Strong Foundations

About This Class

This class opens in Child's Pose with an immediate invitation to establish deep, fluid nasal breathing — the throughline Bryan returns to constantly. After a multi-round Surya Namaskar A warm-up rooted in Ashtanga tradition, the sequence progresses through standing work including Warrior One, Warrior Two, Crescent Lunge, Triangle (Trikonasana), Twisting Triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana), Side Angle, and bound variations, with hip-opening low lunges (elbows-to-floor), a seated figure-four cross-legged forward fold (Firelog / Sukhasana variation), and supine spinal twists before settling into Savasana. Bryan emphasizes flirting with — rather than pushing past — personal boundaries, using sensation as the guide. Props are welcomed throughout: blocks for hand placement, forearm modifications for side angle. The philosophical undercurrent centers on mindfulness, non-judgment, and staying present through discomfort, making the class as much a mental training session as a physical one. Oxygen accumulation through sustained deep breathing, endorphin flow, and full-body circulation are explicitly named benefits. The pace is moderate — deliberate enough to hold poses with awareness, energetic enough to build heat and full-body engagement.