This weeks video is inspired by Y is for Yogini, when she said “What the bandha are you waiting for?” Well yes, what the bandha! is a bandha? There are 3 main bandhas, or locks in yoga. These are mula, uddiyana, and jalandhara. Briefly, the mula is the root lock/earth energy often referred to as the “feel good” bandha that is several inches below the navel, the jalandhara bandha is the throat lock where the back of the lengthens and the front softens, and the last one uddiyana is the abdominal lock often referred to as the flying upward energy that I am showing you today.
Make sure you have an empty stomach before practicing this. Here are the quick steps:
1. Stand with feet hip widths apart. Raise arms up to inhale fully.
2. Fold forward to exhale completely (very important to not have any air left even contract the belly to squeeze the air out)
3. Bend the knees and put all your body weight onto the hands so the core isn’t working to hold you up.
4. Hold your breath and relax the belly.
5. Take a mock breath by expanding the rib cage (acting as if you were going to inhale but don’t take any air in)
6. The lack of air in your lungs creates the vacuum that draws your naval towards the spine (up behind the rib cage)
7. Hold for about 5 secs or mock breaths, then inhale up
8. Take a few normal breaths and repeat 3-5 more times.
You may feel like you’re choking. The inhale up gives you the lightness and extra effort (or rather the feeling of effortlessness when you come into a pose). Other tips are to keep the chest broad and the upper spine long so resist the urge to collapse. The benefits of practicing uddiyana not only gives you the “lift” but it also tones, massages, and cleanses the abdominal organs.
Uddiyana bandha in action: flying into crow from downdog. Emma, this is for you 
… And rest assured that I am NOT going to do a video on mula bandha Muahhhahahaha
if you can send me videos of main three bandhas. Mula, uddyana, and jalandar. Thank you. Much love and light.
Thank you for you share this information I was looking for.
What, no mula bandha?!
I love your videos! I like that you kept all attempts in the second video (and you have the awesomest laugh). The girlies are right, more videos, please! You explain everything so clearly that I feel like I actually understand uddiyana now.
love seeing your shadow on the wall. yay for your video library growing!
This is really great, and entertaining =) You should do yoga videos, seems like you are made for this girl!
i’m smiling so big right now my face is going to explode.
this, too, makes me want to jump up right now and try… but you should see the dinner i just ate. bad idea.