Short on time but feeling tight in the hips and/or lower back this morning? Try these 7 poses in under 10 minutes.
No props or experience necessary, just roll out your mat.
- Neck Stretch – Sit comfortably on your mat. Lifting out of the low back. Slide the shoulders down.Drop right ear towards the right shoulder. Lift the chin a bit. Maybe use your right hand on the left temple to guide a little further. You may also want to walk the left fingers out to the side.
2. Windshield Wiper – Bring the feet out in front of you, a bit wider than hip width with toes pointing forward. Drop both knees to the right side. Flexing the feet. Lift and drop to the left. After a few rounds hold knees to the right, and turn towards the right thigh. Bring fingers to the mat. Bow forward and down. Push into fingers to lift up. Exhale down. Repeat a few rounds. Then take to the left.
3. Butterfly Cat/Cow – Bring the soles of the feet together and drop the knees apart. Hold the big toes with the two peace fingers. Inhale as you squeeze the shoulder blades behind you, shift gaze up and lift the chest. Exhale to round and contract. Repeat a few rounds.
4. Hip Circles – Come up to the hands and knees, with shoulders over the wrists and knees over the hips. Firm up the belly. Kick the right heel up to the sky, open the knee to the side, and forward to shoulder, back through center. Tracing big circles. Be mindful you’re not leaning all of weight on the left hand or bending the elbow.
5. Low Lunge – Step the right foot to top of the mat, with knee over ankle. Push into legs to lift up, reaching arms overhead. Maybe pressing the palms together and looking up to the thumbs.
6. Easy Twist – Bring the hands down to frame the foot. Tuck the big toes, and lift the knee up. Reach the right arm up to the sky. Stacking one shoulder over the other.
Repeat 4 through 6 on the other side.
7. Rag Doll – From down dog, walk the hands and feet together to meet in the middle. Widen the feet a bit. Bend the knees to drape and rest the belly to the thighs. Hold the elbows. Maybe swaying side to side. Take a few cleansing breaths.
These 7 poses come from a 10 minute morning practice I shared on my YouTube channel.
Namaste,
Kassandra
