WELCOME TO MONTHLY THROUGH LINES

Hey all – it’s Simon here with Chromatic Yoga.

For the past five years, I’ve been diving deep into the system of Chromatic Yoga with Matt Giordano, and it’s completely transformed not just how I practice, but how I teach. Using the step-by-step progressive methodology of Chromatic Yoga has brought so much clarity and purpose to my classes, and it’s given me a new level of confidence in guiding students toward higher levels of body awareness and improved strength and flexibility.

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably a bit of an anatomy nerd who lights up at the mention of biomechanics (or yoga philosophy). It’s a passion – but with the sheer volume of information out there and the complexity of the human body, it can feel overwhelming at times. That’s why I love the structure and depth Chromatic Yoga offers – it helps cut through the noise and bring everything together in a way that truly supports both teacher and student.

That’s why we’re rolling out CHROMATIC MONTHLY THROUGH LINES

In Chromatic Yoga, we keep things straightforward. That’s why we’ve launched this latest community initiative. It’s designed to help you focus and intelligently design your classes to best support your students, if you’re a teacher. If you’re just here to practice, that’s great too. You’ll be able to apply these through-lines to gain more insight in to body biomechanics and potentially access the poses you’ve always wanted to do but perhaps haven’t gotten yet. 

How it Works:

1. On the first of every month, we announce the Chromatic Monthly Through-Line. We zoom in on one body part and explore all the ways it affects our yoga practice throughout the month.
2. We highlight a Physical Through Line (PTL) you can incorporate into your classes each week, along with pose suggestions and cueing techniques.

• • WHAT IS A PHYSICAL THROUGH LINE? 

• • A Physical Through Line is a term we use in Chromatic Yoga that is defined by the muscle engagement, or joint action that we focus on through the duration of the yoga class. Certified Chromatic Teachers construct their classes around a PTL (Physical Through Line) in order to create a more effective learning environments for students. As a student you can expect that each Chromatic class will include a PTL. Of course, you will do other postures and other muscle engagements within a Chromatic class, however there is a strong emphasis on the PTL.

3. Share how you’ve used the PTL by tagging us on IG and in our Global WhatsApp Group! 

For June, the Chromatic Monthly Through-Line will be (drumroll, please…)

The Power of Extension!

Imagine moving through your yoga practice without ever lengthening your spine, opening your shoulders, or engaging your back leg. It would feel incomplete, unbalanced, maybe even a little stuck. That’s where extension comes in.

Extension is one of the most important yet underappreciated actions in the body. It’s the antidote to our flexion-heavy lifestyles – sitting, slouching, scrolling. Biomechanically, extension refers to an increase in the angle between body parts – often moving a limb or the spine backward in space. But in the context of yoga, extension is more than a movement – it’s an opening, a reawakening, a return to uprightness and vitality.

This month, we explore how extension shows up in different parts of the body – and how learning to use it with intention can bring clarity, strength, and balance to your practice.

Week 1: Spinal Extension – Reclaiming Length and Lift

We start at the center – your spine. Spinal extension is the action of drawing the spine into a longer, more upright or even back-bending shape. It’s what happens in poses like Cobra, Upward Facing Dog, and Camel.

In a world that encourages constant forward rounding, bringing mindful extension into the spine can feel like a relief and a revelation. We’ll explore how spinal extension isn’t just about bending backward – it’s about creating space between vertebrae, engaging spinal muscles (like the erector spinae), and using the breath to lift and expand from within.

Expect to tune into alignment and nuance: when to engage, when to soften, and how to use your core to support the curve without compression.

Week 2: Shoulder Extension – Strengthening the Often-Neglected Back Line

When we think of shoulder mobility, we often go straight to overhead movements – flexion – but shoulder extension plays a vital role in balance and strength.

Shoulder extension occurs when the arms move behind the body. Think Locust Pose, Reverse Tabletop, or clasping hands behind your back in a Humble Warrior. These actions strengthen the posterior deltoids, triceps, and upper back, supporting posture and shoulder stability.

This week, we’ll tap into this underused range of motion to open the chest, reinforce the back line, and develop a more complete understanding of shoulder health – especially in relation to transitions, binds, and backbends.

Week 3: Hip Extension – Powering the Back Body

By week three, we return to the familiar territory of the hips – this time through the lens of extension.

Hip extension occurs when the thigh moves behind the pelvis, as in the back leg of Crescent Lunge, Warrior III, or Dancer Pose. It’s a crucial action for walking, running, and most standing yoga poses.

This week, we’ll explore how to activate the glutes and hamstrings without losing spinal integrity, how to stabilize the pelvis, and how to pair hip extension with strength and softness. You’ll learn how this action not only enhances your physical practice but also balances the forward-folding, hip-flexing movements we do so often on and off the mat.

Week 4: Knee Extension – Finding Support and Strength

Finally, we land in the knees – a joint that often goes unnoticed. Knee extension is the action of straightening the leg, as seen in Tadasana, Triangle Pose, and other standing balance poses.

This week, we’ll look at the subtleties of extending the knee with intention. It’s not about locking or hyperextending, but rather finding the muscular engagement – especially through the quadriceps and surrounding stabilizers – that supports joint health and long-term mobility.

You’ll explore how proper knee extension can support standing balance, improve leg strength, and create more ease in transitions between poses.

Simon’s RECAP AND TOP TIPS

Peak Postures to CONSIDER for extension:

Week 1 Spine: Cobra, Bridge, Bow, Wheel, Wild Thing, Camel, Upward Facing Dog – MONDAY, JUNE 2

Week 2 Shoulder: Locust, Bow, Sugar Cane, Airplane, All 4’s/Table Top, Reverse Plank  – MONDAY, JUNE 9

Week 3 Hip: Warrior 3, Dancers, Low/High Lunge (back leg focus or front leg focus depending on your focused action)  – MONDAY, JUNE 16

Week 4 Knee: Standing Hand to Big Toe, Triangle, Mountain – MONDAY, JUNE 23

FOR TEACHER’s: VERBAL CUE’S

For the following actions of Extension, in the below example postures, try saying:

Spine – Cobra: “feel the muscles of your erector spinae engage as your chest lifts forward and up”

Shoulder – All 4’s/Table Top: “with your hands gripping in to your mat, pull them toward your knees as if you are trying to straighten them”

Hips – Dancers: “squeeze through the gluteus muscle of the lifted leg to raise the leg higher”

Knee – Tadasana: “actively press your feet in to your mat as if you are trying to stand up straighter”

FOR CHROMATIC STUDENTS:

As a practitioner of Chromatic Yoga you can of course expect to experience these PTL’s in Chromatic Classes around the world. You can also practice these yourselves within any yoga class without the guidance of a teacher.

CHROMATIC TEACHERS:

Let’s see what you come up with this month. What peak postures will you be using? After you teach your class, share in our Global WhatsApp Group which layering postures worked best for you, which did you find students struggled with? We look forward to our collective collaboration to offer top level yoga experiences world wide.

Final Thoughts on extension

Extension is more than just a shape – it’s a shift in awareness, an opening to potential. Whether you’re lengthening your spine, engaging your glutes, or lifting through your heart, these actions help you create balance between strength and space, effort and ease.

As we move through each week, notice where Extension feels unfamiliar, powerful, or even emotional. Bring curiosity, and let your practice reveal what’s ready to lengthen, strengthen, and unfold.

Chromatic Yoga is a global community. No matter where you are in the world, we hope you’ll join us this June for a deep dive into the vast possibilities of Extension available in your body. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Instagram for all the updates!

Wishing you an intentional and heartfelt practice,

~Simon Darroch

Chromatic Blogs & Through-Lines