5 steps to the figure & fluency of a French woman: yoga in French – Part Three

It’s no secret – the world loves yoga. My own love affair with the practice of yoga began when I was only 17.

So what might happen if you wandered into a French yoga class? Well, for starters, you’d get a great workout for your body and mind. You’d also hear the French versions of the common names for the yogic postures, and you might even get a kick out of listening to Sanskrit mantras chanted with a delightful French accent.

And even better: you’ll be well on your way to achieving the poise, figure and fluency of a French woman. (Because we all know French women don’t get fat!)

So let’s get started, everyone! On y va !

For the third installment of Yoga in French, we’ll take a look at the Salutation au Soleil. The salute to the sun is a very common yoga sequence that has many variations. We’ll examine a very basic version of this series of postures.

Salutation au Soleil

Position debout/posture de la montagne – mountain pose. This is another basic yoga posture. It may seem like you’re just standing, but you’re actually bringing your whole body into alignment. The feet are slightly apart, the spine is straight, the chin is tucked in slightly, and the shoulders are relaxed. Respirez…

Posture de la pince debout – standing forward bend. This follows the mountain pose in the sun salutation. From mountain pose breathe in and reach your arms up to the sky. As you exhale, slowly roll forward. Only go as far as feels comfortable. You are now doing pince debout!

Posture de la planche – plank pose. This is like the starting position to a push up. From the forward bend position, place your hands on the floor (bend your knees if you need to). Step back several feet until your body is in one straight, diagonal line. Voilà, la planche!

Le cobra – cobra pose. This is so named because your body will resemble a cobra about to strike. From plank pose, lower yourself slowly to the ground and keep your hands in place beneath your shoulders. Then, slowly push up as you exhale and arch your back. Be careful – back bending poses can be dangerous if you push yourself too hard. Only push up as far as is comfortable. Let the head follow the natural curve of the spine and don’t lock your arms.

Posture du chien tête en bas – downward dog pose. This is one of the most famous and relaxing yoga poses. From the cobra position, try to carefully swing/push your body upward into a triangle shape. Your hips will be in the air, your head hangs down, and your heels reach toward the floor. Take a few long, deep breaths in the downward dog position and then step toward your hands. Slowly roll up, inch by inch, until you’re once again standing in the mountain pose. C’est fait !

Féliciations, you’ve just finished a salutation au soleil !

Discover more in Part One and Part Two our our French yoga series.

Has anyone ever experienced yoga in french?

Do you have any recommendations for great places to practice yoga in French?