There are moments where it seems like we just don’t have enough time in the day, so making your yoga poses a priority in your life is a must. Where work is piling up, and life is pulling us in all directions. You’re not alone if you experience this. I’m right there with you. It’s counterintuitive, but instead of getting rid of your yoga practice to make time for more work, you MUST make time for your yoga practice to keep you grounded and centered. The yoga poses below shouldn’t take you longer than 10 minutes to do, and it’ll be just enough time to recenter, regroup, and revitalize you from a stressful day. I chose these twisting poses in particular because twisting the body is a natural way to detox yourself of toxins. When you release from a twist, your body rushes those areas with a fresh blood supply.
Read below for tips on how to get into each stretch below. Hold each pose below for 30 seconds if you’re a beginner, 1 minute intermediate, and 2 minutes if you’re advanced. Practice deep yogic breathing, which also assists your organs in the detoxification process.
Practice: Incorporate these stretches into your routine 2-3x per week. Do the stretches AFTER a heavy workout, not before. If you’re looking for a comprehensive daily program, check out my 30-Day Beginner Yoga Plan called Get Stretchy.
REVOLVED TRIANGLE POSE: Parivrtta Trikonasana Start with warrior one feet, with front foot pointed straight forward and back foot pointed at a 45 degree angle, about 3.5-4ft apart. Firm your thighs, square hips forward, and lean forward over front leg. Reach left hand for outside of right foot (or inside of foot if outside is not accessible, or use a block). Reach right arm up to sky, and rotate above the navel. Feel like your pressing your right hand against a wall, and your backhanding slightly in the upper-mid back. Look down if looking up is too strenuous, and breath. Repeat other side.Start a leg’s distance away from the wall in a forward fold. Place hands on the floor, or hands on a black if the floor is not accessible. Lift your left leg up to the wall, so it’s hip height and straight. Engage your thighs, pull navel into spine, and press your left hand firmly into the ground and reach right arm up to the sky. Feel the length between the two hands as you twist above the navel. If looking up is too intense, then look down at your hand. Repeat other side.Start in Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged standing forward fold), with both feet pointing straight ahead. Take your right arm, and thread under your chest and reach for your left ankle. Roll the right ribs underneath and up towards the sky, as you let your chest spiral up towards the ceiling. As you do that, reach right hand to right ankle, and keep spiraling above the navel. Keep feet firm into the ground to keep the pose stable. Repeat otherside.SKANDASANA: Begin in prasarita padottanasana, a wide-legged forward bend. Bend your left knee into a half squat. Keep the right leg straight and sink into the hips, but pull navel into spine. If you’re a beginner, stay up on the ball of the left foot if you can’t comfortably get into a full squat. You can also place a folded blanket under your left heel for support. Otherwise, lift the spine and reach your left hand over towards the right knee, as you reach your right hand to your left ankle. Repeat other side.REVOLVED DOWNWARD DOG: Parivrtta Adho Mukha Svanasana Start in downward dog. Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your palms and knuckles. Distribute your weight evenly across both hands. Reach your pelvis up toward the ceiling. Engage your quads and keep the extension long. Slowly reach your right hand to your left thigh. Feel the right ribs twisting up towards the sky. Press your left hand firmly into the floor to stabilize the twist. If grabbing your left ankle is not available yet, then place hand on outside of left thigh. Turn your head to look underneath your right shoulder. Keep your gaze soft. If you have no neck pain, gaze up at the ceiling, otherwise look down at the floor. Repeat other side.
I hope you enjoyed that. I love being able to connect with you over something that I'm so passionate about. Everyday I workout and stretch, and I hope to inspire you to do the same, even if it's just 15 minutes. Live the life of your dreams, and keep your body where your soul lives healthy. Remember that you workout because you love your body, not because you're trying to change it. Please check-in and leave a comment below so I know that you've read it, and let me know if there's anything else you want to learn about.
