Looking to power up your practice and strengthen the core this week? Try out these 7 poses in just 10 minutes.
No props required.
1. QL Stretch – Lay down on back. Widen the feet towards the edges of the mat. Drop both knees to the left. Cross the left ankle over the right knee. Reach the right arm overhead. Bring left hand to belly, connecting to breath. Switch sides.
2. Bicycle – Come back to center with feet hip width apart. Lift your feet and shins off of the mat. Lift the feet, stacking knees over hips. Push the low back into the floor. Check that knees have stayed over hips. Interlace fingers behind the head. Inhale to curl head and shoulders off the mat. Pull the low belly in. Exhale, twisting to the right and extend the left leg straight. Keeping right knee steady. Come back to center. Alternate sides. Do 3 to 5 rounds.
3. Plank Pulses – Rock up to down dog, with hands shoulder width apart, and feet hip width apart. Inhale lifting the heels up and ripple forward to plank. Exhale up and back to downward dog. Staying strong through the core. Do 3 to 5 rounds. In the final plank, hold steady. Lift the right foot off the mat. Tap the toes up and down 5 times. Switch to the left foot.
4. Low Lunge – Exhale back to downward dog. Kick the right leg up, then step it through between the hands at front of mat. Bring the back knee down. Push into the ground and lift up. Reach hands to the sky. Gaze forward, or up to the hands. Pull up through the abs.
5. Half Split with Twist – Bring the hands down. Shift the hips back and straighten the right leg, stretching into the hamstring. Keep the left hand down and chest lifted, reach the right arm up to the sky.
Repeat 4 and 5 on the other side.
6. Side Plank – Come to table top. Extend the right leg back behind you. Roll to the inner edge of the right foot. Stretch the right hand up to the sky. Point into the right toes to squeeze and lift the right toes to the same height as hip. Hug into glutes. Draw the low belly in. Tap the toes down and up 5 times. Lower the right foot back down and maybe extend the left leg for full side plank. Repeat other side.
7. Wide-Legged Child’s Pose – Bring the big toes together and the knees apart. Press hips back to heels. Fold down, bringing forehead to the mat. Reaching the arms forward.
These 7 poses come from a quick power yoga flow I shared on my YouTube channel. Check the full class out below.
Namaste,
Kassandra