Do you feel like you need a nap in the middle of the afternoon? Whether you’re working in an office, or staying at home many of us feel like we need that boost as we hit the peak of the day. Instead of grabbing another coffee – try these 7 poses instead.
All you need is your mat, and enough space to roll it out!
- Mountain Pose – Start standing at the top of your mat, feet hip width apart, arms down at the sides, palms shining forward. Keep the tailbone reaching down and draw the lower abdominals in. Close your eyes. Work on finding your foundation here. Rock forward onto the toes, as if leaning forward. Then shift to the right, lean back on the heels, lean over to the left. Finally, settle into the center.
2. Crescent Lunge – Open your eyes, reach your arms up overhead. Grab the right wrist with the left hand. Step your right foot back behind the left one, coming onto the outer edge of the foot. Reach your hands over to the left side, hips to the right. Take to the other side.
3. Standing Forward Fold – Bring the hands back behind you, interlacing the fingers. Dive forward and fold down, bending into the knees as needed. Reach the knuckles up and over. Let the head relax, releasing the neck. Bend into the elbows as needed.
4. Modified Camel – Come to kneel, and sit back on the heels. Keep the knees and feet hip width apart. Swing the right arm up and bring the left hand back behind you. Lift the hips up and push forward in back bend. Inhale back through center, exhale to the other side. Move with the breath.
5. Three-Legged Dog to Table Taps – Come to downward dog. Kick the right leg up, opening up the hip and keeping the leg straight. Inhale, bending the knees and tapping the ankles together. Exhale back to three-legged dog. Do about 5 rounds. Then repeat on other leg.
6. Lizard Pose – Step the right foot to the outside of the hands. Roll onto the outer edge of the right foot. Stay up on the palms, or come down onto the forearms. Stack the fists or let your head dangle. Hold for 5 breaths. Then repeat on the other leg.
7. Warrior 3 Modified – From downward dog, kick the right leg up and then step it through between the hands. Push into the feet and lift up into high lunge. Reach the arms out at the sides, puff up the chest and squeeze the shoulders back. Keep the arch as you lean forward. Keep bend in the right knee as you float the left leg up. Keep squeezing the shoulder blades behind you.
These 7 poses are part of a half hour practice on my YouTube channel. Practice with me below.
Namaste,
Kassandra
