Not Too Strenuous Strength and Stretch Yoga Practice

This is a full body morning yoga sequence you can do to help wake your body up and prepare for the day ahead. Without too much effort, it will help you build a bit of heat this morning.

1. Wide Legged Child’s Pose – From kneeling, bring the big toes together and take the knees as wide as comfortable this morning. Walk the hands forward and lower the forehead down to the floor. Settle into a breath rhythm here that you will be able to maintain throughout your practice.

2. Sphinx – Slide forward onto the belly. With forearms grounded. Extend the legs back, feet hip width apart. Open through the chest, find a little back bend. Roll the shoulders back. Taking this into some strength. Inhale in sphinx. Exhale, press into the top of the feet, to turn the gaze inwards and lift the hips up to a forearm plank. Inhale to sphinx. Do 5 rounds like this.

3. Tiger Variation – Come up to hands and knees. With a neutral spine. Tuck the toes to lift and hover the knee. Lower the knees. Then kick and lift the right heel up towards the sky. Lower knee. Push to hover both knees. Lower knees. Then kick and lift the left heel up towards the sky. Do a couple of rounds.

4. Rag Doll – Tuck the toes and lift up to downward dog. Paddling the feet or holding for a couple breaths. Then walk the feet up to the top of the mat. Bending in knees as needed. Clasp opposite elbows. Relax the neck. Maybe swaying back and forth as you dangle.

5. Warrior 2 – Standing at the top pf the mat. Keep the right toes pointing forward. Step the left foot back, spinning the heel down so foot is parallel to the shorter edge of the mat. Bend deep into the right knee. Squeeze the thigh open. Expand, reaching out through the arms. Sinking the hips down. Reverse, bringing left hand down and reaching the right arm up and over. Come back to center. Then pivot to do Warrior 2 on the other leg towards the back of the mat.

6. Wide Legged Fold – Turn both feet parallel to the shorter edges of the mat, keeping them wide. Bring hands to the hips. Inhale to lengthen the spine. Exhale to hinge at the hips and fold down. Play with bending one leg at a time, or both.

7. Side Bend – Come to a seat. Extend the right leg out to the side. Left foot inside of the right thigh. Widening legs away from one another. Reach the left arm up and over. Opening through the side body for a few breaths. Repeat to the other side.

These 7 poses come from a 15 minute morning yoga class shared across my channel and app.

Kassandra