The Cover-Model Workout

By Paige Greenfield

At least you can feel like one

YogaLife’s Winter '06 cover model, Vanessa Lee, can’t give us her genes but she did give us some tips on turning a limber body into an easygoing asana machine. A yogi for 7 years and instructor for 5, she teaches power yoga at At One Yoga in Scottsdale, Arizona. After seeing her hold Dancer’s Pose (with a smile) during the cover photo shoot, we wanted to know: What’s her secret? So Lee taught us her favorite series to strengthen, tone, and stretch your anatomy, and then took us step-by-step through that not-as-hard-as-it-looks cover asana.

 “The Warriors and Extended Side Angle in this sequence open the hips and groin while working the glutes and quads,” Lee says. “The balancing poses work your core and build leg strength, while twisting poses work your body in a different range of motion than it’s used to.” Altogether this sequence will make you lean, limber, and ready for Dancer’s pose. Warm up with three to five Sun Salutations before starting this sequence. Then, hold each of the below poses for 4 to 5 breaths (that’s 3 to 4 counts of inhale and exhale.) Do this routine twice on each side for a cover-model-worthy 30-minute workout.

Warrior I
1. Stand tall with feet together and arms by sides. Separate feet 4 to 5 feet apart. Turn right foot and leg 90 degrees out to right.
2. Turn left foot in 45 degrees toward right. Rotate hips and torso to right, turning thighs outward and working to square the points of the hip bones forward while engaging thighs, lifting the kneecaps, and straightening legs.
3. Bend right knee over ankle forming a right angle.
4. Lift arms overhead, shoulder-distance apart, palms facing each other. Sink deeply into hips. Try to eliminate arch in lower back by engaging stomach muscles and drawing tailbone down.
5. Reach high with arms (while keeping shoulders down). Hold for 4 to 5 breaths. Inhale.

Warrior II
1. Exhale. Open pelvis to left, squaring hips to the side wall. Tailbone drops. Front knee stays directly above front ankle.
2. Lower arms so they’re extending in opposite directions, palms facing floor. Reach through fingertips and relax shoulders. Gaze over right fingers. Hold for 4 to 5 breaths.

Reverse Warrior II
1. Inhale. Keeping arms straight and front leg bent, reach back arm down back leg (aiming for thigh or shin).
2. Reach front arm up toward sky. Let head gently drop back with chin toward raised arm. Hold for 4 to 5 breaths.

Extended Side Angle Pose
1. Exhale. Keeping arms straight out to sides as in Warrior II, place right palm on floor in line with right toes (if that’s uncomfortable bend right arm and place forearm on top of right thigh, palm facing up.)
2. Reach left arm to front of room with palm rotating toward floor (so there’s one long line from the back ankle to the fingertips). Hold for 4 to 5 breaths.

Half Moon Pose
1. Inhale. Walk right hand a few inches in front of right leg, then straighten right leg.
2. Straighten left arm toward sky, palm turns to left wall.
3. Using strength of right leg, press up to balancing, extending left leg up behind you. Left foot is flexed. If you need help reaching the floor, place a block under bottom hand. Hold 4 to 5 breaths.
4. Come back to Mountain pose (Tadasana) and repeat on opposite side.

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