A Standing & Stretching Class

About This Class

Bryan Kest guides students through a wide-ranging, breath-centered flow that builds gradually from child's pose and down dog into several rounds of sun-salutation-inspired sequences featuring cobra, crescent lunge, and forward folds. The standing section is particularly substantial, including single-leg balancing, warrior-inspired lunges, airplane pose, triangle-like twists, and side-body stretches. The floor work addresses the full posterior chain with locust/bow variations, deep hip-opener seated poses (a figure-four / double-pigeon style sequence), supine leg stretches, core work (scissor kicks and seated forward reaches), plow pose, and a shoulderstand. Throughout, Bryan consistently cues students to breathe deeply through the nose, keep the neck soft, and work at a personal degree of intensity—never competing or comparing. The class closes with supine twists, a gratitude meditation, and an extended savasana. The overall philosophy emphasizes moderation, self-care, gentleness, mindfulness, and mental relaxation as much as physical work, making it equally suited to stress relief and general mobility as to building strength and stamina.