(Photo: Yoga With Kassandra)
This 10-minute morning yoga practice is a mix of strengthening, stretching, balancing, and breathing. Because it’s more of a strength-based practice, it requires a more than a little effort from you first thing in the morning. And because it’s a short practice, it’s a little fast-paced to fit a lot into 10 minutes. It includes some dynamic movement and playful corework along with a standing sequence that stretches and strengthens you in all the ways you need.
We go through the poses fairly quickly since we only have 10 minutes. Although if you have a little more time, you can slow your pace. At the beginning of your practice, consider thinking of a one-word intention for how you want to feel throughout your day. Keep coming back to that during your practice and beyond.
You can also use your practice time this morning just to set an intention for the day ahead.
10-Minute Morning Yoga
This 10-minute morning yoga practice is great for all levels of experience. These poses don’t require any props although you’re welcome to use them in any pose.
Reclined Knee to Chest
Start by lying down on your back. Then bring your right thigh toward your belly and keep your left leg extended straight on the mat. Flex your left foot by drawing your toes toward you as you push through your heel to find even more length along your leg. Relax your head and shoulders and use only the slightest bit of arm strength to pull your right knee toward you and then open it a little toward your right shoulder.
Stay here, breathing in and out through your nose. You can start to ask yourself what your intention is for the day and simply choose one word for yourself. It might be the first word that comes to mind.
Reclined Twist
The next time you exhale, carry your right knee over your body toward the left side of the mat in a Reclined Twist. Your left hand is only very lightly guiding your right knee down toward the floor.
Let your right arm reach out toward the right side, pushing your shoulder blade into the mat to intensify the twist. You’re stretching in opposite directions as your right shoulder and right knee move away from each other. Breathe here.
Half Happy Baby
Then come back to center and into Half Happy Baby by bringing the bottom of your foot toward the ceiling, stacking your ankle over your knee, and grabbing the outer edge of the foot, your right toe, or your shin. I like to keep my elbow to the inside of my leg and push that knee a little wider. So you’re working through your right hamstrings and hip as you keep the length in your left leg.
Then release and switch sides to practice these stretches on the left.
Sphinx to Forearm Plank
Roll over onto your belly and bring your forearms to the mat as you lift your chest in Sphinx Pose. Push into your palms and forearms, roll your shoulders back, broaden through your chest, and push into the tops of your feet.
You’re going to go from Sphinx into a variation of Forearm Plank. So as you inhale, lift your hips off the mat and lengthen.
You can stay here or intensify the pose by also lifting your knees off the mat.
Exhale as you lower into Sphinx Pose. So inhale and lift. Exhale and push through the mat and lower down.
Downward-Facing Dog
Press yourself to hands and knees, tuck your toes under, and then lift your hips up and back into your first Downward-Facing Dog. You can alternate bending one knee and straightening the opposite leg, working on, getting your heels a little closer to the mat. You’re just stretching through the hamstrings and calves and you might feel this along the soles of your feet. Relax your neck and let it be heavy as you try to reach your chest toward your thighs, keeping a little bend in both knees.
Three-Legged Dog
From here, come into Three-Legged Dog by raising your right leg. Stretch it as high as it’ll go.
High Lunge
Step your right foot forward in between your hands. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart to help your balance. Then lift your chest and extend your arms alongside your head in High Lunge. Lift and lengthen out of the waist. I’m bending a little in my back knee so that I can keep my hips directly underneath my shoulders.
Let’s add a side bend from here. So my right hand is going to come to my right hip. My left arm is going to reach up and overhead in a big side body stretch. Then come back to center and bring both hands on your hips.
Pyramid Pose
Straighten your front leg and bring your back foot in a couple inches so you can ground your back heel and angle your back foot. Inhale as you lift and lengthen through your back. Exhale as you hinge forward from the hips in a big hamstring stretch known as Pyramid Pose.
You don’t need to go very far in this pose to be able to feel it. If you’re very tight first thing in the morning, you can absolutely keep a bend in that front leg. I make this more of a passive stretch so I don’t have a flat back, which is fine. I’m just letting gravity pull me deeper into the forward fold. Relax your neck.
Low Lunge
Bend your front knee and wiggle or slide your left foot back until your left knee comes to the mat in Low Lunge.
Hold here or add a quad stretch by circling your right arm back, bending your left knee, and seeing if you can grab hold of your left foot as you pull it toward your seat. So your right shoulder is rolling back and you’ll find a little twist through the upper body. Let your hips sink low.
Slowly come back to center and release your hands to the mat, step your right foot back, and come to Downward-Facing Dog. Then repeat these same poses on your left side, including Three-Legged Dog, High Lunge, Side Stretch, Pyramid, Low Lunge, and Downward-Facing Dog. Stretch it out here.
Child’s Pose
Your knees come down to the mat and sink your hips back into Child’s Pose. You can rest your forehead and belly down and bring your arms either overhead or by your sides. Remind yourself of the one-word intention that captures how you want to feel today and what you want to focus on.
Seated Meditation
I don’t do Savasana in these short morning classes because I don’t want you to fall back asleep. Instead, we’re going to take a seat in any way that feels good for your hips and lower back. Close your eyes and come back to your intention for the day.
Thank you for doing this short 10-minute morning yoga flow with me. I hope you feel a little more energized and ready to take on your day.
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