transitions

In yoga class this morning, Linda led us from the locking-gate pose (parighasana) to side plank to plank (chaturanga). I loved these transitions from pose to pose. The control that I had to have in parighasana, so that my torso did not turn aside or my bent knee lean forward, I realized, is crucial for the series of transitions. Once this is achieved it is easy to shift into side plank, which requires the core to do its maximum work, so the torso is held up by the balanced weight on part of the foot and the hand holding the body up. Today I was able to execute with grace the movement from side plank to downward dog (adhomukhasvanasana).