An energizing morning yoga practice can work as a natural stimulant to set you up for a productive day. This backbending sequence will help warm up the body and bring you from repose to refresh. Many of us sleep with the spine and hips rounded in fetal position, which is calming and introspective for rest and contemplation. In contrast, backbends stretch and extend the spine and hips and bring an energetic openness to the body, preparing you for action. Take 10, 20, or 30 minutes every morning to practice, and you’ll start your day wide-awake and full of life.
Practice once, holding each pose for 10–12 breaths or 1 minute (or 30 seconds on each side). Then repeat 2 more times, moving more quickly and taking one breath per pose.
Morning time is a great time to start to get you in to the habit of rolling out your sticky mat and moving with your breath. It will set you up for a very productive, healthy, positive day, too.
This little morning yoga sequence for beginners is wonderful for getting your blood flowing and your energy focused. The poses will strengthen and lengthen your body, and help you feel fit and flexible all day long in mind, body, and spirit.
Mountain Pose is a great place to start. Ground your feet and press evenly through all four corners of each foot. Stretch your arms towards the floor and draw your abdominals in and up.
Hold for five to eight breaths to get focused and ready to move deeper.
From Mountain Pose, lift your arms up overhead and press your palms firmly together. Keep the tops of your shoulders released away from your ears and activate your triceps. Keep the abdominals engaged and the legs firm. Hold for five to eight breaths.
Warriors are always awesome to do in the AM. Warriors give us confidence and strength and help us connect to our own inner strength.
From Urdhva Hastasana, step your left foot back one of your own leg’s length apart. Press the outer left foot in to the mat as you lunge your right knee forward. The left foot should be pointing at a seventy-five degree angle. Make sure the knee stays above the ankle. Hold for five to eight breaths.
From Warrior I Pose on the right side, open the arms, hips, and waist to the side as you gaze forward over your right hand. Your back toes can open up a bit more than seventy-five degrees, but keep the toes a little forward of the heel still. Make sure the front knee doesn’t roll in. Draw your abs in and and keep the torso even between the legs. Stay and breathe for five to eight deep breaths.
From Warrior II, straighten the front leg and hinge forward placing the hand on the knee, shin, or a block. Imagine yourself between two narrow walls. Hold for five to eight breaths, then come back up to standing.
Re-bend the front knee and place the outer right forearm on the upper right thigh. Extend the top arm overhead and lengthen from the outer edge of the left foot all the way through the left fingers.
Hold for five to eight breaths.
Drop your hands alongside the front foot and step forward, folding in to both legs. Come back up through Urdhva Hastasana and repeat postures 3-6 on the left side.
After doing the postures on the left side, instead of folding forward, place both hands on the floor on either side of the left foot from Extended Side Angle and step the left foot back to meet the right as you come into Downward Facing Dog Pose.
Press firmly into your hands and roll your upper arms outwards. Lengthen up through your torso and keep your abdominals engaged. Actively use your legs to keep bringing your torso back in space.
If you need to bend your knees, that’s ok!
Hold here for eight to ten breaths.
Finish by pressing back to Child’s Pose to stretch the entire back body and focus on what you would like to achieve for the day.
Pat yourself on the back every time you get out of bed and greet the day with some yoga postures. You will feel amazing and eventually might not even need that extra cup of coffee in the morning.
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