If you’re working from home or just spending more time in your house than normal (as we all should be) – it can be hard to find a routine that works for you.
Lots of people are reporting that the monotony and lack of structure that comes with lockdown is leaving them feeling tired, sluggish and lacking in energy.
As a result, it can be hard to motivate yourself to stay active.
One brilliant way to ease yourself into daily activity, and give yourself an energising boost, is morning yoga.
Not only will daily routine help to ease any aches and pains caused by hunching over your home workstation, but getting your body moving first thing is a brilliant way to make sure you feel more awake and ready for the day.
This simple sequence – created by Emma Henry, teacher at triyoga – can be done in just 20 minutes, and is a gentle way to build fitness into your day.
Morning yoga workout
Firstly, set up an inviting, warm space. Turn your phone off and enjoy.
Balasana (child’s pose)
Come onto your knees with your toes touching, knees apart and forward bend. If your head doesn’t touch the floor you can place a blanket or cushion underneath.
You can reach the arms forward or back. Take a few grounding breaths and a moment to acknowledge your connection to the earth, feeling safe and nurtured.
Apanasana (knees-to-chest pose)
Lay on your back and hug the knees into the chest, gently move from side to side and play with lifting then releasing the tailbone.
Relax your spine into the earth.
Supta padangusthasana (reclining big toe pose)
Use a strap over the ball and extend your right leg skyward. You can keep the underneath leg bent or extended.
Relax the shoulders and feel free to place a blanket underneath the head.
Hold for 10 breaths with as little tension in the arms as possible.
Cat cow
Come onto your hands and your knees placing your hands directly underneath your shoulders and knees underneath hips and begin to back bend and forward bend, articulating the movement though the spine, merging your movement with the breath while noticing the mind settle as this happens.
Undulate forward and back bending five times.
Adho mukha svanasana (downward-facing dog)
Exhale and lift your knees away from the floor and press up and back. At first keep the knees slightly bent and the heels lifted away from the floor and begin to push your top thighs back and stretch your heels towards the floor.
Press the bases of the index fingers actively into the floor and firm the outer arms. Pressing the earth away with hands to lift the hips higher.
Gaze between the feet and hold for 10 breaths.
Uttanasana (standing forward bend)
From downward facing dog, walk the feet toward the hands and place the feet hip width and parallel. Press the hand into the floor.
With legs bent or extended, with each inhalation in the pose, lift and lengthen the front torso just slightly; with each exhalation release a little more fully into the forward bend.
Keep the head and neck relaxed, staying for 10 breaths.
Squat
Step the feet mat width and slightly turn the feet outward and come into a squatting position.
Place the hands in prayer position encouraging the knees to reside over the toes.
If there is discomfort in the knees, place a block underneath the seat or place padding underneath the heels if they are raised.
Hold for 10 breaths.
Utthita trikonasana (extended triangle pose)
Step or lightly jump your feet a leg width apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides.
Turn your right foot out to the right 90 degrees and your left foot slightly inward. Align the right heel with the left heel.
Press down with the feet to firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the centre of the right kneecap is in line with the centre of the right ankle.
Exhale side bend to the right extending your torso directly over the plane of the right leg taking hold of your shin or your ankle with the right hand.
Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at the left thumb.
Hold for five breaths and repeat on the left side.
Prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend)
Step your feet apart – three to four feet. Rest your hands on your hips. Make sure your inner feet are parallel to each other.
Exhale forward bend placing the hands on the floor shoulder width apart and lengthen the head towards the floor.
Hold for five breaths.
Dandasana into Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend)
Sit on the floor and extend both legs forward.
Sit tall and exhale forward bend, taking hold of the feet with your hands or use a strap in the hands placing the strap across the balls of the feet to keep feet flexed as you reach forward with a long spine. Pressing the legs down.
Holding for 10 breaths.
Half seated spinal twist
From seated position, draw right knee into chest and step right foot next to left knee. Inhale lift left arm high and exhale hook left arm around right knee as you twist to the right, placing the right hand on the floor behind you.
Breathe deeply for five breaths on each side.
Baddha konasana (bound angle pose)
Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you comfortably can. Drop the knees outward.
Pressing the heels together sit tall and if it feels comfortable begin to forward bend.
Hold for 10 breaths.
Table top
Step the feet hip width and place the hands of the floor behind you. Raise the pelvis as high as you can, keeping the gaze forward or extend the head back.
Hold for five breaths
Sphinx pose
Lie on your belly, legs side by side. Prop up onto your forearms, elbows shoulder width.
Press your pubic bone towards the floor and draw your navel towards the spine. Then, rotate your thighs inwardly by rolling your outer thighs toward the floor.
Keep the back of the neck long.
Hold for 10 breaths.
Reclining spinal twist
Lay on your back and hug the knees into the chest. Drop your knees to the left side and twist the upper body to the right side.
Keep the knees in line with your navel and stack your lets on top of one another. Gaze of the right shoulder.
Hold for 10 breaths each side.
Savasana (corpse pose)
Lay on your back, legs hip width and arms in a low V shape.
Eyes closed and relax for a long as needed witnessing any tension that rises and releasing it on the exhalation.
Triyoga’s online timetable includes more than 70 yoga classes in a range of styles
The yoga and Pilates schedule includes a broad range of styles, including Jivamukti, vinyasa, restorative and pregnancy yoga to name a few.
Classes are conducted via Zoom and are open to students of all capabilities, from beginner to advanced.
Triyoga has also made a selection of its specialist treatments and therapies available online.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/10/energising-home-yoga-workout-will-help-feel-awake-mornings-12536641/?ITO=squid
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