Yoga is a full-body workout that really incorporates a great balance that is hard to find in other exercise routines. It encompasses both physical and mental strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and relaxation all in one. It’s quite near impossible to hit all of those elements together in any other form of workout. Since we’ve been focusing a lot on endurance and strength training I thought it would be nice to take it a little slower this week with a morning yoga routine.
This workout is meant to flow so you should move through each pose back-to-back with no rest in between. If you wish you may repeat this sequence up to 4 times. So grab bottle of water and lets hit the mat!
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Plank Position (Phalakasana)
Yoga Push-Up (Chaturanga)
Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana)
Cat-Cow (Marjaiasana & Bitilasana)
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
DESCRIPTIONS
Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Start in Mountain Pose with feet shoulder width apart and hands on hips. Inhale and bring the sole of your right foot to your inner calve or thigh. Exhale to reach the arms overhead. Stay here for 5 breaths, then repeat on the other leg.
Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Begin in Mountain Pose by standing with feet shoulder width apart and hands on hips. Take a deep breath in and then exhale as you hinge at the hips to bend forward, sucking in the belly. Bring hands flat onto the ground right by the outer edges of the feet. To modify you may either use a yoga block or keep the knees bent. Stay here for 10 breaths.
Plank Position (Phalakasana)
From forward fold, inhale and lift the chest up and look forward to straighten the spine, then exhale and step back one foot at a time until you are in a full plank position. Hands should be flat on the ground directly under the shoulders, feet hips distance apart. Squeeze the abs here and be sure to keep the body in a straight line. Hold for 5 breaths.
Yoga Push-Up (Chaturanga)
From your plank position, keep the elbows close by your side and directly over the wrist, then exhale and slowly lower the body to hover a few inches above the ground. Fully engage the body and squeeze the abs. To modify you may drop down to the knees. Hold this position for 3-5 breaths.
Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)
From Chaturanga, inhale and bring the chest forward and straighten out the elbows until they are directly under the shoulders. Switch from tucking your toes to pressing the tops of the feet on the floor and keep drawing upward through the chest. Lift the torso and legs a few inches off of the floor. To modify you may slightly rest the thighs on the floor. Hold for 3-5 breaths.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
From upward dog, exhale and press back into down dog by lifting the tailbone upwards towards the ceiling. Curl the toes under and re-position the body so that the feet are hips distance apart and weight should be evenly distributed between hands and feet. Draw the sit-bones back towards the wall behind you and try to press the back heels into the mat for a nice stretch along the hamstrings. The ears should be aligned with the upper arms and let the head relax but do not let it dangle. Stay here for 5 breaths.
Warrior I (Virabhadrasana)
Here is where you finally get to relax those arms! From down dog, inhale as you lift the right leg high then exhale and step it forward in between the hands. Spin the left heel inwards so the foot is flat and the toes are pointing slightly out. Exhale as you lift the arms up above the head, bringing the body into a deep lung. Relax the shoulder blades down the back and allow the bent knee to come slightly forward over the right ankle. Square the hips towards the front of the room and stay here for 5 breaths. Then, inhale and switch to the other side simply by pivoting around and bending the left leg forward to lung on the other side. Hold here for another 5 breaths.
Cat-Cow (Marjaiasana & Bitilasana)
Shake out the legs and make your way back down to the mat. Start on all fours (tabletop position) with the knees directly under the hips, wrists directly under the shoulders, toes tucked under, and the spine in a neutral position. Inhale deeply, then exhale and make your way to the cat position by tucking in the chin and arching the spine towards the ceiling. Engage your abs and think about pulling the belly button in and up. Then, inhale and begin to enter cow position by arching the back in the opposite direction, releasing the abs and fixing your gaze up towards the ceiling. Repeat the Cat Poses on your exhales and Cow Poses on your inhales for 10 breaths.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
From tabletop position inhale deeply, then exhale and, leaving your feet where they are, pull the tailbone back and lower the torso over the thighs. Lengthen the spine by pulling the ribs and tailbone away from each other and reach the crown of the head away from your shoulders. Keep the arms extended in front of the body. Hold for 10 slow and deep breaths.
PICTURE CREDITS:
http://images.meredith.com/fitness/images/2006/08/ss_FI090106TRYIN002.jpg
http://www.yogajournal.com.au/wp-content/uploads/standing-forward-bend.jpg
http://www.anahataproject.com/storage/_COB0099.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1429973407981
http://yogadoctors.com/DrEdenGoldmanBlog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/HP_209_Chaturanga_2481.jpg
https://yoginisam.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/up-dog.jpg
http://www.joannesumner.com/js/tinymce-upgrade/plugins/imagemanager/files/downward_facing_dog.jpg
http://yogahathayoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Iyengar-Balance-Warrior-1.jpg
http://kimfischyoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/20100215-0010.jpg