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Within the context of a whole day, 20 minutes can seem pretty inconsequential. Although time truly is relative. We all know this because someway 20 minutes seems to pass much more quickly later within the day than early within the morning.
That is why you might want to think about taking 20 minutes to practice yoga before life and work overwhelm your day and cause you to place it off until tomorrow…and tomorrow…and tomorrow. A bit of yoga is at all times preferable to no yoga. And also you a be surprised at what you possibly can practice—and feel—in lower than half an hour.
A 20-minute morning yoga sequence to jump-start your day
(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
Cat–Cow Pose
Come onto your hands and knees and stack your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. As you exhale, press down through your palms, round your back, and tuck your chin in Cat.
(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
As you inhale, slowly arch your back and lift your chest into Cow. Begin to maneuver your spine in a rhythmic motion, moving along with your breath for so long as you would like.
(Photo: Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
Table Top to Superman
From all fours, lift your belly in toward your spine. Pause here. While you’re ready, extend your right leg straight behind you and reach your left arm alongside your ear. Bend your right leg and reach behind along with your left hand to grab your foot. Press your foot away from you as you lift your chest and are available right into a slight backbend. Breathe here. Slowly lower to the mat and repeat on the opposite side.
(Photo: Andrew Clark)
Downward-Facing Dog Pose to Knee-to-Nose
From Tabletop, inhale as you tuck your toes under and lift your hips up and back. Pause here and breathe. Downward-Facing Dog Pose, inhale as you lift your right leg up high behind you, after which exhale as you round your spine as you draw knee to chest. Keep your pelvis low and round your upper spine toward the sky. Hug your right thigh to your chest and knee to your nose. Keep pressing the ground along with your hands. Return to Downward Dog after which repeat with the left leg.
(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
Side Plank Pose
From Down Dog, shift your weight barely forward so your shoulders are almost stacked above your wrists. Roll your heels to the precise. Shift your weight into your right hand and the periphery of your right foot. Turn your gaze down as you stack your left foot on top of your right (or you possibly can keep the inner fringe of your left foot on the mat). Fan the flames of your thigh muscles and press your feet and right hand down as you lift your hips. Bring your right hand to your hip or extend it toward the ceiling. In the event you feel regular, slowly turn your gaze as much as the ceiling. Breathe. Either return to Downward-Facing Dog or proceed to Wild Thing.
Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia
Wild Thing
From Side Plank, slowly step your right foot behind you. Keep your left foot grounded onto the mat and your left leg straight. Lift your hips and chest toward the ceiling and reach your right arm alongside your ear. Press down through every a part of you that touches the mat to lift the remainder of your body right into a slight backbend. Let your head gently hand. Breathe. Return to Downward Dog. In the event you need, take Child’s Pose for several breaths before returning to Down Dog. Repeat Side Plank and Wild Thing on the opposite side.
(Photo: Andrew Clark)
Plank Pose
From Downward Dog, shift your shoulders forward over your wrists. Keep your legs and core engaged and press your hands and feet into the mat. Press your heels toward the wall behind and reach through the highest of your head toward the wall in front of you. Breathe.
(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
Chaturanga (4-Limbed Staff Pose)
From Plank, bend your elbows and slowly lower halfway to the mat, keeping your elbows drawing in toward your sides. Press your hands into the ground, ward off through your heels, and interact your core. You may modify the pose by lowering your knees to the mat.
Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose)
From Chaturanga, press your hands and the tops of your feet down as you lift your chest. Keep your thighs lifted off the mat. Draw your upper arm bones toward your back to open your heart. Keep your neck long as you gaze forward.
(Photo: Andrew Clark)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
From Up Dog, roll over the tops of your feet, press into your hands, and lift your hips up and back into Down Dog. Spread your fingers wide, lift your sitting bones toward the ceiling, and draw your belly and low ribs toward your spine.
(Photo: Andrew Clark; Clothing: Calia)
High Lunge
From Down Dog, step your left foot between your hands. Press through your lifted back heel and release your pelvis toward the mat to stretch your back hip flexor. Lift the perimeters of your waist out of your hips. Bring your arms alongside your ears and gaze up. Breathe.
In the event you’d prefer to twist in High Lunge, bring your hands to prayer at your chest and twist your chest to the left. Press your right upper arm into the skin of your outer left thigh. Press your palms together and draw your shoulder blades away out of your ears. Turn your gaze upward or keep looking straight ahead.
From High Lunge or High Lunge with a twist, exhale and convey your hands back to the mat. Step back to Plank and make your technique to Down Dog, either by drawing your hips up and back or going through Chaturanga and Up Dog. Repeat on the opposite side.
To finish your practice, repeat the poses after Wild Thing for as much as 5 rounds.
See also The 30 Minute Practice to Jump-Start Your Day
This text has been updated. Originally published January 7, 2015.