Carmen Aguilar - cyogalife, New York, NY (2026)

01/13/2026

Day 14 of : or variant
Last day 🥳🎊🎉!!! BIG congrats if you’ve made it and let me know how this new 14-day format (versus the 28-day one) worked for you. Did you stay more consistent & stuck with it? Also, comment below which poses would you like to revisit in the future as that’ll help me design new challenges for you guys👌🏻!
I wanted to finish with a semi-challenging pose, not as tough as previous days, but ending hopefully, on a high note💚! Today is all about active Splits and connecting with our legs.
For those practicing with me, head to my library & click on class 💻 #267: “Blocks for Splits”, which contains plenty of drills for active as well as some more mellow Splits variants and lots of ways to combine them with arm balances and inversions. It’s a Splits’ class but full of strengthening moves💥.

Also, a BIG THANK YOU to my incredible helpers helpers .moves & which they ALSO spend a lot of hours preparing content (audio, video, captions), plan suitable modifications and they deserve all the love and praise❤️❤️!! Go visit them for other ideas & alternatives if vertical Splits isn’t for you👍🏻. Much love to all and I’ll see you in a few days for our next Handstand challenge 🤸🏻🔥!
🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #267: “Blocks for Splits”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻.

01/12/2026

Day 13 of : or variant
For the last of the challenge, I chose this hybrid, half Padangustha Dhanurasana (overhead grip) + half High Bow. For those practicing with me, head to class 💻 #262: “BBends for longer flexors”, which provides a thorough warm up, clear pathway and several variants to try depending on your limiting factor👌🏻. A few key points to keep in mind:
🐍 for me, one of the best elements in this arch is to be able to balance on the p***c bone and not the stomach so, building up enough spinal extension AND lumbar strength is crucial;
🐍 rather than putting a block under the belly and go for the full expression, try first to tuck feet under a sofa, or hook them onto some stall bars, then gradually work to lift torso up, first using the hands, then eventually without them. This is a slow process but, if you incorporate it consistently, it’s going to make dramatic changes in your overall back health;
🐍 ankle weights (to make legs weight more and pull you further back), rubber bands attached to something behind etc, are also great props to help (see class for more ideas👍🏻);
🐍 the overhead arm is actually pulling you back much further than the other one so, spend some time crawling fingers closer to its foot because it’ll be easier to lift chest;
🐍 since this pose is quite asymmetrical, try your best to feel it (somewhat) similar on your back. Some side bend will happen in combo with the backbend, but try to level things out once you’re in the final pose;
🐍 tucking pelvis will always help to decompress lumbar & involve t-spine more. If you do that and nothing changes, roll a blanket to find the angle where lower body is strong enough to ground itself. Lots of things to work on today… almost done, let’s go💥🙌🏻!!
For a much needed alternative, head to my helpers .moves & and their option today😉!

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #262: “BBends for longer flexors”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻.

01/12/2026

Day 12 of : or press
For the last of this challenge we have this Yogidandasana + Hstand combo💥. If you’re practicing with me, click ▶️ on class 💻 #349: “Combining hip openers & Crow” which, after a detailed active warm up, will take you into some foot-to-armpit variants, do’s & dont’s and several inversions to play with🙃. Read this before unrolling your mat:
🦋 as we talked about in the last Yogidanda pose, the foot needs to push against its triceps making ankle evert (push through ball of big toe into arm) and aligning bones correctly, so hip can really press & have leverage into its arm;
🦋 fastest way to enter is from standing in a figure 4, trap foot into armpit by squeezing arm back into side ribs, then plant hands down shoulder width apart;
🦋 important to NOT allow elbow to splay out, our you’ll lose the foot. Serratus & side ribs need to remain engage at all times when the foot is its armpit;
🦋 as you lean weight into your hands, come up on tip toes of the free foot. For that leg, the press is exactly the same as a regular straddle press, only slightly easier if you push the Yogidanda foot into the arm (it’ll give you extra height and you’ll be able to lean against something to initiate the move);
🦋 if you continue to lift hips, it’ll get to a point where the Yogidanda foot no longer has contact against the arm, so it’ll slide up, following the other leg & hips. This is the trickiest moment to find your balance as the leg tends to “whip out”, making you move too much and fall. With practice, the transition will become seamless and you’ll arrive into Hstand. This is also one of those VERY complete transitions, worth investing the time it may take to be conquered… hang in there and let me know how it goes🙌🏻!

For those in need of some modification, just go to my incredible helpers .moves & and their option today😊!

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #349: “Combining hip openers & Crow”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻.

01/10/2026

Day 11 of : or variant
Here, the more you lean back, the more challenged your hamstrings & arms will be. For those practicing with me, click on class 💻 #177: “Fingers’ strength in hip openers”, which covers this very particular asana as well as strategies to get stronger in arm balances & improve compression, …not to be missed👌🏻! Before unrolling your mat, read these key points:
📐 you’ll notice you’re improving your leg-behind-the-head postures when you can straighten the spine & dissociate back from hips;
📐 in forward folds like this one, this translates into a ‘flatter’ back. Continue to retract cervical spine (neck slightly pushing back into leg), project through head crown & think of arching at the lumbar, to keep leg locked in place;
📐 enter leg behind the head from sitting/reclined, stand and go into a deep forward fold. The deeper, the easier to balance & the more you’ll be able to lean back;
📐 to help with the tilt, you can lean against a wall, chair or put blocks under hands to elevate ground a little. Balancing on fingertips is one option, but you can also do it on the palms🙌🏻;
📐 if you bend the arms, biceps, delts & wrist flexors will absorb more the weight. If you straighten them, hip flexors & base leg will have to work more. Since this is a challenge focusing on the hips, try to keep elbows as straight as possible;
📐 actively push base heel on the ground and, if you want to take this further, continue to lean back until foot floats and you can balance on your fingers/hands. Extra padding under 🍑 is a good idea, specially the first few times😛!

If you have a hard time with leg behind the head, no worries! Just head to my helpers .moves & and practice their alternative today👍🏻.

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #177: “Fingers’ strength in hip openers”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/09/2026

Day 10 of : or
This is prob one of the first poses that come to mind when we want to combine Splits + Bbends. For those practicing with me today, click on class 💻 #319:”Splits & Scorpions”, which is one of the most interesting, and scalable for all levels, practices you’ll find (if you haven’t tried my library yet, head to cyogalife.com and start your 7-day free trial today💥!). Main ideas we can’t forget when tackling this:
🐍 practice the bbend & the splits component separately, before combining them. Do all kinds of active Splits, Vertical Splits, deep lunges, Eka Pada Rajapotasana lunging etc. Understanding WHAT exactly is the most difficult element for you, is half the battle, so you can focus on that moving forward;
🐍 if you’re fairly comfortable in Splits you can tightly place a band around foot & its shoulder. Alternate between pulling away from it and pushing into it, holding each one for a few seconds. Notice what muscles need to contract in each of them and focus your attention on that;
🐍 if your Splits aren’t that deep, you can try the same thing with 1-2 blocks under hips;
🐍 you can do the same drill w/arms overhead & band between foot & hands: alternate between pulling foot to head & away from it. This version takes the shoulders into deeper flexion, so it’s a bit tougher than the one shown in the pic;
🐍 if your main issues is ‘squaring’ your hips, putting a block under them is also a good way to start. In my experience, most people find MORE limitation on the back hip extension, rather than the front hip flexion & hamstrings. If, before going any further, you hold Splits for 90 secs with a block under hips, trying to level them as much as you can & lifting arms overhead, will likely change the outcome of this pose for you👌🏻.

For a more manageable alternative, remember to check my amazing helpers .moves & and practice their option today😉.

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #319:”Splits & Scorpions”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/09/2026

Day 9 of : variant or in
Today’s assignment combines the hip flexion & leg activation from a few days ago, with a deep 👌🏻. If you’re practicing with my library, head to class 💻 #328: “Having fun with Baby Yogidandasana”, which is the perfect one as it covers this particular variant. After a meticulous warm up, it’ll explain this and other variants, different props’ uses & inversions to get the most out of our time on the mat (if you’re new to my library, remember the first 7 days are FREE💥💥!!). Key points to keep in mind:
🔐 if Yogidandasana is not comfortable yet, or you can’t articulate foot to push sole into triceps, play safe & head to my beautiful helpers .moves & and practice their option today👍🏻;
🔐 it takes time for the hips not only to rotate but also to be able to withstand this kind of pressure so, be patient with yourself but stay consistent as well! The benefits from this arm balance will seep into many other hip openers;
🔐 the main idea is to be able to evert foot so that you can push with ball of the big toe into triceps. As you plant hand & forearm down, project extended leg, but also stack bones, so that the forces running through the Yogidanda leg, go from hip to sole & back💥;
🔐 in other words, to lift up, the Yogidanda foot needs to push into its arm, just like you push your feet when doing weighted squats, but with a deeper hip ER;
🔐 a block under the butt may help bridge the gap to float. Eventually, hip, knee & ankle will get more resilient (and actively flexible). As someone with extremely mobile hips, this kind of asanas have helped a ton rein in & control a lot of pains in that area. Let me know how it goes!

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #328: “Having fun with Baby Yogidandasana”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/07/2026

Day 8 of : or
This is always a fun to revisit that puts on the forefront how important that leg projection is👌🏻. For those practicing with me, click on class 💻 #207:”Tittibhasana & straddle inversions”, which, even though is pretty specific, the lessons learned here will be applicable to a large number of postures🤸🏻. Let me know how it goes! Important key points to have in mind:
💡easiest way to enter is from the ground up. Make sure legs climb as high on shoulders as possible AND squeeze them into arms, so they don’t slide down. Long sleeves, wiping your sweat or liquid chalk may help, but remember it’s all coming from the hips so, keep rolling femurs in and adduct legs;
💡land elbows as close (and under) to you as possible, ideally right above your 🍑. That way you’ll have more leverage to press into the arm balance;
💡press with forearms & project through toes to float butt up. Think of compressing at the flexors, hollow abdomen, protract (widen) scapulas and reach forward with head crown. Make that press as smooth as you can, as well as coming back down;
💡you can brace opposite elbows once you’re up, or start your press like that. The first option is easier to float but you’ll prob lose some skin as you pivot forearms😛. The second one is safer for the elbows’ skin but tougher to lift & find your balance;
💡a very similar, but with a small cheating move, is to rest your pinkies on the ground, so they can help you balance & steer yourself. It may not seem like much but, trust me, it’ll be 👍🏻!

If you prefer to go with a more mellow variant, check my helpers .moves & and practice their alternative today😉.

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #207:”Tittibhasana & straddle inversions”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/07/2026

Day 7 of : in or in
This is probably the most straightforward application of straddle Splits upside down. In my library on cyogalife.com there’s dozens of classes dedicated solely to handstands. It was tough to choose one but 💻 #229: “Middle Splits & pancakes” is ideal as it contains the perfect blend of Splits, compression & upside down time…enjoy! (for those new to the library, remember the first 7 days are FREE 💥💥!).
A few quick points to review:
🤸🏻if you have trouble balancing in the middle of the room, do this BOTH belly to wall AND back to wall. Belly to wall will correct shoulder position, lock body & help hollow abdomen. Back to wall will invite you to jump and experiment with the momentum;
🤸🏻if you CAN do this at the wall, slightly touching it, but have a hard time in the middle of the room, one common mistake is that people take feet off wall without fully transferring first into arms. In other words, you’re going too fast⚡️. Next time you kick, hold your straddle Hstand, heels on wall, for 8-10 secs, stop movement as much as you can before peeling off heels. When you can do that, you’ll be much closer to balancing mid room;
🤸🏻maintain a strong mental connection with your legs. A couple of small ankle weights will make the pose heavier, but also, it’ll force you to be more aware of where the legs are at all moments… more often than not, they’re too low;
🤸🏻shifting gaze down will train hands more, help correct shoulder position & stack hips on top;
🤸🏻prioritize ‘reading’ with your hands where your body is at all moments rather than balancing. A ‘successful’ Hstand is one where your nervous system learns A LOT;
🤸🏻aim to hold this for 1-2 min if you can🙌🏻.

You can also head to my helpers .moves & and practice their alternative today… half way there, let’s keep going👍🏻!

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #229: “Middle Splits & pancakes”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/05/2026

Day 6 of :
Great combo: arm balance + Side Plank + Middle Splits for today’s assignment. If you with me online, click ▶️ on class 💻 #285: “Baby Visvamitra, inversions & diamonds”, which is not your typical Side Plank practice and you’ll get a lot of ideas & new variations to incorporate into your repertoire👌🏻. Quick recap of main things to keep in mind:
📐 remember that, where hips go, everything else will follow, so it’s imperative to keep them as high as you can at all times. If you can’t stop them from dropping, it’s a sign to regress a little and, for instance, drop back knee down or lean against a wall;
📐 slightly bend base arm, so that leg has a little ledge to rest on. Nevertheless, keep engaging it, project through toes, so that arm holding doesn’t have to do (almost) any work;
📐 press base foot entirely down, not just inner edge of it;
📐 as you pass head through, to look to ceiling, initiate the rotation from the spine, don’t force the shoulder. Allow ribcage to rotate first, then arm follows that;
📐 as you revolve chest, there’s a bit of hamstring ‘flossing’, so the stretch seems to ‘move’ along them. To me, this is one of the most interesting sensations and I always try to stay a little longer, go back and forth, between my most challenging angles. Try that and see if that work for you as well🙌🏻;
📐 for those that want something extra, do the Baby version (on the forearm) as well. It’ll require more hamstrings’ length and upper body strength to fight gravity💪🏻;
📐those looking to tone it down a bit, a strap to complete the bind or a block under base hand, can also help you achieve this pose (if you’re fairly close to it). If you’re not that close, or want to experiment with a more mellow variant, go check my incredible helpers .moves & and practice their alternative today😉.

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #285: “Baby Visvamitra, inversions & diamonds”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/04/2026

Day 5 of : or variant
Interesting variant of Bird of Paradise as you’ll have to fight gravity a little different than usual. For those practicing with me, there are many classes you can play, but 💻 #223: “Vasistha, Visvamitra & lateral flexions” covers this particular version in depth, gives different entry strategies, props’ uses and provides several inversions where this move is essential (super original & fun class!). A few key ideas to keep in mind:
💡the easier way to bind is after you’re laying on the floor. You can ‘slide out’ with fingers laced from the get go, but you need quite a lot of control in those end ranges, in order to not face plant🥴. If you usually train sliding into Splits actively & slowly, then you can try this with fingers laced but, if not, chest to floor, then bind, is safest;
💡one of your shoulders will be much more on the floor than the other. Nonetheless, try to get ‘light’ on that side, retract scap back & lift front heel off the ground like in the pic;
💡 hamstrings will also help to raise front leg. Point or flex but stay engaged throughout;
💡 back leg can also push down to activate the whole shape. Curl toes under for an easier connection. Point toes & push top of back foot on the floor for a more grounding experience;
💡drop opposite hip so both feel more leveled. Think of extending the back one & roll on the back thigh to give more weight to that leg;
💡I rested chin down to make it clear where the head was, but extra points if you retract neck & pick it up👍🏻!;
💡if binding seems too far or hamstrings bother you, head to my helpers .moves & and practice their alternative today🙌🏻, nobody stays behind!

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #223: “Vasistha, Visvamitra & lateral flexions”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

01/04/2026

Day 4 of : variant at wall or variant
Another day to keep hamstrings strong, not just stretched👌🏻. For those practicing with me head to class 💻 #304: “Dhanurasana rocks”, where we’ll roll on the floor in all directions to strengthen back & legs in a non-conventional way. This is a personal fav because the sequence is spot on👌🏻(if you’re new to my library, head to cyogalife.com and try the first 7 days for FREE💥!). Keep these points in mind when you’re practicing:
🐍 wall distance is important: too close and you’ll sink on the low back, too far and you won’t find any support. Feel your ribs braced & lifted from below, so that lumbar decompresses;
🐍 don’t overuse your arms (notice how soft I have them in the pic). Deliberately curl from the cervical spine all the way down. Slow down the arch to maximize segmentation & use gravity to help your back contract a bit more, especially in the areas that have less movement;
🐍 retract cervical spine (think of doing a double chin), before arching and to keep neck strong & healthy all throughout;
🐍when ready, bend knees, squeeze low gluts & hamstrings to draw feet to head. Connect also with the lengthening sensations of the front of the hips, not just the contraction in the back. Many people start to cramp right away because they overuse that back chain. Go slower in the contraction so the front can catch up as well… Let me know how it goes🙌🏻!
💡 For a friendlier alternative & further ideas, go visit .moves & .

🔓 Find today’s pose and more in class 💻 #304: “Dhanurasana rocks”.
🏠 Practice with me from home, anytime, anywhere: cyogalife.com and take flight🙃🤸🏻!

Carmen Aguilar - cyogalife

01/13/2026

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