Susi’s Sampler

Functional Synergy Susi’s Sampler

These videos are a sampler resource for helping you move better, breathe better, and become more quiet. 

You’ll see how your body is a barometer, and when you can listen to the whispers of your body, you won’t have to hear them scream.

Let’s reduce and eradicate symptoms, let’s feel better, let’s get rid of pain.


Want to join me for a yoga practice?

Here is some twisting, some standing, and a little bit of backbending. 
This is a little breathing - soft gaze, reverse breathing, A short settling practice to wind down.
This one here is all about shoulders and hips. Enjoy!

This is all about shoulders and hips using a roller and a ball.

A little bit of standing, some balancing, and likely some laughing....



Join me for some yoga!
In this one I'm using a strap and a chair.


No props needed except for whatever you need in sitting. A little bit of breathing and a little bit of moving. If you are feeling a bit frozen in fear or concern or worry, let’s recognize it and give it an opportunity to move.

Today is about improving your running or walking. Even if in isolation/sheltering/distancing you are walking or running around your house or apartment. This practice starts with a anatomy about the pelvis.  You’ll need a strap, 2 tennis balls, and a chair
Here is a great passive movement and self massage so that you enjoy your run and your feet feel great.


Come back to you body, ground, get clear. Have a bolster or a roller.


This is all about shoulders and hips using a roller and a ball.



This practice is all about downward dog, your shoulders, and feeling grounded, clear and amazing afterward. If you have ever wondered about the connection between your shoulders and hips...
We’ll start slowly with legs up the wall, some breathing and gentle shoulder and hip movements. Then we’ll come to standing to help ground and connect. 

If you are needing more personal attention, or would like to come out on the other side of this better than you went in, please reach out about 90 days of 1:1 customized teaching.

Revolved Triangle pose. I know I know, there is often a collective groan when I mention Revolved Triangle.  Like triangle, this is a pose that gets a lot of blame for SI joint issues, sciatica, etc. And it isn’t Revolved Triangle’s fault. Those are signals that movement is limited and could be better. I will be exploring twisting, hip mobility, stability, and the relationship to hips and feet, hips and ribs, and hips and shoulders.
 We  start with relaxation, add mobility and basic neuromuscular coordination, then add strength with planks. You will need a roller and a chair.    ADVISORY - This practice isn't for you if you have neck, wrist, elbow or shoulder issues.
If you do have upper-body issues, please look to the other practices in this feed for sequences more appropriate for improving your upper body biomechanics, or join me in Susi’s Resource Library where I can address this more.
Today is about Triangle pose. This is a pose that gets a lot of blame for SI joint issues, sciatica, etc. It isn’t Triangle’s fault. Those are signals that movement is limited and could be better.I will be exploring hip mobility, stability, and the relationship to hips and feet, hips and ribs, and hips and shoulders. Here is to feeling more awareness, grounded and ready for your day.

Here are highlights for thinking about moving into forearm stand. Enjoy.


Today is about laying and rolling around on the floor. You will need a strap, a pillow or something for under your head, a spinal strip or another rolled mat, a felt pad or blanket.

Today is a sequence to connect. You will need a chair, sandbag (if you have one), spinal strip (or rolled mat), strap, block and roller. Let’s settle in and connect.

Today is a sequence for awareness and ease. You will need a chair and a block. Let’s reconnect, grow ease and build strength.

Today I am playing with Warrior 3: You’ll gain mobility, stability, strength, but most importantly you’ll be moving better and feeling better. For those who love core strengthening in, you’ll be surprised at my seemingly “this isn’t a core exercise” you will feel more connected through your core..
Today is a general practice...let’s connect. Have a block and strap handy.




Plank and down dog. You will need 2 blocks, strap, 2 tennis balls or massage balls, and a roller.
Note - If you have wrist or elbow or shoulder issues, or you can’t raise your arms overhead without flaring or bracing your ribs, I don’t recommend this practice. It is not possible to provide modifications when I can’t see you.
Today we’ll explore side bending (at the request of my husband). You will need a blanket or pillow for your head, and a felt pad or a second blanket for a restorative side bend.



Today is about legs! So grab a block, a strap and a tennis or massage ball. Let’s go!


Today is easy. Let’s breathe, be aware, focus in on good joint movement. We’ll mostly be mostly on our backs. Have a spinal strip or rolled mat/blanket, massage ball or tennis ball and a strap. This will be good.
Today is easy. We’ll be staying lower to the floor, focusing on good hip, shoulder and spinal movement with a good dose of breathing. Have a roller and a block handy.  This will be good.

Warrior 2!  With some great hip and shoulder work with strength to boot. You will need a strap, block and wall space.


Eagle pose. If you are looking for a practice to improve your hip mobility AND leg strength along with your shoulder girdle mobility and stability, you’ll enjoy this one. You will need a block and a strap.



Rib Cage Tightness & Breathing Freedom. Many people grip or brace in their rib cage to compensate for limitations in their shoulders, hips or neck. This series is designed to gently reconnect your parts so you are moving more easily and feeling good. You will need a block to sit on, massage balls or tennis balls, buckled strap, blanket or pillow, and a roller.

Belly grip, breathing, hips and shoulders. They all connect. Today we will start with some lengthy breathing on the spinal strip (you can use a rolled mat), then into some belly massage, sandbag breathing, fun twisting. You will need a spinal strip, (or rolled mat), buckled strap, sandbag, roller and a blanket for extra support if needed.

A lot of you have been asking about shoulders. And also the cue to “knit the ribs”: This video teaches you both. I bring in Stan (and his poor broken jaw): to share a little about shoulders and then we’ll do an exploratory sequence.
If you want more specific help, email me  and let's chat about more personalized 1:1 attention

I have been receiving great notes about how you are so much more aware of your hips, your pelvis and that you aren’t blasting through exercise as much anymore.
That you are listening to the whispers. That you are becoming aware.

THAT is a huge key for reducing and eradicating pain, and improving mobility, stability and strength. So today let’s come into standing and work with your hips, torso and shoulders. You will need a strap, chair and tennis or massage ball.
Today we will be in Standing, with some triangle, warrior 2 and 3, and one other slightly more challenging standing balance position. The idea will be better stability without all the bracing and gripping that can happen. Let’s grow awareness and feel better - calmer, steadier and stronger....the epitome of functional synergy.

As for props.....Have a ball handy, you may want a strap.


Knee falling inward? Is this a hip issue or an adductor weakness issue? This question comes from a FB live student which I will address here in a sequence. 
One thing to note - Keep in mind I haven’t seen her move, so I am responding generally to the question. 
For more personal interaction, join me in “Susi Resource Library” (I’ll put the link in the comments when I am done teaching this Live) or join me for one of my “3 month 1:1 totally for you private series” where we explore and help you to resolve pain, strain, fatigue and so much more. DM for the private series.
​Easy and gentle is the theme for today. “Legs up the wall” kind of gentle, with some roller work and easy movement. We’ll be mostly on the floor. Have handy a strap, and roller.






Stepping stones to half-moon pose. We won’t be doing half moon today, but we will be bringing awareness to the pelvis, hips and ribs so that we can move toward half-moon.

Half-moon requires awareness is the areas mentioned above, so today be attentive, notice your patterns, see what you become aware of. This is the biggest reason for injured in yoga - not being attentive, and its flips side (being attentive) is what will help you out of pain and into better function.
Have a roller handy
Stepping stones to making your crow fly. We won't actually do crow today... we'll work on the components and coordinating patterns that are foundational to making its wings ready for flight.





Rest and longer holds. We’ll do 4 positions today, with slightly longer holds, and a quieter pace & feel.

If you are feeling like you are the caterpillar who is in its chrysalis this practice is designed to give you pause so the important inner work can continue with ease.

You will need a bolster or 2 pillows, sandbag or bag of rice, and a blanket or extra pillow for under your head.

Modified sun salutation with a chair. This is perfect if you love to flow, and your current capabilities or function doesn’t permit it. (Unless you push through all those whispers wanting to get your attention).,

We’ll be exploring hips and shoulders, core, breath and more.

This is primarily a standing practice.

You will need a chair.
Continuing toward Half Moon, and getting to know your pelvis-leg-rib cage connection. We won’t be doing half moon today, and you will finish with a new level of awareness.

Have a block handy.

Standing. We are often surprised at how the shoulders impact the hips. So in the spirit of exploration, today’s practice has a focus on shoulders first and then we move into some common standing poses. All to see what happens.

You will need a chair and a strap.
Breathing. First on a folded blanket, then on a spinal strip (or rolled yoga mat) and then with a sandbag.

You can have other props handy like bloc, strap, bolster.


Shoulder Stand. Say what?? We won’t be practicing shoulder stand today, but I do want to explore some of the components. Many people are much too limited in their rib cage/spine/shoulder and pelvic girdles .. this is one reason (among many) why Shoulder stand has such a bad reputation for neck issues. Have handy a blanket or a pillow.
Legs! Today is about developing leg strength...while moving better. It is about listening to the whispers so you don’t have to hear the screams. It is about growing your own functional synergy so you can be clear in your mind and strong and supple in your body.
We will be in standing. Have a block handy.



Developing a core of calm and ease, and building strength from there.
Gentle, connecting, strengthening.

Have handy a chair, a massage or tennis ball, strap.
Working towards pigeon and splits. Say What?! We won’t be doing either today but you will get to explore what limits you, and what is connected to the movement of your legs. By the end, more connection, more freedom, more strength.


8 ways with and 8 foot strap. All on the floor. Good fun for better connection, ease, and just feeling darn good. 







Wake Up Yoga Practice to get your day going. Some hips, some downward dog, some plank, some standing, some bridge. This one has it all. Call it a tossed salad! A little bit of everything.
Have a chair handy for the standing forward bends, and a blanket for under your knee if you need one for lunge.
Strength and Balance. Beginning with backbends, and then into standing, and back to the floor do twisting. From a foundation of ease, let’s build the ability to surge and be strong.

You will need a strap, block, roller and spinal strip or rolled mat.
Moving toward hand balances - Today is about shoulders, rib cage, breathing and hips. Core engagement will naturally arise.Have handy a chair, roller, and block (wood, cork or similar). Here is to feeling connected and strong...supple and free.



Breathing, longer holds. All on the floor. 100 percent goodness.
You will need a roller, sandbag or bag of rice, and a straw.


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Shoulder blades and rib cage There is something very gentle about working with the connection between the shoulder blades, rib cage, neck and feet. Join me to find out more.
You will need a blanket, buckled strap, sandbags or bag of rice, massage or tennis ball.
Let’s have some fun.
Roller, Lunging, Planks and Crow. An easeful way of developing mobility, strength, stamina and power...all through an exploration of your shoulders, hips, spine and pelvis.

Not advisable if you have wrist or elbow issues. There are other videos in this feed to support your body.

You will need a roller and a strap.​​​​

Reduce Pain. It all begins with better movements and teaching you where and how you move or don’t move... we will be exploring Hips, Hamstrings, Spine, Shoulders. I’ll add in some “superman” and a few other explorations too.Have a block, strap and roller handy.

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Exploring Crow. This is all about building strength. We’ll start with some hip mobility, some bridge, some shoulders, and plank and then into crow pose.

Have a block or chair to sit on.
Shoulders and Hips. This will be an exploration, a connection........
You will need a bolster, strap, massage ball or tennis ball.
Let’s have some fun.




Standing and forward bending. Let’s explore the pelvis on the legs and see how gently connected we can become. You will need a chair. We’ll start in standing and work toward the floor.



Using a wall. This video is all about hips, shoulders, from laying down to standing. Enjoy it for more ease, connection and strength.
You will need a strap...and a wall and door frame.



Pull ribs in and tuck tailbone? Is there a better way to mobility, stability and strength?
Let’s find out.

You will need a strap, massage ball or tennis ball, and some curiosity.​​​




Running Faster. This practice is for all you runners and will focus on breathing, rib cage, shoulders and yes hips and feet. Plan for a run after and report back to me about how you feel.

You will need a theraband or tie that can wrap around your rib cage, yoga strap with buckle, tennis or massage ball, yoga block (optional).


Feet/Ankles/Squats/Balance. This sequence is all about standing taller and lighter.

Have a bathroom towel (regular size) and a block.
Consolidation. A lot of people who are following me are telling me how much better they are moving, how much their bodies are feeling and how much clearer they are in their minds. So, we slow it down and allow the gains to integrate so you can grow your inner core of ease, your inner core of calm. That is what will give you power, strength and stamina.  Have handy a chair, roller (or block) and sandbag (or bag of rice)

Dancer’s Pose. This position can be quite simple when you understand how the shoulders, pelvis, spine, and hips all work together. We will start slow, on our backs, laying on a blanket and then gradually come to standing. By the end, you’ll be feeling taller, grounded and more receptive.

Have handy a blanket, spinal strip or rolled mat, strap or tie...
Balancing ..... Today is all about standing on one leg. Pelvis stable. Standing tall, and strong simply because we are moving well.
Better Hips and Better Shoulders. This practice is a series of yoga movements and drills, to loosen you up, become aware, and make the next step in your consistent progress to better function.

We are beginning with legs up the wall, letting the legs become heavy, then into the spine and then to the shoulder girdle. All on the floor.

You will need a ball or tennis ball, Strap or tie, spinal strip or roller yoga mat, and a piece of wall or door.
Pelvic Floor Exploration. Slow and mindfully, assessing, exploring, reassessing.
Breath, hips, ribs, feet.
Quiet.

You will need a sandbag or bag of rice, 2 massage balls (or tennis balls), block, and optionally, an exercise ball if you have to sit on.

If you have any questions, would like to join the monthly Membership, or would like to learn more about Susi's programs and trainings, email us at [email protected]