There are so many mentions of proper morning routines like making a warm drink and journaling and meditating or drinking water and lemon and going to the gym. Well, my mornings look a little different. Today, I am sharing my top three favorite morning yoga poses to start my day off right.
Let's face it, what one person does in the morning and posts on their social channels may not be right for you. It may not be easy to implement or it may not jive with your lifestyle. For example, I see so many posts about waking up leisurely, brewing a cup of coffee with a superfood supplement, and then journaling before a yoga session, meditation, or workout.
Well, we have a 2-year-old husky and that morning routine would NOT jive with her. Yes, we set our alarm, but we usually get woken up by a cold husky nose booping our own or her jumping on the bed and pawing at our face, back, or shoulder. If we don't oblige, there is usually a plush toy shoved near our hand begging to be tossed, or she'll ring the bells at the door signaling it's time to go outside. So all that to say, we get up and we initiate dog-parenting mode and meditation/journaling/leisure does not fit that routine.
As a result, after I take our husky outside for a quick smell and bathroom break, I shuffle back inside and sneak in a few morning yoga poses between tossing a plush toy for her to grab. Additionally, most of the poses that I have included enable me to have a free hand to wrestle, if the husky engages her raptor-play. I hope you enjoy and find it easier to mix these morning yoga poses into your wake-up call than other routines online!
Bharmanasana (Tabletop Pose) with Hip Circles, Cat/Cow, and Spinal Balance
Bharmanasana into Majaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow) - There are so may yoga poses that are incredible for the body and the mind, but this series of poses takes the cake as it benefits spinal mobility and helps keep our bodies strong, fluid, and healthy.
Benefits:
Calms the mind.
Improves body awareness.
Strengthens the legs, abdominals, and arms.
Releases wrist tensions.
Flushes our joints with synovial fluid.
How to Get into the Pose:
If you don't have a dog begging to play, you can begin with a few breaths in Child's Pose and really begin to connect inward. As you press your forehead into you mat, begin to bring movement and take your hands winder than your mat. Follow your breath and being to move side to side on your forehead - ear to ear. Every inhale brings you to center and exhale to one ear.
Inhale rise into your box - shoulders stack over wrists and hips over knees.
Spread your fingers and press through your fingers.
Majaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow)
Inhale: Lower your belly, lift your chest and allow your shoulders to roll down your spine and away from your ears, and look up.
If you have neck issues, look down or straight ahead.
Focus on the curve of your full spine rather than hinging at the midback.
Exhale: Pull your belly towards your spine, round the top of your spine to the ceiling, and gently shift your weight forward.
Focus on actively pressing your hands into your mat.
Allow your neck to hang but focus on a gentle gaze to your belly or knees.
If you have neck issues, keep your neck in a neutral position.
Inhale: Return to Cow.
Exhale: Flow to Cat.
Follow your breath for 10 movements with each breath.
Hip Circles
From your box, inhale lift your right leg long and keep your hand pressed firmly into your mat.
Exhale bend your heel to your sit bones and begin to draw circles with your knee.
After about 3 -5 circles, switch directions.
Once even, inhale lengthen your leg back long.
Exhale return to box placing your right knee down under your hip.
Inhale lift your left leg long and keep your hand pressed firmly into your mat.
Exhale bend your heel to your sit bones and begin to draw circles with your knee.
After about 3 -5 circles, switch directions.
Once even, inhale lengthen your leg back long.
Exhale return to box placing your left knee down under your hip.
Spinal Balance
Inhale lengthen your right arm and left leg. Really reach your arm and leg in the opposite direction to find length.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Exhale lower your limbs down and take this on the other side.
Inhale lengthen your left arm and right leg. Really reach your arm and leg in the opposite direction to find length.
Hold for 5 breaths.
Exhale lower your limbs.
Anjaneyasana (Crescent Low Lunge) with Twist and Heart Opener
Anjaneyasana (Crescent Low Lunge) with Twist and Heart Opener - I love this series when warming up for a yoga class because it opens the front of the body from the knee to the fingertips and preps the body for more balancing and challenging postures. For the morning, I enjoy this pose for its asymmetry because more awareness and focus is needed allowing the body to wake up fully.
Benefits:
Opens the hips.
Lengthens the spine.
With the twist, the vital organs are gaining enhanced blood flow.
Stimulates the Manipura Chakra giving us a boost of confidence and self-acceptance.
How to Get into the Pose:
From your box, inhale lengthen your right leg.
Exhale step your right foot between your hands at the top of your mat.
Inhale press your chest up and arms reach overhead.
Focus on pulling your arms to the back of the room and brining your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Hold for 5 breaths. Feel you front body opening more with each breath.
Inhale find length. Exhale reach your right arm back behind you and your left arm forward for a gentle twist. Hold for 3 breaths.
Exhale your left hand down next to your right foot and right arm reaches towards the sky. Option to drop you right arm open to the side of the room to really expand the right side and embrace asymmetry fully. Hold for 3 breaths.
Inhale your right arm back towards the sky.
Exhale plant your right hand down on the opposite side of your top foot.
Inhale lengthen your right leg back and long.
Exhale drop your right knee back into your box.
Repeat on the other side.
Inhale lengthen your left leg.
Exhale step your left foot between your hands at the top of your mat.
Inhale press your chest up and arms reach overhead.
Focus on pulling your arms to the back of the room and brining your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Hold for 5 breaths. Feel you front body opening more with each breath.
Inhale find length. Exhale reach your left arm back behind you and your right arm forward for a gentle twist. Hold for 3 breaths.
Exhale your right hand down next to your left foot and left arm reaches towards the sky. Option to drop you left arm open to the side of the room to really expand the left side and embrace asymmetry fully.
Inhale your left arm back towards the sky.
Exhale plant your left hand down on the opposite side of your top foot.
Inhale lengthen your left leg back and long.
Exhale drop your left knee back into your box.
Trikonasana Flow Series
Trikonasana Flow Series - Trikonasana is a pose that relieves stress, opens the hips, groin, chest, abdominals and shoulders, and improves digestion. This is another asymmetrical pose that taps into our body's own strength, balance, and flexibility to achieve proper form and enhances the mind-body connection.
Benefits:
Brings your attention inward- true body and mind connection.
Strengthens the lower body.
Lengthens the torso.
Opens the heart.
How to Get into the Pose:
From your box, exhale press back into your Downward Facing Dog.
Inhale lengthen your right leg.
Exhale step your right leg to the top of your mat between your hands.
Inhale bend your front knee and step your back foot halfway - to the center of your mat - and turn your back left toes to the to left corner of your mat.
Exhale into your pyramid fold. Hold for 2 breaths.
Inhale lift your chest parallel to your mat and extend open your arms like an airplane. Focus on aligning your nose over your toes and keeping your back straight and strong.
Inhale lengthen the crown of your head forward.
Exhale Triangle Pose - twist the left, placing your right arm down on the inside of your right foot and left arms reaches high overhead. Hold this for 5 breaths.
Inhale back to center with airplane arms.
Exhale Revolved Triangle Pose - twist to the right, placing your left arm down on the outside of your right foot and right arm reaches high overhead. Hold this for 5 breaths.
Inhale back to center with airplane arms.
Flow with your breath for a series of 5 - Inhale airplane arms. Exhale twists left or right.
Once complete, inhale back to center.
Exhale place your hands down, framing your right foot.
Inhale return your left foot to the back of the mat.
Exhale step your right foot to meet your left and press into Downward Facing Dog. Option to flow into a Chaturanga Dandasana and UpDog from plank, if you want.
Repeat this on the other side.
Inhale lengthen your left leg.
Exhale step your left leg to the top of your mat between your hands.
Inhale bend your front knee and step your back foot halfway - to the center of your mat - and turn your back right toes to the to right corner of your mat.
Exhale into your pyramid fold. Hold for 2 breaths.
Inhale lift your chest parallel to your mat and extend open your arms like an airplane. Focus on aligning your nose over your toes and keeping your back straight and strong.
Inhale lengthen the crown of your head forward.
Exhale Triangle Pose - twist to the right, placing your left arm down on the inside of your left foot and right arms reaches high overhead. Hold this for 5 breaths.
Inhale back to center with airplane arms.
Exhale Revolved Triangle Pose - twist to the left, placing your right arm down on the outside of your left foot and left arm reaches high overhead. Hold this for 5 breaths.
Inhale back to center with airplane arms.
Flow with your breath for a series of 5 - Inhale airplane arms. Exhale twists left or right.
Once complete, inhale back to center.
Exhale place your hands down, framing your left foot.
Inhale return your right foot to the back of the mat.
Exhale step your left foot to meet your rightt and press into Downward Facing Dog. Option to flow into a Chaturanga Dandasana and UpDog from plank, if you want.
Hold your Downward Facing Dog for 3 breaths before finding movement to Child's Pose wehre you began, box for a fre more movements, or standing to being your day.
I hope you find these three morning yoga poses and series of movements around each posture more obtainable and you are able to easily fit these yoga poses into your morning routine. Each one of these poses is great for spinal mobility and health, building a mind-body connection, and preparing your body for your day. As always, please do not hesitate to leave a comment. Let me know what you enjoyed, what you changed, or what you might want to see next!
All my light. All my love. Namaste.
Jordan
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