Hatha Yoga — Phase 1

Advanced Hatha Yoga, Part 1 · Weeks 1–4 · Starting May 28, 2026

Session A — 30 min

Mon · Wed | Full practice: pranayama + postures

Pranayama sequence (10 min) → light-contraction posture sequence (20 min)

Session B — 20 min

Fri · Sun | Recovery: pranayama + floor mobility

Diaphragmatic breathing only (5 min) → floor mobility sequence (15 min)

Pranayama Only — 10 min

Tue · Thu · Sat | Training days — do before gym/swim/run

Full pranayama sequence only. No postures. Morning, before the training session.

Pranayama Sequence

The book positions pranayama (breath control) as the primary daily practice — done every session including training days. The three techniques below build on each other in sequence.

Pranayama · 3 min 1. Diaphragmatic Breathing

This corrects the shallow chest-breathing pattern most adults develop. The book identifies proper breath as foundational to all yoga practice — it's not just warming up, it's retraining the baseline.

Lie flat on your back, or sit comfortably with spine erect.
Place one hand on your belly, one on your chest.
Inhale through the nose. The belly hand should rise first and furthest. The chest hand should barely move.
Exhale fully — belly falls, a gentle drawing-in at the end.
Inhale count: ~4 sec. Exhale count: ~6 sec. No holding yet.
Repeat for 3 minutes. Aim for 8–10 breath cycles per minute.

If your chest rises before or instead of your belly, you're chest-breathing. This is extremely common. It takes weeks to fully retrain. Do not rush past this.

Pranayama · 4 min 2. Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril)

Translated: "channel purification." Alternates airflow between nostrils to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Directly relevant to your cortisol/lipid situation — documented parasympathetic activation. The book emphasizes this as a purificatory practice, not just breathing exercise.

Book (Ch. 21): Pattern is left-inhale → suspend → right-exhale → right-inhale → suspend → left-exhale. Established ratio: 1:4:2 (inhale:suspend:exhale). Work up to this — don't start with full suspension.

Sit upright. Right hand: fold index and middle fingers to palm. Thumb controls right nostril, ring finger controls left.
Close right nostril. Inhale left (~4 sec).
Close both — no hold yet in Week 1, just a natural pause at the top.
Open right, exhale right (~8 sec — twice the inhale).
Inhale right (~4 sec). Natural pause. Exhale left (~8 sec). That's one cycle.
Week 1: 5 cycles, ratio 4:0:8 (no suspension). Week 2: add 2-sec hold → 4:2:8. Week 4: 4:4:8, working toward the book's 1:4:2.

If dizzy: drop the hold entirely and just alternate nostrils with even breathing. Dizziness = slow down. The suspension is earned over weeks, not forced on day one.

Pranayama · 3 min 3. Ujjayi (Ocean Breath)

The breath you'll eventually use during all posture work. Creates a slight audible hiss at the back of the throat, which slows and regulates airflow and creates gentle internal heat. The book references this as the breath that sustains posture practice — learning it now means it's ready when postures get harder.

Breathe in and out through the nose only.
On the exhale: slightly constrict the back of your throat (as if you're fogging a mirror with your mouth, but with it closed). You'll hear a soft "hhhh" or ocean-wave sound.
Once you have the exhale, apply the same constriction on the inhale.
Both inhale and exhale should be audible to you, soft to someone nearby.
Length: 10 sec in, 10 sec out (Mild form A per the book). Build toward 10in/20ex by Week 3. No suspension yet — that comes after weeks of practice.
Maintain for 3 minutes. This will carry forward into posture sessions.

If you can't generate the sound, try whispering "haaaaah" on the exhale first, then close your mouth. The constriction is subtle — not a breath-hold, not a grunt.

Phase 1 Posture Sequence

The book's framework: light-contraction postures come first — always. "When the muscles are not rightly exercised and their strength is at a low level, light-contraction posture exercises are indicated." Great-contraction work with an unprepared body causes harm. These six are your full Phase 1 sequence. Do them in order.

Posture	W1 start	W4 target	Type
Cobra	5 reps	10 reps	Light posterior
Modified Locust	5 reps	10 reps	Light posterior
Cat-Cow	8 reps	15 reps	Light spinal wave
Child's Pose	30 sec hold	60 sec hold	Recovery/stretch
Standing Forward Bend	5 reps	10 reps	Light anterior
Mountain Pose	2 min hold	2 min hold	Static baseline

Illustrations for these postures are in Chapters 12+ of the book — not scanned yet. The form notes below are from standard instruction consistent with the book's graduated system. When you scan Part 2, the book's own illustrations will fill this in.

Cobra Posture (Bhujangasana) — light posterior trunk-bend

Lie face down, legs together or hip-width, tops of feet on floor.
Place palms flat on the floor directly under your shoulders, elbows close to your sides.
Inhale (ujjayi). On the inhale, slowly lift your head and chest off the floor using your back muscles — not your arms. Arms provide light support only, not a push-up.
Lift only as high as you can without your lower back compressing painfully. Hips stay on the floor. Gaze forward or slightly up.
Hold at the top for 2–3 seconds. Feel the contraction across the upper and middle back.
Exhale: slowly lower back down. That is one rep.

If you feel sharp lower-back pain, reduce your range of motion. The lift should come from the upper back — this is not a push-up. The book is specific: light contraction means a fraction of the fibers, not a maximum effort.

Modified Locust Posture — light posterior

Lie face down, arms alongside the body, palms facing up or placed under the hips for support.
Inhale (ujjayi). Lift one leg off the floor — just a few inches — keeping it straight. Hold 2–3 seconds.
Exhale, lower. Alternate legs. That's one rep each side.
For the modified version: lift one leg at a time. Full locust (both legs) comes later in the progression.

The locust targets the lower back and glutes. Keep your pelvis pressed into the floor. If hips lift off the floor as you raise the leg, the contraction is too great — reduce the height.

Cat-Cow — light spinal wave

On hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips, spine neutral.
Cow (inhale): Let the belly drop toward the floor, tail and crown of head both lift, gaze forward. Gentle arch.
Cat (exhale): Press into hands, round the spine toward the ceiling, tuck chin and tailbone, navel draws in.
Move slowly — the full wave should take one full breath cycle (4–6 sec in, 4–6 sec out).
One inhale-exhale = one rep.

This is a mobilization of the whole spine, not a stretch-and-bounce. The book's "spinal wave" principle: each vertebral segment should participate. If one area feels stuck, slow down at that point.

Child's Pose — recovery hold

From hands and knees, bring big toes together, knees wide (or together if more comfortable).
Sit hips back toward heels as far as comfortable. Extend arms forward on the floor, forehead rests down.
Let the back body fully release. No effort here — this is the rest posture between working postures.
Breathe naturally. Hold for the target duration.

In the book's system, brief relaxation between exercises is required — not optional. Child's pose is where you let the muscles recover between the active postures. Don't skip it.

Standing Forward Bend — light anterior

Stand upright, feet hip-width apart, knees soft (not locked).
Inhale: lengthen the spine, grow tall.
Exhale: hinge forward from the hips (not the waist), keeping the back as long as possible. Let your torso drape down. Hands can rest on shins, a block, or the floor — wherever gravity takes them.
Hold at the bottom for 2–3 breaths. Let the hamstrings release gradually — don't bounce.
Inhale: bend knees, press through feet, and rise slowly. One rep.

The book categorizes anterior trunk-bend postures as light-contraction work. The "work" here is actually the controlled lowering and rising — not the passive hanging position. Move with intention both ways.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) — static baseline

Stand with feet together or hip-width, weight evenly distributed across both feet.
Engage thighs gently. Lengthen the tailbone down, don't tuck aggressively.
Chest open, shoulders back and down (not forced). Arms relaxed at sides.
Crown of the head reaches upward. Chin level with the floor.
Hold for 2 minutes. Breathe ujjayi. Close the eyes if stable.

This is where you bring the practice to stillness. The book's central idea: the static posture (stillness, concentration) is the goal; the dynamic postures prepare the body for it. Mountain pose at the end of a session is the beginning of that transition. Your existing meditation practice starts here.

Session B — Floor Mobility Sequence

Recovery-oriented. No ujjayi required — breathe naturally. The goal is release, not development.

Supine Hip Circles

Lie on your back. Draw one knee into the chest.
Make slow circles with the knee — clockwise 5 times, counterclockwise 5 times.
Switch legs. One rep each direction each side.

Thread the Needle (Figure-4 stretch)

Lie on back, both knees bent, feet flat.
Cross right ankle over left thigh just above the knee, flex the right foot.
Either stay here, or reach through and draw both legs toward your chest.
Hold 30–60 sec. Feel the stretch in the outer right hip. Switch sides.

Supine Spinal Twist

Lie on back. Draw right knee to chest, then guide it across the body to the left with your left hand.
Extend right arm out to the right. Gaze right (or neutral).
Hold 30–60 sec. Exhale deeper into the twist. Switch sides.

Supported Bridge

Lie on back, knees bent, feet hip-width and flat on the floor.
Press into feet and lift hips. Clasp hands under the back if comfortable, or leave arms flat.
Hold 30–60 sec. Breathe into the chest. Lower slowly. 2–3 reps.

Week-by-Week Progression

Week 1 (May 28 – Jun 3) — Establish the breath

Primary goal this week is diaphragmatic breath — everything else is secondary. Most people don't breathe this way and won't on day one. Don't rush past it.

Nadi shodhana: 5 cycles, ratio 4:0:8 — no suspension yet. Just alternate nostrils with exhale twice the inhale.
Ujjayi: get the sound. Book's mild form A = 10 sec in, 10 sec out. If 10 sec is too long, start at 6-8 and build.
Postures: minimum reps, maximum attention to form. How it feels over how far you go.

Week 2 (Jun 4 – Jun 10) — Build the breath, feel the postures

Nadi shodhana: 7 cycles, add 2-sec suspension → 4:2:8.
Ujjayi: 10 sec in, 10 sec out continuously for 3 min. If solid, try 10:20 (double exhale per book's mild form B).
Postures: add 1 rep per posture over week 1 numbers.

Week 3 (Jun 11 – Jun 17) — Breath into postures

Begin using ujjayi breath during posture work — inhale on the opening phase, exhale on the contraction or deepening.
Nadi shodhana: 8 cycles, 4:4:8.
Continue adding reps toward week 4 target.

Week 4 (Jun 18 – Jun 24) — Hit targets, assess

Nadi shodhana: 10 cycles, 4:8:8 — approaching book's 1:4:2 ratio.
All postures at week 4 rep targets. Child's pose hold: 60 sec.
Benchmark: can you complete the full session with continuous ujjayi, no form breakdown, and feel ready to train the same day? If yes → Phase 2.
At the end of week 4: update PLAN.md with your rep counts and how it felt.

Watch List

Signal	Meaning	Response
Lower back pain in cobra/locust	Form issue — lumbar compression	Reduce range of motion; lift from upper back not arms
Dizziness in pranayama	Hyperventilation or hypotension	Drop the holds; breathe freely for a minute then continue
Wired/restless after evening session	Sympathetic activation	Move Session A to morning; keep evenings as Session B only
HR above 130 in postures	Too vigorous	Slow transitions, extend holds, rest longer in child's pose

Source: Advanced Hatha Yoga, Part 1 — /srv/shared/Hatha Yoga Book/Part 1/ · Plan: /srv/shared/Hatha Yoga Book/PLAN.md