This quick series of poses is a great beginner friendly way of waking up the body each morning. With a bit of a challenging pose to close it out.
In just a few minutes you will get a good amount of strength and stretch.
No props needed.
1. Sphinx – Come down onto your belly. Bring the forearms down. Extend the legs back, hip width apart. Push into the fingertips. Roll the shoulders back, opening the chest. Pushing into the tops of the feet.
2. Side Sphinx – Roll over onto the right hip and elbow. Stacking one hip over the other. Stay down on the forearm or come up to the hand. You can sink into it a bit. Focus on the side bend. Release and transition to the other side.
3. Cat/Cow – Come up to table top with hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Inhale, drop the belly, lift the gaze and tailbone. Exhale, pushing the ground away and round and contract the spine. Getting some essential spinal movement. Breathing in and out through the nose.
4. Thread the Needle – Extend the left foot foot out to the side. Flattening the foot in line with the hip. Reach the right arm underneath. Coming down onto the ear and shoulder. No tension in neck here. Extend the left arm towards the top of the mat.
5. Gate Pose – Lift up to tall kneeling. Keeping the legs as is. Reach the right arm up and over, sliding the left hand down the left leg. Rolling the right shoulder back.
Repeat 4 and 5 on other side.
6. Low Lunge – Lift up to downward dog. Then step the right foot through between the hands. Lower the left knee. Bring hands to the thighs and lift up. Lengthen the tailbone down. Move forward into lunge. Keep chest lifted and engage the low belly.
7. Humble Warrior – Bring the hands to interlace behind the back. Tuck the back toes and lift the back knee up. Stay here, broadening the chest. Or dive down to the inside of the right thigh.
These poses come from a 20 minute Morning Yoga class I shared recently.
Kassandra
