga flow after a tough workout will help to prevent later muscle soreness and is the perfect time to stretch since your muscles are already warm. Proper stretching after workouts will increase your flexibility and range of motion. Breathing deeply through each pose, you will be able to also slow your heart rate down and increase circulation as well. These moves will only take 20-30 seconds each (or 3-5 breathes if you’d rather count that way.) Listed below are the poses along with an option flow if you’d like to take your stretching to a more yogic place. Remember, there is no movement without breath. Breathe into your poses, inhaling into spots of tension and letting go with the exhales.”POSES
LOW LUNGE
HAMSTRING STRETCH
Good for the hamstrings, and calves. Maintain square hips, grabbing the toes if desired. Think more about getting the nose over the toes and less about collapsing over, stretch out not down.
LUNGE WITH RAISED ARM
Stretches the thighs, hip flexors, hamstrings, hips, waist, chest, and shoulders. The hips are hit with a deeper stretch as you rotate the chest open and arm up.
EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE POSE
Stretches the groin, thighs, waist, chest and shoulders while strengthening the legs, knees, and ankles.
LOW LUNGE WITH REAR FOOT GRAB
SPHINX POSE
Stretches the chest, abdomen, and shoulders. Also helps to reverse the direction of the spine from a day of poor posture or slouching.
COBBLER’S POSE
DOWNWARD DOG
CHILD’S POSE
Stretches the hips, thighs and ankles while calming the body and relaxing the neck and back. Keep the knees wide for more space to relax into the pose.
FLOW
1. Standing tall, fold forwards and step the right foot back. Take a low lunge. Inhale the arms up to your thigh or hips. Breathe. Exhale the arms down. Move to #2
2. Lean the weight / hips over the back foot, finding the front foot’s heel. Take a hamstring stretch. Breathe. Move to #3
3. Come back into a low lunge, straightening the back leg. Lift the left arm, twisting to open the chest. Breathe. Bring the arm down. Move to #4.
4. Find the back foot at a 45 degree angle. placing the left hand outside the left foot, open the right arm up to a side angle pose. Breathe. Move to #5.
5. Bring hands down, coming through a lunge position to find a low lunge again. Planting the right hand down, letting the left thigh externally rotate this time, open the left arm up and twist around to open, while you also bend the right knee, lifting the foot, perhaps finding the right foot with the left hand. Open the chest, breathe. Repeat 1-5 on the opposite leg.
6. Bring both legs back to a plank and lower all the way down, feet a little . Lifting the chest, drawing the elbows down, shoulder blades back and neck long, release any tension in your glutes and hamstrings as you rest on the forearms in a sphinx pose.
7. Pressing yourself back up find a seated position, bringing the soles of the feet together, letting the knees open up the best you can allow as you lengthen the spine and lift the heart center/chest for a cobblers pose, or butterfly stretch.
8. To finish, take a downward dog. Drop the knees and press back into a final childs pose. Breathe.
Story + Poses by: Claire Fountain
Photography by: @Underground_nyc
Clothing by: ALALA
* Valid on ALALA’s site only, through September 12, 2015.
his is a sponsored post on behalf of ALALA