Live for Advent: Gentle Leg Toning

Are you ready to lengthen and strengthen your leg muscles? In this Gentle class, you will begin on your back for deep breathing, shifting your body from the sympathetic to the parasympathetic nervous system (the part of the autonomic nervous system that allows your body to rest, digest, and heal.) After warming up through neck stretches, cross-legged seated forward folds, twists, low lunge, and pike pose, you will move into the workout portion of class, which is focused on the legs. Your legs will be both stretched and strengthened as you follow Betsy’s lead through squats, pike, swan dives, high lunges, and seated forward folds. As you relax into an easy hip release for your long hold, you will hear a meditation encouraging you to contemplate Christ’s meekness and to consider how you can imitate Him. The instrumental music for this class has a holiday feel; the music for the quiet pose is a piece of Gregorian chant that helps you end the class in a peaceful conversation with God.