If you need a little extra energy this morning, try these 7 yoga poses.
They will help you stretch and strengthen, while waking up the full body before starting your day.
No props needed for this short sequence.
1. Wide-Legged Child’s Pose – Start kneeling. Bring the big toes together to touch, and take the knees as wide as comfortable. Start to fold down, walking the hands out in front of you. Bring the forehead to rest on the mat. Shrug the shoulders blades down the back. Melt the hips to the heels. Relax your chest to the floor. As you rest here, use it to check in with your body, noticing what needs attention. Hold for 5 or so breaths.
2. Table Top – Come to table top, with the palms under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Step your right foot back, extending the leg out. Push in to the heel, to stretch the calf. Lift the right toes up, and start to make some big circles with the right knee and hip. Try not to bend into the left elbow.
3. Lunge – Step your right foot through between the palms. In low lunge, keep the knee over the ankle as you melt the hips forward. Lift up on the fingertips. Shift the gaze up and expand into the chest. Tuck your back toes and lift the knee off of the mat. Let the fingertips hover a few inches from the ground. Hover the belly off of the thigh a few inches as well. Finding a diagonal line from the crown of the head to the heel.
4. Vinyasa Flow – Drop the fingers back to the mat. Step the right foot back into a plank, finding a strong sturdy line. Bend the elbows, keeping them hugged in as you lower to the mat. Push into the hands to lift the chest in cobra. Push in to the little toes. Release down. Tuck the toes and lift the hips up. Find length in the spine, bending the knees and keeping heels lifted in downward dog.
Drop knees to table top, and repeat 2-4 on other side.
5. Rag Doll – Walk the feet up to the top of the mat. Widen the feet towards the edges of the mat. Clasp hold of opposite elbows. Bend into the knees as needed. Letting the spine decompress, releasing tension in the neck. Sway side to side.
6. Chair – Release fingertips to the floor. Bring the big toes to touch, keeping the heels apart. Bend into the knees as you sink the hips down. Reach the arms up high. Rock the weight into the heels. Activating the glutes and quads. Hold for several breaths. Then press into feet to come to standing.
7. Wide-Legged Forward Fold – Turn towards the long edge of your mat. Turning the feet parallel to the shorter edges of your mat. Inhale to lift and lengthen through the upper body. Exhale to hinge at the hips and fold forward. Do whatever feels good with the arms – letting them dangle, grabbing for the big toes, or clasping the hands behind the back. Release tension from the neck, shoulders, and jaw. Bringing the hands back to the hips, lift up slowly.
Prefer to just get on your mat to move without thinking – try the full 10 minute flow below.
Namaste,
Kassandra
