Gain Strength and Release Pain in Your Back

This yoga sequence is all about your spine. It will stretch out the parts of your back that might be feeling tight and tense, while also strengthening those muscles.

In just 10 minutes your spine should feel a lot better.

You don’t need any props for this practice.

1. Puppy Pose – Start in table top, aligning the hips over the knees. Walk your hands forward, bringing the forehead to rest on the floor. Stay active, keeping the elbows lifted. Or rest the forearms down. Melt the chest here, opening the upper back.

2. Side Sphinx – Bring the forearms down to the floor. Slide forward on to the belly. Roll your shoulders back and press open through your chest. Push into the fingertips and pull your heart forward. Reach chest away from the toes. Bring the right fingers at 45 degrees towards the left. Walk the left fingers back. Push into the fingers to lift, and look over the left shoulder. Keep both hips pressing down. Repeat to other side.

3. Heart Opener – Press to lift up, sinking the hips to the heels. Bring the fingertips back behind you. Bend your elbows and squeeze them together as you open up your heart.

4. Low Lunge – Come to downward dog, kick the right leg up. Then step it through between the hands. Bring the back knee down. Lift the right hand on to the right thigh. Push into the knee, as you look over the right shoulder in a twist. Press and melt the hips down. Release the hand down.

5. Bird Dog –  Kick the right leg back, rolling the hip down. Draw the belly in, firming up the core. Stay here, or extend the left hand forward. This pose will work the obliques, as well the muscles around the spine. Hold here for a few breaths.

6. Thread the Needle – Return to table top. Reach your right arm up to the sky as you inhale. Exhale, thread the right arm through. Lower the right shoulder and ear to the mat. Extend the left arm forward, pressing in to the fingertips. Check that the hips are still over the knees. Slide back in to table top.

Repeat 4-6 through on the other side.

7. Locust – Lower down to the belly. Point your toes back and extend your arms out in front of you. Face the palms towards one another. Keep the gaze down, and back of the neck long. Inhale the left arm and right foot up. Squeeze. Exhale to release down. Alternate to the other sides. Do a few rounds. Then cactus the arms, lift the chest off the floor. If it feels good, try to lift the legs as well.

These 7 poses come from Day 27 of my 30 day Morning Yoga Movement challenge. If you want to start with yoga every morning for 30 days, sign up here.

Or practice along with this video by clicking play below.