A healthy mix of stretch, strength and balance is the absolute best way to start your day! Who is with me?
To get the mix of all of these things, try out these 7 poses today.
No props are required for these beginner to intermediate poses. But you can always have some blocks handy for when you need them.
1. Child’s Pose – Start kneeling. Bring the big toes together and take the knees as wide as comfortable. Walk the hands out, lifting up to the fingertips. Keep elbows lifted. Press the shoulders and armpits down. As you inhale, feel the rib cage expanding. Hold for a few deep breaths.
2. Cat/Cow Variation – Come to table top with hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Inhale to drop the belly, lift the gaze and tailbone. Exhale to round and contract the spine, looking towards the belly button.
3. Tiger Pose – Extend and lift the left the left leg back. Bend into the knee. Reach the right arm back, clasping hold of the left foot with right hand. Kick the foot into the palm to deepen the back bend and stretch the right shoulder.
4. Side Tiger – Release the foot, extending the leg back with toes down. Roll onto the inner edge of the left foot. Left arm reaching up. Point the toes out. Inhale to squeeze and lift up the left leg. Exhale to tap the toes down. Repeat a few rounds. Then hold the leg up. Bend into the knee and reach the left hand back to clasp hold of the foot. Kick the foot into the hand. Keeping ankle, knee and hip in one line.
Repeat 3 and 4 on the other side.
5. Warrior 2 – Lift up to downward dog. Then step the right foot to the top of the mat. . Spin the left foot parallel to the shorter edge of the mat. Press into the feet and lift up. Bend into the front knee. Extend arms, front to back. Pressing shoulders down, palms parallel to floor.
6. Triangle Pose – Shift the hips back. Straighten the right leg. Drop the right hand down, left hand reaches up to the sky. Stacking shoulders and hips.
7. Quad Stretch – Rotate back to the mat, lowering the hand. Bend into the right knee. Drop the left knee down. Kick the left foot up. Reach back with the right hand to clasp hold of the opposite foot. Push it in towards you. Melt hips forward and down.
Repeat 5 through 7 on the other side.
These poses come from a quick 10 minute morning class on my channel and within the app.
Kassandra
