Ready to head to the nearest drive thru coffee shop for a quick energy fix? Instead of waiting in line, spend that time at home on your mat!
These 7 poses in just 10 minutes will leave you feeling much better. And hey you can always brew a cup to go at home while you’re working through them – best of both worlds!
1. Reclined Pigeon – Lower down on the back with knees bent. Cross the right ankle over the left knee. Press the right thigh away from you. Flex the right foot. Reach through with the hands to clasp and pull the left knee in towards you. Relax the shoulders. Now flex and point the right foot while you hold here for a moment.
2. Hamstring Stretch – Keep right foot flexed across the left knee. Straighten the left leg up towards the sky. Maybe sliding the hands further up the leg (while keeping head and shoulders down). Flex and point the left foot while you hold for a few rounds of breath.
Repeat 1-2 on other side.
3. Happy Baby – Uncross legs and grab big toes with the peace fingers. Stacking heels over knees, and guiding the knees down towards the mat. Elbows inside of the legs, pushing the knees open. Keep the spine fully grounded. Swaying side to side.
4. Ab Curl – Stack knees over the hips, with shins parallel to the floor. Close the gap between mat and low back. Bring hands behind the head. Inhale to lift the head and shoulders. Exhale to straighten the right leg. Inhale it back in. Alternate legs. Take a few rounds.
5. Rag Doll – Come to standing with feet a bit wider than hip width. Fold down, bending the knees as needed. Relax the head and decompress the spine. Clasp hold of opposite elbows. Gently sway side to side a few times.
6. Wide Legged Forward Fold – Turn to the long edge of the mat, taking the feet wide. Bringing feet parallel to short edges of the mat, with toes turned in slightly. Lift and lengthen. Tilt and hinge from the hips. Lean the hips back, stretch and lengthen the arms forward. Getting a big traction in the spine. After a few breaths, walk hands back in line with feet and hold for a few more breaths.
7. Child’s Pose – Come to kneeling. Bringing toes together and taking knee wide if you like. Sink the hips to the heels. Reach the hands forward. Rest the forehead and melt chest down.
These poses come from a 10 minute beginner friendly practice on my YouTube channel and in my app.
Namaste,
Kassandra
