Day 40 is a six-pose sequence held 30 seconds at a time, then repeated on the other side. The first three are balance positions: a straight leg extended out to the side and held, a straight leg extended forward and held, and a knee raised in front and held. Then three positions for the back of the body: a deep forward hinge with the arms swept up behind you, a full overhead reach with the arms straight, and the same forward hinge again with the hands resting on the hips.
The card runs two halves with different jobs. The three held kicks are strength and balance together - holding a straight leg out at height for thirty seconds is far harder than swinging it there, and the standing leg spends a minute and a half working to keep you upright. The three positions that follow release all of it. The hinge with the arms behind stretches the hamstrings and opens the shoulders at once; the overhead reach lengthens the whole front of the body; the second hinge repeats the stretch with the arms out of the equation so the legs get all the attention.
Hold the extended legs at whatever height you can keep completely still - a lower leg held steady is worth more than a higher one that drifts down through the thirty seconds. Keep the standing knee soft and your eyes fixed ahead. In the hinges, keep a long spine and soft knees, and let the exhale take you a little lower rather than forcing depth. In the arms-behind version, straighten the arms and lift them away from the back without shrugging the shoulders toward your ears.
Ninety seconds of holding a leg in the air, then ninety seconds of thanking your hamstrings for it.
Make it Harder: A held position asks for stillness rather than intensity, so take the legs a little higher and refuse to let them drop before the thirty seconds are up.
Make it Easier: Touch a wall for the three balance positions and lower the working leg to a height you can hold cleanly.
